Gross Discount In Wayland: Town Subsidizes Parasite Testing

WAYLAND, MA — You'd typically want to get rid of a tick as soon as possible. But Wayland residents have a reason to save the gross little parasites under a new town program.

Wayland has received a state grant to subsidize tick testing for any resident who wants it. The tests let you know if the tick you just removed from yourself or your dog is carrying diseases like Lyme, the rare Rocky Mountain spotted fever or babesiosis.

This type of testing typically costs $50 per bug, but the subsidy allows Wayland residents to do it for $20. Unfortunately, you will still have to do the nasty chore of plopping a tick into a plastic bag and dropping it in the mail.

More than 200 Middlesex County residents went to a hospital due to a tick borne illness in 2023 alone, according to state data. Tick season typically begins in March and April, peaks in June and July, and lasts through November. Ticks can be active at any time, however, if the weather is warm enough.

Find out more on how to test ticks in Wayland here.