Ticks are one of the leading carriers of diseases in the world, next to the mosquito. Deer ticks, or blacklegged ticks are known as the primary vector, or carrier of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a debilitating illness in humans and can also be found in dogs and cats.
Symptoms of Lyme disease include headaches, nervous system disorders and symptoms resembling rheumatoid arthritis. These may not appear until 6 weeks after a bite occurs.
Deer ticks will crawl on a host for up to 4 hours before feeding. They attach themselves to humans at the base of the scalp in most cases. Deer tick bites are normally painless and often go undetected.
Lyme disease usually occurs in three stages. A spreading rash, fever and flu-like symptoms usually accompany the first stage. A ring-like pattern forms around the rash site. Often, there can be one or more rash sites. Sometimes, you may not experience the flu-like symptoms.
Stage 2 of Lyme disease can become much more serious with complications of the heart and nervous system. These symptoms can be meningitis-like or include paralysis or palsy. The heart can experience blockage of the actual muscle. Joint pain is also common in this stage of Lyme disease.
The third stage of Lyme disease can occur months or years after the initial disease began. Arthritis and enlarged knee joints, which can come and go intermittently, is the most common indicator of this stage of Lyme disease.
If bitten by a tick you suspect may be a carrier of Lyme disease, seek medical attention. If you remove the tick, preserve it in rubbing alcohol. Identifying the vector is the easiest way to be sure that symptoms can be attributed to the correct disease and for proper treatment to be administered.