I want to extend a huge thank you to all the readers who take the time to not only read my column but to email me with their questions and concerns. I’m not an expert by choice but by circumstance and it’s honor and privilege to share not only my journey with you but prevention information and resources to hopefully change the trajectory of the path that you find yourself on.

How to prevent having a tick encounter

To prevent an encounter, you have to be smarter than the tick and cut off all access it has to you, your family and your pets and here’s how:

Skin: Repellents work by masking your scent, making it harder for insects and ticks to find you. There are many options on the market from products containing DEET to natural and organic essential oils. Always read the labels as some are clearly marked “not safe for children or pets”.

Clothing: Wearing white clothing, tucking shirts into pants, tucking pants into socks does not repel ticks, it only makes them easier to find. Permethrin, a product derived from the chrysanthemum plant, kills ticks on contact and is FDA approved in over 2500 household products. Permethrin can be purchased online and at the local hardware stores and you can apply it yourself (lasting through 7-10 washes). For those with health or environmental concerns, you can purchase clothing, such as tops, pants, vests, socks, hats, gloves and blankets, already infused with a heavy concentration of the repellent and lasts up to 70 washes.

Pets: There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to prevention for your pets. Talk to your vet about what options are available and appropriate for the age, breed and health condition of your pet.  Dog Not Gone is a Skowhegan-based company that manufactures dog vests and collars, heavily infused with Permethrin, safeguarding your pet against tick exposure from nose to tail and last for up to 70 washes.

Home: Did you know that there are cleaning and laundry products that contain ingredients such as rosemary, lemongrass, cedarwood and eucalyptus oils that naturally repel ticks! WOW! I know, right? Companies like Seventh Generation and Mrs. Meyers contain ingredients that naturally repel unwanted ticks and other insects while doing a great job of cleaning and brightening up our counters, floors and bathrooms! How cool is that!

Yard: From pest control companies to Do-It-Yourself products, you have options from chemical to natural/organic products to protect where you live and play. Free range chickens and guinea hens are another option. Groom your yard. Keep the grass mowed short and leaf-liter to a minimum. Ticks thrive in moist areas. Adding cedarwood oil or Diatomaceous Earth power to your garden beds and borders also reduce tick populations.

As always, when you come in from outdoors, toss your clothing in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes and do your tick checks. Should you find a tick, don’t toss it, flush it or burn it ~ test it so you know what you’ve been exposed to. Maine residents can submit to http://ticks.umaine.edu/ , non-residents www.tickreport.com or www.ticknology.org

Stay tick-free, readers, enjoy those outdoor activities and as always, I welcome your emails paula@mldse.org