Ticks & Diseases

Ticks and Diseases

While we all love to go outdoors and enjoy the fresh air and nature - we need to be careful of the little black creatures we may come in contact with. While Lyme disease is the most well known one, there are many other tick-borne diseases. Ticks are vectors which means they are capable of carrying and transmitting disease thru their bites - but not all tick-borne illnesses affect people. Ticks feed on the blood of birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals throughout their life stages. If a host animal has a blood-borne infection the biting tick can ingest that during its blood meal. When that tick bites a human that infection can be passed on to the human as it makes a meal of the human's blood.

So when you go out to enjoy nature, make sure you take the proper precautions. There are many over the counter sprays and lotions that can be purchased that will protect you. If it's possible wear long pants, socks, a long sleeve shirt and a hat to avoid exposed skin that the tick can make a "home". When you get home check yourself for any possible ticks that have found you. If you have any remove them as soon as possible - and make sure you get the tick removed completely.

And if you see any possums, "thank them" as they love to eat ticks!

From the City's Animal Welfare Committee