Information regarding finding a tick

Office Protocol:

Tick Bite Child: You found a tick on your child, now what? First, remove the tick, trying to keep as much of it intact as possible. If the head doesn't come out, it's okay. The skin will push it out on its own with a little bit of time. If you are able to remove the tick entirely, you can click one of the links below to send it out for testing. One is through UCONN and the other is through the State of Connecticut.

What to watch for? Ticks usually need to be attached for more than 24 hours to transmit lyme. In the following months, keep an eye out for a bullseye rash anywhere on the child's body, not just where the tick was removed. Common signs of lyme can include excessive fatigue (tiredness for a long period of time; not just a day or two), joint pain (especially the knees), and the bullseye rash.

How to Submit a Tick through UCONN

Step 1

Remove the tick and keep as intact as possible. Do not attempt to crush the tick.

Step 2

Step 1

Place the tick in a zip-lock bag with a small piece of damp paper towel. (Submitting in anything else, like Vaseline or alcohol, may interfere with testing.)

Step 3

Step 1

Step 3

Make sure the bag is completely sealed and place securely in a second zip-lock bag.

Step 4

Step 1

Step 3

Complete the submission form - Please note when completing your forms, RUSH testing is temporarily unavailable on 5/9/23, 5/10/23, and 5/11/23

Review the Dos and Don’ts of submitting a tick on page 2 of the submission form.

Step 5

Additional website on how to submit a tick CDC

Step 5

Mail or deliver in person, place the submission form and tick in a bubble or cushioned mailer to protect the tick during transport. It is our recommendation that you use an overnight carrier such as UPS or FedEx.

Step 6

Additional website on how to submit a tick CDC

Step 5

Prepayment is not required. Either wait for an invoice to be mailed to you next month and make payment by credit card online or by check through the mail or call our office (860-486-3738) to make a credit card payment over the phone this month prior to being invoiced.

Submission form

Additional website on how to submit a tick CDC

Submission form Link

Additional website on how to submit a tick CDC

CDC How to Submit a Tick for Testing

Lyme Disease

Tick Bite Child: If any symptoms appear, the child can be tested for Lyme, 30 days or more after the initial bite. We do not treat children preventively. Testing for Lyme is a blood draw that is sent out and takes several days for results to come back. If results are positive, we can treat with antibiotics accordingly.

Tick Bite Adult: Same as above. However, we can treat adults at the time they start to exhibit symptoms. A positive test is not needed to begin treatment, but an appointment will be required. If antibiotics are prescribed before the 30 day mark, a lyme test will be scheduled 30 days from the start of the medication.

*Lyme testing cannot be performed before 30 days from the discovery of the tick. Lyme may not show on a test until this time and can result in a false negative.

CDC information regarding Lyme Disease symptoms and treatments

Information on Lyme Disease