![]() Stay on trails during hikes and keep your companion leashed beside you.Heating worn clothing in the dryer for 30 minutes can kill any ticks that may remain on clothes unseen.Make frequent inspections for ticks on you, loved ones and companion animals.Wear light colored clothing to more easily spot ticks.Tuck in clothing in order to limit exposed skin.The following additional precautions can be taken when traveling and at home to minimize the risk. The best way to protect yourself or your companion animal from contracting Lyme Disease is to avoid areas where deer ticks are found. Treatment includes antibiotics under the supervision of your physician or veterinarian. Lyme Disease is most successfully treated in humans and animals if diagnosed early. Long-term affects of Lyme’s disease in animals include problems with the heart, liver, kidney, nervous system and eyes. Symptoms in animals can include, loss of appetite, lameness, listlessness, swollen glands and joints or fever. The long-term effects, if left untreated, can include heart, eye, respiratory and digestive issues.Ĭompanion animals can also suffer from Lyme Disease. If you become ill with fever, headaches, chills or pain in your muscles or joints after camping or hiking in wooded areas, it is recommended that you see your physician. Humans may experience flu-like symptoms and a bull’s eye type rash with a white center that may appear after the bite. ![]() These ticks live on deer and mice and tend to be found in wooded areas. ![]() Lyme Disease is a debilitating illness that is transmitted by deer ticks. Additional ResourcesĬlick here for more information on Lyme disease and public health.Helping to Prevent Lyme Disease Transmission Left untreated, Lyme disease can affect joints and heart health, so seeking early treatment is critical. Lyme disease in the early stages is easily treated with a course of antibiotics. Immediately visit your doctor if you were recently bitten by a tick and notice any of the symptoms above. If you were recently bitten by a tick, you’ll want to pay attention to any of the following symptoms that may indicate the presence of Lyme disease: Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet.Thoroughly wash the bite area with soap and water.You want to remove the tick intact so that the mouthparts do not break off and remain in the skin. Pull straight up without twisting or jerking.Use tweezers to grip the tick as close to your skin as possible.If you do find a tick, follow these steps for safe removal: Especially check over “warm” areas such as behind the ears, armpits, and groin. As soon as you return from the outdoors, check your entire body for ticks.Use a lint roller on your clothes before entering a car or house to get rid of ticks.There are measures you can take to reduce your risk of contracting Lyme disease while enjoying the outdoors: This bacteria can be transmitted to humans if an infected blacklegged tick has bitten and remained attached for at least 24 hours.įor complete information and recommendations, click here to visit the Center for Disease Control’s website on Lyme disease. ![]() Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and is only carried by blacklegged ticks. Being able to effectively monitor our deer populations (such as through the twig-age method) can give us insights into many other possible ecological patterns, including the abundance of ticks in our forests. Deer are one of the main hosts for ticks, and an over-abundance of deer can result in an increase in the tick population as well. The blacklegged tick (or deer tick) is the only tick that can carry Lyme disease, which can be spread to humans. (Left to right) adult female blacklegged tick (aka deer tick), adult female wood tick (aka dog tick), adult lone star tick. Wisconsin has three main varieties of ticks:
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