A deer tick seen in Eastern TN - Johnson Pest Control Finding a tick while it’s lodging itself into your skin is a very unsettling experience. What’s even worse about ticks is that some of them have the ability to transmit serious diseases, such as Lyme disease. Hiding in the dense and shaded vegetation around Eastern TN, ticks lurk in silence waiting for small animals or unsuspecting people to walk by. It’s important to be able to consciously avoid ticks so you can protect yourself, your family, and your pets from the dangers of tick bites. Learn how from the tick exterminators at Johnson Pest Control.

How People Contract Lyme Disease

Sometimes referred to as blacklegged ticks, deer ticks are the most dangerous ticks in Eastern TN because of their ability to induce Lyme disease through their bites. This most often happens when deer tick nymphs carrying the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria bite someone. These nymphs are only about 2 mm in length, making them very difficult to spot. In addition, deer ticks inject saliva with anesthetic properties into the bite to prevent detection.

The first symptoms of Lyme disease are headaches, rashes, fever, exhaustion, and pain in the muscles and joints. If you leave it untreated, though, these symptoms will progress into arthritis and nerve damage. If you are experiencing early Lyme disease symptoms following a recent tick bite, reach out to a local medical professional right away.

How to Avoid Ticks

Ticks aren’t only out to get humans. When living far away from our neighborhoods and paths, ticks’ primary targets are small animals wandering through the woods. This means that our dogs and children are even more vulnerable to ticks. Keep your family and pets safe from tick bites with our advice:

Wear long pants and socks outside to limit skin exposure
When hiking or walking outside, stick to the trail and keep your dogs from wandering off
Make sure to check everyone for ticks before coming back inside
If you do find a tick, don’t remove it with your hands. Use tweezers to pinch the tick close to the skin and pull it away gently

Professional Tick Control in Eastern TN

Finding ticks on your pets or your children shouldn’t be a regular occurrence. If you’re frequently coming in contact with ticks, you probably have a problem on your property that needs to be dealt with by a professional tick exterminator. The tick control team at Johnson Pest Control is equipped with the gear and knowledge to find vulnerable sites on your property and set up a barrier system to keep ticks away and prevent them from breeding. For a free estimate on tick removal, contact us today!