Ticks crawling back into Saskatchewan

  [image]                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Numbers continue to rise in the province.  Reported by Brady Knight

With the joys of spring come creepy-crawly ticks.

The critters are back in Saskatchewan and their numbers continue to grow. Dr. Henry Kucharski of the All West Veterinary Clinic in Saskatoon explained the two different kinds on John Gormley Live Tuesday morning.

"One can be very small like the blacklegged tick - the one that carries Lyme disease. And one's a little bit bigger, which we see commonly around here, the American dog tick."

Ticks can grow to the size of a small grape, eventually falling off their host and laying eggs. Unlike fleas that jump, ticks wait in the grass looking to hitch a ride.

Kucharski explained ticks come into the province on the backs of deer, moose and birds.

"We're also over a fly zone area and I think some of the ones that may be responsible for things like Lyme disease are not common and have not established themselves here yet," he said. "We see them piggy-backing with various vectors like birds."

Kucharski said it's important for dog owners to check their animals after every walk as dogs can also contract Lyme disease. They often become sicker than humans with fever and liver or kidney disease.

There are various kinds of medication available to help treat your pet. As for owners, simply sacrificing fashion and tucking your pants into your socks is usually enough to ward off the offenders.
bknight@rawlco.com. http://www.newstalk650.com/story/ticks-crawling-back-saskatchewan/354172  Related: Ticks can Kill Moose