Ticks Do Not Die in the Winter By Paula Jackson Jones J
ust last week, I saw a patient with an adult deer tick embedded in their lower back,” said one of the Midcoast Lyme
literate medical providers. “We removed the tick and sent it off to
Tickreport.com for a full analysis of any pathogens. My patient was very shocked to discover a tick embed- ded in their back this time of year.”
I think many are of this same mindset, thinking that ticks either die off or are not a threat during the winter months. But there are many organizations that are still pro- moting the need for the use of prevention products and continued tick checks. Ticks are a year-round threat in endemic areas like Maine.
Tick Encounter in Rhode Island reports
that blacklegged (deer) ticks are not killed by freezing temperatures, stating that even in the coldest regions of North America, these ticks can still be active on days when temperatures are above freezing (32 degrees) and they are not covered by snow. As I wrote in my last column, bringing in firewood and allowing it to thaw promotes tick movement in your home, putting your family and pets at great risk.
12 ELM™ Maine - March/April 2019
Some easy winter tips to protect your family and pets even when the outdoor temps are frigid:
• Wear tick repellent clothing that has been pre-treated with Permethrin (lasts through 70 washings) or buy Permethrin online or at the local hardware store and treat your own clothing (last through 7-10 washings.)
• When you come inside, toss your clothing in the dryer on HIGH HEAT for 10 minutes. This will kill any ticks that may have hitched a ride inside.
• Continue with year-round pet protec- tion and treat their beds and blankets with Permethrin. Talk to your vet as there are many options orally, topi- cally and pet apparel that has been pre-treated with Permethrin. Dog Not Gone, a Maine company, has some great vest and other apparel that has been pre-treated with Permethrin and that will last through 70 washes and will not come off on your pet when wet (like rain or snow). It only
disintegrates through the washing agitation in the washing machine.
• And as always, DO YOUR TICK CHECKS! It only takes seconds to do a quick check. The longer a tick is attached the greater the risk exposure to a tick-borne disease.
This information is going viral. Just 2 weeks ago, the Weather Network was warning people about winter tick activity and the need to continue using prevention products not only on yourself and your fam- ily but your pets.
The deer tick is capable of carrying more than just Lyme Disease. Anaplasmosis and Babesia (a malaria-based tick-borne disease) are on the rise here in Maine and those diseases do not produce the classic bulls-eye rash. We need to stop thinking about ticks, Lyme Disease and the bulls- eye rash as the best indicator of infection because less than 50% of all positive cases do not produce a rash. We need to under- stand that we live in an endemic region and so our risk is much greater, and symptoms can be sudden or delayed and quite varied. Not all patients will have the same symp-
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