Slightly larger than fleas and with a voracious appetite for blood, ticks might be considered one of the true vampires of the insect world. Equipped with a piercing mouth part that secretes sticky, numbing saliva, ticks do not cause discomfort when they “bite” into human or animal skin. You probably won’t know a tick is feeding on your blood (or your pet’s blood) until the tick is bloated or “engorged.”
Ticks flourish in woodlands, gardens, and areas overgrown with weeds and other foliage. They typically remain above ground, hiding in the lower branches of trees and bushes, waiting for a warm-blooded creature to walk by and disturb them. When you hike in a wooded area without wearing a hat, you may find a bloated tick embedded in your scalp several days later. Animals wandering around foliage acquire ticks as they come into contact with thick weeds and bushes, dislodging ticks onto their fur.
Clark’s Pest Control offers professional tick exterminator treatment that kills sticks at every stage of their life cycle. Ensure the safety of your family and pets from tick-borne diseases by contacting us today for more information about safe and effective tick control.
Common Ticks in the U.S.
Black-Legged Ticks
Also known as deer ticks, black-legged ticks are responsible for transmitting Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis to humans and pets. Anaplasmosis primarily sickens cattle, sheep, and dogs, but humans can also be infected. Symptoms of this disease resemble flu symptoms and include fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. Babesiosis causes similar symptoms but may be fatal to the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.
American Dog
TickThis tick species transmits Rocky MountainSpottedFever to humans and animals. Signs of RMSF involve fever, headache, muscle aches, and a spotted rash that initially develops on the wrists and ankles but can spread to other parts of the body.
Brown Dog Tick
Brown Dog ticks have adapted to living and reproducing indoors. Dogs staying in kennels are particularly vulnerable to Brown Dog ticks. Diseases transmitted by this tick species include cyanine ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis.Ticks specific to regions of the U.S. include the Gulf Coast tick, the Lone Star tick (eastern, south-central, and southwestern U.S.), and the Rocky Mountain Wood tick. All tick species can transmit at least one parasitic or bacterial disease to humans and animals.
How Should You Remove a Tick?
By the time a tick is engorged and visible, the mouthpart of the tick is firmly embedded under the skin. Proper removal of a tick involves:
- Brushing hair or fur away from the tick. Pets with thick fur may need the area around the tick shaved to facilitate the removal of the tick.
- Using fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick’s head area as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Try to pinch the tick’s head only, not the body. Do not squeeze the tick forcefully. Squeezing the tick’s body could force more infectious substances into the bite site.
- Pulling upward on the tick slowly and steadily. Don’t jerk or twist the tick away from the bite site. Mouthparts could break away from the tick’s body and remain in the skin.
- Cleaning the bite area once the tick has been removed. Use soap and water or rubbing alcohol to clean the bite area. Monitor the person or pet after removing a tick for signs of infection. Symptoms of tick-borne diseases usually emerge within one to four weeks after a tick bite.
Do Folk Remedies Work to Remove Ticks?
Your grandparents may have told you that putting petroleum jelly or peanut butter on an embedded tick forces the tick out by suffocating it. This DIY method may work on ticks that have been feeding for a while and are close to the end of their life. However, covering the tick with these substances could cause the tick to regurgitate infectious material into the bite wound.
If you don’t want to remove the tick with tweezers, your physician or veterinarian can remove the tick in their office.
How Can Humans Protect Themselves from Ticks?
Use Tick Repellents
Apply insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin and clothing. Make sure the repellent is specifically formulated to repel ticks.
Wear Protective Clothing
When walking in areas known for tick infestations, wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes(not sandals or open-toed shoes) to minimize skin exposure.
Perform Tick
After spending time in wooded areas, run your fingertips over your scalp several times. If you feel any bumps, get someone else to inspect their bump. Do a visible check of your arms, legs, and back as well.
Maintain Your Yard
Mow frequently during spring and summer. Keep bushes trimmed, remove weedy bushes, and identify the causes of standing water on your property. Ticks need just two things to thrive and reproduce: moisture and blood.
Are Tick-borne Disease Treatable?
Yes, tick-borne diseases are generally treatable if they are diagnosed early after the onset of symptoms. The primary treatment for most tick-borne infections is antibiotics like doxycycline, amoxicillin, and cefuroxime axetil. In some cases, humans and pets may experience lingering symptoms or complications, depending on the type and severity of the disease they received from an infected tick.
What Kind of Tick Control Measures Are Available for Pets?
Oral medications, medicated collars, and topical treatments can temporarily stop ticks from infecting dogs and cats. However, they can be expensive since they require monthly reapplication and may not offer 100 percent protection against tick bites.
Call Us Today for Immediate Tick Control Services
If you suspect your home or yard is suffering from a tick infestation, get in touch with our office and schedule a visit from our licensed pest professionals to evaluate and treat your tick problem. Contact us by calling 866-781-4991 or emailing our team at clarkscsr@clarkspest.com.
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