Ticks are a British problem now rather than a holiday one. Long grass, deer paths and plenty of city parks carry them from spring through to autumn, and the risk with a tick is not the bite itself but how long it stays attached. Getting one off cleanly and quickly is a small skill worth having at home, and it needs the right hook rather than a fingernail and hope.

A tick hook works by sliding under the body and twisting, so the mouthparts release rather than tearing off and staying behind in the skin. Pulling straight up with ordinary household tweezers is what leaves them in, and that is what causes the little infected lump afterwards. This kit pairs several hook sizes with fine tweezers for the ones too small to hook, a close-tooth comb for flea checks, and a magnifier.

• Hooked tick levers in more than one size
• Fine tweezers for very small ticks and nymphs
• Close-tooth flea comb for coat checks
• Magnifying glass for inspecting skin and the tick you have removed
• Storage case that keeps the set together and travels
• Suitable for dogs and cats

A comb is not a flea treatment. It finds fleas and flea dirt and tells you whether you have a problem, but clearing an infestation means treating the animal and the house together. And never burn, smother or squeeze a tick. All three make it regurgitate into the wound, which is exactly the thing the hook exists to avoid.

Who it's for: Owners walking dogs through long grass or woodland, and anyone with a cat who goes outside.