Ticks are out !!

Have an eye on yourself for ticks. Check yourself, your children and your pets after you have been outside. Although more often found in long grass and bushes, you can still find them in short cut grass and other natural environments.

Avoid Contact with Ticks ◦ Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter and Walk in the center of trails.

After You Come Indoors Check your clothing for ticks. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing. Any ticks that are found should be removed. Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed. If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks.

Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and daypacks.

Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.

Checking your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks:

•Under the arms •In and around the ears •Inside belly button •Back of the knees •In and around the hair •Between the legs •Around the waist

Clothing is a great line of defense, but if you’re hiking in high tick season, or in a densely wooded area, you should take an extra precaution and spray your shoes and pants with a tick repellent. There are plenty of effective tick repellents on the market, both natural and hardcore.

Lyme Disease & Ticks; Ticks Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacterium (Borrelia … burgdorferi). In Ontario, Lyme disease is carried by blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), also known as deer … ticks. Ticks are arachnids (like insects but with eight legs not six) that sit on tall grass and bushes …