Growing up West Coast I spent my youth calling these beauties “tick trees” Now, this is all an old wives tale, but non the less it rooted in me a deep fear of ticks, for no other reason than that I was told to avoid them. Lyme Disease wasn’t a big topic of conversation back then… but we still new to stay away from these little buggies.
Many years later, living on a property not only filled with long grass, patches of salal and an abundance of trees, including Arbutus, I am not just wary but also well informed of WHY I was so fearful of these little critters.
A tick won’t hop or jump onto you, or a passing animal, but will instead attach to your clothing or skin as you are sitting or walking through the brush. Ticks are most active in the spring and summer, right when we are all heading outside with our shorts on (smart ticks). A tick bite alone is not a fun adventure. Not only does it hurt, but you need to safely remove all of the tick (they tend to like to keep their heads attached when you try and remove them) and that can cause infection.
Even worse though, ticks can carry Lyme Disease and according to the Public Health Agency of Canada Blacklegged ticks are most often found in forests and the overgrown areas between the woods and open spaces. They are most abundant in the following locations:
- southern British Columbia
- southeastern and south-central Manitoba
- southern, eastern and northwestern Ontario
- southern Quebec
- southern New Brunswick and Grand Manan Island
- parts of Nova Scotia
Lyme Disease is no joke, and while not every little Blacklegged tick is a carrier, but some of them are, and that’s where things get a little scary.
Did you know, infected ticks must be attached for 24 hours or more before the (lyme disease causing) bacteria is transmitted.
Care PlusTM Tick-Test is now available at stores and online. It is a home test kit for you to TEST your tick once removed to see if it is a carrier of the bacteria associated with Lyme disease.
WHY does this matter?
If you have a positive tick, the sooner you get medical treatment the BETTER. the Care PlusTM Tick-Test lets you get results of your test within 10 minutes, and combining this with the symptoms cross check you can be prepared to take action if you need to.
So, how does the test work?
You can learn more about the Care PlusTM Tick-Test at the stopthetick website, as well as additional tips and tricks to stay “tick safe” this summertime.
The Care PlusTM Tick-Test doesn’t just identify the Borrelia burgdorferi/Borrelia bacteria which is most common in Canada, but the other two types of bacteria that are found mostly in Asia and Europe… which means, this test should be packed in your bag, no matter WHERE you are travelling.
Check out this video below for more information.
I have luckily never been bitten by a tick (knock on wood) but we have pulled many off of our farm animals which means they ARE out there, hungry and looking for a nibble. Having a way to see if the Tick was a Lyme disease carrier will definitely ease my mind as I see our kids running barefoot through our meadow. And with Lyme Disease on the rise in Canada (707 cases in 2015 compared to 128 in 2009) this is a very real danger.
To help you start summer feeling a little more prepared I have 4 Care PlusTM Tick-Test to giveaway to our lucky readers!
a Rafflecopter giveaway