Tick Checks

The most effective way to know if you have a tick is to check yourself and your pets after spending time outside. Practicing thorough tick checks is essential because ticks can take anywhere between 15 minutes to several hours to find a spot they like. There are three levels of checks to perform given how persistent ticks can be.

Inspection #1 - Clothing:

Inspect your clothes for crawling ticks before entering your home. After you take off dry outdoor clothing, tumble dry for 10-15 minutes on high heat. It is recommended that damp or wet clothing be dried for 90 minutes on low heat/60 minutes on high heat.

Inspection #2 - Skin:

Glancing over the surface of your skin isn't enough. Look behind the ears, between toes and fingers, behind the knees, around the ankles, the groin, your hair, and even your belly button.

infographic woman tick check
A diagram demonstrating where to check for ticks (photo credit CDC Tick Image Gallery).
Extra Inspection - In the shower

When you're taking a shower, this will give you another opportunity to thoroughly inspect your body for ticks, and it may even help wash off ticks that haven't embedded yet.

Don't forget your pet!

Checking your pet and even giving them a rinse is important because some ticks may attach to them. Regularly check your dog or outdoor cat even if your pet is on a preventative. Inspection sites can include ears, under the collar, under the tail, in the groin area, between the toes, and the belly area.

infographic dog tick check
A diagram demonstrating where to check for ticks (photo credit CDC Tick Image Gallery).

To learn more, check out tick removal
Even though we can check ourselves and our pets for ticks after adventures, we should also take tick prevention steps before going out to ensure our safety from common tick-borne pathogens in New Jersey.

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