Have you noticed a “tick’ lish pest this spring?

By Jack Elliott
Correspondent

It seems this spring that any walk into the long grass will net you at least one and probably a half dozen creepy-crawlies and after recent articles about Lyme disease, we are a little more conscious of the problems ticks can present.
What we call a wood tick is actually an American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and is one of the most commonly encountered ticks across North America. A Google search for wood ticks on the internet came up with about 55,000 hits and one page http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pccommonticks.htm by the Illinois Department of Public Health provides lots of advice on tick identification and control. Another page with good identification photos is http://www.tickinfo.com/
Our wood tick or American Dog tick can be the vector of several infectious and potentially fatal diseases, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, tularaemia, ehrlichiosis, plus some different types of encephalitis. However Al Mathers, environmental health officer with the Northwestern Health Unit, says these diseases have not been identified in the American Dog Tick in our area. In addition ticks biting some people, can cause a very real threat in the form of a temporary paralysis and in some cases an allergic reaction or infection at the bite site.
In addition Mathers has recently identified another, smaller tick, the Groundhog Tick Ixodes cokkei Packard, which is generally more common in the Northeastern U.S. around cottages and other areas frequented by groundhogs. Perhaps the noticeable increase in the groundhog population in recent years has brought along a new pest. Although it may feed on mammals other than groundhogs it is not currently known to be a vector for any diseases to humans.
The Deer Ticks (Ixodes scapularis - Ixodes dammini) are the vectors of Lyme Disease
The tick does not jump up onto people and pets, but rather crawls up long grass or shrubs and when the plant is disturbed they fall off onto the passing host. Moe Henry of Stratton noted a short walk in the yard collected eight of the critters one day this week, while Baudette DNR biologist Dennis Topp reported several “20 tick days” so far this spring.
Theories for safe removal of ticks is varied, with enough folk remedies to fill a small book. But again the Illinois Department of Health site recommends the use of a set of tweezers to grasp the tick and with a steady pressure pull the tick straight out away from the attachment site until it releases its hold. The site should then be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Caution must be exercised to avoid a quick tug as that could separate the mouth parts from the ticks body, leaving them imbedded in the attachment site perhaps leading the further complications. Keeping ticks from imbedding by avoiding areas where they frequent (nearly impossible), checking regularly for their presence, and using DEET based repellents are the best bets for avoiding a ‘tick’lish problem.
It is also unclear why there appears to be so many ticks this year. Is it the dry, weather, or an abundant supply of small rodents this past year, that supply the primary hosts for the larval and then nymph stages of the American Dog Tick. Dr. Dan Pierroz, DVM, of the Nor-West Animal Clinic says there definitely appears to be an increase in tick numbers affecting animals, mainly dogs, this year.
“In the past there have been pockets of heavy infestations in the District, but this year it appears pretty general and even Atikokan and Thunder Bay have a problem,” stated Pierroz who noted past occurrences in Thunder Bay in were fairly rare.
“The problem certainly appears to be spreading,” he added, recounting his 32 years of practice in the District.
In addition, Pierroz has noted a number of cases of Lyme disease in pets over the last decades indicating that disease is endemic in the area, even if perhaps at a low level.
“We generally don’t see it until July, August and September,” stated Pierroz of Lyme infections, the sign of which in pets can include very high fever, lethargy, and swollen joints.
Prevention is the name of the game in dealing with ticks on pets by using flea and tick collars or one of the other pour on commercially available products, noted Pierroz. He added a pour on product called Defend has provided them with the best treatment, but cautioned with all products it is important to be vigilant for adverse allergic reactions from your pet.
Removing attached ticks from your pet, like yourself requires care not to leave the imbedded mouthparts in the dog. Engorged ticks should not be removed as they are soon ready to drop off, in any case.
Don Beyak of Rainy River relates, first-hand, how ticks can imbed themselves in the most inconvenient places, that may take the assistance of a second party, to remove. Don became reticent in explaining just where and how the offending tick was removed and who rendered assistance.
Perhaps the best guide to personal tick hygiene is the Wood Tick Song by Larry Heagle, “Let’s get naked- it’s the safe thing to do! You check me and I’ll check you!”
Let’s have a Tick Pickin’ Party