NORWICH – This may be one of the worst years on record for ticks in the northeast United States and it’s keeping many local veterinarians on their feet as animal clinics take in more and more dogs that are testing positive for Lyme disease.

In June, Pet Street Station Animal Hospital on County Road 32 in Norwich notified dog owners via online social networking sites that it was taking in a growing number of dogs that were testing positive for tick-related illnesses, including Lyme disease, and encouraging pet owners to have their dogs tested and vaccinated for the disease.

“This year’s just been really bad so far. We are definitely seeing a lot more ticks than we use to and have had a lot more Lyme disease tests come back positive,” said Lisa Mullin, licenced veterinary technician at Pet Street Station. One dog taken in, she said, had as many as six ticks pulled from it within a 24-hour period.