Ticks can pose a serious wellness risk to your animals and to you. They can transmit Lyme ailment and other hazardous microorganisms. They can also be terrifying and tough to eliminate, specially if you don’t know what you are performing. If you devote a fantastic offer of time outside, it can be helpful to know what variety of ticks are in your location. Preserve looking through as we listing the diverse varieties of ticks that you might see in Pennsylvania.
The 5 Types of Ticks in Pennsylvania
1. American Dog Tick
| Color: | Brown |
| Suitable Hosts: | Dogs, cats, people, rabbits, raccoons, rats |
The American puppy tick is the most common tick in Pennsylvania, and despite its name, it will feed off a big quantity of animals apart from canine, such as cats, raccoons, rabbits, and rats. It has a brown human body, and you will generally find it along walkways and trails with lots of grass and minor to no tree go over. It can spread Lyme illness and Rocky Mountain Noticed fever, so it’s greatest to keep away from it when attainable.
2. The Black-Legged Tick
| Color: | Brown, tan, black |
| Suitable Hosts: | Dogs, deer, lizards, people |
The black-legged tick is frequent through Pennsylvania and a single of the foremost transmitters of Lyme illness. These ticks are lively any time the temperature is over freezing and will decide on targets primarily based on their phase in daily life. Younger ticks will choose tiny animals, even though adults will select big types.
3. The Lone Star Tick
| Color: | Brown with a yellow spot |
| Suitable Hosts: | Dogs, deer, people |
The lone star tick is named the tick of the south by several men and women because it is fairly frequent in the warmer states. Even so, it has been little by little moving north, and you can find it in a lot of counties in southern Pennsylvania, specially in urban environments. They are much more active in the course of warmer temperature. They are aggressive towards big and tiny animals, which includes people, and will even chase after a desirable target.
4. The Ground Hog Tick
| Color: | Brown |
| Suitable Hosts: | Groundhogs, birds, humans |
As the identify suggests, the groundhog tick prefers the groundhog as its host, but it will also feed off birds, other modest animals, and folks. It can transmit the Powassan illness, a exceptional sickness related to the West Nile virus, and there is no vaccine or anti-viral drug accessible to support battle it. The disease is at the moment on the rise, with several victims demanding hospitalization.
5. Asian Longhorned Tick
| Color: | Light brown |
| Suitable Hosts: | Horses, birds, deer |
The Asian longhorned tick is currently the rarest range on this record. Nevertheless, it’s an invasive species, and its quantities are climbing, so it is very likely to grow to be much more typical. It has a mild-brown body with unusually long horns, so it isn’t difficult to recognize if you see one. It chooses its host based mostly on its phase of life, with grownup ticks picking huge prey. The Asian long-horned tick also spreads the Powassan virus, making it specially unsafe.
Common Tick Diseases
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
| Symptoms: | Fever, headache, rash, chills |
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a single of the most common illnesses that ticks transmit and frequently will come from the dog tick. The condition can impact pets or people, and symptoms normally begin 2–14 days after publicity. Fortunately, the tick needs to be attached to the human body for six several hours to transmit the disease, so constantly guarantee that you look in excess of your self and your pets soon after you spend time outside the house
Lyme Disease
| Symptoms: | Rash, pain, memory loss |
Black-legged ticks typically transmit Lyme condition, as does the lone star tick. The 1st symptom is usually an unpleasant rash all around the chunk, and a lot more signs and symptoms will stick to, such as numbness in the hands and legs, fever, chills, and headache. Symptoms normally seem in a couple of days but can get up to 3 months.
Tularemia
| Symptoms: | Rash, pain, memory loss |
Tularemia is a typical ailment unfold by ticks that several men and women contact rabbit fever, and the dog tick, lone star tick, and others can distribute it. Victims will normally endure an ulcer at the chunk website, and other symptoms include fever, reduction of appetite, and swollen lymph nodes. Searching for out health-related treatment method can support lessen the threat of fatality.
How Can I Avoid Tick Bites?
- A commercial product with 0.5% permethrin is effective and even safe for dogs. Apply it to your clothing and gear before you head outside for increased protection.
- Avoid brushy areas with plenty of tall grass.
- Remove clothing, and tumble dry it for 10 minutes to kill any ticks.
- Examine your equipment to ensure that no ticks got inside before packing it away.
- Take a shower soon after your walk, and inspect your body for ticks. Check around your hair, under your arms, between your legs, and around the waist.
- Tea tree oil can work to keep ticks off the body, but it isn’t safe to use around pets.
Conclusion
The good news is, there are only 5 types of ticks in Pennsylvania, but their huge populations suggest that several folks and animals are vulnerable to bites, which can distribute one particular or more infectious ailments. Constantly inspect your pets meticulously soon after a stroll, and take away any ticks that you locate. Remove your clothes, and toss it in the dryer just before having a fast shower to inspect and remove any ticks on your body.
Highlighted Graphic Credit: South12th Pictures, Shutterstock
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