I seen my first tick last year... They are everywhere check you children & pets every time they go outside! Experts warn of increase in ticks and Lyme disease in Michigan May 28, 2014 Planning on going for a walk in the woods today? You might want to read this first. Experts say its going to be a banner year for ticks, and that can be bad news for anyone who plans on spending any time outdoors. Michigan State University Professor Howard Russell -- aka The Bug Man -- says hes been getting reports from all over the state, even the southern lower peninsula, of yards overrun by the insects. The number of ticks in the Great Lakes region have been on the rise for the past few years, Russell said. But this year is going to be even worse. Ten years ago I rarely got calls, if ever, about ticks in the lower southern peninsula, Russell said. Now Im getting calls from people who want recommendations from people who want to spray their yards, including in Detroit. It seems to be widespread throughout the lower peninsula. Michigan is home to several species of ticks, but the most common are the American dog tick and the deer tick. Neither are pleasant, but deer ticks are the ones known to carry Lyme disease -- an infection that can cause flu-like symptoms such as body aches and fevers, as well as rashes and arthritis-like joint pain. When caught early, it can be treated with antibiotics. In 2013, there were 165 reported cases of Lyme disease in Michigan, a 60 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health. They are nasty blood-sucking parasites, Russell said. There is no honor in being a tick. The MDCH has some tips for protecting yourself, your family and your pets this year. * Know where ticks live and avoid them. Ticks live in grassy areas, brush and along trail edges. So the best way to avoid contact is to stick to the center of the trail while hiking or avoiding overgrown areas. * Spray your clothes. Using bug repellent to ward off mosquitoes? Spray some on your clothes, too. Ticks often attach to clothing before burrowing into skin, so spraying your shoes, socks and pants with repellent containing DEET can protect against ticks. You can also treat your clothes with permethrin, a synthetic insecticide that can kill ticks on contact. A word of caution, however. If you use permethrin, dont put it directly on your skin. * Take a bath and wash your clothes. Within a couple of hours of coming inside, jump in the shower. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, its easier to spot a tick when youre naked. Second, if a tick is on your clothes, a trip through a high-heat dryer will kill it. * Do a tick check. Even if youve just been running around in your own yard, check yourself, your kids and your pets for ticks. Since ticks cannot transmit disease immediately -- it usually takes at least a day -- the earlier you find and remove them, the better. The best way to remove a tick is with tweezers. Grasp the tick as closely to your skin as possible and pull it away. Afterward, clean the area with antiseptic.
Posted on: Wed, 28 May 2014 18:24:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015