Why is tick prevention important?

Proactive tick prevention efforts in personal care, pet care, and home maintenance are essential to protect against the potential health hazards associated with tick-borne diseases.

Tick prevention is crucial for the well-being of both humans and beloved pets, as well as maintaining a healthy home environment. Ticks are vectors for various diseases, such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can have severe health consequences for individuals and animals alike. By implementing tick prevention measures, we can reduce the risk of exposure to these harmful pathogens. This not only safeguards our health but also ensures the comfort and safety of our pets.

Furthermore, preventing ticks from infesting our homes is essential to maintain a clean and hygienic living space, as ticks can easily latch onto humans and pets indoors.

Be Tick Aware

grass in a circle

AVOID high tick traffic areas, like tall grass & leaf piles

WEAR long proper clothing, like long pants, sleeves & socks

APPLY EPA-APPROVED tick repellent, properly

dryer machine

REMOVE clothing when back indoors, put in hot dryer

Bug under magnifying glass

EXAMINE yourself for ticks daily, they’re always there!

Tips to Protect You, Your Pets and Your Home:

Personal

Person tucking their pants inside their socks
Person hiking, spraying tick repellant onto clothes
Tick burrowed in skin
How to dress for tick safety illustration
Small tick on someone's fingernail

To learn more about Lyme disease and how to prevent visit https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/brochure/lymediseasebrochure-P.pdf or scroll to the bottom of this page for more content related links

Check for Ticks daily after going outside or around your pet.

Check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks!

    • Check in and around your hair, ears, arms and armpits
    • Between your legs and groin area
    • Around your waist
    • Inside the belly button area
    • Back of the knees
  • Remove and tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes to kill any lingering Ticks after coming indoors. If clothes are damp, please add some more time to the drying process. If clothes require washing first, hot water is strongly recommended.
  • Shower within two hours of coming indoors, this may help to be aware and do a through tick check on your body.
  • When going out to hike or be in a green area:

    • Wear long pants and tuck into your socks (long socks recommended)
    • Wear long sleeves
    • Wear hats
    • Walk in the middle of trails, away form tall grass and bushes
    • Wear white or light colored clothing to easier detect ticks
    • Wear covered shoes, no bare feet or sandals
    • Apply or wear clothing treated with 0.5% Permethrin spray.

     

Pets

Examine your pets!

  • Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person at a later time! Carefully examine pets, coats, and daypacks.
  • If you find a tick on your pet, remove it right away!

Where to check your pets for ticks:

    • In and around the ears
    • Around the tail
    • Around the eyelids
    • Under the collar
    • Under the front legs
    • Between the back legs and groin area
    • Between the toes

Talk to your veterinarian about the best tick prevention products for your dog.

    • Our partners Insect Shield carry a variety of cute clothes/products treated with EPA Approved Permethrin for your pets.
    • Shop here!

Dog suspiciously starring at a tick
Brown dog with tick on outer ear
Cat with tick on side of face
Tick removal process for pets
Labrador getting inspected for ticks

*NOTE: Cats may be extremely sensitive to a variety of chemicals. Do NOT apply any tick prevention products to your cats without first asking your veterinarian.

Home

Make your surrounding home less attractive to ticks
Raking leaves
Dad and daughter gardening
Dog and cat playfully running
Gravel and woodchip edges
Playground in sunny area surrounded by woodchips
Neat stack of fire wood
Deer behind a fence

Landscape your home and comfort areas to create tick-safe zones!

  • Make your surrounding home less attractive to ticks.

Here are some tips to help reduce ticks:

    • Clear any tall or over grown grass or brushes around your home and lawns.
    • By placing at least a 3ft wide barrier of woodchips or gravel between your lawn, patios, and play equipment, you can help restrict tick migration into your safe-zones.
    • Rake leaves and maintain lawn frequently
    • Stack wood neatly and in dry areas (this also helps discourage other rodents that ticks feed on)
    • If possible, place any playgrounds or equipment in sunny areas away from greenery.
    • Remove any old furniture, mattresses, or trash from the yard that may give ticks a place to hide.
    • Refer to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station’s Tick Management Handbook PDF for more information to guide to prevention via landscaping

Types of Ticks and other Possible Diseases

Table of different ticks
Ticks that commonly bite humans
cdc rash and symptoms

Learn more about Lyme disease symptoms at www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms

Lyme Disease CDC PDF https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/NCEZID_rash_poster3r1-508.pdf

For more information on Lyme Disease and related tick borne infections vising Mountsinai.org

Insect Shield Permethrin Spray (Tick Spray)

Permethrin Tick Sprays
Picture of lady spraying insect repellant onto a shirt
A couple in a tent
Spray that's good for shoes, tents, clothing, luggage, backpacks and hammocks

Protect yourself from Lyme Disease with Insect Shield Permethrin Spray!

Permethrin spray is a highly effective insect repellent commonly used to protect you and your loved ones from a wide range of pests, including mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers. It works by bonding to the fibers of the treated materials, like clothes, tents, and shoes creating a barrier that repels insects. Permethrin is known for its long-lasting protection and is especially popular among outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and campers.

Enjoy an exclusive 15% first purchase discount by using CODE: LYMEFIGHT at checkout.

By purchasing with our friends Insect Shield and using our code LYMEFIGHT, 10% of proceeds go directly towards Lyme Fight Foundation.



Content Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/on_people.html

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/on_pets.html

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/in_the_yard.html

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/brochure/lymediseasebrochure-P.pdf

https://www.globallymealliance.org/

https://www.insectshield.com/