TICK Season: How to Prepare & Protect Yourself
Gross, I'd give ticks a zero star review on Yelp. This is everything you need to know to avoid ticks, how to check for ticks and identify them, and what to do if you got bite.
*Please note, this post should not be taken as official medical advice. If you have been bitten or think you’ve been bitten, contact your health care provider.
Prevalence
Unfortunately because of environmental factors, like global warming, and human factors the tick population is greatly increasing in North America and ticks are spreading to new areas. Ticks are now found in almost every state. You can see interactive maps with the geographical distribution of ticks on the CDC's website here. Remember, if you live in a region with ticks these tips and precautions do not only apply to hiking but anytime you go outside, even taking a walk or playing in the backyard.
Types of Ticks
There are a few different types of ticks found in the US, but only a few you need to worry about. The black-legged tick (or Ixodes tick), are ticks that carry Lyme disease. In the eastern and mid-western U.S, the primary species is the deer tick (or Ixodes scapularis) and the related western U.S. version is the western black-legged tick (or Ixodes pacificus).
These ticks that carry Lyme disease can also carry bacterial co-infections, like Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis. While Lyme disease is the most common infection from a tick, these can also effect individuals and complicate one’s Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment. Learn more about ticks and the other diseases they can cause in the U.S.
If you're bitten by a tick and unable to identify it, some areas have resources to help by testing and letting you know what type of tick it is and can even test to see if it carries Lyme disease. Here is a link to the Tick Lab in Maine for more information on that.
How to Avoid Ticks While Hiking
Before you hit the trails treat your hiking shoes and clothing with Permethrin (an insect and tick repellent that lasts for 6 weeks, or 6 washes). I also recommend spraying your hiking backpack, the outside of your tent, and other gear. Permethrin should NOT be sprayed on your skin or clothing that has close contact with the skin, like underwear. Picaridin is safer option for children. If you don't want to treat clothes yourself LLBean has a line of clothing that comes already treated with an insect shield, or you can even send your clothes in and pay companies to treat them.
You can also try natural tick repellants. The scents of lemon, orange, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, cedar, and rose geranium. Farmers’ Almanac has a recipe for a DIY natural tick repellent that mixes a few of the most pungent, tick-repelling essential oils you can find. Simply mix 9 drops of citronella essential oil, 6 drops of tea tree essential oil, 6 drops of peppermint essential oils, and 1 tablespoon of either almond oil or jojoba oil, give it a shake, and apply onto bare skin.
Cover exposed skin and wear light colored clothing to make ticks easier to see. Try to wear long sleeves & pants, tucking your pant legs into your socks. Pull back & tie up long hair, and wear a hat to keep your head covered. You can put a piece of tape all the way around your ankle (sticky side facing out) to try and catch any ticks crawling up your pant leg.
Apply an insect repellant at the trailhead. I try and use a more safe option on my kiddos, or I will make sure they have pants & a long sleeve shirt on and only apply the bug spray to their clothing. We also carry Picaridin with us incase we need to reapply. Be vigilant with keeping your eyes out for ticks as you hike. Remember they can be as small as a this period >>> . .They generally take a few hours to attach so you have some time to find them. Carry tweezers, many hiking first aid kits do NOT include them so be sure to add them to yours.
Try and stick to the trails and avoid walking through any tall grass or brush.
When you get back to your car use a lint roller over your body to pick up any ticks. Then do a thorough tick check (see list below). I like to have a change of shoes in my trunk, and even a change of clothes for my kiddos. I put our dirty hiking shoes & kid's clothes in a plastic bag and tie it off. Thoroughly check the items when you get home or toss them in the dryer for a cycle to kill any bugs. Take a hot showerwithin two hours of getting home, as this has been proven to reduce Lyme disease since running water will wash away any remaining ticks that might be attached to your skin. Then, check the nooks and crannies of your body:
Under the arms
In and around the ears
Inside belly button
Back of the knees
In and around the hair
Between the legs
Around the waist
How to Remove Ticks
If you find a tick do not panic, just quickly remove it. It takes several how's for a tick to transmit disease so just because you find a tick does not mean that you're infected, but the longer the tick is on your skin the more likely it is to transmit disease.
According to the CDC, here are the steps you should take to remove the tick.
Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool to grasp the tick as close to your skin’s surface as possible.
Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, smashing it with a quarter (not on you), or flushing it down the toilet.
I like to keep tweezers in my hiking first aid kit, and a pair in the car (along with a lint roller and insect repellant).
Follow Up
If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor: tell the doctor about your recent tick bite when the bite occurred, and where you most likely acquired the tick. Take a picture of the tick if possible.
Symptoms of tick borne illness include:
Fever/chills. All tickborne diseases can cause fever.
Aches and pains. Tickborne diseases can cause headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. People with Lyme disease may also have joint pain.
Rash.Lyme disease, Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis, and tularemia can cause distinctive rashes. A bulls eye rash is the most common early sign of Lyme disease and is a skin rash that has a "bull's eye" (circular rash with a ring around it) appearance. It begins as a reddened area near the tick bite. As the rash increases in size, it clears in the middle and develops a red ring around the outside. A person may experience multiple rashes.
Fatigue
Symptoms generally appear a few days to weeks after being bite. Seek medical care as soon as you notice them for earliest treatment.
Common Tick-Borne Diseases
According to Dr. Daniel Cameron, MD, MPH, a nationally recognized expert on ticks, here are some of the tick-borne infections that pose a threat to humans and dogs.
Lyme Disease – (Borrelia burgdorferi ) Spread by the deer tick, this is the most feared outcome of a tick bite. It can cause lifelong chronic illness if untreated and be difficult to diagnose especially if it goes undetected for a while. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotic. According to the CDC, typical symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. In most regions, almost 50% of female deer ticks is infected with the Lyme disease, so be sure to get the tick off quickly and safely. The first 48 hours are crucial.
Alpha-gal – Carried by the Lone Star Tick. Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) is a carbohydrate found in the cells of many mammals that humans eat (like cows, sheep and pigs). The Lone Star Tick contains alpha-gal, and their bite can trigger the immune system to go on defense & over-react to it which can lead to a meat allergy — for life.
Ehrlichia – (humans & dogs) Lone star ticks are the primary source of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii. Typical symptoms include: headache, fever, fatigue, weakness, and muscle aches. Usually occurs within 1-2 weeks following a tick bite.
Babesia– Or “piroplasm,” this tick introduced pathogen can cause malaria-like symptoms and infects red blood cells similarly to malaria.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever – (Rickettsia rickettsii) Infections occur mainly east of the Rocky Mountains, but have also been found in limited areas on the Pacific Coast. If you don't get treated for it by the fifth day after a bite, the disease is highly fatal.
Pacific Coast tick fever - (Rickettsia philipii) This is a painful and debilitating tick-borne disease that can affect both dogs and humans.
Tularemia - Also known as rabbit fever or deer fly fever, is a rare infectious disease which typically attacks the skin, eyes, lymph nodes and lungs. It is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis.
STARI – (Southern tick-associated rash illness). Some Lone Star Tick bites produce a circular rash similar to the rash of early Lyme disease, but is less consequential.
Preventing Ticks on Dogs & Other Pets
Dogs are very susceptible to tick bites and tickborne diseases. According to the CDC, vaccines are not available for most of the tickborne diseases that dogs can get, and they don’t keep the dogs from bringing ticks into your home. Because of this it is important to use a tick preventive product on your dog, especially because ticks can be hard to spot in dogs fur.
It will also be hard to detect tick bites on dogs. Signs of tickborne disease may not appear for 7-21 days or longer after a tick bite, so watch your dog closely for changes in behavior or appetite if you suspect that your pet has been bitten by a tick.
Talk to your veterinarian about the best tick prevention products for your dog or pet & Tickborne diseases in your area.
To further reduce the chances that a tick bite will make your dog sick:
Check your pets for ticks daily, especially after they spend time outdoors.
If you find a tick on your pet, remove it right away.
Reduce tick habitat in your yard.
Keep dogs on trails and out of brush/tall grass. Use a leash while hiking if needed.
You can try natural tick repellants such as lavender, peppermint, citronella, lemongrass and citrus scents.
Ticks can be difficult to find in a dog’s fur. Be sure to check these common tick hiding spots on your dog: under the collar, under the tail, between toes, under their elbows, behind their ears, and under their legs.
