Department of Environmental Conservation warns, "Ticks are on the march"

With the cost of gas hitting record highs again this weekend, you might be thinking of spending more time in your backyard or in nature this Summer.  But "ticks are on the march," warns New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Wildlife Pathologist Dr. Ward Stone.

Lyme disease can be contracted from the bites of some ticks. Stone says the tick season started strong in early Spring, then waned a bit and now is picking up quite intensely.

Stone says it's important to remove a tick if it lands on your skin, with a tweezers, not your bare hands.  "If you get them off quickly, in less than 24 hours, you will not get Lyme disease from the bite, " Stone says.

At the Family Healthcare Center in Slingerlands, they're averaging a couple of tick-related or suspected cases a week.

Susan Samson, a Family Nurse Practitioner says "What's interesting is they haven't found the tick themselves.  They've just presented symptoms and we have to rule out Lyme disease."  Samson says symptoms include a bulls-eye rash, joint pain, fever and discomfort.  Stone says ask your doctor to recommend a good insect repellent and be sure to check  yourself and your children when you've been outside.

"You can look at every side of that child, pick them up, look behind the ear lobe, get those ticks off," Stone says.