Tick Alert: Unusual Spike in Numbers After Wet Winter.

California vets are warning pet owners about an unusual spike in the number of ticks due to an extremely wet winter. Signs of Lyme disease in pets can take two to five months to appear, including joint pain or a change in behavior. Experts advise avoiding brush and tall grass when going on walks and using tweezers to pull out ticks slowly without twisting. An annual test for heartworm at the vet's office also checks for the three most common tick-borne diseases.