Tick season is here: How to protect yourself

GREENE COUNTY — They may be small, but ticks can cause big problems — they carry diseases that could be passed on to you or your pet if bitten.

Ticks can live year-round, but they’re most active between April and September.

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If you are bitten, call your doctor if you develop a rash, headache, fever, nausea, joint or muscle pain and weakness, said Laurie Fox with Greene County Public Health. The bugs could give you Lyme disease or mountain spotted fever.

But to avoid them to begin with, Fox said to use a bug spray that is 20 to 30 percent Deet and dress differently.

“When you’re out in those tall grasses, the woods, hikes — wear long pants, light colored clothing,” she said. “The light colored clothing will help you spot a tick more easily.”

And once inside, take a shower and do a tick check, especially in places they like to hide, like in your belly button.

“Use tweezers to remove them,” Fox said. “Get the tick as close to the head as possible and pull straight up. Don’t leave the head and mouth parts in your skin.”

Dispose of it by dousing it in rubbing alcohol, flushing it down the toilet or sealing it in a bag, she said.

Cox Media Group