Lubbock Residents, Protect Yourself From Dangerous Ticks This Season

In Lubbock, Texas, we have our fair share of deadly pests. Between venomous snakes, scorpions, and black widows, keeping an eye on the ground before you is a must when venturing around west Texas.

When it comes to ticks, however, a separate level of threat is present. These nasty little aliens may not have fangs, deadly venom or a stinger, but the threat they pose can be just as deadly to animals and humans alike.

Facts About Ticks in Lubbock That Really Bug Me

You've heard of Jason Bourne, but have you ever heard of tick-borne? These are diseases that are passed from latched ticks onto their hosts. Common tick-borne diseases include spotted fever, Lyme disease, and a few others that I can't even pronounce.

You don't need to pronounce any of these in order to stay alert for any harmful symptoms. You know it's serious when the least harmful symptoms include fevers and headaches to muscle aches and fatigue.

Possibly the most common tick-borne disease is Lyme disease. This is actually a bacterial infection that some ticks carry. Once it's in your blood stream, that's bad news bears as it can spread to your joints, heart, and nervous system, if left untreated.

Oh Deer...

The good news is that there's really only one type of tick that can spread this nasty infection: the deer ticks. Oh, and yes, Lubbock does have deer ticks.

The Veterinary Clinic of Lubbock provides some ways you can prevent tick bites on yourself or your dogs:

• Make sure your dog's heartworm, flea, and tick medication is up to date
• Try avoiding walking in tall grassy and forested areas where ticks are known to reside
• If outdoors, tuck your shirt in your pants and your pants in your socks to eliminate gaps to your skin
• After walking your dog, check both of you all over for ticks before calling it a day

Another piece of good news is that, although certain ticks can carry deadly diseases, they typically need at least 24 hours of feeding time before any infection can be passed. Also, when removing a tick, always use clean tweezers and grip as close to the skin as possible. This way you don't break the body away and leave the tick's head still in the host.

Lastly, you should always wash the bite area with warm soapy water and rubbing alcohol once the tick has been properly removed.