Wood ticks spread to new parts of Saskatchewan

“More and more people are discovering ticks including in areas where they never had them before,” he said.

This weekend Curry even picked up dog ticks on his own farm north of Moose Jaw. While ticks have been common in the valley for a while, he says this is the first time he has noticed them on the farm.

While dog ticks are getting more noticeable, Curry says the ticks that transmit Lyme disease are still considered to be very rare in Saskatchewan. The blacklegged deer tick is only about half the size of the brown dog tick. It is also found more often in wooded areas instead of the tall grass where dog ticks are easy to pick up.

“The risk is very low. It’s not zero though. We have found a few of these ticks in the province and a few of them have tested positive for Lyme disease. So it’s a low risk but not a zero risk,” he said.

Since 2010, Saskatchewan has only had two confirmed human cases of Lyme disease that originated within the province. The symptoms of Lyme disease occur in three phases starting with a rash, fatigue, muscle pain and swollen lymph nodes in phase one. If you experience any of these symptoms after getting a tick bite it is important to see your doctor. For more information visit this website.

If you are going out to areas with long grass or trees Curry says it is important to protect yourself from ticks by wearing long pants and shirts and even tucking pant legs into your socks. Wearing light clothing will also help you spot the ticks if you happen to pick up any. He says there are some types of insect repellant that will work on ticks as well as mosquitoes.

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by Adriana Christianson

Wood ticks spread to new parts of Saskatchewan

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