Among the most well-known diseases carried by ticks are Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and babesiosis. While these names might sound distant or unlikely, the consequences of contracting one of them are very real. Fatigue, joint pain, fever, and neurological symptoms are just a few of the potentially long-lasting effects if these illnesses go undiagnosed and untreated.

Fortunately, there are smart and simple steps you can take to protect yourself — and your pets — from becoming a tick’s next meal.

Let’s say you discover a tick on your skin. Your first instinct might be to yank it off with your fingers. Don’t. That’s actually one of the worst things you can do. Pinching a