If you have been bitten by a tick, you can submit the tick for identification. The identification of ticks provides data to monitor emerging tick populations in Ontario. Tick identification should not be used for the diagnosis or management of Lyme disease, as per Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guidelines. Please speak to your health care provider if you are concerned about your health.
Laboratory identification results can take 3 weeks or longer depending on peak times (May-June and Oct-Nov). You may wish to use eTick, an online image-based tick identification platform, as a reliable source of faster results.
Public Health cannot accept ticks found in the environment, on floors or furniture, or on dogs or other pets. If you find a tick on your pet, please take it to your veterinarian for identification.