Summit County Public Health identifies tick species for residents; it does not test submitted ticks for disease. A species name is not a person’s or pet’s diagnosis, and waiting for identification should not delay a healthcare question after a bite. County FAQ
Identification, medical care and veterinary care are separate
| Your question | Where it belongs |
|---|---|
| What kind of tick was found on a person or pet? | Ask SCPH about its identification service. |
| Could a person be ill after a bite? | Contact a healthcare professional. |
| Could a pet be ill? | Contact a veterinarian. |
The identification service is for Summit residents and ticks found on or attached to humans or pets. SCPH does not pick up ticks or remove an attached tick for someone. Its FAQ directs a person who cannot remove a tick to medical attention. Service boundaries
Arrange the submission before traveling
Call 330-926-5600 to schedule a drop-off, or email photographs to tick@schd.org. Do not interpret the published contact as a walk-in appointment. The County asks residents to retain the specimen because it may need more information if identification is difficult. Follow its current handling instructions; sending a picture does not necessarily end the inquiry. Submission instructions
LSL suggests a short message that keeps the specimen and context matched:
I live in Summit County. This tick was found on a person/pet on [date] in [location]. These photographs show that specimen. Please confirm whether the photos are sufficient or a scheduled drop-off is needed.
Fill in only what is known. Do not identify the species, claim an infection or send a person’s medical history as part of this administrative inquiry.
Keep the response in its proper scope
The FAQ describes identification within one to two business days. That is the published service expectation, not LSL’s verification of present capacity or a guaranteed response to a particular email. If the expected response has not arrived, follow up about the submission; do not use that wait as a reason to defer medical advice.
SCPH’s health guidance directs people with symptoms after a bite to a healthcare provider. The identification response may name diseases associated with a species, but it does not establish that a particular tick transmitted an infection. Veterinary questions likewise belong with a veterinarian.
LSL rechecked both County pages on September 20, 2026; they display June 5, 2025 update dates. We retained the useful service comparison and added submission/response instructions from the actual FAQ. No tick was identified, submission made, infection risk estimated or treatment recommended.