Lyme Disease on the rise in Central New York

Leo Maloney writes about taking precautions against ticks and Lyme Disease in his weekly column.

There is a serious threat lurking in our outdoors. It is not rabid foxes, aggressive coyotes or the increasing presence of bears. It is about the size of a sesame seed and it is more serious than all the perceived threats of the aforementioned critters. It is the deer tick.

With the arrival of summer weather most people are taking advantage of the great outdoor opportunities we have in upstate New York. Unfortunately this year many sources have predicted an increase in the number of deer ticks and the incidences of Lyme Disease

Although deer are known to carry he deer tick, you do not have to come into contact with deer to be exposed to deer ticks. Mice are the most common carrier of ticks. Deer ticks are everywhere. Their preferred habitat is wooded areas and adjacent grasslands but they are commonly found in lawns and gardens.

Most of us are aware of the seriousness of Lyme Disease. I have done several columns discussing it and means of preventing it in past years. In recent years I have had family

and their pets which have contracted Lyme Disease, as well as some friends who have had it.

Now we are faced with increasing threat of additional diseases including babesiosis, an implasmosis or powassan virus being carried by the deer ticks. Babesiosis destroys your red blood cells with flulike symptoms. An implasmosis is often mistaken as the first

signs of a stroke. Powassan virus is relatively new but appears to be spreading and can often be fatal.

As some local veterinarians and DEC personnel said to me a couple years ago, we need to be concerned about our pets as well. Carefully check your dog for ticks, remove them and have your dog treated when it developed the first signs of the disease.

Lyme Disease is an infection that can produce skin, arthritic, cardiac and neurological disorders. It is caused by bacterium which is spread by the bite of the deer tick. These are tiny parasitic insects that are about the size of a sesame seed and are difficult to detect. They can be found in almost any outdoor location with vegetation, as well as on animals.

Only deer ticks carry Lyme Disease, but other ticks can also carry serious diseases. Remember that they crawl up. They do not fly or jump onto you so you have to come into contact with them to be “attacked’ and bitten.

Ticks live in shady, moist areas at ground level. They especially frequent piles of old leaves or stone walls. But they also cling to tall grass, brush and shrubs up to a height of 24 inches and get on animals and humans by direct contact.

When you think you may have been exposed to ticks, you should check carefully for the small black insects. Carefully remove them with a tweezers and take the tick in a container to your physician for evaluation. Do not smother the tick with Vaseline or apply heat since this might cause the tick to regurgitate infectious fluids. For most tickborne diseases you have 24 hours to find and remove the tick before it transmits any infection.

The best approach is prevention. When hiking try to stay in the middle of the trail. Wear long pants with bottoms tucked into socks or gaiters to prevent ticks from climbing up your legs. Light colored clothing will help you spot the ticks easier. Spraying your clothing with permethrin is effective but it must be done and allowed to dry before you put it on. It is nasty stuff and you should avoid getting it on your skin. There are also items of clothing with build-in tick repellent available. See www.insectshield.com as an example of what is available.

Use an insect repellent on any exposed skin. Traditionally this has meant something with DEET, which can also cause problems through prolonged or excessive use. Some people are sensitive or even allergic to DEET so this must be used carefully. There are other repellents which use natural ingredients and do not contain DEET which are effective.

Some vets have suggested that we use Bug Guard on dogs as well as ourselves. The vet pointed out that not only was it effective in repelling ticks and black flies, but it was safe to use on dogs since none of the ingredients would harm the dog if it licked itself, as dogs are prone to do.

Symptoms and severity of Lyme Disease vary widely in people. Usually, but not always, there is a bulls-eye rash. Fever, headache, fatigue, stiff neck and joint pain are other early warnings. Pets may exhibit a sudden onset of lameness in one or more of the animal’s legs.

As always check with your physician if there is any question. To find out more about Lyme Disease contact the NYS Dept of Health toll free at 1-800458-1158, Madison County Health Dept., or contact the American Lyme Disease Foundation, Mill Pond Offices, 293 Route 100, Somers, NY 10589 or call 1-800-876-LYME.

Lyme Disease is here in Central New York. Ticks are everywhere, including the shady or brushy areas in your own backyard. Understanding the problem and taking precautions are the best way to protect yourself, your family and pets from this serious threat.

SHORT CASTS

Golden Passport Park Program: With the start of summer and people visiting New York State Parks to enjoy the outdoors it worth reminding our readers of the Golden Passport program. If you are a NYS resident 62 or older on any weekday (except holidays) you can obtain free vehicle access to state parks. Simply present your current valid NYS Driver’s License. This policy applies both to Office of Parks and Recreation and DEC facilities.

High Water Closes Boat Launches: The unusually high water levels in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River have caused the state to close, or partially close, many of the boat launches in state parks or access areas. Some of the nearby ones that are closed include Burnham Point, Long Point, North Sandy Pond, Sandy Creek, Mexico Point, Pine Grove, Fair Haven and Kring Point. Some of these may be available for canoe or kayak launching. Others that are partially closed, dependent on wind and weather conditions are Grass Point and Cedar Point. Check the DEC website for the latest on conditions.

Crunch Time for Crossbows: The New York Crossbow Coalition reminds sportsmen that the Legislative Session is scheduled to end on June 21. There are three working weeks to get Senate bill S1386A voted on by the entire Senate and Assembly bill A479A passed through the Assembly EnCon Committee and voted on by the Assembly.

Time is running short and they ask you to help by submitting a support letter for these bills. This is the most effective tool to let legislators and the bill sponsors know how many people support these crossbow bills. Once your letter is submitted, please make the following calls.

Call Senate Majority Leader Flannagan and request a Senate vote on S1386A at 518-455-2071. Call Assemblyman Englebright and request A479A be placed on the Assembly EnCon Committee Agenda at 518455-4804. Call Assembly Speaker Heastie and request action on A479A at 518-455-3791.

If you have any questions about NY Crossbow Coalition and its activities contact them via email at info@nycrossbowcoalition.com.