The Lone Star Tick is making its presence known among Florida ticks. The Lone Star Tick is actually named for the cream-colored splotch on its back. Though it can be found in the Lone Star state of Texas, you’ll also find it expanding its territory across North America – including Florida. Rising temperatures across the U.S. mean that the Lone Star Tick is expanding its habitat, and the fresh focus on it has revealed something very strange.
Lone Star Ticks Can Make You Allergic to Meat
Getting bitten by the Lone Star Tick can result in a lifelong allergy to a particular carbohydrate found in red meat. Yes, this means that a Lone Star Tick bite can make you allergic to hamburgers, hot dogs, and other beef and pork products. You’ll still be able to eat poultry and seafood.
This allergy means that if you eat red meat, you develop itchy hives and rashes, become nauseous and vomit, deal with diarrhea, and may even get anaphylaxis (your throat swelling to the point you can’t breathe). Unfortunately, this is not the only thing a Lone Star Tick bite risks.
HME
In brief, HME is a serious disease that is painful and can cause brain damage and organ failure. Lone Star Ticks carry it, so keep up on your tick checks.
Tularemia
If that wasn’t enough, tularemia can also be transmitted by the Lone Star Tick. This infection can make you develop fever, chills, and headaches, as well as ulcers. If the infection gets to the lungs, it can lead to pneumonia.
Both HME and Tularemia can be life-threatening. A red meat allergy is an eye-catcher with the Lone Star Tick because it’s so strange, but HME and Tularemia are both more dangerous conditions the Lone Star tick can spread.
Tick Control
You must check for ticks after every hike or foray into the woods. Ticks don’t just frequent the deep woods, but often linger around the edges of woods. Ticks can crawl anywhere, so really do a full body rundown after a hike. If you find a hard, little bump, that could be a tick. Ticks are less likely to transmit their diseases when they first attach, so getting them off immediately is crucial. DO NOT just yank and pull. This will pull the tick’s body off its head, leaving the head impacted underneath your skin. The head can still transmit disease.
Instead, get tweezers, push as close to the tick’s head as possible, and grasp the entire tick as close to the skin as you can get. Pull straight out. DO NOT twist. If you’re not sure if you’ve got the whole tick, put it in a sealed bag. You can call us and we can assess it for you. We can also perform tick control on your property, helping to remediate all Florida ticks including the Lone Star Tick.
Check your pets for ticks as well. Ticks will latch onto any animal outdoors and can transmit many painful conditions to dogs and cats. They may also shake off and climb onto you. Getting into the simple habit of checking for ticks after hikes can save you from allergies, diseases, and infections that can last a lifetime.
Contact Slug-A-Bug for more information on tick prevention and control in your yard.