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Stay Safe from Ticks this Summer!

The pandemic lockdowns have allowed us to find more ways to get out and enjoy the Great Outdoors!

That being said, tick season has been in full-force since the beginning of Spring, and Eastern Ontario, including Ottawa, has been designated a high-risk area for tick-borne illness. Taking your dog for a run in the field, hiking off the beaten-path through tall grass, or just doing more yard work can put you at risk of Lyme disease. (Lyme disease is spread to humans through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick.) 

Read more for tips to protect yourself from ticks. 

Here are some tips from Public Health to yourself from ticks:

• Use tick repellents that contain DEET or icaridin.
• Cover up with light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants that may make ticks easier to see.
• Wear socks and closed footwear.
• Check your body for ticks when you get home (remember to check your pets & kids too!).
• Shower or bathe after coming inside to wash away loose ticks and to check for attached ticks.
• If you do see a tick, remove it as soon as possible (see How below, from ottawapublichealth.ca).

Symptoms of Lyme disease include fatigue, fever, muscle and joint pain and a bullseye rash. If you have been bitten, and experience symptoms, you should speak to your doctor.

How to Remove a Tick:

• Use fine-pointed tweezers or a tick remover. To purchase a tick remover, click here. (As an Amazon Associate, CHRI earns from qualifying purchases)
• Grasp the tick's head as close to the skin as possible and pull slowly until the tick is removed.
• Do not twist or rotate the tick. Do not use a match, lotion or anything else on the tick.
• Wash the bite site with soap and water.
• If you are going to see your physician and want to bring the tick with you, place the tick in an empty pill vial or zip-lock bag with a moistened paper towel. For help with identifying a tick, submit a picture through “eTick” (www.etick.ca), an electronic tick identification platform.
• You can dispose of a live tick by flushing it down the toilet, or placing it in a sealed bag/container and disposing it with your household garbage.

Don’t let the presence of ticks prevent you from spending time outside. Be safe, have fun, and enjoy creating new memories in our beautiful National Capital Region!

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