Published: June 08, 2008 03:45 pm      

Ticks worse this summer

When Claudia Decksteim let her dog out to enjoy the fresh air, an hour and half later, her pet returned with 32 ticks. The Jones resident was mortified.

Luckily, her husband is a groomer and was able to treat the dog before the ticks could do much damage. Previous to this, Decksteim said she had noticed several ticks around her house, but it was after this that she realized she had an infestation.

“Every animal, every little critter, even ticks, have their place in this world,” said Decksteim. However, she acknowledged that their place doesn’t have to be her front yard.

To tackle the infestation, Decksteim has had to invest in high-grade chemicals that she regularly sprays on her yard. She admitted that she is lucky because her and her husband have equipment they use to keep their yard sprayed. She said it is hard for her to imagine what people in her situation have to spend to provide themselves with the same protection.

Originally from Germany, she said that the lack of knowledge about ticks and the level of apathy towards the pests she sees in Americans have surprised her.

“It seems to me like when you’ve lived here all your life, it’s not as big of a problem,” she noted. Decksteim, though, sees it as a big problem because of the diseases they carry.

The most common disease carried by ticks in America is Lyme Disease. This disease was first introduced in the country in 1975 in Old Lyme, Connecticut. It’s called the great imitator because its symptoms are so similar to other diseases. The most prominent symptom of the first stage is a ring-like rash around the bite area. Symptoms progress to numbness, meningitis and abnormal heartbeat. The third stage can lead to arthritis or memory loss.

Cindy Karr, an employee at Azlin Veterinarian Hospita in Midwest Cityl, said another disease ticks carry in this part o the country that is dangerous for animals is Erlychia. She explained that it affects pets in a way similar to Lyme Disease. She noted that it’s treatable, but if infected, a pet can