Ticks

Report ticks found in Columbus. 

Ticks can spread disease.

• Common symptoms of tickborne disease include fatigue, weakness, chills, diahrrea, fever, muscle aches, dry cough, rash, vomiting and joint pain.
• If you think you have a tickborne disease, contact your healthcare provider.
• Ticks can be in wooded or brush areas.
• Ticks are found in grass, wooded areas, leaf piles and overgrown brush areas
• They crawl onto ends of grass, sticks, weeds or branches and wait for a person or animal to brush up against them and then latch on.

Protect yourself from ticks.

• Use insect repellant such as DEET, picaridin or permethrin.
• Wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors, especially when in wooded or brush areas.

Protect your pets from ticks.

• Talk to your veterinarian about tick prevention products for your pet like Frontline or Advantixx.
• Check your pets and their bedding often after being outdoors.

Check for ticks.

• Check you body and clothes often during and after outdoor adventures.
• Check a friend and have friend check you.
• Shower or bath soon after outdoor adventures.

Remove ticks properly.

• Grasp tick as close to skin as possible with tweezers.
• Gently pull away from skin with steady, even pressure until tick releases.
• Don’t crush tick with tweezers or fingers.
• Dispose in alcohol, sealed bag, wrap in tape or flush down toilet.
• Wash hands and bite area with alcohol or soap and water.
• If reporting the tick, take a photo or keep tick in alcohol or sealed bag.