16 0 The R ocky Mountain tick ranges int o east ern BC and the int erior dr y belt The y are most abundant be tw een Mar ch and June Dur ing this period the y are present on almost all scrub v ege tation and grass The ticks do no t dr op out of large trees Sym pt oms occur af t er a tick has been f eeding f or about fv e da ys and gener ally in v olv e N umbness in the f ee t and legs pr ogressing t o the hands and arms P o ssi ble par alysis of the thr o at mu scle s or diffcu lty in sw allo wing The t o ngu e be ing af f e ct e d cau sing inability t o spe ak pr o pe rly No p ain and seldom a f e v er Tick paralysis is a condition that establishes itself only when the inf ect edf emale w ood tick is allo w ed t o remain attached or goes unno ticed A com ple t e reco v er y typically f ollo ws the remo v al of the entire tick if paralysis has no t spread t oo f ar The P acifc Coast tic k is common on v ege tation along the P acifc Coast during the w e t season It does no t cause paralysis but its bit e ma y be painful and de v elop int o a slo w healing ulcer The thir d gr oup of tickssof t ticksha v e bit es that are t o xic and ma y cause a se v ere shock lik e reaction Precautions During the Tic k Season When possible a v oid open grass areas surr ounded b y trees Do no t l ea v e clo thing on the gr ound or draped o v er bushes R esi st the urge t o stre tch out on or near v ege tation tak e r e s t o r l u n c h bre aks o n bare r ocks or su r f ace s that are fre e o f plants W ear high boo ts long pants tuck ed in boo ts long slee v ed shir ts shir ts tuck ed in when req uired t o w or k or cr oss thr ough highly v ege tat ed areas Apply insect repellent containing 5 perme thrin t o y our clo thing and insect repellent containing up t o 35 DEET t o y our e xposed skin R eapply as req uired