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I've never had a problem getting my finger and thumb around the tick close to the skin and then giving a short sharp tug. If I struggle to get them off the dog then I smother them in vaseline and they fall off pretty quickly.
It is a nasty desease but the odds of infection are only maybe an issue if you are an avid Daliy Mail reader, especially if the tick is an immigrant on benefits.
In 25+ years of walking and riding on the Quantocks I've only ever been bitten by a tick once. My dogs used to pick them up for a pastime when I walked them up there, but they move pretty slowly and I'd quite often see them climbing up the dogs legs when I got back to the car and just brush them off. They appear to need a bit of time to find a suitable spot (under the dogs collar was favorite) and latch on.
I had never even heard off ticks until coming on this forum. Never had one either, saying that I've also never been bitten by a mosquito or similar. They dont like me!
But I may invest in a removal tool anyway.
Thinking though, if you wore tight Lycra wouldn't they only be able to latch on to visible skin?
The guys at the Ben Nevis Distillery said a few spots of diesel on your cap to keep midges away, might work with tics, a few drops on your riding shoes? And it's only slightly carcinogenic 😉
I wonder how many people who have been diagnosed with ME actually have Lymes Disease. Sent the link to the website to a mate whose girlfriend has exactly the symptoms described but has been diagnosed with ME.
Seems to me from reading that lots of people who have had Lymes weren't aware of it for a very long time until they sussed it by chance. Makes me wonder how many cases go undiagnosed.
Tool on order