For Educational Purposes
The Saskatchewan Tick Season, from Mid-April until the end of July, is approaching.
Before retiring I lived in Northern Alberta, far beyond the range of ticks.
I knew about ticks. My dog Bob and I once lived in Southern Alberta. Our part of Alberta had ticks and rattlesnakes. Ticks frightened me the most. You can see and hear rattlesnakes. You can’t hear ticks.
In tick season, Bob the Dog got covered in ticks. It is difficult to get ticks off a dog. I put liquid dish detergent on the ticks. It kind of worked. Once Tick Season started, Bob stayed outdoors to prevent the little sacks of baby ticks from falling off him and onto the floor.
When I moved to Moose Jaw I walked a friend’s dog. I checked her and myself for ticks after every walk.
On one walk I met Jack Rushton walking his dog. I asked him about how he got ticks off his dog. He said he poured rum on the tick. Jack said it worked but was a terrible waste of good rum.
Before COVID, Don Smith at Mossbank gave me a tour of the old World War Two Bomber and Gunnery School. The RCAF built an Observation Post at the southwest end of Johnson Lake. The Airmen called the Post, Tick-Ville because the Ticks were so abundant.
Saskatchewan Ticks
Saskatchewan Bureaucrats have done an excellent job of posting information about Ticks – what to expect – what to avoid.
Saskatchewan has ‘winter ticks’, ‘wood ticks’ and ‘American dog ticks’
Winter Ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) usually don’t carry a bacterial pathogen, but, some do in some areas of Canada and the pathogen can cause Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It is not common in Saskatchewan.
Black-Legged Ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are the Ticks that carry Lyme Disease. There are few Black-legged ticks in Saskatchewan, so Lyme Disease isn’t a big problem.
American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) are the most common tick in Saskatchewan. They make up about 96% of our ticks. American dog ticks do NOT transmit Lyme disease. In some areas they do carry the pathogen for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but that is uncommon here.
The Saskatchewan government monitors ticks for disease and prevalence.
Want More Information?
Consider the Government Website: Ticks and Tick-borne diseases in Saskatchewan | Fish and Wildlife Diseases | Government of Saskatchewan
Or:
The Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.
Summary
There are recommended medications for dogs to prevent ticks from digging into them. That means you don’t need to use rum. Your Veterinarian will tell you what medication works.
As for people, take precautions – avoid tall grass and brush during tick season – pull your socks up over your pants and check your pet and yourself if you have been out where there might be ticks. Even back alleys have tall grass and can have ticks.
If your pet has been out running loose and comes into the house, check its favourite area for any sign of ticks.
I hate ticks!
