Ticks in Rincon Valley

Rincon Valley is home to many parks, big and small.  It is also home to millions of ticks, all waiting to get under you or your dog's skin. With all the rain this season, there is a bumper crop of ticks out and about.  Here is what you need to know:

Ticks can transmit:

• Lyme Disease
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
• Tularemia
• Babesiosis
• Anaplasmosis
• Ehrlichiosis

Ticks do not jump, fly, or fall onto their victims.  They wait patiently on tall grass, and when  a warm blooded animal brushes past they climb on.

 

Once they are on their victim, they look for a prime spot to burrow their mouth parts into and under the skin where they feed on the blood.  Feeding on blood caused the tick to become engorged.  Prior to feeding a tick is about the size of a sesame seed.  When engorged, it may resemble a Raisin.    

 

Proper tick removal techniques:

Do not:

• grab
• pinch
• twist the tick with your fingers.

Doing this may cause the liquid inside the tick to be transferred into your skin. You also don't want to burn or try to smother the tick. 

 

Using tweezers, a tick removal key, or other tick removal device, remove the tick slowly, giving the tick a chance to release itself.  You do not want to remove the tick by pulling it quickly and breaking it's mouth off under your skin.  

 

 

 

Always was the area where a tick was removed with warm water and soap.  If the area gets swollen, or red, consult a physician.   

 

The best thing to do is to prevent a tick encounter.  You can do this by:

• Wearing white/light colored clothing
• Long sleeves and long pants tucked into your socks or boots
• Pre-treat you clothing wtih Permethrin
• Wear a repellant such as Deet
• Taking a shower after a hike can help detect ticks prior to the tick becoming engorged. 

 

More information can be found at: The Sonoma/Marin Mosquito and Vector Control District

 

 

Jim Cheney, Broker

"Your Realtor in Rincon Valley"

Wine Country Real Estate

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County