Tick bites!

[barquar]

I get My dogs treated once a month for fleas and ticks. My husband walks them down the woods near us. I found a tick on one of my dogs an since then they get treated.But after all walks you should check your clothing for them. On one of the Nature Programes they did a test to see how many ticks were about and there were quiet a few but cant remmember which programe.
Barquar

[Jez]

Our friendly Hedgehog lover Cazzie has had great success with removing Ticks from hedgehogs by coating the Ticks in Olive oil. I guess this drowns them out?!?

[Vipera]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

You don't say how big or the timescale, but it sounds like an insect bite of some sort, rather than erythema migrans - bulls eye.

EM often takes a few days to develop the bulls eye and does not go down over 24 hours. It is [b]very[b] common for insect bites to go on swelling for up to 48 hours and then subside.
Why people react in a florid way one time and not the next is not known.

The marker pen trick (or measuring with a ruler) is useful to see if increasing over 2+ days as that may be infection (any insect bite can become infected, 99.99% don't).

Very few UK doctors have ever seen Lyme D / EM, so ask you Dr if worried and if the rash does fit then he can always get a 2nd opinion from the Infectous disease consultant. The abscnce of a known tick bite at the sites does not exclude LD.

Ive had the rash for about a week before i went to the doctors, the swelling went down in about 5 days now the whole thing has faded but its left a darker ring on the outer edges and a darker bit in the middle which is a line rather than like a bullseye circle, i have made another appointment for friday and im going to insist on further tests.
even if i do have lymes diseas ive decided i wont stop enjoying the countryside, i am now very cautious of ticks, today i was looking for adders and slow worms and common lizards (found none) but i picked lots of ticks of my clothes, i dont really want to stop going to that site as its my nearest adder location, but its so tick infested.

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by Vipera

Ive had the rash for about a week before i went to the doctors, the swelling went down in about 5 days now the whole thing has faded but its left a darker ring on the outer edges and a darker bit in the middle which is a line rather than like a bullseye circle, i have made another appointment for friday and im going to insist on further tests.
even if i do have lymes diseas ive decided i wont stop enjoying the countryside, i am now very cautious of ticks, today i was looking for adders and slow worms and common lizards (found none) but i picked lots of ticks of my clothes, i dont really want to stop going to that site as its my nearest adder location, but its so tick infested.

Hmm - yes you are right to go back.
BUT
Tests are unreliable and Drs should treat on the clinical picture.

Read the threads on tick bites and Lyme dis on this forum, and print off a leaflet and go well prepared.

[Vipera]

Im happy to say the rash has almost completely faded away, the doctor knew about erythma migrans and said it wasnt it, so i am very releived!
Now I am a bit paranoid about ticks, i think ticks would be a good subject for a horror film!

[Stewy]

I was sat watching the telly last night and looked at my arm and thought one of my moles had gone funny but on further inspection it was a Tick snacking on me for it's supper the cheeky swine!!

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Stewy

I was sat watching the telly last night and looked at my arm and thought one of my moles had gone funny but on further inspection it was a Tick snacking on me for it's supper the cheeky swine!!

It didn't tickle you then Stewy?!

[Stewy]

No, it bit me though!!!

[Jez]

How did you get rid of the little critter?

[Stewy]

Just twisted and pulled it, it was really small and only about the size of a match head so he can't have munched too much of my blood!!!

Maybe I need to go and get topped up!!

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Stewy

Just twisted and pulled it, it was really small and only about the size of a match head so he can't have munched too much of my blood!!!

Maybe I need to go and get topped up!!

what ever next? I can't keep up

[dragonfly]

hya the best way to get a tick is to cover it in vaseline as it breaths through its rear whilst it is embeded on you if you try to pull it out you can leave the head in if you cove r it with vaseline it must come out to breath through its mouth parts thats when you take it off

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by dragonfly

hya the best way to get a tick is to cover it in vaseline as it breaths through its rear whilst it is embeded on you if you try to pull it out you can leave the head in if you cove r it with vaseline it must come out to breath through its mouth parts thats when you take it off

I think we have covered this before. Don't do this, read the thread to find out why.

