Protecting Kids, Pets & Families

Protecting Children

Children are among the highest-risk groups for Lyme disease because they play in tick-prone environments and often don't notice an attached tick. Practical protection strategies include:

• Apply EPA-registered repellent (DEET 10–30% or picaridin) to exposed skin before outdoor play
• Dress in light-colored long sleeves and pants; tuck pants into socks in wooded areas
• Perform a thorough tick check every day after outdoor play — the scalp and behind the ears are common attachment sites in children
• Create a "tick check routine" that children can learn and practice independently
• Keep play areas away from wooded edges and maintain short grass

Protecting Pets

Dogs are highly susceptible to Lyme disease and can bring ticks into your home even without showing symptoms:

• Use veterinarian-recommended tick prevention products year-round (topicals, collars, or oral treatments)
• Check your dog or cat for ticks after every outdoor outing — focus on the head, ears, neck, armpits, belly, and between the toes
• Ask your veterinarian about the Lyme disease vaccine for dogs (available but not 100% protective)
• Know the signs of Lyme in dogs: limping, lethargy, fever, reduced appetite, joint swelling

Household Habits That Reduce Risk

• Establish a routine: shower within 2 hours of coming indoors, tumble dry clothes on high heat first
• Keep the lawn mowed and clear leaf litter from around play areas
• Install wood chip or gravel barriers at forest edges
• Keep woodpiles away from the house and elevated off the ground (reduces rodent and tick habitat)
• Fence the yard to reduce deer activity if feasible