Tis the season for caution

I had intended for this post to be made several weeks ago. Regardless, it is never too late to advise readers that the risk of encountering ticks that may carry the dreaded spirochete that gives one Lyme Disease, is high. Anytime the temperature is above freezing there is a risk, but more so in the spring through autumn seasons.

May is Lyme Disease Awareness month in the USA. It hasn't been officially declared that in Canada as far as I am aware. However Lyme Disease (LD) is on the increase in many parts of this country, especially eastern Canada. Southwestern Ontario has been a hotbed for it for several years now. My first encounter with it goes back to 1976, although it was not confirmed as such at the time.

The Black-legged Tick is considered the primary vector of the disease. They are much smaller than other ticks found in the area such as the Wood or Dog Tick, which also may appear on humans and pets.

Adult Black-legged Tick

 Even the adult is small, as shown beside this ruler. An adult is typically only about 2-3 millimetres in length. Immature ticks are much smaller.

Clearly people are becoming more aware of LD, as they should, and are searching for information on it. In fact, one of my earliest blog posts discussing LD is by far my most often visited post of the 350+ posts I have made. It has received almost 6000 visits to date. If you haven't seen it, you can read it here.

An update on LD on another post can be seen at this link.

Or you can just do a search using key words such as Lyme Disease on this blog to see the other posts.

If you or your pets spend any time out of doors, sometimes even in your own back yard, you may encounter a Black-legged Tick that could transmit LD. They can occur in various types of habitat. Grassy/shrubby areas are popular, partly because rodents and deer, which are typical hosts for both immature and adult ticks, are more abundant in these areas.

But much less forested habitat can also harbour Black-legged Ticks and their hosts. If you spend any time in such areas, it is advised to do a tick check as soon as possible to remove any potential critters.

In spite of careful tick checks, there is the possibility that an immature or adult tick may go unnoticed. If one happens to lock on to you and begin to engorge on your blood, the transmission of the spirochete may occur, and then you may be susceptible to early stage LD, which may occur a few days after being bitten. First stage symptoms of LD may include flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, fever, chills, aches and pains. When you experience this in a season where catching the flu is much less likely or even highly unlikely it should be an important warning. A bull's-eye rash, or something similar, may be noticed, although there are varying opinions on how often this may occur. Some people say it may occur in less than 30% of the cases; others suggest it may occur in more than 50% of cases. Clearly not having a rash is not indicative of LD not being present. The flu-like symptoms are much more reliable.

Rashes can vary. Here are several that I have had.

On my lower leg

On my side

One of the most important web sites to refer to on Lyme Disease is the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation. Please check it out for more information. And above all, don't shy away from being outdoors, but be vigilant and stay safe!