· The fine print ·
About this site.
woodticks.ca is a Canadian public information resource on tick removal, identification, and the diseases ticks carry. The content covers what to do in the field, what to do in the 30 days after, and where to go for medical attention in Canada when it’s warranted.
Section 1
Medical disclaimer.
This site provides general information only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personal medical decisions. The information here is intended to help you understand the topic, recognise common situations, and act with more confidence — but it is not a substitute for professional judgement.
In an emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Specific emergency signs after a tick bite include high fever with confusion, severe headache, facial weakness on one side, seizures, or any neurological symptoms.
Section 2
Content-currency notice.
Tick-borne disease ranges, treatment protocols, and public health guidance change. Lyme is pushing further north every year. Pharmacist prescribing authorities expand and contract. Treatment guidelines are revised.
Every medical page on this site shows a Last reviewed date at the bottom. The date is the last time the content on that page was checked against current public-health sources.
For anything time-sensitive — a fresh bite, a decision about doxycycline, a question about whether your area is now a Lyme risk zone — verify with your provincial health authority or a healthcare provider. The Public Health Agency of Canada publishes current Lyme-disease information and range maps; eTick.ca tracks ticks submitted by the public across Canada.
Section 3
Provincial variation notice.
Healthcare protocols vary across Canada. The Ontario pharmacist-prescribing pathway for preventive doxycycline after a high-risk tick bite, for example, does not exist (or exists in a different form) in most other provinces.
Wherever this site describes a specific Canadian healthcare pathway, the province or provinces it applies to are named. When in doubt, confirm with your local public-health unit or pharmacist regulator.
Provincial public-health units
Where to look first.
- Ontario: Public Health Ontario — publichealthontario.ca
- Quebec: INSPQ — inspq.qc.ca
- BC: BCCDC — bccdc.ca
- Alberta / SK / MB: provincial Ministries of Health (search by province)
- Atlantic provinces: provincial Departments of Health
Section 4
Affiliate disclosure.
When woodticks.ca recommends physical products (tick-removal tools, insect repellents, clothing), some of the links may be affiliate links to Amazon.ca or other retailers. If you buy through one of those links, woodticks.ca may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
All product recommendations are independent editorial choices. Affiliate commissions do not influence which products appear on the site. We do not accept payment for placement.
The bulk of affiliate links live on the tick kit page, with a few in-context recommendations on articles where a product naturally fits. Every affiliate link is tagged (affiliate) at the point of click and carries rel=“sponsored”in the HTML for Google’s benefit.
Section 5
Privacy.
We collect the minimum amount of information needed to run the site: your email address if you subscribe to the newsletter, and anonymized pageviews so we can see which pages are useful. We don’t sell or share your information, ever.
You can opt out of analytics at any time. Full details, plus the opt-out switch and the unsubscribe paths, on the privacy page.
Section 6
Contact.
Corrections, additions, or feedback — particularly from clinicians, public-health practitioners, and researchers — are welcome. If you spot a factual issue or an outdated reference, please email hello@woodticks.ca.
For medical emergencies, call 911. This inbox is monitored on a best-effort basis and is not a clinical resource.
Last reviewed