Things to know before. you go for a test. Do not perform maintenance work or. make repairs before your first test. If you drive a 1996 or newer vehicle, do not. disconnect the battery before testing. If your. vehicle has recently had a dead battery, drive.
A tick bites a host animal, then burrows its head under the skin. While the bite isn't painful and can go relatively unnoticed by the host organism, the tick can contain harmful bacteria that can cause subsequent maladies. Proper removal of the tick is key in preventing the release of this bacteria.
Ticks swell and turn bluish-gray when filled with blood. Most tick bites in the United States involve hard ticks (Ixodidae), which have been increasing in number since the middle 1900s. Secretions from the tick's feeding parts can cause skin reactions, such as raised areas, lumps and growths called granulomas. Fever and paralysis also may develop after tick bites, although paralysis is rare. In addition, ticks can be infected with bacteria, viruses or protozoa.