Quote "If you do find a tick on you or your pet, it is very important to remove it quickly and safely. Experts recommend tick removal tools rather than tweezers unless trained in their use. Never try to remove a tick using chemicals, cigarettes or vaseline as this can cause the tick to regurgitate infection into your blood stream."

[m1.carson]

Originally Posted by Jez

Our friendly Hedgehog lover Cazzie has had great success with removing Ticks from hedgehogs by coating the Ticks in Olive oil. I guess this drowns them out?!?

Hi meta menardi and jez/cazzie,

Have you managed to sort out the best way to remove ticks, or should I say the easiest for the common man, ? one that saves us from rushing out and buying tick tweezers that we won't be able to find the next time.

Max.

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by dragonfly

hya the best way to get a tick is to cover it in vaseline as it breaths through its rear whilst it is embeded on you if you try to pull it out you can leave the head in if you cove r it with vaseline it must come out to breath through its mouth parts thats when you take it off

This has been covered in threads past ad nauseum.
And referenced.

If there is a risk of LIme Disease, then the best way to remove
is with a tick remover or fine toothed tweezers.

Vaseline makes them regurgitate stomach contents
which have been shown to contain some spirochaetes,
though not many, and probably less than they inject
via their proboscis.

If you are not bothered about Lyme dis, because of a
safe area, them I'm sure vaseline will do just fine.

[Jez]

Originally Posted by m1.carson

Hi meta menardi and jez/cazzie,

Have you managed to sort out the best way to remove ticks, or should I say the easiest for the common man, ? one that saves us from rushing out and buying tick tweezers that we won't be able to find the next time.

Max.

Luckily I haven't been ticked off but should I, I'll more than willing to give Cazzie's Hedgehog (olive Oil) Tick remover a go for sure. If it works for them then surely the same goes for us?!?

[rich5x5]

Hi Darwin - Yep the tool for removal is a god (not dog) send. It was so easy to use. You slide the prongs under the head and slowly twist and it rmoves the tick without leaving the head behind. the say that if you follow the instructions there is no chance of leaving it behind.
I will be going back to the vets to get their product, it will assist in stopping the little buggers from landing even.
Well i will post again soon!!!!

thanks all

rich

[mantajohn9]

I always seem to pick up whatever parasites are around. My wife is an expert now at tick removal. We have found that a dab of lavender oil on the tick (I think this freaks it out and makes it loosen it's grip a bit) then grab the little git with a pair of tweezers and twist anticlockwise. They seem to unscrew themselves and pop out. Always leaves me itching for a couple of days. I think the threat of Lymes disease is a bit blown out of proportion in the press. If you get them out in the first couple of days you are fine.

[mantajohn9]

I got it wrong it's tea tree oil. I feel suitably chastised.

[outdoors]

we were on holiday up north, and we done a load of walking through ferns and long grass etc. the midge's were terrible and i found eight ticks on me.. horrible wee ba-----s' ive got the lumps to prove it.. skin so soft doese'nt work take it from me

[Jez]

It does for mantajohn9

Tea tree is the finest antiseptic known to man

Sorry to hear you had 8 bugging you Outdoors!

[Jez]

Should anyone be interested essential care do an organic mosimix containing olive, sunflower, coconut, lemongrass, lavendula, and wild thyme oil.

[leifus]

ticks drive me round the bend. best way is to kill them by puttig vasoline over where they are and then wait for 15 mins before plucking them out with tweesers

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

This has been covered in threads past ad nauseum.
And referenced.

If there is a risk of LIme Disease, then the best way to remove
is with a tick remover or fine toothed tweezers.

Vaseline makes them regurgitate stomach contents
which have been shown to contain some spirochaetes,
though not many, and probably less than they inject
via their proboscis.

If you are not bothered about Lyme dis, because of a
safe area, them I'm sure vaseline will do just fine.

Perhaps just the tweezers Liefus. This is only about 10 posts up.

[Jim Ford]

'Real Men' don't ponce around with tweezers. They take ticks out with the tip of their sheath knife - like taking the eye out of a spud. Make sure you take plenty of meat out with the tick, to make sure you remove any injected spirochetes! Poke a bit of sphagnum moss in the hole to staunch any bleeding.

Jim