Ticks are especially bad right now. How to stay safe

Tick season is ramping up faster than it has in years - and sending more Americans to the emergency room.

Cycles of high tick activity are coming earlier and staying later, experts previously told USA TODAY, thanks to factors including shorter seasons, warmer winters and even acorns.

This can be seen in data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Tick Bite Data Tracker, which tracks tick bite-related emergency room visits across the country. Weekly numbers are large for this time of year, according to the data, with about 114 out of every 100,000 emergency department visits nationwide attributed to tick bites during the last week of April. This is the highest rate since at least 2017, the CDC said.

With more ticks and more bites comes a higher risk of illness, such as Lyme disease, experts warn. Here's what you need to know to stay safe this summer, which includes not only protecting yourself, but also your pets.

Know the risks of ticks: time, location and exposure

Experts warned of three common misconceptions that could increase your tick risk this year: seasonality, location and exposure, especially pet exposure.

As previously explained by USA TODAY, the idea that "tick season" is relegated to a few short summer months is outdated — meaning you and your pets need to be protected year-round, not just when the weather is warm.

Then there's the popular misnomer that you only need to be concerned about ticks after hiking a trail dotted with tall brush or spending an afternoon in the woods.

"Research shows that many disease infections stem from tick bites that occur in residential settings, so in people's own backyards," said Dr. Jim Fredericks, chief entomologist with the National Pest Management Association.

Just as important to consider are "ecotone areas," he said.

"Ecotones are these transition zones between a well-manicured lawn or grass area and a more wild area that might be shrubby or overgrown," he said. "Those are the places where ticks are going to be most likely to be found. You're not going to typically find ticks in your well-groomed suburban backyard, but at the edge, where it goes into maybe a more wild area, that's where ticks are bound to be."

Then there's protecting the furry friends in your life. Even if your pet does not regularly go outside or spend time outdoors, they should still be on an anti-pest regimen and tested annually. Living in an area that historically did not have high tick activity or having an indoor-only pet does not provide innate protection against disease.

"One of the best ways that veterinarians and people can stay abreast or attuned to this is by making sure that dogs are getting tested at least annually for some of these really important vector-borne diseases," said Dr. Kathryn Reif, Bailey-Goodwin endowed associate professor of parasitology at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University.

Tick screenings are simple blood tests that can be done at your veterinarian once yearly, added Dr. Casey Locklear, veterinarian and parasiticide lead at Elanco Animal Health. These tests can also tell vets whether a tick-borne disease is affecting a pet's health beneath the surface, even without obvious symptoms.

How to prevent tick exposure

Prevention is key in combatting an ever-expanding tick population and season, say the experts.

Because areas in and around yards and residential locations are prime for bites, Fredericks advises taking preventive steps on your own property. While Fredericks suggests consulting a specialist to tick-proof your yard, you can start by:

• Keeping grass trimmed and removing brush and leaf piles.
• Creating barriers between your property and more wild areas of brush, trees, etc.
• Using the "towel" drag method: a test in which you drag a white towel along mowed grass and inspect it for ticks every few feet.
• Asking an expert about safe lawn treatments.

If you spend time outside, you should:

• Wear repellent.
• Cover exposed skin with clothing and proper footwear.
• Remove clothing and do a tick check as soon as you return home.

How to check your body for ticks

You should also regularly check your own body and your pets'.

While ticks can attach to any exposed skin, they're often found nestled in warmer, more hidden areas of the body. The CDC suggests paying extra attention to the following areas when checking for ticks:

• In and around the hair
• Around and in the ears
• The back
• Underarms
• Waistline
• Belly button
• Between the legs and in the groin area
• Belly button
• Legs and behind the knees
• Behind or between the toes

How to check your pet's body for ticks

Similarly, our pets, specifically dogs and cats, can carry unwanted hitchhikers buried in their fur and other hard-to-reach places. You should check your pet's entire body for ticks after outdoor time and daily as part of a standard routine. This is especially important in the prevention of disease, said Reif.

"Longer that tick is on that host, biting that host, the greater the risk that if they are infected with something, they're going to transmit it," she said.

According to Locklear and the American Kennel Club, you'll want to rifle through all of your pet's fur, but should pay special attention to:

• The head and base of the ears
• The abdomen (especially the underside that may brush against more flora and fauna)
• Between the toes
• The tail, especially near the base
• The groin
• Eyelids
• Under the collar
• Under the arms

"Work with your veterinarian to get on a monthly tick and flea protection. If you're in a Lyme endemic area, talk to your veterinarian about getting your dog vaccinated for Lyme disease. And be vigilant, do your daily tick check," said Locklear.

"Those three things really are an ounce of prevention that creates a pound of cure to help make life better for pets and people," she added.

How to remove a tick

When you remove a tick, be sure to grasp it firmly with tweezers near the skin and apply even, steady pressure to remove it, ensuring the head and entire body come off the skin, according to the CDC.

Dispose of the tick by placing it in a sealed container, wrapping it tightly in a piece of tape and flushing it down the toilet or placing it in alcohol. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or hand sanitizer. 

Is there a vaccine for Lyme disease?

There are multiple options to vaccinate your dog and cat against Lyme disease, the disease most commonly transmitted by ticks, as part of routine care. Talk to your veterinarian about the best option for your animal.

A Lyme disease vaccine for humans is currently in the works by Pfizer and its partner Valneva. The companies announced in March that the vaccines demonstrated a 73.2% efficacy rate in late-stage clinical trials.

Graphics by Janet Loehrke and Carlie Procell, USA TODAY.