Not all living creatures are as cute and cuddly as puppies and kittens, and some are particularly yuck-worthy.

Just the thought of rats, spiders, leaches and snakes makes my skin craw, and the same can be said for another blood-sucking creature — ticks. Since we had a mild winter and lots of rain this spring, we all should take precautions to prevent tick bites on ourselves and our pets.

In North Alabama, we most commonly see three kinds of ticks – black legged (deer), dog and lone star. They are typically found in areas of thick undergrowth.

Ticks don’t jump on their hosts, but rather transfer to dogs, cats and people when we brush against the leaves on which they are perched. When hiking or working in flower beds or around shrubs, it is recommended that you wear long pants, long sleeves and a hat plus a tick repellant that contains at least 20% DEET to prevent your picking up an unwelcome guest.

Light-colored clothing may make the tick easier to spot and a thorough skin check may save you a lot of grief down the road. It is believed to take at least 24 hours of feeding before a tick infects its host, so the sooner you discover and remove ticks, the better.

Ticks can be as small as a poppy seed or as large as a pea when it has been feeding and is engorged with blood. My research came up with several procedures to remove ticks, but the experts seem to agree that the best way is to use a pair of tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible, and pull it out gently but firmly, avoiding twisting the tick.

Wash the area with soap and water and treat the bite with antibiotic lotion. Put the tick in a sealed container in the freezer in case you need to later identify the type of tick and contact your physician for further instructions.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction to the bite can include pain, swelling and/or a rash at the bite mark along with difficulty breathing. If that happens, seek immediate medical attention.

Symptoms of tick-borne diseases may take days or even months to appear and may include the bulls-eye rash of lyme disease or the red dots of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Other symptoms include fatigue, headache, nausea, fever and arthritis-type joint pain.

When you are checking for ticks on your own skin, don’t forget to check your pets too, as they are susceptible to some of the same tick-borne diseases (and more) that we are. Consult your veterinarian about the best tick prevention for your pet and your lifestyle and if you discover a tick on your pet or if they display some of the symptoms previously mentioned.

 

— Pets and the People Who Love Them is brought to you by your friends at the Athens Limestone Animal Shelter. To adopt your best friend (cat or dog,) please visit 1701 U.S. 72 (behind Limestone Veterinary Clinic,) visit our Facebook page or call 256-771-7889.