Ticks and Lyme disease
Blacklegged ticks (deer ticks) can carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. They’re found in more parts of Ontario every year, often in wooded areas, tall grass and leaf litter. Ticks are most active from spring to fall, but can be out any time it’s above freezing.
The risk of Lyme disease goes up the longer a tick stays attached, which is why checking yourself, your kids and your pets after being outdoors matters so much.
Listed in Ontario’s minor ailments program as: Tick bites, post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent Lyme disease.
Common symptoms
- A tick attached to your skin, or one you’ve just removed
- A small red bump where the tick was (this alone is normal)
How a Kennedy pharmacist can help
If you can, bring the tick with you in a sealed container or bag, or take a clear photo. Your pharmacist will ask where you were, when the tick was removed, and how long it may have been attached. Let us know if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Under current Ontario guidance, that doesn’t rule out the preventive dose, but it helps us plan your care.
If preventive treatment is recommended for you, the pharmacist may prescribe a single dose of antibiotic. Ontario’s guidance recommends it when the tick is a blacklegged tick, it was likely attached for 24 hours or more, it’s been less than 72 hours since it was removed, and you were bitten in an area where Lyme disease is more common. We’ll also tell you which symptoms to watch for over the next 30 days.
Haven’t removed it yet? Use fine-tipped tweezers, grab the tick as close to the skin as you can, and pull straight up slowly. Don’t twist, burn or squeeze it.
If we think you’d be better served by a doctor, we’ll tell you, and help you figure out where to go.
Medicines a pharmacist may consider
- Doxycyclinea single dose of antibiotic taken within 72 hours of removing the tick
Your pharmacist chooses based on your symptoms, age, pregnancy, allergies and other medications, so not every option is right for everyone. Brand names are examples. We often use the generic version, which works the same and usually costs less.
What it costs
The assessment is free with a valid Ontario health card. It’s paid for by the province, just like a visit to your doctor.
If you’re prescribed something, the medicine is paid for like any other prescription: through your drug plan, the Ontario Drug Benefit (65+ and other eligible people), OHIP+ (under 25 without a private plan), or out of pocket.
Good to know: The antibiotic used to help prevent Lyme disease is covered by most drug plans, and by ODB or OHIP+ if you’re eligible.
No Ontario health card? Text or call us first and we’ll tell you the fee before we start.
When to see a doctor instead
See your family doctor, a walk-in clinic or a nurse practitioner if:
- A red rash that grows over several days, sometimes like a bullseye, 3 to 30 days after a bite
- Fever, chills, headache, tiredness, or muscle and joint aches in the weeks after a bite
- It has been more than 72 hours since the tick was removed
- You can’t get the whole tick out
Call 911 or go to the ER if:
- Drooping on one side of the face, heart palpitations, chest pain, or a severe headache with stiff neck after a tick bite
Not sure? Call Health811 (dial 811) any time to speak with a registered nurse, free.