Keeping Ticks Away! (1 Viewer)

I believe your vet will be able to provide an anti-flea medication that IIRC also should work for ticks (something to drip in the neck of the dog). They will probably also recommend an vaccine that should protect against 2/3 of the infections.

Niels

njlarsen said:

I believe this is put too strongly. I have had 50 ticks crawl all over me (I counted them!) and 200 more on the dog, but I did not get Lyme because you have a 18-24 hour window. If you get the tick off during that period with pincers you should be fairly safe, it takes a while for the bacteria inside the tick to multiply and get injected. If you are with a partner, make sure you both do the shower thing ass soon as you return to home and check each other out afterwards.

It is much better to protect yourself from getting the ticks in the first place as said several times in this thread, and some of the repellent stuff actually works, and I would call that a defense as well.

I do not think the speculation of ticks surviving for long times in a car is accurate (at least not to my experience): either the tick will be killed from being dehydrated by the AC, or it will be killed by very high temps next time the car spends several hours under the sun.

Niels

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Sorry Niels,

You must be adept at the pincers!

A warning to all. If this method is tried, you have to be very careful. By removing it in this way there is a danger in squeezing the Tick's gut contents into your blood stream like an injection of Lyme.

Please everyone, evaluate the information available out there.

Check it out carefully, and keep in touch with your doctor, at the first suspiscion that a tick-bite you've had, has caused odd rashes, or similar problems.

Lyme treatment is best when caught early. To leave it too late, is too late.

Not scare-mongering. Just educating.

As I stated before my partner proved positive for Lyme. And was treated. But it was late.

She has complained of recurring symptoms recently.

Niels, promoting the fact that you had 50 Ticks on you? 200 on the dog?
Saying that they cannot hide near their intended victim for any length of time in hot sun, or similar harsh conditions?

They've evolved to do this!

Smacks of careless propaganda!

And extreme carelessness on the part of yourself!

Sorry. But I need to say this.

I don't want anyone to be scared. Just cautious, and very mindful.

Very glad this thread is still going, now the Spring has arrived!

Be prepared, is my only advice!

Phil,
I most certainly agree that Lyme disease should be taken very seriously, but not to the extent of staying home and only go birding when there is snow on the ground.

Also: should you have a tick bite you, and especially if a possible bite site becomes the site of a circular rash, then it is imperative that you seek out medical attention immediately and get prophylactic antibiotics! We also agree on that!

Specifically: the reason to use the pincers is to avoid squeezing the body of the tick and thereby doing what you describe, i.e., emptying its gut out through its mouth. That is what typically happens when you try removing the tick using your nails.

Ticks have not evolved to survive inside cars, they only had about 50 years of exposure to those. After the incidence I described, we found dessicated ticks inside our car; that never happens to a tick in the environment it is adapted to.

Apart from that, I think we have to agree to disagree: I felt your previous post had a dooms-day prophet kind of feel to it, and you feel I went into the opposite extreme even though I felt I tried to be more balanced.

Niels

Niels,

Sorry, but my partner was diagnosed with the disease. So, hence my serious tone. She suffered greatly with all the symptoms, and had full treatment. But, for months, it was not a good situation. And it messed up her life for a long time.

I don't advocate staying at home. Just being very careful.

Just had my first baby tick. So small. In removing it, the head remained embedded. At this point, the young ones are are so tiny. as to resemble an eigth of a rice grain. Or less. They are just as dangerous, as they carry their mother's payload.

2 days later. I now have a raised swelling and a red area surrounding it, which itches.
Quite common in my experience, but still a bit worrying.

I just want Forum readers to be mindful out there this season. And check themselves, and wash their clothes in the hot-cycle, before they wear them again.

Seasick Steve advocates wearing socks up to your knees. Valuable advice. By the time you get home, they'll be mid-sock before they are laundered!

Oh! And the pincer/tweezer extraction should be aimed at the head, where it meets the body.

They are classified as Arachnids, having a 2 part body. If you pinch below the "entry site" the danger of "backwash" is probable. Also one can infect oneself by "popping" one and reintroducing liquid residue back to yourself. (Proven medically.)

At this time of year, IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, the babies are like grains of salt, and cannot be removed by pincers....at all!

Cold cream, butter, or similar over them may restrict their ability to breathe, and, then, let go.

Whilst gently rolling them, of course!

Phil,
Baby ticks are just as likely to be infected as adults so do get yourself tested. The ring rash does not always occur.
The butter or vaseline treatment to prevent them from breathing is a myth. Ticks can go for a very long time (weeks) before needing fresh air.
Tweezers are still the best tool for removing ticks, even babies, but a large magnifying glass can be very helpful. That may take a third hand, so be glad you have an understanding partner. Fine point tweezers are the best design for this purpose. Note that many so called tick tweezers are designed to take out the large dog tick. They are useless for removing the tiny deer tick babies.

phil baber said:

Niels,

Sorry, but my partner was diagnosed with the disease. So, hence my serious tone. She suffered greatly with all the symptoms, and had full treatment. But, for months, it was not a good situation. And it messed up her life for a long time.

I don't advocate staying at home. Just being very careful.

Just had my first baby tick. So small. In removing it, the head remained embedded. At this point, the young ones are are so tiny. as to resemble an eigth of a rice grain. Or less. They are just as dangerous, as they carry their mother's payload.

2 days later. I now have a raised swelling and a red area surrounding it, which itches.
Quite common in my experience, but still a bit worrying.

I just want Forum readers to be mindful out there this season. And check themselves, and wash their clothes in the hot-cycle, before they wear them again.

Seasick Steve advocates wearing socks up to your knees. Valuable advice. By the time you get home, they'll be mid-sock before they are laundered!

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Cheers Phil,
I once asked a physician if I should get tested for spirochaetes after an incident similar to the one you describe (swelling and redness after a bite). He said no, and gave me antibiotics right away, and I propose you go to yours asking for the same.

Apart from that B for your last message!

Niels

If one is tested too soon after the bite a false negative is possible. Best plan is prevention. Permethrin works great. Tucking pants into socks or using gaitors prevents them from crawling up the leg. I have found them in the truck days later. Lyme can be nasty stuff. I have a friend that was on intravenous antibiotic daily for a month because of it.