Parents, he stressed, should carefully inspect their children each

Parents, he stressed, should carefully inspect their children each night, since children are the most likely to be bitten by ticks.

A thorough examination is necessary. Dr. Einarson stressed because the tick is so small and may be missed in a cursory examination or mistaken for another insect bite or a cut or scrape.

Keep the lawn clipped close, and wear light-colored socks and long pants when outdoors, especially in tall grass or woodlands. Tuck paht legs inside the socks, creating a barrier to the tick.

Dr. Einarson also suggested using an insect repellent with the ingredient DEET (listed on the label).

Dogs are a common carrier of many types of ticks, including deer ticks. Those that spend time outdoors will bring the ticks inside with them. Ticks have a hard time attaching to cats, but they may hitch a ride on felines until they find an easier prey.

Dr. Harry Burchard, of AmberWood Veterinary Hospital in Culpeper, said that dogs may suffer from Lyme disease, as well as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, the most common tick-borne disease.

The canine immune system, however, reacts differently to the bacterium which causes Lyme disease, Dr. Burchard said. “Dogs do develop an arthritic form of the disease, run a high fever and have swollen joints.” But, as with the disease’s effect on humans, Lyme disease mimics other ^disorders and could be mistaken for another malady.

To remove an attached tick with the least risk of infection to you or to the victim (human or animal), Dr. Einarson also suggested using tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull. After detaching it, swap the site with alcohol to disinfect it.

He cautioned against using bare hands or fingernails since the infected blood could contact any open w'ounds on the hand and pass on the disease.

Dr. Einarson said that anyone who suspects they are infected with Lyme disease should get a blood test, which will diagnose its presence.