What Types of Ticks are Dangerous?
YESpestpros • February 15, 2022
At first glance, ticks do not appear to be dangerous. But don’t let their tiny size and small mouths fool you. These guys are voracious eaters, and the females are known to suck at least 200 times their
body weight in blood. They need this feeding cycle to develop through the different stages in their life cycle.
These tiny little creatures have an uncanny knack for literally getting under your skin. While a tick bite doesn’t cause any harm to the victims, they are known to carry pathogens that cause different illnesses.
Do All Ticks Carry Disease?
However, not all ticks are disease-bearing. So if you’re planning on spending a lot of time outdoors this spring and summer, it pays to know which ticks to look out for.
- Deer ticks can be found primarily in the Northeastern part of the United States. The adults are reddish-brown and about 1/8th of an inch long. These carry the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease. It is possible to be bitten by this tick and not know it. However, you can recognize the effects of its bite by the bullseye rash that will develop around the bite site.
- Brown dog ticks can be found everywhere in the United States. These pose a more significant danger to your dog as they rarely want to seek their teeth into humans. While similar in size to deer ticks, their bite can transmit diseases like ehrlichiosis, babesiosis (infection of the blood), and bartonellosis. Your dog may experience fever, depression, weight loss, and lameness.
- American dog ticks are not very particular. They will go after humans and all sorts of animals. Depending on its stage of development, they will choose their host. They will start feeding on small rodents, but as they mature, they will have no problem sinking their teeth into larger prey, including you. They are known carriers of the Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
- Lone star ticks can be found anywhere from Texas up to the coast of Maine. They can be either brown or tan and grow to as much as one-third of an inch in length. Females generally show a single white spot on their back, and males usually have scattered spots all over their bodies. They are known carriers of tularemia, which causes skin rashes, ulcers at the bite site, and high fever.
How Can I Protect Myself From Bites?
Even if you don’t see or feel the effects of a tick bite, always assume that you have been exposed and call your doctor if you develop a rash, chills, fever, or a headache after being outdoors.
The best way to protect you and your family from tick bites is to prevent them altogether. Whenever you are outdoors, make it a habit to use insect repellent with DEET on your skin, clothing, and any gear you are carrying. Wear light-colored clothes that give you full coverage so you can quickly and easily spot ticks and remove them. And finally, stay away from heavily wooded areas with tall grass and heavy brush since these are areas where ticks are likely to be hiding.
If you find that you would like to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of your family, don’t hesitate to
contact us !
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