MAUMEE, Ohio — The warmer weather is back, which means more time spent outside for families. But with that also comes the return of ticks.
The common parasite is a known carrier of things like lyme disease and rocky mountain spotted fever.
If you're going for a run, walking the dog or having a picnic in the park, you may not be worried but ticks could be lurking in high grass and brush.
"They are very common, not all the ticks have Lyme disease," Mercy Health Dr. Deepika Kumaresan said, "but if they do, that's what we're worried about."
Dr. Kumarsen said there's much more awareness for Lyme disease and ticks now than ten years ago. She added it it's being diagnosed more and more people recognize the common bulls-eye rash.
But some people I spoke with at Sidecut Metropark didn't seem too worried despite the growth in cases over the last decade.
"Crossed my mind but never a big concern," Napoleon resident Nick Fruchey said, "we don't go through high-grass areas but other than that, we don't really worry too much about ticks."
Other people like Colleen Lowry visiting from Columbus said she takes some precautions but is never too worried.
"We come back from our hikes, sometimes we'll check ourselves so we don't have any stuck to us or stuck to our clothing," she said, "but I wouldn't say it prevents us from going out."
Others like dog owner Paul Passalacqua say he's constantly checking his dog and himself for ticks and taking precautions.
"No short pants, long pants," he said, "bug spray, and try to avoid like the tall grass."
If caught early, Lyme disease is treatable, but if not, it could cause long term neurological damage.
Dr. Kumarsen said it's also important during this pandemic to consider other things that may be causing symptoms like a tick bite.
"With this coronavirus going on, you might also want to think of other normal things that you usually get during the summer season," she said, "so you don't only think of coronavirus."
Always check yourself and your pets for ticks before going home and don't wait to call your doctor if you start feeling any symptoms or think you were bitten by a tick.