As the weather warms up, we’re now entering tick season in the province.

Grey Bruce Public Health is reminding everyone to protect themselves from ticks while enjoying the outdoors.

Blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, are most active in the spring.

Senior Public Health Manager Andrew Barton says that in particular, “The blacklegged tick was very unusual in Grey and Bruce ten years ago. We are seeing more of them, and that the range spread… is moving further north.”

They’re also very small, with a young nymph the size of a poppy seed, and an adult the size of a sesame seed.

Not all ticks carry the bacteria B. burgdoferi, which causes Lyme disease, but the longer an insect that is a carrier is latched onto you or your pet, the higher the risk is of contracting it.

The best way to avoid contracting Lyme disease and other tick-related illnesses is to exercise caution when outdoors.

Barton says, “Certainly one way to reduce the risk is to stay on the path, and stay out of the deep brush and long grass.”

You can also prevent getting bitten by:
– Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when in areas where ticks live, and by tucking your shirt into your pants, and pantlegs into your socks
– Wearing closed-toe shoes
– Using bug spray containing DEET or Icaridin
– Wearing light-coloured clothing (to make it easier to spot ticks that may have climbed onto you)
– Using a sticky lint remover to remove any ticks that have crawled onto shoes or clothing
– Performing full body checks for yourself and your children for ticks upon returning home and taking a shower/bath to wash off ticks that haven’t bitten yet, and to find any that have recently bitten you
– Checking pets for ticks and asking their veterinarian for recommendations on keeping ticks off pets
– Putting clothes in the dryer for at least 10 minutes upon returning home, to kill any ticks that may be present

Grey Bruce Public Health says that if you find a tick that is biting you, it’s important to remove it immediately.

Early Lyme Disease symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and a rash that looks like a bull’s eye.

If you have these symptoms, you need to consult a healthcare provider.

If left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to arthritis, numbness, neurological problems, and even paralysis.

Luckily, when caught and treated early, Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics.