With the warmer weather comes a new warning about tick season. It turns out, our harsh winter may actually mean the upcoming tick season will be worse than usual. Researchers said the heavy snow pack acted as a protective blanket for ticks and that will lead to more insects than usual.

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Maine. Communities like Bethel are putting up signs to increase public awareness of the disease. Lyme disease is spread through the bite of an infected deer tick. This year, an estimated 30,000 Americans will be stricken with Lyme disease, not to mention all the dogs and other animals.

They may be tiny, but ticks can pack a wallop if they’re infected with Lyme disease. Those most susceptible to the disease are children under 15, adults over 50, and people with other illnesses which make it hard to fight off infections. In the last five years, doctors and veterinarians have seen an increase in the number of infections. Lyme disease is prevalent in the U.S.

WGME spoke to Dr. Sarah Horn, a veterinarian at Cape Veterinary Clinic in South Portland. She says it’s easy to tell if your dog, horse or other animal may be stricken by the disease. Dr. Horn says symptoms include “Fever, lethargy, pain in their joints, swelling in their joints. They can be lame. I’ve had people had to carry their dogs in. And they’ve got such high fevers.”

It’s important to take steps to prevent Lyme disease. You can try and avoid wooded areas with high grass, where ticks are found. Do a full body check on yourself, children and pets after being outdoors. And carry and use bug spray. Ticks also hate the taste and smell of vinegar. Other natural repellents include lemon juice, citrus oil, peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil.