Ticks & Lyme Disease
Take Caution ... It's Tick Season
With the arrival of warm weather, County residents are enjoying outdoor activities. Contact with ticks becomes more likely and so does the possibility of getting Lyme Disease.
With the arrival of warm weather, County residents are enjoying outdoor activities. Contact with ticks becomes more likely and so does the possibility of getting Lyme Disease.
How to Avoid Tick Bites
- Avoid tick-infested areas (overgrown grass and brush) starting in April through September.
- Wear clothing light in color to spot ticks.
- Wear long pants, long-sleeve shirt, socks and shoes. Tuck pant legs into socks and shirt into pants, tape the area where pants and socks meet.
- Check your clothes and body regularly for ticks when outdoors and when you return home and also check pets for ticks.
- Apply an insect repellent that contains 20% to 30% DEET to exposed areas of skin or clothing. Check the instructions before using on pregnant women and children.
Signs of Lyme Disease
In many cases, Lyme Disease can be treated with antibiotics, so watch for:
- A red "bulls-eye" rash with a light center around the welt that may appear within three days to one month. In some cases, the rash never appears.
- Flu-like symptoms (fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle/joint pain, or swollen lymph nodes).
- Arthritis, which may not appear until weeks, months or years after a tick bite, is the most likely symptom to appear in late Lyme Disease.