With The Warm Weather Come The Ticks

Over the last few years I am amazed at the number of ticks my dogs are bringing home, I was particularly disturbed when I found out ticks can attach to people too.  I thought it would be appropriate to make sure you have good information available to you.  How to remove a tick?  What are the concerns if you find a tick?  What are the symptoms of lyme disease.

Government of Ontario paper on lyme disease
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/disease/lyme.aspx

The Star - Toronto based newspaper
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2012/06/22/ticks_that_can_carry_lyme_disease_agent_spreading.html

Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/tickinfo-eng.php

The Ottawa Sun
http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/06/18/eastern-ontario-tick-population-on-rise

All of the article pretty well say the same thing and that is that tick numbers are on the rise and we have to at least be knowledgeable about what to look for and how to remove them.  I was happy to read that if the tick is removed within 24 hour the chance of acquiring lyme disease is almost nil and doesn't really go up until after 48 hours.  This means if you check your dogs after walks you are pretty safe.  The other nice fact is only 10% of ticks carry lyme disease.

Happy reading.