Montana Sees Its First Deer Tick Raising Lyme Disease Concerns

This weekend was great to get out for a walk and the dog wanted to come along. It wasn't until we got home that we realized it wasn't just the dog we took for a walk.

Along with everything else we can normally expect with springtime in Montana, it is the season of the tick. Not only can ticks be problematic, but they can also carry disease. If you are planning on going outdoors you should take precautions.

Read More: Spring In Montana: 5 Things That are Guaranteed to Happen

Peak tick season in Montana runs from late spring through the beginning of fall. This season tick reports have already begun, according to the Montana DPHHS. People have already been submitting found ticks for analysis.

Montana Has Found First Deer Tick

Earlier this year, Montana State University's Shutter Lab identified Montana's first known black-legged tick, also known as deer ticks. This species of tick isn't native to Montana and is a species that is known to carry and transmit Lyme disease.

Montana is known to have wood ticks and dog ticks, we normally don't have deer ticks. That has changed. The deer tick was found in eastern Montana on a hunter's dog, and are much smaller than the ticks normally found in Montana.

Tips for Preventing Tick Bites

Some tips to prevent tick bites:

• Check for ticks often in your clothing and hair
• Check your pets for ticks
• Use an EPA registered insect repellent
• Shower after spending time outdoors
• Use double-sided tape on the bottom of pant legs to trap ticks before they can crawl up your legs

If you can remove a tick before it bites, that is ideal. If you need to remove a tick, use clean fine tipped tweezers to grab it as close to your skin as possible. Use a steady motion to remove the tick and wash the area thoroughly.

Be safe out there while spending time outdoors in Montana, it's not only the big animals that can be dangerous.