Tick and Tick-borne Disease Season is Here

Experts are warning that this year’s tick season could be worse and more widespread than ever due to milder winters, booming mice and deer populations, and the 2015 abundant acorn crop. Unfortunately, with the projected increase of ticks, the threat of tick-borne disease, including the most common, Lyme disease, also increases.

The best way to avoid contracting a tick-borne disease is to practice proper preventive measures, which include the following:

• Wear light-colored clothing, including long-sleeved shirts and pants when in wooded areas, and tuck pant legs into socks or boots. Keep long hair tied back.
• Wash your body and clothing after all outdoor activities.
• Look periodically for ticks if you have been outdoors, especially if you have been in wooded areas or gardens.
• Remove ticks within 24 hours to greatly reduce the risk of contracting disease.
• Talk with your veterinarian about tick repellent for your pet.
• Check your pet’s coat if it has been in a possible tick-infested area.

Source: Zywave, Inc.