• Avoid tick-infested areas
  • Because ticks live in grassy, brushy wooded areas, walk in the center of trails to avoid contact with overgrown grass, brush, and leaf litter at trail edges.
  • Dogs and cats can encounter ticks outdoors and bring them into the home. Talk with your veterinarian about the best tick prevention products for your pet.
• Use insect repellent
  • Apply repellent containing DEET or Picaridin on exposed skin.
  • Treat clothes (especially pants, socks, and shoes) with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact or buy clothes that are pre-treated. Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when applying repellents.
• Perform daily tick checks
  • Always check for ticks on yourself and your animals after being outdoors, even in your own yard.
  • Inspect all body surfaces carefully and remove attached ticks with tweezers.
  • To remove a tick, grasp the tick firmly and as closely to the skin as possible. With a steady motion, pull the tick’s body away from the skin. Cleanse the area with an antiseptic.
• Bathe or shower
  • Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.
  • Wash clothing in hot water and dry on high heat to help kill ticks in clothing.

If you do find a tick attached, be sure to remove it right away. Continue to monitor yourself or your loved ones for symptoms such as:

• Fever
• Rashes
• Joint aches

Quick Links

CDC-Ticks
MDHHS-Lyme