Common tick species in Saskatchewan include Dermacentor albipictus (winter ticks), D. andersoni (wood ticks), and D. variabilis (American dog ticks). Ixodes scapularis (black-legged ticks), responsible for the transmission of Lyme disease, are found in very low numbers in Saskatchewan and are not a major concern.
Winter ticks usually do not carry bacterial pathogens. However, many winter ticks on an individual may reduce their health. In contrast, wood ticks have been found to carry bacterial pathogens which causes Rickettsia (Anaplasma marginale) and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Rickettsia rickettsia) in humans, and Tularemia (Francisella tularensis) in wild rodents and humans.