Article contentAfterwards, make sure to wash the bite site with soap and water or disinfect it with alcohol hand sanitizer.Article contentIf any mouthparts break off, remove them with tweezers or, if a person is unable to remove them easily, leave it alone and let the skin heal.Article contentMembers of the public who find ticks are encouraged to submit photos to www.etick.ca for tick identification and information.Article contentIf a person is uncomfortable removing the tick, try calling your local vet clinic for advice.Article content“We generally will advise them how to remove it. If they’re not comfortable with that, we advise them they can come down and we’ll take it off,” she said.Article contentGET THE TICK IDENTIFIEDArticle contentGouchie also advises residents to bring any tick removed over to the clinic so they can submit it for identification. Article content“If it is a tick that is possible for carrying Lyme disease, then what we do is we follow up with the owner, we send them a package on things to look for, signs, that sort of thing,” she explained. “We actually advise them to come back and have a test, an in-house test that we do, and to check to see what the antibody levels are after so many weeks and it’s dependent on when the tick attached.”Article contentArticle contentThe majority of the ticks that they have sent off for identification this year have come back as Ixodes Scapularis, more commonly known as deer ticks. Article content“When we first started sending things in for identification, we had a little bit of a mixed bag and obviously we have a lot of travelers who come through here. So, occasionally, I will have a different type of tick, but for the most part that’s what we’re seeing,” she said. Article contentPREVENTATIVE MEASURESArticle contentIn terms of preventative measures, there are medications that you can get from the vet. There are a few different types with different brand names, so what’s recommended usually depends on the vet. Article content“What we recommend is actually based on the patient,” she explained. Article content“So some people go for something that’s good for three months, some people go with something that’s good monthly. But for anyone who’s got any health concerns, I usually will tell them to speak to me directly because there’s certain medications that it’s like I might go one way or another.”Article contentNo matter what, Gouchie emphasizes the importance of bringing the tick to a vet so it can be sent off for identification, so they can better advise pet owners on next steps.Article contentAnasophie Vallée is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Indigenous and rural issues.Article content
Tick found on the Avalon tests positive for Lyme disease, but province says risk for residents remains low
