Ticks are thriving in Wisconsin in 2023. How to protect yourself.

When heading outdoors this summer, you're likely to encounter ticks just waiting to latch on to your skin. It doesn't matter if you're hiking through the woods, or if you're downtown, experts say you still need to watch for these pests.

Ticks are usually most active in Wisconsin from May to November. The state has a variety of ticks, most commonly the Deer tick, which spreads diseases, and the Wood tick, which rarely carries diseases.

Here's how you can protect yourself and your pets this year.

Ticks are thriving in Wisconsin.

The state had some really warm weather this spring in early March, which gave the ticks an early start.

"They're bad this year, but they're bad every year," said Rebecca Osborn, a vectorborne disease epidemiologist.

Reported cases of Lyme disease have more than doubled over the past 15 years. In 2020, Wisconsin had 3,076 estimated cases of Lyme disease, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. However, the CDC estimates the total number of cases is more than 10 times higher than what's reported.

Wisconsin is one of the states reporting the highest number of cases in the country, according DHS.

Typically, ticks live in shady wooded areas and will cling to tall grass and plants. In the past three decades, they've really expanded their range farther into southern parts of the state, including Milwaukee.

You're now more likely to see a tick in Milwaukee than ever before, Osborn said; here's why:

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by deer ticks, which are small in size, and can often go unnoticed. Symptoms typically develop three to 30 days after being bitten by a tick.

The symptoms include:

If you think you might have Lyme disease, contact your help care provider right away. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics.

Make sure to remember that there are multiple different tick-transmitted diseases. If you're experiencing symptoms and could have been exposed to ticks, you could have another disease, such as Anaplasmosis, which has also been found in Wisconsin. For a full list, visit cdc.gov/ticks/diseases.

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Use tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible while gently pulling it up and out. Save the tick in a sealed plastic bag or take a photo of the tick before disposing of it in case you develop symptoms later. You can dispose of a tick by putting it in alcohol or flushing it down the toilet.

Here's what health care providers should consider when assessing a patient for Lyme disease, according to the CDC:

CDC recommends a two-step test for Lyme disease using a blood sample. Both blood tests need to be positive for the disease to be diagnosed.

Most Lyme disease tests work by detecting antibodies made by the body in response to the infection. These antibodies can take several weeks to develop, so you can test negative if you've only been recently infected.

Dogs are especially susceptible to tick bites because they are more likely to run through wooded and grassy areas. Talk to your veterinarian about the best tick prevention products for your pet.

Check your pets regularly for ticks, especially after they spend time outdoors. Be sure to look for ticks around the tail, ears and eyelids, and under the front legs, back legs and between the toes. If you find a tick remove it immediately.