Tips To Avoid Ticks While Hiking In Katy

There is a lot of chatter right now about tick-borne diseases—and for good reason. People are starting to realize that Ticks are dangerous. Over the last two decades, the number of Lyme disease cases in the United States have more than doubled and Lyme disease is only one of many dangerous diseases spread by ticks. Those little bloodsucking bugs are linked to Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Powassan virus disease, and many more. So it is important that every Katy resident know some simple steps to avoid ticks while away from home. Here's what you need to know.

Ticks Climb Up

If you've ever found a tick in your hair, you may be tempted to think that they fall down from trees, but this is not the case. Ticks climb all the way up your body to get to your hair. Understanding this can help you protect yourself from ticks when you're out hiking.

• Spray mosquito repellent on your legs and feet. This will keep ticks off you.

• Wear bright colors so you can see ticks as they're crawling up.

• Consider tucking your pants into your socks to keep ticks from crawling under.

Ticks Attach

If a tick gets on you, it isn't going to bite and fall off. It is going to attach. When it does, it will grow as it fills with blood. There are a few reasons why this is important to understand.

• Finding ticks on your body or on the skin of your pet becomes easier the longer it has time to draw blood in. Feel around for a bump on the skin or look for engorged ticks.

• It takes time for ticks to transmit illness. If you remove ticks early, you can prevent transmission. For this reason, it is important to always do a tick check when you return from being out in nature.

Pets Are A Target

Ticks don't take humans as hosts. Some ticks don't even prefer to bite humans. But all ticks will get on dogs. If you like to bring your dog on walks with you, be sure to take precautions.

• Make sure your dog has a tick collar.

• Consider spraying a pet-specific mosquito repellent on your dog before going out. This helps to address ticks as well.

• Consider keeping your dog leashed.

• Avoid tall grass and hanging vegetation.

• Inspect your dog for ticks when your return. Ticks have a preference for the ears and between the toes. These are good places to look first.

As always, remember that the team at Modern Pest Control is available to help resolve pest concerns. For ticks, we provide yard pest control treatments that eliminate ticks and prevent them from getting on you and your pets when you're in your yard. We also provide rodent control to prevent rodents from bringing ticks into your home. Reach out to us today for immediate assistance.