KAMLOOPS — They are waiting in the long grass and want to suck your blood.
But unlike vampires, ticks are not a work of fiction and the spring weather is making them hungry.
The Rocky Mountain Wood Tick is found most commonly around Kamloops and is not known to carry Lyme disease.
However, the Canadian Public Health Authority reports a risk of Lyme disease in the southern Interior.
“Black-legged ticks [are often found] in the coastal regions and now the CDC lists it being in all the major valleys of the Interior,” said Dr. Paul Hunter of Columbia Summit Veterinarian Hospital. “We expect you could pick up a black-legged tick – which carries Lyme disease — so of course Lyme disease is a major concern in both human and animal populations. Prevention is probably better than removing ticks physically.”
Matt Renfrew, a Kamloops dog owner, says he’s opted for preventative medicine for his pets.
“You’ve got to take tick season seriously. Go get your dogs some tick meds,” Renfrew said. “Just got to watch, check yourself when you get home, look for ticks and take that responsibility.”
However, Interior Health said preventative medication is not an option for people.
“Some common symptoms of Lyme disease are things like rash, fever, headache, chills and fatigue. But luckily Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics,” IH resident physician Dr. Brandon Yau told CFJC News.
Yau says there are many things people can do to avoid contracting Lyme disease.
“We also know that removing a tick within it being on you of a day, a day-and-a-half, really reduces the risk of acquiring Lyme disease significantly.”
He said wearing long pants, using a bug repellent with DEET and checking for ticks after spending time outside greatly reduce the risk of taking one of these parasites home. If you do find a tick on you, Yau says it should be removed immediately.
