How To Tell If You Have Been Bitten By A Tick In Lubbock

Now is the season to go hiking. Guadalupe Peak, the highest mountain in Texas, is just an hour away from Lubbock, so many of us are going on an adventure. But when we return, we may not even notice we’ve picked up a stowaway. Ticks are in high season, and Lubbock pest control specialists know it isn’t always easy to detect their bite.

What Does A Tick Bite Look Like?

A tick bite can lead to some serious health problems. Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are two notorious tick-borne diseases. Both can be fatal if they aren’t treated early with antibiotics. Not all ticks carry disease, but you’ll want to know what to look for to be on your guard. A tick bite is:

• A reddish irritation at the site of the tick bite

• Warm to the touch and painful

• Itchy, similar to a mosquito bite, no pus

• May have a bullseye rash

Tick bites are difficult to see because they aren’t in clusters, and they can be significantly small. They typically last for a few days to a week unless infected. An erythema migrans rash is a bullseye rash around the bite, which may indicate Lyme disease. The rash will grow much larger than the initial bite, with a thicker red line concentric around the bite. 

Three Ways To Identify A Tick Bite

You might confuse tick bites for bites from other bugs, but there are some key ways to distinguish them. Three ways to identify a tick bite are:

1. The tick may still be inside, burrowed into the skin.

2. There will only be one bite, not many like bed bugs or mosquitoes. 

3. The bite will be on the scalp, back of the neck, the area around the groin, or legs.

The tick won’t always be inside the bite, but they will stay latched on a lot of the time. The proper way to remove a tick is to use fine-tipped tweezers. Grip them as close to the head as possible and gently pull, trying not to twist or jerk them to ensure the whole tick is removed and pieces don't remain. Though fire from matches will scare them into backing out, it will also threaten them into gushing more saliva into your bloodstream, and this could be the saliva that infects the bite, whereas, with tweezers, you could have been safe.

At EnviroGuard, we encourage you to practice tick protection for your pets with tick collars and frequent checks.

Do All Ticks Carry Disease?

Not all ticks carry disease, but many types of ticks in Texas do. The threat level depends on the region. As low as 1% of ticks carry Lyme disease in some areas. But tick populations in the other regions can have a risk factor of 50%. Ticks that carry Lyme disease in Texas cause 50-275 annual cases. 

Diseases ticks can transmit include:

• Lyme Disease

• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

• Babesiosis

• Ehrlichiosis

• Anaplasmosis

• Tularemia

Symptoms of most of these infections include fever, chills, aches and pains, rash, and fatigue. Lyme disease will also cause joint pain. If you experience any of these symptoms after a tick bite, get tested immediately. 

Tick Control In Lubbock Made Easy

Hiking isn’t the only way to pick up these blood-feeding pests. During the months between spring and summer, ticks may get a decent population going in any thick verdure or tall grass; this means you need to get rid of ticks on your property. 

At EnviroGuard, we can secure your property, so you, your loved ones, and your pets remain free from danger year-round. We offer tick nest removal in Lubbock. Pest control doesn’t even have to be a concern if you sign on for general preventative upkeep. We also provide prompt inspections for emergency situations. Give us a call today.