“Ticked-off” This Summer?

By Melodie Seto

Now that the summer season has officially started, plans for outdoor fun are bound to pop up in more than just a few minds, but do the thoughts of possible tick bites come up too? They are a surprisingly resilient parasite that feeds on the blood of both humans and animals. The ticks and their bites are not particularly dangerous on their own and may often go unnoticed. The germs and diseases which they have been known to carry, however, that is where the serious threat lies.

Ticks can generally be found in forests and dense grassy plant growth next to the woods, but according to research, due to their growing population, they may be spreading to other locations as well.In Canada, Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease. The blacklegged tick, specifically, is the only species known to be able to carry it.

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, which can affect the skin and joints and ultimately impact theheart and nervous system. In its early phase, the disease tends to appear as an expanding red ring around the initial bite area days or even weeks after the incident. Antibiotics can treat this condition, but early diagnosis and treatment are keys to increasing the chances of recovery. Although this disease can often be managed with approximately 21 days of treatment, complications can occur that can leave some patients with lingering symptoms.

The number of reported cases to the Government of Canada in 2012 was 315. In 2013, that number rose to 682, and the numbers for 2014, although they are still being validated, are estimated to be even higher. The growth of these statistics may be alarming but that does not mean that communities need to panic. First of all, most tick bites are not infected with the disease and are completely harmless, but to be on the safe side, there are many things one can do to help prevent infected tick bite this summer!

If a child is bitten they should be encouraged to tell an adult immediately. Ticks should be removed by grasping them as closely to the skin as possible with tweezers and then gently pulling them backwards with a steady consistent motion. Do not jerk, twist, or hurt the body of the tick as it may cause its own bodily fluids to enter the wound. After removing it, wash the skin and hands well with soap and water. Any tick parts still embedded in the skin should be left alone as these should come out on their own and tampering with them can cause more injury to the skin. A visit to the doctor should promptly follow this incident just to make sure that no infection was transmitted.

To reduce the risks of tick bites around the house, here are a number of suggested practices by the Peterborough County-City Health Unit:

• Keep the grass mowed.
• Remove leaf litter, brush and weeds at the edge of the lawn and around stonewalls and woodpiles.
• Move children’s swing sets and sand boxes away from the woodland edge and place them on a woodchip or mulch foundation.
• Discourage rodent activity by cleaning up and sealing stonewalls and small openings around the home.
• Move firewood piles and bird feeders away from the house.
• Adopt hard landscape practices (using hard materials like stone and metals instead of soft materials like soil for planting).
• An extra tip: Keep your pets, particularly dogs, out of the woods and talk to your vet about tick repellents for your pets.

 

Despite the potential risks that these critters can bring,through awareness and preventative measures, the community can still enjoy a summer full of outdoor fun!