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RCDHU: Keep an eye out for ticks, risk of Lyme disease

Renfrew County and District Health Unit wants you to be on the lookout for ticks this summer.

With the weather heating up, many people will spend more time outside which could increase the chances of being bitten by the parasites.

David Tantalo, Manager of Environmental Health for the Renfrew County and District Health Unit, says there are ways to dress to avoid ticks.

Tantalo says that ticks often are most active during average temperatures, as they don’t usually seek a target during extremely hot temperatures or when it’s cooler outside. Another preventative measure Tantalo suggests is wearing bug spray with DEET as it repels ticks.

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He says the parasite also likes to live in tall grass so it’s suggested you keep your grass short to avoid them.

Tantalo says if you find a tick on you, you can actually send it to the health unit for Lyme Disease testing.

He says it’s easiest to just drop ticks off right at the health unit, but if you can’t doctors in the area have been advised that they are collecting them for samples.

If a tick is attached to you, he suggests firmly pulling it off with tweezers. Tantalo says some symptoms of Lyme Disease include flu-like symptoms and a bullseye rash.

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