How to protect yourself from ticks year-round
WASHINGTON AP Ticks can be working in any season and it s vital to check for and remove the bloodsuckers as swiftly as doable especially after you ve been outside hiking gardening or enjoying nature Humans are outside more in summer so we hear about more tick infections stated Sam Telford an infectious diseases expert at Tufts University But he urges caution year-round because every season is tick season While tick populations vary a lot regionally several Northeastern states including Maine Massachusetts and Rhode Island are seeing above average numbers of American dog ticks this year explained Telford And New York state is seeing a higher number of broadcasted deer tick bites this year than last year declared Saravanan Thangamani who studies tick-borne diseases at SUNY Upstate Healthcare University How ticks can spread disorder Ticks like mosquitos need to feed on blood But instead of a quick prick they are slow feeders with hooked mouth parts that attach into the skin of deer rabbits dogs and people There are plenty of different species of ticks located globally and only particular spread germs that can make people sick A main worry is blacklegged ticks also called deer ticks which can spread Lyme malady Once located mainly in New England and pockets of the Midwest the ticks are now present over a wider range A tick bite doesn t perpetually lead to illness If you remove a tick within hours of attachment it s fairly unlikely that you will get infected explained Telford How to check for ticks Ticks are usually determined low to the ground in leaf litter or grassy areas Check your clothing for ticks and do a full-body check including under the arms and behind ears knees and hair If you re out all day long try to do a quick check for ticks every sparse hours noted Bobbi Pritt at the Mayo Clinic When you go back inside take a shower That will wash off any unattached ticks and you re also more likely to spot any other ticks Use tweezers to remove the tick and grasp it as close to the skin as achievable to pull from the head If you don t have them handy you can also use your fingernails the edge of a credit card or any semi-sharp object How to keep ticks away The best approach is to minimize tick exposure altogether Bug sprays containing ingredients such as DEET can be sprayed on exposed skin to ward off ticks and mosquitos announced Telford Wear long sleeves and pants and you can also spray clothing with repellents containing permethrin a chemical similar to a natural ingredient in chrysanthemums that makes ticks avoid the flowers Protect your pets from ticks Don t forget to pay attention to outdoor pets Medications can prevent fleas and ticks from attaching to a dog s skin But it s still a good idea to check the fur after being outside Wherever pets can t easily groom themselves that s where the ticks will be on the ears around the muzzle area under the collar between the toes mentioned Thangamani Dogs and cats roaming outdoors can also bring ticks into the house If pets bring ticks in a tick can live in the house for months until it finds its next blood meal which could be another household member he noted What to do after a tick bite After removing the tick keep an eye on the skin around the bite If a rash or flu-like indicators appear within several days or weeks see a medical expert The Centers for Disorder Control and Prevention does not recommend tick testing because results may not be reliable The Associated Press Fitness and Science Department receives aid from the Howard Hughes Clinical Institute s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The AP is solely responsible for all content
