2024-May-03
Protect Yourself From Tick Bites This Summer
As temperatures start to climb and people are spending more time outdoors, the Ontario government is encouraging everyone to take precautions to prevent tick bites and reduce the risk of contracting Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Ticks are most active in spring and summer, but if it is above freezing (0°C) ticks can be active and looking to feed. Ticks prefer to live in wooded areas, in tall grass, bushes and under leaf litter. They can also be found in urban areas, like city parks and green spaces.
You can protect yourself from tick bites by:
- Wearing light-coloured clothing, so it’s easier to spot ticks
- Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants tucked into your socks, closed-toed shoes, or any special clothing designed to repel ticks
- Applying insect repellent containing DEET or icaridin on your exposed skin and your clothes
- Checking yourself, your children, and your pets for ticks after being outdoors and remove any ticks found promptly
- Putting your clothes on high heat in a dryer for at least 10 minutes before washing them, after spending time outdoors.
What to do if you find a tick:
Removing a tick is done the same way for humans and animals. Ticks are very small and hard to see. When found, it should be removed immediately using fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible without crushing it. Once you have removed a tick, wash your skin with soap and water and then disinfect your skin and your hands with rubbing alcohol or an iodine swab. Before disposing of the tick, call or check the website of your local public health unit to get advice on how to identify the tick. You can also submit a photo of the tick to etick.ca or use their app for identification.
Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases can cause potentially serious infections if you’re bitten by an infected blacklegged tick, commonly called a deer tick. If you have any symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, muscle and joint pain, fatigue and an expanding circular rash that resembles a bulls-eye, consult a health care provider as soon as possible. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics, and pharmacists have been able to prescribe medication to treat tick bites and prevent Lyme disease since January 1, 2023.
For more information on ticks and tick-borne diseases visit Ontario.ca/ticks.