Nothing ruins a great time outside quite like a tick bite! The best way to protect yourself and your family—including your pets!—is to learn as much about them as possible. And if you live in a tick-prone area, chances are, you’ve seen ticks in their many stages. If you aren’t familiar with the life cycle of a tick, the concept of a white tick may be new.
What Are White Ticks?
Contrary to what the name suggests, white ticks are not an actual tick species. Instead, it’s a misnomer that either refers to ticks that appear white or pale at certain stages of their life cycle—we’re looking at you engorged tick and American Dog larvae—or the nicknames for the Lone Star Tick.
Engorged Ticks
In most cases, the term “white tick” typically refers to an engorged tick. Note that this description applies to all types of ticks, not just any one particular species. As ticks eat, their bodies expand and turn white, coining the term “white tick.”
Lone Star Ticks
You may also hear the Lone Star tick, referred to as the “white tick.” Specifically, the female Lone Star Tick, gets the name “white tick” from the single white dot or star-like marking on its back.
Most active from early spring to late summer and their activity peaking during the warmer months, Lone Star ticks are predominantly found in the Southeastern and Eastern United States. These adaptable ticks thrive in wooded areas, grassy fields, and brushy habitats, making them a common nuisance in both rural and suburban environments.
American Dog Ticks
American Dog ticks are also sometimes referred to as white ticks since they are predominately white as larvae. As they grow into adult ticks, they retain some white markings on their backs.
Thriving in warmer temperatures and higher humidity along the East and West Coasts and areas of the Midwest, American dog ticks are most active during the spring and summer months and can be found in grassy fields, trails, and sunny outdoor areas.
And as the name suggests, American Dog ticks mostly feed on dogs but have been known to bite humans, too.
Are White Ticks Dangerous?
White ticks don’t just have a painful bite. They also carry dangerous diseases, posing health concerns for both humans and pets. If a Lone Star tick or an American Dog tick bites you, it is important to seek medical attention immediately.
Human Diseases Associated with Lone Star Ticks & Their Symptoms
Lone Star Ticks carry several pathogens that can lead to serious health complications for humans, including:
- Alpha-gal syndrome: A sugar molecule called alpha-gal is transmitted to a human through a tick bite, causing an allergy to red meat, pork, and lamb.
Symptoms: Reactions can vary, ranging from mild hives and itching to severe anaphylaxis and gastrointestinal issues when meat is consumed. There is no cure for Alpha-gal syndrome, only treatments to manage the symptoms.
- Ehrlichiosis: This bacterial infection is caused by the Ehrlichia bacteria.
Symptoms: Fevers, chills, rigors, severe headaches, confusion, and a rash. It requires medical attention and should be treated immediately.
- Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness, or STARI: STARI is a condition linked to the Lone Star ticks and is often mistaken for Lyme disease.
Symptoms: Some patients have also reported headaches, fever, and muscle pains. It can take up to a week after a bite to display itself, and medical attention is necessary to diagnose and treat the symptoms of STARI.
- Heartland Virus: This serious illness is a rare viral infection.
Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, and decreased appetite. There is no treatment for the Heartland Virus.
- Tularemia: Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is rare but severe.
Symptoms: Skin ulcers, swollen lymph glands, and respiratory issues. In humans, there are also distinctive skin ulcers at the bite site.
- Bourbon Virus: This rare virus was recently discovered in 2014 and is mostly found in the Midwest and southern United States.
Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, rash, headache, nausea, vomiting, and body aches. There is no treatment for this virus, only treatments to ease symptoms.
Pet Diseases Associated with Lone Star Ticks & Their Symptoms
Your pets are just as much at risk as humans to Lone Star tick-borne illnesses. Watch out for the following:
- Ehrlichiosis: This bacterial infection affects both dogs and cats.
Symptoms: Fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, joint pain, limping, difficulty breathing, eye inflammation, vomiting and diarrhea.
- Tularemia: Tularemia is rare in pets; however, cats are more susceptible to contracting the disease, while dogs are generally more resistant.
Symptoms: Lethargy, fevers, skin ulcers, jaundice, swollen lymph nodes, poor appetite, eye inflammation, runny nose or eyes, and abscesses. While Tularemia in dogs can often be treated, in cats, the blood infection could result in death.
