SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Now that it is warming up, the Indiana Health Commission is warning residents to be on alert for ticks.



When you're outside near trees and wooded areas, it's best to keep your skin covered and to do a tick check after you leave.



Tick bites can spread several illnesses including Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis.

"All three of those probably have a similar type picture with fever and muscle aches, so it's a disease, it's a systemic disease that you are feeling as that bacteria has entered your body through the ticks saliva," said Dr. Anton Crepinsek - E. Blair Warner Family Practice.



Doctors say for the most part a tick bite is harmless, and you can clean it with soap and water, but if you do start feeling sick, immediately see a doctor.



And don't forget your four-legged friends. Dogs, cats and other outdoor animals can get ticks too.