Ticks are annoying parasites that feast on animal and human blood. If you think that these ticks do not harm humans as much as they harm animals, then you are so wrong. Ticks can also be harmful to humans and can cause secondary skin infections, intense itching and even some serious illnesses.
Ticks attach to the host’s body by biting into the skin. They secrete sticky saliva in order to adhere to the host’s body. Ticks harm pets by sucking the animal’s blood. Some types of ticks even secrete a rare toxin that causes paralysis to the bitten animal. Ticks also cause Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Fever, among others.
What Humans Should Know About Ticks
If there are no pets to adhere to, ticks can attach to humans. There are cases when babies and elderly people have suffered from Lyme disease because of being bitten by ticks. It is important not to undermine the effects dog ticks can cause to humans. Following are some important tick facts that you should be aware of.
- Ticks can irritate human skin.
This is especially true for people who are allergic to tick saliva protein. The bitten part of your skin could develop bumps, rashes or blisters. Since they can be itchy and inflamed, scratching them may lead to bacterial skin infection.
- Use tweezers to pull off ticks from animal or human skin.
Never pull them off without following the correct removal steps. This is to prevent tick mouthparts in the skin that may be left behind.
- Ticks attach to animals when they walk in grassy trails.
There is a belief that ticks fall down from trees. That is not true. Walking your dog through grassy trails often leads to ticks attaching to your pet’s skin. A tick that’s fully grown will have at least three different host bodies in its lifetime. That may be your dog, your cat and yourself or other members of your household.
- Ticks can cause serious illnesses and diseases.
Because ticks fest on blood, it can cause fatigue, joint issues and even severe anemia.
- As the cliché goes, prevention is better than cure.
You can use tick control products in order to prevent ticks. Insect repellant with DEET can be used to keep ticks at bay. However, you should know that adult ticks do not need blood frequently. They can live in your surroundings for a year without having blood meals.
If tick infestation is severe or you want to make sure that your family is spared from these pests, contact professional pest control services.
Written by BugOut Pest Control & Lawn Care. BugOut Pest Control & Lawn Care offers the best service for pest control in Columbia, MO.