Tick season is underway in the Cariboo Chilcotin.
Ticks are tiny bugs that feed on blood.
According to Interior Health most tick bites do not result in disease because most ticks are not infected with disease-causing germs.
If a tick is carrying disease, the germs that cause the disease are injected with the tick’s bite.
Tick bites like any insect bite should be treated seriously since infection can occur due to the break in the skin.
To avoid ticks, people are encouraged to walk on cleared trails wherever possible, wear light colored clothing, tuck shirts into pants and tuck pants into boots or socks.
It is also a good idea to regularly check household pets for ticks.
To safely remove a tick it is important not to do anything that can stress or crush the tick’s body because it may cause it to inject its stomach contents into your blood.
Using needle nose tweezers, gently grasp the tick close to the skin.
Without squeezing, pull the tick straight out.
After removal, clean the area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic cream.
If you find one tick, check very carefully for others.
If it is difficult to remove the tick do not use grease, alcohol or heat to remove the tick, instead go to the doctor and notify your doctor if you notice any rash or unusual health problems later.