Everything About Ticks

Tips

Jul 2

If you’re a nature enthusiast, ticks are a real pain to deal with. Unfortunately, they are a growing problem in Ontario. Their population is exploding and now ticks can even be found in our own backyards! Blacklegged ticks, the most likely species to spread Lyme disease, have already been found on over 600 people so far this year.

If you don’t know, what are ticks!?

These small bugs are about half a centimeter long and parasitic in nature. They not only feed on humans but animals too (your pets too!). They survive by drinking their host’s blood and pick up disease along the way.

What we need to worry about is being bitten by a tick that happens to be carrying disease. If they are, they can communicate the disease to us, including the infamous Lyme disease.

Where are ticks? (other than everywhere…)

Ticks can be commonly found in tall grass and the woods. They like dark, moist environments - but are venturing forth into other areas. like parks and leaf litter… They will attach to you with just a little graze, and you might not even feel it.

How can we prevent tick bites?

First, avoid going outside! We jest, but avoiding areas with long grass is a legit way to avoid them. If — like us — you’re venturing outside anyway, check if the area has had any tick warnings before making the trip. Check out Ontario Public Health’s risk areas guide, and then:

Use insect repellent containing DEET or permethrin. This will kill the ticks on contact. Spray it on your skin and clothes.
Wear long clothing. Wearing long pants and sleeves and tucking your pants into your socks is a must! This creates a barrier between you and the grass and the tick.
After being outdoors, inspect yourself and your pets for ticks. Even with all the precautions, ticks can still get on your clothes, backpack, equipment etc.
Inspect all your belongings thoroughly for ticks, especially any places they could hide.
After the inspection is done, throw all your clothes in the washer and then use the dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes to kill any ticks. Then, change into clean clothes after showering. Showering helps remove any stray ticks from your body before they have time to dig into your skin.

This all seems like a lot of work — this is just the best practices - do what you think you need to based on the area you traveled in!

How to remove them?

If you do find a tick on your body, take a pair of clean tweezers and very gently remove the tick from your skin in one slow and steady stroke. Be careful not to twist or bend it. The tweezers should get as close to the skin as possible. Basically you don’t want to rip off its head and leave that part stuck in you (gross!).

Store the tick in a container and bring it to the doctor to have a lab test it to determine if it was infectious.

What to do after a tick bite?

If you don’t find any ticks but you do find a tick bite, sanitize the area with soap and water. If you develop a rash, fever, or flu-like symptoms in the coming days - especially the famous bullseye rash (which looks just like a target bullseye) associated with Lyme disease — visit the doctor ASAP! Usually antibiotics can beat the earliest stages of Lyme disease, but only if administered quickly.

If in doubt, or if you aren’t able to completely remove the tick from yourself, visit your doctor. Play it safe when it comes to tick bites.

Hope that helps arm you all with the right information and keeps you safer outdoors! — Range Arts