Tick-covered rabbit in Seal Cove raises concerns about Lyme disease

A photo of a rabbit in Seal Cove has been making the rounds on social media this week, catching the eye of many due to one disturbing detail — the animal is covered in ticks. 

The photo has raised concerns about the proliferation of ticks across Newfoundland and Labrador, and the possibility of humans contracting Lyme disease.

But the province's Chief Veterinary Officer Laura Rogers says the public shouldn't be too concerned by the picture.

"That's the common rabbit tick. Those aren't the ticks that actually carry Lyme disease," she said.

Rogers added that while ticks can be found throughout the province, many don't carry the illness.

She said Lyme disease can only be contracted from Ixodes scapularis or black-legged tick. 

"[It's] not common in Newfoundland, and typically arrives here in the province — if it's found at all — on migratory songbirds," Rogers said.

See a tick? Here's what to do

If you do come in contact with a tick, Rogers said there's a simple way to remove it. And it doesn't involve the old wives' tale of burning the tick off with a match.

"Grab it close to the mouth part — close to where it's attached to the body of the human or animal — and then with tweezers, just pull it gently off," she said.

If the tick isn't engorged, Rogers said it probably wasn't there long enough to transmit Lyme disease.

"[But] if it's engorged then you may want to go to your physician, take the tick with you, and have it identified." she said.

Without a formal study, Rogers said it's hard to know the exact number of ticks in the province that can transmit Lyme disease. It's also a difficult disease to diagnose, and she said it's rare to hear about local infections. 

"Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose at the best of times, so it's hard to say."