Several trail users have told of dozens of Black Legged Ticks crawling on hikers, riders, and particularly dogs. After a hike on the Independence Trail, one hiker removed 20+ ticks from one dog. Parks and trails in our area right now are loaded with ticks waiting to jump on you and your pets. Be aware in ALL grassy and treed areas. Where ever there are deer, there will be ticks.
WHY SO MANY TICKS??
We have had much higher than normal rainfall resulting in a higher mouse and deer population, the main carriers of the Black Legged Tick. Add the lush grass and brush where they can hide and drop on any person or animal that brushes past, and we have a perfect storm.
BLACK LEGGED TICKS ARE A MAIN CARRIER OF LYME DISEASE
Approximately 10% to 30% of the ticks tested in our area are affected by Lyme Disease and can pass it to you and your pets. If not identified and treated quickly, Lyme can become a chronic and debilitating disease. Lyme disease in humans has more than doubled in the past decade. Ticks cause more disease than any other insect except mosquitos, and only because mosquitos have a much larger geographical range.
WHAT TO DO?
For humans, wear light colored clothing, stay on the trails, and use sprays containing DEET, or better for the environment, Picardin. You can even apply Picardin products to your clothes that lasts through washing. The best tick repellent and killer for horses is Farnam BiteFree Spray. Perform a thorough tick check on yourself and your animals when you get home. See the poster below showing the only approved way to remove a tick.
MORE INFO
To see all the information posted about Lyme Disease, and ticks in our area, and how to deal with them, just type in Lyme in the search function box at the top of this page.
WHY SO MANY TICKS??
We have had much higher than normal rainfall resulting in a higher mouse and deer population, the main carriers of the Black Legged Tick. Add the lush grass and brush where they can hide and drop on any person or animal that brushes past, and we have a perfect storm.
BLACK LEGGED TICKS ARE A MAIN CARRIER OF LYME DISEASE
Approximately 10% to 30% of the ticks tested in our area are affected by Lyme Disease and can pass it to you and your pets. If not identified and treated quickly, Lyme can become a chronic and debilitating disease. Lyme disease in humans has more than doubled in the past decade. Ticks cause more disease than any other insect except mosquitos, and only because mosquitos have a much larger geographical range.
WHAT TO DO?
For humans, wear light colored clothing, stay on the trails, and use sprays containing DEET, or better for the environment, Picardin. You can even apply Picardin products to your clothes that lasts through washing. The best tick repellent and killer for horses is Farnam BiteFree Spray. Perform a thorough tick check on yourself and your animals when you get home. See the poster below showing the only approved way to remove a tick.
MORE INFO
To see all the information posted about Lyme Disease, and ticks in our area, and how to deal with them, just type in Lyme in the search function box at the top of this page.
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