Fall updates from Pets and Ticks!
We've been a bit quiet on the website this summer, so we figured it was about time for an update! Here's the scoop!
Canadian Pet Tick Survey: Our cross-Canada study wrapped up at the end of March. We've been diligently working to process and analyze all the ticks and get that information back to you. We experienced some major delays due to COVID-19, but we have been able to gain back some momentum (thanks to some pretty amazing students!). Regional summaries are close to completion and we will soon have infographics ready for veterinary clinics (more details to follow!). We will also update the Canadian Pet Tick Survey page on this website as the data becomes available.
Pet Tick Tracker: You may have noticed that the Pet Tick Tracker button is no longer active and has been replaced with a "Found a Tick?" button. This button sends you to eTick.ca where you can submit a photo of your tick for a rapid identification. We have been a longstanding partner of eTick.ca. In the early days, when eTick.ca only covered a few provinces, we wanted to keep the Pet Tick Tracker going to ensure that an identification tool was available across Canada. Now, eTick.ca has expanded to include most of Canada, so it made sense to shift all identification to one place. This way eTick.ca is your one stop shop for any ticks found on you, your pet or in the environment. Pets and Ticks will still be here, but we will shift our focus to education. We intend to generate more research updates and provide more information on ticks. If you have ideas for content you'd like to see, please send us a note!
And now for the most important fall update.... Fall is peak activity time for adult blacklegged ticks. This doesn't mean that you and your furry companion shouldn't go out to enjoy the beautiful fall colours. It just means that you need to be aware of the risks and be proactive.
For you:
- Cover up! Wear light coloured pants and long sleeves shirts. It's also a good idea to tuck your pants into your socks to be extra careful.
- Use repellent (humans only) containing DEET or icaridin.
For your pet:
- Use an appropriate veterinary-prescribed tick prevention product. Speak to your veterinarian about the best choice for your pet.
And, for both of you:
- Stay on cleared trails. Ticks wait for you on low laying vegetation (e.g., shrubs, grasses) so cleared paths are much safer.
- Do a thorough TICK CHECK. Make this part of your daily routine. For your pet, disguise it as a good whole body scratch and rub.
Thanks for reading! Happy Fall.
-KMC