Ticks 'Absolutely Awful' In Chicago Area: What To Know If You, Your Dog Get Bitten

OSWEGO, IL — As summer approaches in Illinois, residents will take to the outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and blooming nature. But pet owners and lovers of the outdoors will have to keep an eye out for ticks, experts say — and residents are reporting a surge in tick bites.

There are at least 15 species of ticks found in Illinois, but residents are only likely to encounter five of them, according to the Kendall County Health Department. This season, residents and local business owners are taking to the internet to report an increase.

On social media, one person commented that "ticks are absolutely awful this year," while someone else said they'd "never seen so many ticks in May before."

"It's safe to say we have seen an increase in tick populations locally, both deer and wood ticks," David Guritz, executive advisor at the Kendall County Forest Preserve, told Patch. "It's a concern for public health because of the risk of Lyme disease, and we encourage visitors to forest preserves and other natural areas to take precautions, including visual tick checks after visiting these places."

Some years are worse than others, Guritz said, noting there is not much that can be done to curb ticks' presence.

One woman shared that she took her dog for a walk at Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area in Kendall County and found five ticks embedded in his fur when they returned home. Another resident warned of ticks at the Skokie Lagoons after getting bit by one while on a walk, while a Reddit user said their child was "swarmed" by them and "covered in ticks" after waking at Morton Arboretum in Lisle.

Oswego Animal Hospital corroborated the increase in sightings. In a post on Facebook, staff warned residents that the arachnids pose a "serious risk" to pets and recommended dogs are on year-round flea and tick prevention, such as Simparica or Simparica Trio.

Asked for comment about an increase in ticks this year, the Illinois Department of Public Health did not respond to Patch's request for comment. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources directed Patch to the IDPH.

The IDPH's tick surveillance map shows the blacklegged tick and American dog tick to be the most widespread in Illinois. Almost every county in central to northern Illinois, except for Livingston and Ford counties, has established blacklegged ticks, meaning there are at least six ticks or two life stages collected in a single year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The adult American dog ticks are most active in April, May and June.

Last summer, the invasive Asian longhorned tick was also confirmed to have spread into Illinois for the first time.

The blacklegged tick can transmit Lyme disease and possibly ehrlichiosis to humans. In recent years, it's been common mostly in northern Illinois, according to the Kendall County Health Department.

"Lyme disease is a serious bacterial infection transmitted through the bite of infected ticks," IDPH Director Sameer Vohra said in a statement May 12. "Lyme Disease is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States, affecting more than 500,000 people nationally each year. As the summer approaches, I encourage our residents to learn to 'Fight the Bite' and protect yourself and your loved ones from tickborne illnesses."

If you find a tick on yourself or your pet, the recommended way to remove it is to grab it with fine-tipped tweezers where the head enters the skin. If found on clothes, use a piece of tape to remove the tick before it can attach itself to your skin. It's best they're removed within 24 hours.

Related: Ticks Causing Debilitating Illnesses In IL: What To Know

The Illinois Department of Public Health shared these tips for tick protection:

• Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to find. Tuck long pants into socks and boots.
• Conduct full-body tick checks on family members (underarms, ears, belly button, behind knees, between legs, waist, hair and scalp) every two to three hours. Check any gear or pets taken on outings.
• To kill ticks after being outdoors, put clothes in the dryer on high for 10 minutes (or one hour for damp clothes).
• Bathe or shower within two hours after coming indoors.
• If you find a blacklegged tick on you that may have been attached for more than three days, seek medical attention to decide if you need an antibiotic to prevent Lyme disease.
• It is often helpful to keep the tick for species identification. Place the tick in rubbing alcohol or in a sealed bag/container to bring to your healthcare provider or local health department for submission to IDPH.

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