Ticks – Not Just a Concern for Dogs

Are ticks just a concern for dogs? If you answered yes then you are wrong. Although ticks are usually associated with dogs they can cause trouble for people as well, if not worse. What is a tick anyways? It is not a spider or an insect; it is actually classified as an arthropod. There is a very long list of the types of ticks that exist around the world, but unless you are a world traveler or animal farmer you need to only worry about a few kinds.

What is a Tick?

A tick is a small arthropod that is less than half an inch long and usually a brown or reddish color. They don’t actually burrow under the skin, but attach to the outside and just their mouth attaches under the skin to begin feeding. Ticks don’t eat anything except for blood. It is what they need to grow and be able to produce eggs and multiply. Some of the ticks will keep to the species of animal they feed on, so if they are feeding from birds they will generally stay there. The main kind of tick that will feed on anyone and any animal is known as the deer tick. This critter will feed on animals and humans alike and tend to be found more abundantly.

Can Ticks be Harmful?

Most ticks don’t have disease and the actual bites don’t usually cause problems for most people, but there are many diseases that can come from a tick bite. Some ticks carry a disease called Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is transmitted to a human through a bite from a tick. This disease can be hard to detect because the symptoms mimic that of many other viruses and illness. Some of the symptoms are fever, headache and fatigue. The disease if left untreated can start to spread to other areas of the body and can cause trauma to joints, heart and even the nervous system.

How do you Prevent Ticks?

The best way to keep ticks off your body is to cover as much of your skin as possible by wearing long pants and long sleeve shirts. You can use some insect repellent to keep them away from you while you are outdoors. You can also wear clothes that are lighter in color because if you do get a tick on your clothes you can spot it more easily than you could if your clothes were dark.

What if a Tick is on Your Skin?
You can remove ticks and it is best to get them off of you as soon as you can. You need to use a fine pair of tweezers to remove the tick and be sure that you grab it as close to your skin as possible. Apply even pressure and begin to pull the tick out. Be sure not to twist or pull too fast because that can lead to the body separating from the head. After you have removed the tick make sure that you wash the area off well with water and soap. Then you can add some topical antibiotic cream to the site. Make sure that the tick is flushed down the toilet or sealed in a bag so it doesn’t have a chance to attach again. Contact Bio-Tech Pest Control today. We are standing by and ready to assist with all of your tick and pest control concerns in the Greater Houston area.