Latest news with #MDARD
CBS News
30-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
With hotter weather looming, Michigan officials warn to be on tick alert
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Experts recommend checking your body and clothes when coming in May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Experts recommend checking your body and clothes when coming in May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Experts recommend checking your body and clothes when coming in As it gets hotter day by day, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reminding Michiganders to stay wary of ticks. Many people are unaware that these tiny pests can pose health threats to both animals and people. While ticks can lead to serious threats like Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, they can also lead to minor health threats such as fever, muscle and joint aches, or rashes. Michigan is home to more than 20 tick species, and as the sun warms us up, the ticks come out. Michiganders are urged to get checked for ticks regularly as it warms up outside. "Whether through integrated pest management or responsible pesticide use, preventing tick bites starts at home," MDARD Director Tim Boring said. Both practices can help minimize ticks on your property, but they must be done correctly and safely. Some simple integrated practices include: Trimming back tall grasses around homes regularly. Placing patios, decks, playsets, and storing firewood in sunny, dry areas to deter rodents, which are common tick hosts. Creating a 3-foot barrier of woods chips or gravel between homes and wooded areas to deter tick movement. If using pesticides or insect repellent, the agency urges people to do so responsibly. Always follow the label and wear protective clothing when instructed. Checking your pets, companion animals, and livestock is also very important. If you see a tick, remove it immediately, monitor your health (or your animal's health), and consult with your medical provider. While not every tick is infected, bites from infected ticks can lead to the serious health issues mentioned earlier if not treated immediately. For more information regarding tick information including identification, removal, and tick-borne illnesses, visit or Michigan's Emerging Diseases webpage.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Invasive tick species found in Berrien County
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The first in the state have been found in Berrien County. Calvin University researchers found the two ticks during routine surveillance at Grand Mere State Park, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. 'Calvin research students have been studying the ecology and distribution of ticks in West Michigan since 2020,' said William Miller, assistant professor of biology at Calvin, in a statement. 'The students worked with our close partners at Michigan State University and collaborating state agencies to initially identify these ticks as nymphal longhorned ticks.' The ticks were sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratories, according to MDARD. On Wednesday, they were confirmed to be Asian longhorned ticks. City crews to start oak wilt treatment at Aman Park The ticks are native to east Asia but were first found in New Jersey in 2017, according to MDARD. In the following years, they have spread to more than 20 other states. Females can lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time. The ticks have been known to form large infestations on a single animal, according to MDARD. This can stymie the animal's growth, and in severe cases, the blood loss can even kill the animal. Officials say these ticks are not known to carry Lyme disease, but they can cause diseases that impact humans and animals, like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Powassan virus and heartland virus. Outside of a lab, MDARD says Asian longhorned ticks collected in the U.S. haven't been confirmed to carry these diseases — but they have been found to carry a pathogen that causes bovine theileriosis. That's why experts are especially concerned about how these ticks can affect livestock. If you have animals, you're urged to take preventative measures. MDARD says you should have your animals treated regularly, check your animals often for ticks and keep your lawns and pastures mowed and clear of brush. If you find what you believe to be an Asian longhorned tick, you can send it to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. You can find . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
24-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
Michigan Animal Welfare Fund awards grants to local animal shelters, rescue agencies
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved $150,000 in grants to 28 animal shelters with this year's Animal Welfare Fund grants. The Animal Welfare Fund is among the five choices that Michigan taxpayers have for voluntary donations via state income tax checkoff programs. The intention of that fund is to "help finance the costs for protecting and caring for animals that have been subjected to cruelty or neglect." All of the donations designated through the state income tax forms goes directly to the cause. Since 2010, state officials have directed more than $2 million to over 333 animal shelters. "MDARD has seen a steady increase in the number of animal welfare projects seeking funding through the Animal Welfare Fund and in the amount of funds being requested," said State Veterinarian Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM. Applications are due in the fall for the annual awards. For this year's grant cycle, state officials received 65 applications totaling more than $710,000 in requests. The projects and efforts included community engagement efforts, supporting access to microchip scanners to help return lost pets and children's programs on responsible pet ownership. The grant list issued Monday includes the following Southeast Michigan agencies: For information on the Animal Welfare Fund, go to .
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Chronic wasting disease found in an Osceola County deer
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Chronic wasting disease has been detected in another Michigan county. Osceola County is the latest to tally an animal infected with the disease — a seven-year-old white-tailed deer who was living on a farm, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. It was discovered as part of the state's CWD surveillance program for farmed deer. CWD in deer: What are the signs, and is the meat safe to eat? is a deadly neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, elk and moose, according to the DNR. It can be passed either from animal to animal and indirectly through the environment, MDARD said. In the last 17 years, CWD has been detected at 16 Michigan deer farms in Kent, Lake, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo and Osceola counties. In , CWD was found in a deer in Mecosta County. MDARD is investigating to rule out any possible exposure to other farmed deer. For more information on CWD, visit the . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Chronic wasting disease found in Osceola County deer
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — has confirmed reports of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a white-tailed deer in Osceola County. MDARD says the disease was found in a seven-year-old deer while conducting a state-wide CWD surveillance program. CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose and other . The disease can be transmitted from one animal to another and through the environment. Animals may appear to be healthy for an extended period while infected. Eventually, it will display abnormal behavior, progressive weight loss, and physical debilitation in the later stages of the disease. 'Limiting the spread and impact of CWD on Michigan's farmed cervid herds hinges on the ability to detect the disease early and respond promptly,' said State Veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland. Since 2008, including this new case, CWD has been detected at 16 Michigan deer farms in the following counties: Kent – 2 Lake – 1 Mecosta – 4 Montcalm – 4 Newaygo – 4 Osceola – 1 There have been no reported cases of CWD infection in humans. However, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that CWD-infected animals should not be consumed as food by either humans or domestic animals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
