It’s already that time of year! Time to worry about checking yourself, your kids, and your animals for ticks.

I know, it’s a painful thing to admit, but it’s already tick season due to the warm weather and rain. This type of weather pattern is the perfect formula for ticks to start spreading through the outdoors, and finding their way onto us.

Just this past weekend I ran into one while out at Essex Park enjoying the amazing weather with my girlfriend. I’ll admit, it took me a moment to figure out what it was, both because I thought it was too early in the year for them, and also because I have not seen one since 2004. A week prior I had been warned about them by a friend who said that they were constantly picking them off their dog, which I laughed off thinking it was way too early.

Ticks can be annoying on their own, since they suck your blood and burrow into your skin which are both unsettling. However, ticks can also carry various diseases, depending on what part of the country you are in. Here in Minnesota, the diseases we have to worry about the most are Lyme Disease, and the new Powassan virus.

So when you are out enjoying the weather, make sure to check thoroughly for ticks, and if you find one, here is a great way to remove ticks without leaving any remains on OR in you.

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