Tick season is here, and health authorities want to remind residents that they should be taking precautions to prevent bites.
Gillian Egli, a veterinarian based in London, says Midwestern Ontario is now into the heart of tick season, and doing your part to prevent tick bites on you and your pet is the best way to avoid diseases carried by the insect.
Lyme disease is one of the major diseases carried by ticks. Black-legged ticks, sometimes called deer ticks, carry the bacterium which causes the disease.
There were 841 human cases of Lyme disease in Canada in 2016, compared to just 144 cases in 2009. Last year there were 393 reported cases in Ontario.
Although they survive the winter in piles of leaves under snow, ticks prefer warmer weather and mixed deciduous forest areas.
Wearing longer, light-coloured clothing is a great way to keep ticks away, as well as making them easier to see.
The hairline, the back of the knees, as well as the buttocks are places tick bites are most commonly found, but they will bite anywhere after crawling around on a host looking for an ideal spot.
Pets tend to wander where people don't, and the real risk for pet owners is following their animals into areas infested with ticks. Dogs are considered "tick magnets," but ticks don't usually feed upon dogs and then move on to humans.
According to Health Canada, a tick must be attached to a human for at least 24 hours before a human can develop Lyme disease. Treatment with antibiotics is more effective when given soon after the bite.
Bug repellent containing the chemical Deet can be used to ward off ticks, but should not be applied when used in conjunction with sunscreen.
Another great way to ward off ticks is to keep bird feeders away from homes and gardens, as well as creating barriers with wood chips between forests and lawns.
If a tick is on your body, you should remove it as soon as you notice it. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick by the head as close to your skin as possible. Pull it out, gently but firmly. Clean the bite area using soap and water, or a disinfectant, such as rubbing alcohol.
If the tick has been attached for more than 24 hours, or you begin to experience symptoms, seek medical advice.
Symptoms of Lyme disease include fatigue, fever, chills, headaches, spasms, numbness and tingling, swollen lymph nodes, rashes, dizziness, joint pain and an abnormal heartbeat.