The St. Lawrence County Public Health Department is warning residents to take precautions to protect against Lyme disease.

The risk of exposure to ticks is greatest along trails in the woods and on the edges of properties with tall vegetation, but ticks may also be carried by animals and pets into lawns and gardens.

Early stages of Lyme disease are usually marked by one or more of the following symptoms: fatigue, chills and fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, swollen lymph nodes and/or a “bull’s eye” red rash appearing on the skin at the site of the bite.

Left untreated, Lyme disease can produce severe arthritis, or cause neurological or cardiac problems. However, with early detection and treatment with antibiotics, recovery from Lyme disease is usually rapid and complete.

Domestic animals, such as dogs and outdoor cats, may become infected with Lyme disease bacteria and some may develop arthritis.

To decrease your chances of contracting Lyme disease, the health department suggests the following precautions:

• When in wooded and grassy areas which are likely to be tick-infested, wear light-colored clothing (to spot ticks) and tuck pants into socks and shirt into pants.

• After every two to three hours outdoors, check for ticks on clothing or skin. Brush off any ticks on clothing before they can attach to your skin. Also, check your children and pets for ticks.

• Do a thorough tick-check of your entire body at the end of the day. Pay particular attention to the back of the knees, behind the ears, the scalp, the armpits and your back.

• If you decide to use tick repellent, apply carefully following label directions.

• Children may be at greater risk for reactions to repellents, in part because their exposure may be greater. Do not apply repellents directly to children. Apply to your own hands and then put it on the child. Never apply to the hands of small children.

• Do not apply repellents near eyes, nose or mouth. Also, use sparingly around ears.

If any ticks are found, they should be removed immediately. Use fine-tipped tweezers to carefully grasp the mouth-parts of the tick close to the skin, and then gently and steadily pull the tick out without twisting or squeezing.

After removing the tick, wash the bite area thoroughly, apply antiseptic, and mark the area, watch for symptoms and contact your healthcare provider for guidance for treatment.

Be reminded that gasoline, kerosene, petroleum jelly or hot matches should never be used to remove ticks.

For more information about Lyme disease, call the St. Lawrence County Public Health Department at 386-2325 or visit www.co.st-lawrence.ny.us/Departments/PublicHealth/LymeDisease_WestNileVirus