Hudson Valley dealing with large rise in ticks
News 12 has learned there are more ticks infesting the area than ever before.
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News 12 has learned there are more ticks infesting the area than ever before.
Experts say the rise has to do with the bigger deer populations that are in densely populated areas.
New York Medical College associate professor Dana Mordue acknowledged some ticks carry deadly diseases, and many of them come in the smallest form.
"The nymph tick in particular is about the size of a poppy seed,” said Mordue.
Mordue advises people to wear light-colored clothing so they can see the ticks. He also says tucking pants into socks, shirt into pants and wearing a hat can help.
"You'll look like a complete nerd, but it makes it harder for the ticks to get through the clothes you're wearing to get to you,” he added.
As for pets, Dr. Mark Gustavson of Croton Animal Hospital says the best thing pet owners can do is use a trusted flea and tick preventative.
"We'll probably never keep them from biting our animals and taking blood meals, but we can eliminate or come close to eliminating the threat of the diseases they can pass,” said Gustavson.
For people who end up dealing with the pests, they must be in you for over 36 hours to spread a disease. It’s smart to use tweezers as close to your skin as you can and gently pull back.
Within five to 15 days, if a person has fever, rash, fatigue, or that textbook bullseye or another rash, they should go to the doctor.
