Summer time means ticks

As the temperatures rise and we begin to spend more and more time outside enjoying the sunshine we find ourselves dealing with those pesky creepy crawleys….ticks.

Ticks are parasitic. This means that they need a host to survive. This host can be humans, dogs, cats, deer…..you get the idea. They latch on to the host, bite and begin to suckle blood from the host. Ticks can cause all kinds of diseases.

Some Diseases caused by ticks:

Lyme Disease: caused by blacklegged deer or more commonly known as the deer tick. Symptoms include rash, fever and fatigue.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: caused by dog ticks and wood ticks.

Alpha-gal Syndrome: caused by the lone star tick. It causes a severe allergy to meat.

Prevention:

Wearing long, light-colored clothing (tucked in)

Use an EPA-registered insect repellents (DEET, picaridin) on skin, and treat clothing

 Avoid high grass and brush, stay on trails

Check for ticks daily, and shower promptly after outdoor activities. 

If you get a tick bite, remove the tick as soon as possible. Monitor for rash, fever, tiredness, redness. If any of these symptoms appear, call your doctor immediately.

Google.com/ticks.2026 April 29