While 17 tick species are found in South Dakota, the most common
is the American dog tick, the chief carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted
fever. Tick species transmit various viral and bacterial forms.
Following the tips below will help people protect themselves and
their pets from tick exposure.
- Avoid tall grassy or shrubby areas, as ticks do not jump but
wait on vegetation for an animal or human to brush against them.
- Since avoiding tall grassy or shrubby areas is not always practical,
here are other ideas for tick protection:
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. Consider putting rubber
bands around your wrists on the outside of your shirt and
blouse your pants into your socks or boots.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Wear light-colored clothing to help locate ticks before
they attach.
- Visually check for ticks upon returning from wooded or tall
grassy areas.
- Use a repellent containing DEET to help protect against
ticks. Use recommended repellents for pets, including collars
containing amitraz.
Once on a body, a tick's compulsion is to climb upwards. Ticks
most often attach at the neck and scalp. Using the following directions
for removing a tick may help avoid disease:
- If a tick is attached to human skin, carefully remove as quickly
as possible so the tick doesn't have a chance to bury its mouthparts
deeper into the skin.
- Using tweezers, place the tips as close to the skin as possible
and remove the tick with a slow but steady pull to allow the tick
to back out and avoid breaking off the head. If it appears the
head was left in, see a doctor, as the head parts will likely
lead to an infection.
- Be careful not to puncture, crush, or twist the tick in the
removal process. Also, do not use other folk methods, such as
a lighted match, as a traumatized tick may spit up the contents
of its gut, increasing the chance of infection.
- Disinfect the area with antiseptic or rubbing alcohol and wash
hands with soap and water. Place the tick in alcohol in a sealed
bag and place it in a refrigerator to allow for accurate identification
if a tick-carried disease is suspected. Flushing a tick down the
toilet will not kill it.
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