Prof. Katie Clow

Prof. Katie Clow from the Department of Population Medicine at U of G’s Ontario Veterinary College recently spoke with several news outlets about how disease-carrying ticks and how to protect against their bites.

Clow appeared on the the Global News’ podcast The Super Awesome Science Show, to offer tips on avoiding tick bites in grassy and wooded areas.

She also spoke with CBC Kitchener about summertime ticks. While there is now lots of awareness about the diseases ticks can carry, Clow said there is no reason to live in fear or to stop getting outside. She said the key is to take precautions to avoid getting bitten.

A veterinarian and professor, Clow researches the ecology and epidemiology of the black-legged tick as well as other disease vectors and vector-borne zoonoses.

Along with colleague Prof. Scott Weese, Clow manages the Pets and Ticks website, which brings together up-to-date, evidence-based information on ticks in Canada, along with the Pet Tick Tracker, an online tool to gather information from Ontario pet owners and vets who have found ticks on pets.