When Ticks Bite In Dallas

You can get a tick bite any time of the year. There is no tick season in Dallas. This is because ticks take warm-blooded animals as hosts. Even when it gets a little chilly outside, ticks are as warm as a bug in a fur coat. Here are a few things you should know about tick bites in Dallas.

Tick-Borne Diseases

There are several species of ticks in the Dallas area. All of them can spread illness to humans. It is important that you take some time to look into the symptoms and warning signs of these illnesses.

• Lyme disease
• Ehrlichiosis
• Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
• Spotted fever
• Tularemia
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Anaplasmosis
• Babesiosis
• Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF)

Do All Ticks Carry Diseases?

No. Some ticks are worse than others. In our Dallas service area, we have four ticks that present the most threat.

Blacklegged Tick (deer ticks) — These are the worst because of their connection to the transmission of Lyme disease and their propensity to drop off rodents inside homes and attach to humans.

Lone Star Tick — These ticks are terrible because they readily attach to humans. They are most known for their ability to spread ehrlichiosis, STARI, meat allergy, and tularemia.

Brown Dog Tick — While these ticks prefer to feed on domesticated canines, they are the only ticks that can complete their entire life cycle indoors. This makes them a tick to be concerned about. If they bite humans, Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be a danger.

American Dog Tick — These ticks are more of a concern for pets. But they can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which in rare cases can be fatal. They're also linked to tick paralysis.

Tick Detection

One of the best ways you can protect yourself from tick-borne diseases is to do routine checks for ticks on your skin. Be aware that seed ticks can be very small and appear as nothing more than a speck on your skin. Lone Star ticks can attach by the dozens when they are seed ticks (six-legged tick larvae). Other tick species prefer to attach to humans after they have passed through this stage (eight-legged ticks).

Pets — If you have a dog or a cat, be sure to do routine checks for ticks on them as well. Look in their ears and between their toes first because ticks prefer to attach in these places. You can also run your fingers through their fur and feel the skin for bumps.

Tick Removal

If you find a tick, be sure to properly remove it. Use a tick removal tool or a pair of needle-nose tweezers. Grip the tick as close to the head as possible and pull away from the skin. This can help prevent additional bacteria from getting into the wound.

Tick Bite Prevention

Along with routine inspections, there are a few other ways you can prevent tick bites. Put mosquito repellent on your legs and feet before going for walks in nature. Avoid tall grass. Wear bright-colored clothing so you can see ticks crawling up. Consider tucking your pants into your socks. You may look silly, but you'll keep ticks from crawling under your pant legs and attaching to your skin.

How Do You Control Ticks?

Ticks in Dallas can be a serious threat to your health and the health of your family and pets. It is best to get control of them by investing in a year-round pest control service that includes coverage for ticks and rodents. This will give your exterior the protection it needs to prevent ticks from questing (waiting to hop on a host) in your landscape vegetation, and prevent mice and rats from getting into your home and spreading ticks around.

If you have questions about tick control or you would like to learn about industry-leading residential pest control options available in the Dallas area, reach out to All-Safe Pest & Termite. We can guide you in making the right choice for your specific needs and budget. Our pest control services are packaged together in a way that works best for each of our customers. We know that one size does not fit all. We'll help you get coverage for the pests you're most concerned about. Reach out to us today. We're here to help.