Be Aware, Ticks Are Here!

Hello!!

Since the weather is gradually getting warmer in Finland, it is time to start worrying about ticks. Those nasty little eight legged creatures that lurk in the shadows of grass and shrubs. They wait that somebody will walk by them and they can then jump onto the innocent person or an animal to suck blood! Ewww! Ticks don't care if they attack an adult, a child or an animal. We all are just lunch to the evil ticks.

A tick is part of the arachnid family, which also includes mites, spiders, and scorpions. A tick attaches itself to the skin of an animal or a human and sucks blood. There are hundreds of kinds of ticks on the planet, and they can be found almost everywhere.

Not all the ticks carry diseases but some of them do, so there is a chance of catching lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis from ticks.

To prevent a tick attack when you are spending time in the woods, wear long sleeves and long pants, and tuck your pants into your socks. You can also apply insect repellant, specifically the brands that are designed to repel ticks. 

How about your furry friends then? Well, no need to worry. Just go to the local pharmacy to get a tick collar or tick drops. They work wonders! 

When we first moved to Finland, we had no clue about ticks because the area where we lived in the USA didn't have any. That is why the first summer in Finland was a torture! Jinx get having ticks each and every day. It was horrible! Then almost end of the summer one of our friends asked us why we didn't buy him a tick collar. Yes, why didn't we? Because we had no clue that there was such a thing as a tick collar. As soon as we got the collar, Jinx was tick free. Tick collars work so good that I would like to wear them myself (my plan was to wear them around my ankles and wrists) but they are not made for humans, so I don't recommend trying (*giggle*).

Yesterday I went to the pharmacy to get my antibiotics (*another sinus infection, aaarrrgh*) and at the same time I got Jinx's tick collar for this summer. This specific brand of tick collars costs around 25 euros and it comes in two different lengths to choose from. This Scalibor tick collar should also protect against mosquitoes. We have noticed though that the collar doesn't scare them away, at least not in Finland because there are way too many mosquitoes! But as long as it keeps ticks away, we're happy.

Jinx doesn't mind his tick collar at all. It is around his neck the whole summer and we only take it off when he goes swimming or takes a shower. It doesn't matter if the collar gets a little wet, for example in the rain, but if your dog is going to spend longer times in the water, it is good to take it off. 

It is also important to note that tick collar is not the best option if you have little children in your household because the active ingredient of the collar could be harmful to children. Opt to use tick drops if you have little ones in the family.

Besides wearing protective gear on both humans and dogs, it is still good to remember to do a tick check every night before going to bed. We are used to having a daily tick check time, kinda like Jersey shore's t-shirt time (*giggle*). Ask you mate to check your back because you might not see there yourself. Don't forget to check your butt cheeks, between your toes and your scalp either! Those are all places we have unfortunately seen ticks (*yikes*). Check your dog's skin periodically too, even if he is wearing a tick collar or drops. Rather be safe than sorry, right?

Happy tick free summer everyone!!