Tick alert!

[goldenrose]

Tis the season for these critters! Our friend's son, a high school senior was on death's door last wekend. He was diagnosed with encephalitis & viral meningitis, was partially paralyzed & lapsing in & out of a coma. Fortunately he was making a miraculous comeback over the next 5 days & was on the verge of being sent home when a Dr. said we really should run a Lyme's test, I know he was questioned about any rash & we looked him over & couldn't find anything but something's not adding up here. Bingo! Positive Lymes! ..... Makes me feel real comfortable crawling around on the ground pulling garlic mustard!

 

[biothanasis]

I hope everything turns out fine!!!!

 

[NYEric]

I hate ticks!

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Glad to hear he's getting better. The rash is not always present with Lyme infections....I've gotten plenty of ticks, even right here in my neighborhood in NYC, but they had always been dog ticks. My last tick was a deer tick, that I got when I was out at my LI place a few years ago. It was engorged when I found it...definitely a deer tick, so I pulled it off, put in a bottle of alcohol, and saw my Dr after work. In just a few hours time it left a bruise the size of a quarter. My Dr told me that this was the beginning of what would turn into the "bull's eye" rash...started me on doxycycline that day. Never got Lyme, while the tick tested positive, I stayed negative thanks to the early treatment...pays to be vigilant, but those ticks can get in hard to find places.....Take care, Eric

 

[Candace]

Son and hubby are on antibiotics right now for tick bites. They volunteered for the annual creek clean up and must have had targets on their backs. I wonder how many of the volunteers got nibbled on.

 

[goldenrose]

... The rash is not always present with Lyme infections....
but they had always been dog ticks.... deer tick.... It was engorged when I found it...definitely a deer tick... In just a few hours time it left a bruise the size of a quarter. My Dr told me that this was the beginning of what would turn into the "bull's eye" rash...started me on doxycycline that day. Never got Lyme, while the tick tested positive, I stayed negative thanks to the early treatment...pays to be vigilant, but those ticks can get in hard to find places.....Take care, Eric

I believe the ticks commonly seen on dogs are considered a wood tick - quite easily visible. It's my understanding that deer ticks (or those that carry/spread Lymes) are quite small barely visible unless engorged. Drs. don't mess around, the risk is too great as Zack found out. The Drs. questioned him about possible exposure but he didn't mention he was riding dirt/mini bikes 2-3 weeks before thru fields & wooded areas with his buddies! :sob: They're not sure if the disease was contributing to his memory lapse or if it was part of being an invincible 17 year old!

 

[John M]

This all makes my skin crawl. Shudder! I get mad when a mosquito bites me....I mean, how dare it try to feed on my body.....expecially while I'm still using it! The thought of getting a tick is just so creepy. I live in the country and have all my life. I've spent thousands of hours down back in the tall grass or walking through the woods and I've never had or seen a tick. They sound horrible!

 

[Clark]

Always found high density linked with briars.

 

[NYEric]

There are paintball field in Long Island [NY] that I avoid because you can see the ticks waiting for you!

 

[goldenrose]

This all makes my skin crawl. Shudder!....... I've spent thousands of hours down back in the tall grass or walking through the woods and I've never had or seen a tick. They sound horrible!

.... are you sure about that? Some are somewhat harmless as compared to others. If it you don't end up with Lymes or a fever, you'd probably not know.

 

[Rick]

I think there must be a lot of individual response to tick bites.

My whole family has been latched onto by ticks for years in both Oklahoma and Tennessee, and with a variety of ticks since we are in woods and fields (not just the ones the dogs bring in). So far no problem for us (or my other woods roving friends and neighbors). But I know some families that never go in the woods and get 1 tick on them, and come down with Lymes.

It's always better to be safe than sorry, use bug repelent in the field, and use a good disinfectant when removing ticks.

 

[John M]

.... are you sure about that? Some are somewhat harmless as compared to others. If it you don't end up with Lymes or a fever, you'd probably not know.

Well, I've never (to my knowledge), seen a tick in the field. I know that I've never found any sort of critter on my skin. Plus, I've had dogs all my life and while they mostly stay in the yard, there's plenty of oportunity for them to pick up ticks; but, I've never found a tick on them either. Most years we don't even get fleas. I haven't seen a flea for about 15 years. There was one summer when they were really bad; but, after that....none, that I know of.

 

[Rick]

Well, I've never (to my knowledge), seen a tick in the field. I know that I've never found any sort of critter on my skin. Plus, I've had dogs all my life and while they mostly stay in the yard, there's plenty of oportunity for them to pick up ticks; but, I've never found a tick on them either. Most years we don't even get fleas. I haven't seen a flea for about 15 years. There was one summer when they were really bad; but, after that....none, that I know of.

Must be the "Land of Snow" effect. Down here they're a fact of life.

I also did some field work in Cental California near San Fracisco. We were tick picking fools after that. Often a new way to "get to know someone".

I can see where chimapazee grooming behavior comes from.oke:

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

What I know as a "dog" tick is probably what you know as a "wood" tick...so many names. While potentially bad, can transmit rocky mountain spotted fever, they don't transmit Lyme. While the deer tick is definitely smaller, they are not that small...the juveniles are the problem, they can be the size of a poppy seed...the one that was on me was about 3mm or so..small, but noticeable. Take care, Eric

 

[Heather]

I went for a walk in the woods a couple weeks ago and found two on my stomach later that day. Still have the bite marks but I think they were the dog tick variety. Just found another crawling across the floor towards the dog this morning in the kitchen. It seems like a bad season this year.

I've had a lot of muscle aches lately but I don't think it's related...home not anyway.

 

[goldenrose]

There are quite a few tick removal tools on the market. I have Tick Twister, which I haven't needed to use, but know others that have & they said it worked great. I also use & give my dogs Bug Off Garlic, which I feel definitely helps. If me & my dogs don't taste or smell good to ticks from the start, so much the better!

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

An ordinary pair of tweezers is perfectly good for removing ticks..just get a good grip and pull.....

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

You can also dump rubbing alcohol on them just like mealys. usually they just fall off or pull of very easily.

 

[NYEric]

I Hate Ticks!!!

 

[tocarmar]

I had one on me about 2 weeks ago, crawling up my hand. It didn't bite yet. It was a deer tick about the size of a pencil eraser. I had a hard time getting it with the tweezers, but when I did I used a lighter to burn it. This will be another bad year for them I don't think the cold weather killed them off, like it used too.

Tom