Ticks are not just a problem for your four-legged friends; they also can spread disease to humans that includes Lyme disease, tularemia, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are more active in the warmer months when people are active outdoors.

Ticks live in grassy, wooded areas where people enjoy activities such as camping, hiking, and gardening. To help prevent bites on you and your pets, practice some of these tips:

• Stay on marked trails when hiking and avoid wooded, bushy areas.
• Use EPA-registered insect repellents that contain DEET.
• Check your clothing for ticks after being outdoors.
• Check your own body and pets’ body for ticks.
• Shower within two hours after being outdoors.

Ticks can hide in places such as around your ears, around your waistband, and the back of your knees so ensure you are thorough in checking yourself after being outdoors. Should you find a tick on your body, use some fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close the skin’s surface as possible and pull upward with a steady pressure. If you cannot get the head of the tick out of your skin, leave it alone and it should come out itself within a few days.

If you develop a rash or a fever within several weeks of a tick bite, see your doctor.  A tick bite can be identified by a distinct target rash and can cause fever, aches and pains, and rash. Going to the doctor will help you determine the best course of treatment.

Not sure what a tick might look like? Check out the types of ticks that most commonly bite humans.

To request further information on tick bite prevention, please visit www.pphd.org or call 308-487-3600 or toll free 866-701-7173.

Panhandle Public Health District is working together to improve the health, safety and quality of life for all who live, learn, work and play in the Panhandle.  Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle Community.