Summer is here in Oklahoma City, and we are outdoors more than ever. With the kids out of school and time with friends and family, we look forward to spending time in the yard, on the patio, and in the garden. Ticks are there as well, waiting to ruin the fun, but we have you covered. The team at Brandley Pest Control is ready to protect your Oklahoma City home from deer ticks that are harmful to you, your loved ones, and your furry ones.
What Does A Deer Tick Look Like?
Deer ticks are the smallest tick, with adults growing to the approximate size of a sesame seed. They are reddish and have a solid black dorsal shield with long, thin mouths. When full of blood, engorged ticks will often have a silver, green-grey, or even white appearance. Eww.
Every Disease That Deer Ticks Can Transmit
Deer ticks thrive in humid conditions, making summer in Oklahoma City their personal oasis. They wait on the tips of blades of grasses and in shrubbery in order to hitch a ride onto a human or animal host. Ticks are more common on dogs than cats as cats continuously clean themselves, and both are in danger of acquiring multiple diseases from one tick bite.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a potentially fatal disease that’s usually caused by the bite of a tick infected with bacteria. Look for signs of fever, headache, and muscle aches in humans. A rash may be present, frequently with blackened or crusted skin at the site of a tick bite. In dogs, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can cause fever and lameness. There are also other diseases that ticks can transmit to your dog.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that, if treatment for it is delayed, can lead to extensive joint damage, cardiac complications, kidney failure, and neurologic dysfunction in cats. Furthermore, Lyme disease can cause arthritis and swelling of your dog’s joints, resulting in painful lameness.
Ehrlichiosis is a type of bacterial infection from ticks. Symptoms include fever, chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, confusion, and rash (more common in children). Antibiotics are the critical treatment for ehrlichiosis. Infected dogs may have a fever, swollen lymph nodes, respiratory distress, weight loss, spontaneous hemorrhage, and occasionally, they may seem unsteady or develop meningitis.
How To Effectively Deter Deer Ticks In Oklahoma City
If you’re spending time outdoors in a wooded or grassy area, you should be worried about ticks. Here are some tips to help protect yourself from these parasitic pests:
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks to deprive ticks of attachment sites, with closed-toe shoes, not sandals.
- When hiking, biking, or walking, stay in the center of trails to avoid grass and brush.
- Check for ticks several times a day. Look carefully around waistbands, armpits, scalp, and groin areas.
The best way to prevent ticks from attaching to your dog is by the regular use of pest control products. Your veterinarian can advise you about the best product for your dog and your situation. Brandley Pest Control can help you significantly reduce the ticks on your property, making it safer for you and your loved ones to enjoy the outdoors.
The Best Way To Permanently Remove Ticks From My Property
Brandley Pest Control’s professional team will come to your home for a thorough inspection. We will create a treatment plan customized to your needs and at a price you can afford. We are fully licensed and insured and look forward to caring for your home as we would our own. Reach out to us today to learn more about our tick control options.