With temperatures warming up and more people heading outdoors, residents are once again reminded to keep an eye out for ticks.
Ticks can be found in tall grass, brush and wooded areas. They can’t jump, but typically grasp onto people and pets who brush up against them. Ticks are generally active from mid-April to late July.
Medical Health Officer Dr. Hortense Tabien recommends avoiding areas where ticks may be present, but offered tips in case of exposure.
“Make sure you check yourself and your pets for any potential ticks. Then take your clothing and separate them. Shower and bathe as soon as possible after being outside. When you do that full-body check, remove them carefully — remove them from your clothing and remove them from your pet,” she said.
Other tips Tabien recommended include:
- Wear pants, long-sleeve shirts and shoes that don’t expose bare feet.
- Tuck your pant legs into your socks.
- Wear light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to spot.
- Use an insect repellent that contains DEET.
If you do find a tick, the following tips can help you remove it properly:
- Carefully remove the tick with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling near the mouth, as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull slowly upward and out with firm, steady pressure.
- Do not use Vaseline, oils or other products on an attached tick.
- Try not to squeeze, crush or puncture the tick’s body after removal.
- Submit photos of the tick using the eTick system and keep it in a secure jar until you receive the identification results. Ticks can be euthanized by placing them in a bag and storing it in the freezer for 24 hours.
More information on proper tick removal can be found on the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s website.
The most common tick found in Saskatchewan is the American dog tick. While the American dog tick does not carry Lyme Disease it can carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.
The risk of contracting Lyme disease through a tick bite in Saskatchewan is very low.
The blacklegged (deer) tick — which carries Lyme disease — is rare in Saskatchewan. Tabien said most cases of Lyme disease in the province involve people who have travelled to areas where blacklegged ticks are more prevalent.
“Ticks that carry Lyme disease are very rare in Saskatchewan. The chances of people being exposed to Lyme disease from tick bites here are low,” Tabien said.
However, if you are bitten by a tick and are unsure, Tabien shared symptoms to watch for.
“What you want to look for is a bull’s-eye-type rash at the bite site. Symptoms can include fatigue, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain,” she said.
According to the Government of Saskatchewan, out of 2,029 ticks collected through an active survey in 2023, three blacklegged ticks were identified — and only one tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.