News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Asian Longhorned ticks have been identified in White County.
The Asian Longhorned Tick is known to have been in the United States since 2010. This invasive species is not only a threat to livestock, but also your pets, according to TWRA Veterinarian Dan Grove.
“If you’re in an area that’s known to have the ticks at this point in time, you know don’t let your animals run free through the woods and that kind of stuff if you’re worried about them getting these ticks and if you do just check them when they come back and give them a good once over,” Grove said.
Stopping the spread of the Asian Longhorned tick is difficult because females can reproduce on their own.
The effects Asian Longhorned on livestock can be lethal. Grove said that makes checking auction animals before they are introduced important.
“You can actually end up with tick burdens on animals that there’s so many ticks that they actually drain the blood from the animal,” Grove said.
Another cause for concern could be the potential for bringing in outside diseases.
“These ticks could have brought in diseases from other countries that don’t exist here in the United States that could impact our domestic agriculture,” Grove said.
When it comes to protecting yourself, being aware of tall grass and making sure you check yourself when you’ve been in areas prone to having ticks.
