Tips to protect yourself from ticks this summer in Ottawa and eastern Ontario

Paging Dr. Paul: Our resident pediatrician on how to protect your home and how to remove them if you get bitten.

Eastern Ontario’s top doctor is urging people to be “tick aware” and protect yourself from tick bites when outside in backyards and the woods this spring and summer.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit warns tick-borne diseases are transmitted through a bite from an infected blacklegged tick.

Medical officer of health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis told CTV Morning Live you will now find ticks closer to home, saying “it’s actually everywhere in Ottawa.”

“Ticks, ordinarily, like forests and woods, but a lot of people live off a forest or a treed area and they can climb into your backyard,” Roumeliotis said.

“It’s important to be aware you have to be tick aware in your backyard, so tick proofing it – that’s the important thing.”

The most common disease caused by ticks is Lyme Disease, but ticks can also carry other diseases.

“The best way is to prevent ticks from coming into your area and knowing what to do if you get a tick on you, on your child and even on your pet,” Roumeliotis said.

Ticks are most active in the summer months, but officials warn they can appear any time of the year when the temperature is above the freezing mark.

Dr. Roumeliotis spoke with CTV News Ottawa about what you need to know about ticks.

Size of ticks

Dr. Roumeliotis says ticks are initially very small.

“The babies are like sesame seed size,” Roumeliotis said Wednesday morning.

“If they latch on to somebody, they’ll suck the blood and they’ll engorge and become the size of an apple seed and even to the size of a small coffee bean. Once they engorge on you, it’s not hard to see them.”

What do I do if I’m exposed to a tick?

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit says tick bites are “usually painless,” and you may not realize you have been bitten.

Roumeliotis says if you have been exposed to a tick for more than 24 hours, remove it immediately. You should also disinfect the area where the tick was removed from.

“Seek medical attention after you remove it because if it is carrying Lyme Disease, we will then give you antibiotics for a couple of days to prevent it from occurring in the first place,” Roumeliotis said.

If a tick has been attached to you for less than 24 hours, the medical officer of health says you can remove it and “don’t worry about it.”

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit recommends being on the lookout for signs and symptoms for the next 30 days.

Removing a tick

Dr. Roumeliotis says the best way to remove a tick is with tweezers.

“Go sideways, get (the tweezers) as low as possible to the skin, pinch (the tick) and pull it up,” Roumeliotis said.

“Do not twist, do not squeeze. Once you have it, you put it in alcohol, disinfect it, put it in a bag and you can throw it away.”

Signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease

Dr. Roumeliotis says Lyme Disease is a bacteria that the tick gets from biting a deer.

“It basically bites you and sucking your blood, it can actually inject the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease,” Roumeliotis said.

“Lyme Disease can be quite dangerous. It can cause symptoms ranging from pneumonia to skin rashes to even brain problems, that’s why it’s important for us to be aware.”

Symptoms of Lyme Disease usually occur within three to 30 days after a tick bite.

You may see a circular, red rash that may look like a “bull’s-eye,” according to officials. The health unit says symptoms of Lyme Disease may include fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint pains, stiff neck, fatigue, swollen glands and facial paralysis.

How to avoid tick bites

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit offers the following tips to keep ticks off you when outdoors:

• Wear light-coloured clothing
• Wear closed footwear, socks, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants
• Use an insect repellent that has DEET or lcaridin on clothes and exposed skin
• Walk in the centre of cleared paths or trails
• Search your clothes and body for ticks after being outdoors

The health unit recommends tips to discourage the presence of ticks around your home:

• Keep the grass short
• Trim bushes and tree branches to let in sunlight as ticks avoid hot and dry conditions
• Remove leaf, brush and weeds at the edge of the lawn
• Discourage deer from entering your yard
• Keep swing sets, playground equipment and sandboxes away from wooded areas