Deadly Tick Disease Confirmed in Northwest Missouri

It has been confirmed a dog recently tested positive for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Northwest Missouri. The disease can only be transferred directly from a tick bite and could be fatal.

Make sure your pets are treated with tick prevention every three or four weeks. When pets come in from outside, run your hands over them and look under their legs and ears to make sure there are no ticks. Bacterial can also infect people who crush ticks they remove from pets with their bare fingers.

When humans have a tick bite symptoms usually develop within 2 – 14 days after the tick bite. They may include chills, confusion, fever, headaches, muscle pain and a rash that usually starts a few days after the fever. It will first appear on wrists and ankles as spots that 1 – 5mm in diameter then spreads to most of the body.
Other symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever include diarrhea, light sensitivity, hallucinations, loss of appetite, nausea, thirst and vomiting.

When walking or hiking in tick-infested areas, tuck long pants into socks, wear shoes and long-sleeved shirts. Remove ticks immediately by using tweezers, pulling carefully and steadily and insect repellent may be helpful.