• At their mildest, tick bites cause skin irritation, swelling and itchiness that will last for many weeks.
• In children, tick bites are common around the eyes and result in swelling that can force the eye shut
• Some people get fever-like symptoms that can vary from short-lived to lasting for years
• Debate rages over whether we have Lyme disease in Australia or whether it’s a similar condition, caused by the tick borne Borrellia bacteria
• Red Meat Allergy has become frighteningly common with over 1200 reported cases across northern Sydney. I estimate that one in five of our customers suffers from it. It is brought about from a tick bite and results in life threatening anaphylaxis when a victim later eats any type of red meat – worst of all it stays with you indefinitely.
• Paralysis from tick bites kills many dogs and cats every year but is rare in humans although children under five are certainly vulnerable. In animals, paralysis begins once a tick has been attached for two to three days which possibly explains why it’s rare in humans; we are good at explaining when we have a sore, itchy spot and can get it looked at and the tick removed, whereas animals aren’t able to tell us that, so the tick stays put and does its deadly work.
• Other forms of anaphylaxis, “tick typhus”, painful swelling, skin discolouration and even Bell’s palsy are other nasty outcomes of tick bites. Click here to learn how to safely remove a tick.
Book in your TickSafe service today by visiting www.ticksafe.com.au
TickSafe & The Mozzie Team
