Tick Alert: Protect Yourself This Season
Warmer weather means more life and with spring in full swing a local health department is asking us to keep watch for a rise of ticks this season.
The Zanesville Health Department is sending out a reminder to all adventurists and pet owners that tick season is upon us. Medical Director and Doctor Jack Butterfield sat down to talk about the dangers of these little critters.
“There are three ticks in Ohio that transmit disease by far and away the two most common would be the deer tick which can transmit Lyme disease and the dog tick which can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Lyme disease is far more prevalent and is increasing in prevalence, every year it’s been increasing,” Dr. Butterfield said.
In the past year cases of Lyme disease went up to 29, as of May 1st of this year already 66 cases have been reported. Dr. Butterfield continued to talk about how to prevent and protect yourself and others.
“Try and stick to the middle of the path, stay out of the longer grass and weeds. If you are in those situations where you can’t stay on the path long sleeves shirts, light colored clothing so you can see the ticks, tucking your pantlegs into your socks so when you’re walking through high weeds…get a fine pair of tweezers and you put the tweezers as close to the skin and mouth parts of the tick as possible, gently squeeze the tick and pull it straight out,” Dr. Butterfield said.
Early symptoms of Lyme disease typically begin within 3-30 days after a tick bite and can cause Erythema Migrans Rash (“bull’s eye rash), nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, stomach pain, and lack of appetite. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms please talk with a health professional.
For more information on how to protect against ticks this season visit ohio.gov/tick or cdc.gov
