Expert: Tick population 'robust' in Minnesota this year
(FOX 9) - Whether you are walking on four legs or two, ticks carry serious potential health concerns and experts say the tick population is much larger this year in Minnesota.
"We’ve pulled a few off after we’ve come from here," says Tim Wittrock while walking his two dogs at the Lake Minnewashta Dog Park in Chanhassen.
Assistant professor Jon Oliver with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health says tick surveillance indicates the presence of the pest started early this year in March.
"We had those 70 degree days and were able to find larger numbers or adult deer ticks. Normally, we don’t find that many that early in the season. They are out kinda as soon as the weather is good enough for them," says Oliver. "If the weather really dries out, in part of the state where we are having a drought, you would expect to have far fewer ticks there. With all this added moisture we’ve been having in this part of the state, I expect we’ll have a pretty robust tick season."
Oliver believes a higher peak season doesn’t mean a prolonged season, but keep in mind full grown deer ticks are a lot easier to spot compared to the younger stage nymph ticks, which are much smaller and more often carry Lyme disease. Nymph ticks are expected to peak mid-June.
Health experts say the best way to deter ticks are the same reminders we’ve heard year after year: don’t forget the bug spray with DEET, also wear long pants, preferably light colored when you can, and when you leave a wooded area check your pets and yourself.
"Ticks can be the size of a speck of pepper," says Lisa Najarian founder of the Twin Cities Lyme Disease Foundation. Najarian suffered for 16 years without a proper diagnosis, and is now an advocate for people with unknown health concerns to seek out a Lyme literate physician. She also points to the importance of scrubbing down in the shower every night.
"We know they are at the back of our knee cap, or behind our ear, or arm pit, they can be a bunch of different places like where we find them on dogs," says Najarian. "And also you don’t want them infesting in your home, lying with them in bed at night or next to you on the couch and giving you the disease."
Out for a walk with her dog Tucker, Ann Finzel follows all the advice.
"After a walk just like a check him, I check myself. I take my shoes and socks off. And shower time it’s a full body check, because they do get everywhere," says Finzel.
Oliver points out awareness is vital.
"These diseases they are a lot more easily prevented than treated, says Oliver. "Prevention is the key to having a fun Memorial Day and a healthy summer."