Your good health ticking away

It's not just our friends in warm climates that need to worry about ticks right now. Even if it's cold and snowy where you are - in fact snow acts as a blanket allowing ticks to survive the cold - you should protect yourself from tick bites. 

Ticks are the main cause of Lyme disease, which is dangerous enough in itself. But that's not the only thing you can get from ticks.

Whereas ticks love dogs, they don't bother cats much yet. However, keep in mind that you can catch cat scratch fever (technically known as benign lymphoreticulosis) from ticks.

Cat scratch fever ranges in seriousness and severity. It begins with swollen lymph nodes in the neck, which appear about two weeks after infection. The swollen glands progress into a fever and flu-like symptoms, including weakness, nausea, chills, loss of appetite, and headache. While these symptoms usually go away on their own, they can lead to further complications such as tonsilitis, encephalitis, hepatitis, and pneumonia.

Be especially careful in wooded areas where you know deer roam. Don't think you're safe just because you are all covered up. A member of my staff contracted a tick while in the woods cutting down his Christmas tree.

If you do find a tick, remove it carefully with tweezers and apply some iodine.  If a rash develops, contact your physician.