With spring arriving a week ago, this is a great time to protect your Portland area family and pets from increasingly active pests. Although they are present all year round, ticks usually swarm in mid-spring in search of a mate. Mild winters can make this happen sooner than usual. Ticks transmit a laundry list of diseases, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Anaplasmosis, Colorado tick fever, Tularemia and Relapsing fever are just a few. The most widely known is Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is a potentially serious bacterial infection affecting both humans and animals. There is an estimated 300,000 new cases in the U.S. every year. The first sign of Lyme disease is usually a round or oval rash, nicknamed a “bullseye” rash. If left untreated people may develop flu like symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, aches and pains, fatigue and swollen glands. These symptoms can progress to more severe ailments such as bell palsy, neurological symptoms and heart problems. Lyme disease victims also have a 60% chance of developing Lyme arthritis.
What do you do if you find a tick? Do not touch it with your bare hands. Use fine tipped tweezers to grab the tick mouth or head as close to the skin as possible. Pull upward with a steady, continuous motion. Do not twist or jerk to ensure the whole tick is removed. If you don’t have tweezers you could use fine thread or floss. Make a loop and put it over the tick’s head as close to your skin as you can, tighten the loop and pull like you would with tweezers. Keep the tick for Lyme disease testing. If you don’t remove the whole tick seek medical attention. The remaining parts could cause infection.
Ticks can invade your home easily including hitching a ride on your pets who then deliver them directly to you. The Sasquatch Pest Control Professionals can rid your property and home of these dangerous bugs. Keep your family and pets safe from ticks by calling today! 503-828-9492
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