Saskatchewan health ministry offers tips on how to prevent tick bites

With warmer temperatures on the horizon, people in Saskatchewan are being reminded to watch for ticks.

“As we head outside to start enjoying the warmer weather, it is important to protect ourselves from the potential risk of tick bites,” Dr. Julie Kryzanowski, Saskatchewan’s deputy chief medical health officer, said in a media release.

“By taking simple precautions, we can protect ourselves and our families when enjoying time outdoors. This includes being vigilant in wooded or grassy areas, even in your backyard and doing routine tick checks after being outside.”

People are reminded to:

• Wear light-coloured clothes so ticks can be easily seen;
• Wear pants, long-sleeved shirts and shoes that do not expose bare feet;
• Pull socks over their pant legs to prevent ticks from crawling up their legs;
• Use insect repellents that contain DEET or Icaridin. Apply repellent to clothes as well as their skin; and
• Shower or bathe as soon as possible after being outside to wash off loose ticks, and inspect for attached ticks.

The Saskatchewan government said the risk of Lyme disease is low in Saskatchewan, because most ticks found in Saskatchewan are the American dog tick, or wood tick. That species, which is active from mid-April to the end of July, doesn’t transmit Lyme disease to people.

“Blacklegged ticks, which can cause Lyme disease, are rare in Saskatchewan, although they can be introduced by migratory birds in early spring and remain active throughout fall,” the government said in the release.

“In 2023, for the first time ever, active field surveys detected the presence of male blacklegged ticks in Saskatchewan. However, there is no evidence of an established reproducing blacklegged tick population in the province at this time.”

Ticks need to consume blood at every stage of their development to survive, so people are urged to check for them after being outside.

When someone finds a tick, it should be removed using fine-tipped tweezers, and the tick should be grasped as close to the person’s skin as possible. Once the tick has been removed, the person should wash the area with soap and water and then disinfect the area and their hands with rubbing alcohol or an iodine swab.

“People can submit photographs of ticks found on humans or animals using the eTick online system at www.etick.ca to receive timely identification of the type of tick that attached to a person, pet, or livestock animal,” the release said.

“While awaiting identification results, keep the tick(s) in a secure container and store it in the freezer. eTick administrators may request that some ticks be submitted by mail for quality control purposes or further research. Ticks should not be submitted unless requested.”

More information about ticks and Lyme disease can be found here and here.