I just wanted to make a quick post today about one possible danger of trail running and the dangers of ticks. It is pretty relevant today because last month my dog picked up a tick, and today she tested positive for Lyme disease.

If you do go out and run trails, please make sure to check yourselves and your furry friends after. Each and every time. Last month we went trail running in Thatcher Park, outside of Albany. I have a sneaking suspicion that is where Audrey most likely picked up her tick. We were fortunate to discover it fairly quickly, I believe only a day or two after, but sadly it was already burrowed in and had done its damage.

If you do go out, please make sure to actually check yourselves, have a buddy or a loved one do it too. It may seem awkward, but it is worth it. Living in the Northeast, we don't have a whole lot of dangerous insects to worry about, but the prevalence of Lyme disease carrying ticks has been increasing steadily. They are also starting to spread in geographic area, now heading outside the Hudson Valley, west into Western New York.

On a side note, if you do have a pet, make sure you know what medications they are on. We accidentally switched Audrey from Frontline and Interceptor to Trifexis, which we found out last month doesn't actually cover ticks. I guess living in WNY, tick protection isn't as promoted, so we thought we were getting something we weren't. Make sure to read the labels!