Tick season is in full force in alberta and other parts of canada and the usa. What to know about ticks and lyme disease in alberta. Most ticks do not carry the lyme disease bacteria, and most tick bites do not cause serious health problems. The most important tick borne disease in alberta is lyme disease, which is carried by specific types. That said, not every tick is an agent of lyme disease. The bloodthirsty creatures have emerged across the province, latching on to people and animals alike. Alberta agriculture and forestry af, alberta health and alberta health services conduct a surveillance program for ticks. Here are five things you should know about spotting ticks and signs of bites to prevent tick borne illnesses. If its any consolation, ive never picked up a tick in a valley bottom or on more shaded, northerlyexposed slopes. How to protect yourself against ticks you should use some form of protection against ticks whenever youre out in a. Ten to 20 per cent of the ticks now being tested in alberta are carrying lyme disease, so anyone bitten has a one in five to one in 10 chance of being exposed, she noted. March is tick awareness month and the perfect time to educate yourself on the risks associated with ticks and lyme disease in alberta. Reducing exposure yearround, especially during peak season, can reduce the risk of contracting an infection from the bloodfeeding parasites.
As of december 31, 2018, 28,899 ticks have been collected and identified in saskatchewan and only 71 were blacklegged ticks. Alberta ticks flourish in warm weather as researchers urge checks. The bad news is that these ticks do carry other diseases. There are many types of tick, but the one you need to know about is the blacklegged tick also called the deer tick. Most ticks do not carry the lyme disease bacteria, and most tick bites do.
The highest concentration of ticks in alberta is seen throughout. Lyme disease is alot more common in alberta now so its better to be safe then sorry. Tick season is now, and its time to protect yourself. Learn about fleas, how to check your pet for fleas, how to prevent fleas and how to get rid of fleas. Ticks on the rise in alberta, says university of alberta. According to research conducted by the university of alberta, one in five people bit by ticks in albertaare at risk for lyme disease. Its almost peak tick season, which means youll want to be extra cautious outdoors. Whats more, only a portion of deer ticks carry the bacterium. They range in size from a poppy seed to the size of a grape, when fully engorged from feeding on blood. Most ticks dont carry diseases, and most tick bites dont cause serious health problems. Please visit the u of as website for additional information and more detailed image galleries. There are 11 species of tick in alberta, however the usual tick encountered on rocky mountain hikes near calgary is the rocky mountain wood tick. Flea and tick season arrives in alberta in the early spring.
Ive heard of a very few cases of fleas in alberta, but in the 11 years ive lived here ive never seen a flea. University of alberta entomologist janet sperling says one in five albertans bitten by ticks this summer could contract the potentially debilitating lyme disease. The blacklegged tick, or deer tick, has become infamous for transmitting lyme. Tick bites occur most often during early spring to late summer and in areas where there are many wild animals and birds. Tick season starts in saskatchewan, peak still a month off.
According to research conducted by the university of alberta, one in five people bit by ticks in albertaare at risk for. According to the centers for disease control and prevention, ticks are prevalent not only throughout the united states, but all over the world. Wood tick time in the canadian rockies canadian rockies. Both pests can be hosted by dogs and cats and can cause health issues for your animals.
Pictures of the most common ticks that bite people. Generally tick season is done by sometime in june, though you can find ticks later. By the end of june ticks are seldom encountered and hikers should be relatively safe. Alberta healths website has information on how to properly remove a tick and its submit a tick program. But it is important to remove a tick as soon as you find it. Symptoms usually develop between 3 to 30 days after a person is infected from a tick bite. Its not something i would worry about if you do come in june, just do a tick check at the end of each day. Deer ticks, shown here through glass in a 2017 file photo, are collected by the alberta government and tested for lyme disease.
Unfortunately, that means more and more people will be coming into contact with ticks. After emerging from tick habitat, immediately check for ticks on humans and animals because it takes ticks many hours to attach to a host and it is easier to remove them before they do so. Tick season runs from may to the end of august so its long pants, gaitors, deet, and checking yourself and your gear after each trip. By bev betkowski up to one in five albertans bitten by ticks this summer could be at risk for lyme disease, a university of alberta expert says. Once thought to be rare in the province, encounters with lymecarrying continues. The highest concentration of ticks in alberta is seen throughout spring and early summer, but the threat of lyme disease will continue well into the autumn, when temperatures begin to drop. Tick season is considered to be from april to october, however ticks can be active in temperatures as low as 4 degrees celsius and can carry diseases that can make people and pets sick. Luckily, rocky mountain wood ticks do not carry the bacteria that causes lyme disease borrelia burgdorferi. In fact, the bacterium that causes it, borrelia burgdorferi, is found only in deer a. However, that isnt even the most crowded tick area in the united states. Ticks typically hide out in long grasses and bushes, but it is unusual to get bitten by one in alberta. Agents, clinical features, and surveillance hhs joint webinar.
Spring brings ticks to saskatchewan news and media. What it means is that the weather is warmer and they wake up. This tick likes open grasslands and hangs around near the edges of trails. Despite frigid conditions late last winter, wagner expects most ticks will have survived. The program monitors the type of ticks that attach to companion animals, livestock and humans, and also those found in the environment. Tick season in alberta is at its peak during the spring. If it does happen, there is still a very slim chance the tick could be carrying lyme disease. Ticks dry out in the middle of a grassy field, ogden said, which is also why they dont like especially hot, dry weather. Youre more likely to encounter ticks at lower elevations where there are deciduous meadowstress, and where there are sheep pinealpine forests are.
Most cases ive heard of were from people who had been out to bc with their dogs, or they had a friend from bc visiting with their. The blacklegged tick, or deer tick, has become infamous for transmitting lyme disease which counts muscle aches, joint, heart and neurological problems and fatigue among its many symptoms, babesiosis also causing flulike symptoms and ramping up to anorexia, joint pain and a possible hospital visit, and anaplamosis which. News mild winter leads to tick explosion in calgary. Tick season begins as soon as the weather reaches above 4 degrees celsius. Most ticks do not carry diseases, and most tick bites do not cause serious health problems. The weather is finally nice, but youre not the only one who wants to come out of hibernation.
While tick bites do not cause health problems on their own, certain species of ticks are known to transmit diseases, including lyme disease. While tick bites themselves pose minimal threat to pets, some types of ticks can carry disease. See top ten list lymedisease carrying ticks on the rise in alberta edmonton a possible hotspot. Find tips on how to safely remove a tick from your skin. In most parts of canada, the peak flea season is early august to early october. If you happen to find yourself out for a walk through the forest or a wooded area, you may want to check. The main type of tick found in the okanagan valley is the dermacentor andersonii rocky mountain wood tick. Theyre adapted very well for cold, cold weather, he said. All tick images found on this website were kindly provided by the university of alberta, and are reproduced here with permission. Removing the tick completely may help you avoid diseases such as lyme disease that the tick may pass on during feeding, or a skin infection where the tick bit you. Lyme disease found in alberta, please check for ticks.
Among these 71, only 10 blacklegged ticks tested positive for the bacterium that causes lyme disease. To submit a tick for testing, put it in a clean, empty container without any ventilation holes. Ticks ticks are small spiderlike arachinds that attach themselves to the skin and feed off blood. Learn about the submitatick program, how to remove a tick, tick surveillance in alberta, and lyme disease. Tick season has kicked off and officials across canada are reminding people to keep an eye on loved ones, including the pets of the house. The risk of a person getting lyme disease from a tick in alberta is considered very low. And i am a dog breeder, so i have more dogs than the average person. While lyme disease cases in canada have been trending upward, they. Ticks are active from april through october, meaning theyre here. Ticks are bloodsucking parasites commonly found throughout canada.
Ticks will peak right at the end of may and then slowly tail off into june and july, he said. The public health agency of canada says populations of infected blacklegged ticks in canada are increasing. While immature fleas do not bite, adult fleas usually feed several times a day. If you happen to find yourself out for a walk through the forest or a wooded area, you may want to check yourself for these bitey bugs. Below is a quick guide to some of the most common ticks in canada. The primary season of activity is spring march through june and usually on dry, rocky slopes. Ben garverthe berkshire eagle via the associated press edmonton, abas albertans head outdoors with their pets to enjoy the warmer weather, the alberta veterinary medical association abvma is reminding the public that its tick. Ticks in alberta and canada all you need to know about ticks and. And with ticks comes the looming spectre of lyme disease.
For example, the central alberta lyme society, has been posting warnings and photos on its facebook and twitter sites including a recent photo taken at coal lake near leduc which shows ticks covering the ears of a rabbit. Should a tick bite occur, remove the tick and disinfect the. According to research conducted by the university of alberta, one in five people bit by ticks in alberta are at risk for lyme disease. The ixodes scapularis, also known as a blacklegged or deer tick, is among those commonly found in northern alberta. As albertans head outdoors with their pets to enjoy the warmer weather, the alberta veterinary medical association abvma is reminding the public that its tick season apriloctober and that theres potential for serious health risks if a bite goes unnoticed or untreated. The pests are usually found in wooded areas that provide ample shade or. Rocky mountain wood ticks and the winter tick or moose tick are also found in saskatchewan. The most common ticks found in saskatchewan, like the american dog tick, rocky mountain ticks and winter ticks, do not carry lyme disease. Ticks can become active at 4 degrees celsius, therefore tick season in alberta starts approximately midlate april and doesnt end until october. Fleas are small, parasitic insects that feed by sucking blood from mammals and birds. For that you have to head to the south and the east coast, where you will find four different types of ticks. Pets and people can pick up ticks by walking through grassy or wooded areas or contact with wild animals.