DARE TO PREVENT: Personal Prevention

MYTH: “I’m not an outdoors person, so I don’t need to worry about ticks.”
TRUTH: Anytime you go outside, there is risk of tick contact.

MYTH: Ticks live only in the woods.
TRUTH: Ticks live wherever animals are present (white-footed mouse, birds, deer, etc.).

Upwards of 75% of people diagnosed with a tick-borne disease get bitten by a tick in their own backyard! (“Preventing Lyme Disease and Other-Tick Borne Infections,” Bob Oley, PE, MSPH)

The two most important actions you can take are:

  1. Spraying your skin with repellant.

  2. Spraying your socks and shoes with permethrin, which offers 74 times the protection from ticks latching onto your shoes and crawling up your leg.

This is effective and takes only 1 minute for these 2 steps!

Just like you apply sunscreen to protect against the sun’s harmful rays, protecting yourself from ticks can be just as easy! There is significant evidence that spraying your skin and clothing is the most effective way to reduce tick bites. Keep a bottle in your garage to make applying repellent part of your daily routine. Learn more about the pros and cons of commercial and natural repellents in our Dare to Prevent brochure.

DARE TO PROTECT: Pets

Pets that go outside can increase your risk of tick bites - for your pet and your family. Make pet protection a priority with these prevention tips!

STEP 1 - Create Tick-Safe Zones in the Yard.
Use fences to keep wildlife out (and your pets in) as well as use dry wood chips as bedding where your pet like to lay down.

STEP 2 - Consider Repellents & Vaccines.
Tick preventatives include oral and topical medications as well as tick repellent collars, and vaccines for dogs. For cats, there is no scientific evidence that they get Lyme disease, but they may still carry a tick into your home. Protect cats with products that are safe for them and, with any pet, always consult your veterinarian before using any kind of product on your pet.

STEP 3: Take Tick-Safe Walks.
After applying your chosen personal repellent, and using the desired tick preventative for your dog, be sure to stay in tick-safe zones. Keep your dog on a leash and out of where ticks live at the grassy edge of trails and tall, dense grass or plants. Let them sniff short grass that is in full sun.

STEP 4: Tick checks.
Check your pet regularly for ticks, and after each walk … ears, neck, around eyes, under tail and belly, inside mouth, and under collar. Be alert for scratching or chewing on their feet or legs, as ticks may take some time before attaching to them.

NOTE: Permethrin is toxic to cats when wet. Always read and follow pesticide label directions and precautions.

DARE TO PROTECT: Yard

Did you know: The majority of people diagnosed with Lyme, or other tick-borne infection, get bitten by a tick in their very own yard!

STEP 1 - Create Tick-Safe Zones in the Yard.
Replace grassy areas with flagstone patios, brick or gravel walkways, or wooden decks. Move swing sets away from the edge of woods into sunny spots on a wood chip foundation. Use plants that require less water to reduce damp/wet spaces.

STEP 2 - Disrupt Wildlife Habitat in Your Yard.
Cut grass short, trim edges around fences, buildings, sidewalks. Remove pools of standing water. Remove brush and leaf piles. Seal openings around house and stone walls (mice/chipmunks live in them). Treat plants with animal repellents or use plants that do not attract deer. Move bird feeders away from house.

STEP 3 - Disrupt Tick Habitat in Your Yard.
Rake up leaf litter. Restrict use of ground cover (like pachysandra and ivy) which harbor rodents. Plant fragrant anti-tick plants like garlic, rosemary, mums, and Mexican marigolds. Reduce mice population with Damminix tick tubes or Fipronil mouse bait boxes.

Step 4: Treat Your Lawn.
Consider treating your lawn 3 times a year: mid-May, mid-June, and mid-October. There are both chemical and natural yard sprays available.

Always read/follow label directions and precautions (some may be toxic to fish or cats).