- Heartland virus: Antibodies have been detected in dogs and cats.
Symptoms: Rarely symptomatic in pets, but you should regularly monitor them if there is exposure to ticks.
- Bobcat fever: This blood parasite can be transmitted by a Lone Star tick, primarily affecting cats.
Symptoms: Fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, pale gums, and jaundice. It often results in sepsis and death without early veterinary care.
Human Diseases Associated with American Dog Ticks
American Dog Ticks don’t transmit as many diseases as the Lone Star Tick, but that doesn’t mean they’re harmless! In addition to Tularemia, American Dog Ticks can carry:
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, or rickettsia, is a bacterial infection.
Symptoms: Fever, headache, rash, nausea, stomach or muscle pain, and a lack of appetite.
Pet Diseases Associated with American Dog Ticks
American Dog ticks also transmit Tularemia to pets, along with other serious diseases, including:
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Just as with humans, RMSF can lead to severe illness in pets if not treated promptly.
Symptoms: Poor appetite, muscle pain, fever, coughing, diarrhea, face or leg swelling, or vomiting. In several cases, eye and gum hemorrhages or nosebleeds can also occur.
- Canine Tick Paralysis: This dangerous disease occurs when a tick’s saliva introduces neurotoxins into your dog’s bloodstream.
Symptoms: Loss of bark, hind leg weakness, gagging, coughing, or vomiting. It can also cause a change in breathing rate.
How to Prevent Tick Bites and Reduce Tick Populations
The best way to prevent tick bites is to prevent tick populations on your property! Luckily, you have several options when it comes to tick control and prevention.
Keeping Your Yard Tick-Free
The easiest way to rid your yard of ticks is to keep it well-maintained. Regularly mowing your lawn, trimming hedges, tall grasses, and bushes, and installing a barrier of wood chips or gravel between your yard and any wooded areas will help discourage ticks from claiming your property as their own.
You can also apply eco-friendly methods, such as lining your home with diatomaceous earth or spreading cedar oil around your property. Planting tick-repelling plants, such as lavender, rosemary, lemongrass, thyme, citronella, or marigolds, will also help keep ticks away from your outdoor spaces.
Investing in professional tick control or barrier sprays can also go a long way in keeping you, your family, and pets tick-free.
Personal Protection Tips for Outdoor Activities
Keeping your property protected is one thing, but what about when you go on outdoor adventures? That’s where personal protection measures come into play!
Whenever venturing into tick-prone areas, be sure to wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants to minimize skin exposure. Tucking your pants into your socks will help keep your ankles protected, too.
After your adventures, always check yourself and others for ticks. Focus on areas where they are known to hide, such as the armpits, the back of your knees, and your scalp. If you find a tick, quick and proper removal to avoid complications is important.
Protection Tips for Your Pets
Since your pets are also at risk of dangerous complications from tick bites, take steps to protect them, too! Note that some preventative measures need to be taken before your pet is exposed to a tick, so be sure to think ahead to protect your pup (or feline!) And despite using natural methods, investing in tick collars, tick and flea prevention medications, or spot-on treatments, check your dog for ticks after your outdoor adventures and remove any sucking hitchhikers immediately.
Protecting Yourself and Your Property From White Ticks
If the idea of white ticks makes you want to run inside, don’t worry! Our Mosquito Joe® services have been designed with you in mind!
Our comprehensive tick control and prevention treatment, including our proven barrier spray, can go a long way to prevent ticks from making you or your pet their next snack. We don’t want to just solve your immediate problem. We want to set you up for long-term success and a bite-free backyard. With our customized plans, we can control existing populations and prevent re-infestations!
In fact, we are so sure you’ll be happy with our services that we back every visit with the Neighborly Done Right Promise® and the Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee!
Don’t spend another minute worrying about white ticks, engorged ticks, or any type of ticks at all! Request a free estimate from your local Mosquito Joe today!
This article is intended for general guidance only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your property and your situation. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of any advice or guidance derived from blog content. For the most accurate guidance, contact an independently owned and operated Mosquito Joe for more information and a professional on-site assessment.
