Do not let animals rest on furniture and don't sleep with them. Amitraz collars labelled for dogs only are effective on ticks. Tick Removal Look for a freckle that moves. Remember that the black-legged tick is small. The nymphs are about the size of a pinhead.
Prompt removal reduces the chance of infection.
The tick deposits the spirochetes in a convenient capillary only after feeding for 12 to 24 hours. People usually do not realize that the meal is underway. Use tweezers or shield your fingers with a paper towel or tissue paper. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and, with steady pressure, pull straight out to remove the entire tick. Never jerk or twist the tick since the mouthparts may be left in the skin.