Ticks: It's Time to Check People, Pets

Among the budding flowers and greening grass, another sign of spring has arrived: ticks. The evidence? Two ticks, one on each of my dogs, I found recently. 

Find out more about ticks in our Tick Season Survival Guide.

One dog had a tick on her snout; the other dog had a tick on her head that I found while petting her. Both ticks were about the size of a pinhead, and attached, but not yet engorged. I was able to remove them, and promptly gave both dogs a dose of K9 Advantix, which I had stopped using for a few months this winter. I also checked the rest of the dogs' bodies for more ticks, finding none.

With evidence that tick season is here, it's a good reminder to check yourself, your children and your pets after being outdoors.

"Martha's Vineyard is an endemic area for tick-borne disease," said Michael Loberg, Tisbury board of health commissioner and a member of the Island-wide Tick Borne Illness Prevention Program.

The risk of contracting diseases from ticks peaks when the nymphs (recently hatched ticks) are out in May and June and again during deer hunting season in November, Loberg said, adding that the Vineyard is the only area that has two disease peaks each year.

The Martha's Vineyard Tick Borne Illness Prevention Program has a website with questions and answers and a series of informational videos on preventing Lyme disease, babesiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. 

If you're heading outside for a nature walk, to do some gardening, or just to sit outside and enjoy the spring weather, it's a good idea to keep an eye out for ticks and check everyone thoroughly afterward.

Have you found any ticks yet? Do they affect your outdoor activities? Tell us in the comments and see our Tick Season Survival Guide for more information about ticks on the Vineyard.

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