World Zoonoses Day is held annually on July 6th as a call to action to spread the word about the dangers of zoonotic diseases such as Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The 150 types of zoonotic diseases are caused by mosquitoes, ticks and other insects and harm humans, pets and wildlife. 

Because summer is the hottest time of the year to see ticks, and get mosquito bites, it's time to review how to remove ticks and what to wear to easily spot ticks while gardening.

Gardeners may be too pre-occupied in the garden to realize that they have been bit by a tick. Which is why it's best to wear long-sleeves and bright colored clothing to easily find ticks. Gardeners should spray tick repellents on their clothes, particularly around the ankles since ticks climb from the ground up. (They do not jump or fly.) Perform a thorough tick check after outdoor activity.

For dogs, ticks hide underneath the fur along the collar, tail and ankles. Groom pets for ticks; and remove a tick the same way as yourself.

Tick bites can happen any time of day and occur in grassy and wooded areas. Here's how to remove a tick from pets and humans:

• Clean the infected area with soap or hydrogen peroxide
  
• Pull the tick straight up. Do not twist or bend the tick
• Clean the infected area once again
• Place tick in a sealed container; and take it to the doctor/vet for identification
• Ask for a Lyme Disease test as soon as possible

Learn about tick disease prevention this summer and spread the word about the dangers of zoonotic diseases.