ticks

[blackdown]

Does anyone know why ticks are now carrying Lyme Disease which was previously rare and scarcely heard of, and now appears to have reached epidemic proportions?

[Fourwings]

Originally Posted by blackdown

Does anyone know why ticks are now carrying Lyme Disease which was previously rare and scarcely heard of, and now appears to have reached epidemic proportions?

Ticks have always carried Lyme disease, it was more a case of it being either mis-diagnosed or completely over-looked in the past, it's only recent work and publicity that has focused attention on it more.
GP's and hospitals have always been aware of Lymes disease and how to diagnose/treat it in the areas where the disease is more common.

It is far from being an epidemic though, the disease is far more common in some areas than others ie.. The New Forest, Thetford chase/forest & the Inverness area of the Scottish Highlands, areas where Deer frequent are always most at risk as the Deer tick is the main host of Lymes.
It does exist in other areas but it is far from common so people should not be put off from venturing into wild areas, just take sensible precautions when out in long grass/braken etc...
wear good sensible foot wear, long trousers not shorts and always check yourself for ticks when you return home, they are not always easy to see and have a nasty habit of heading for some quite personal areas of the body, so remember to check yourself thoroughly.

The main thing is not to worry, if the areas that you are visiting do not contain Deer and you take the simple precautions above then the risk of getting a tick bite and contracting Lymes is absolutely minimal.

[nightshade]

I get quite paranoid about Ticks,I wear gaiters with long trousers
and long sleeved shirts (button up) where there are Deer,Bracken,
long grass.
The only ticks I ever had a problem with though were on a rugby field
that had been grazed by sheep only an hour beforehand
Downloads - Bada-uk

[Wild Times]

I heard, that a study of countryside workers(gamekeepers,beaters etc), back in the 80s, showed that over 60% of the had been exposed to lymes disease at somepoint in the past but had remained, up until that point, largely unaffected by any symptoms.

I was tested about 7 years ago for Lymes disease, but the results were inconclusive.
Not sure what that means but it was only about 4 yrs after having had symptoms that could have been related .

I think Lymes disease has always been there, but now more people are inclined to be in places they are likely to pick the ticks up.

Please remember never to burn or rub cream etc over any ticks you find attached as it encourages them to empty the contents of their stomachs (straight into you) I believe that the risk of infection is very low if you remove any ticks carefully within a few hours of them having latched on.

[Fourwings]

Whilst we are on the subject of tick removal I'd like to highly recommend this product, it's a tick removal hook called 'O TOM' and if you are unlucky enough to find that you have become host to a tick or two this really is the best way of removing them in a safe way.
It's really made for the removal of ticks from pets but is equally effective on humans, and most importantly it removes the tick cleanly and painlessly, and as it leaves no parts of the tick behind or puts any pressure on the tick, the chance of infection is absolutely minimal.

A link to this product and where it can be obtained is below.

Great Deals on Flea & Tick Protection at Zooplus: O'Tom Tick Hook

[blackdown]

It is very useful to learn that there is a tick removal tool. One of our family has contracted Lyme disease in an deer habitat. When I asked my Dr if I could be tested he seemed unaware of the possibility of actually becoming infected. Blackdown

[nightshade]

I bought my tick removal tool from the local vetinary surgery
it consists of two green plastic levers with vee-slots to unwind
the ticks head/mouthparts
There are several on the market only two of which get good
recommendations

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by blackdown

It is very useful to learn that there is a tick removal tool. One of our family has contracted Lyme disease in an deer habitat. When I asked my Dr if I could be tested he seemed unaware of the possibility of actually becoming infected. Blackdown

Testing for Lyme disease is a problematic area.

The tests are not "yes / no" even in a a patient with
obvious lyme disease (i.e. the classic rash). The tests
take time to become positive and, as posted above,
many people then have positive tests for years even
if no apparent disease was, or is, ever apparent.

Treatment is also problematic - which anti-biotic and
for how long and in what dose?

In UK no one would treat on the basis of a positive
test alone in the absence of some symptoms - so there
is little point in "routine testing".
(The USA is different - MUCH more common, and different
strains, so be careful not to extrapolate USA advice to
the UK)

Then there is chronic Lyme Disease - another problematic
area - the science is unclear and lots of varied and
strongly held views are to be found on the net.

[demicav]

Ticks give me the creeps.

[blackdown]

We have lived alongside ticks for many years and have experienced daily close encounters during the tick season - it is only recently that we have been made aware that they are a hazard.

[nightshade]

The Quantocks are having a bumper tick year,the mild weather means their numbers have not reduced and they are HUNGRY

[Kayleigh]

I have removed 4 ticks from my dog in the last two weeks. Its time for more frontline. I have a V shaped steel tick remover that works really well. I have to check the head has been removed as well then, kill the tick before it attaches to someone els. Horrid little things.

[IanS]

I was in a local wood recently photographing early purple orchids and happened to look at my arm where one of the little blighters was merrily wandering upwards! Needless to say he didnt say there for long!

[overgrownbramble]

Just read this thread, and I itch now ! eeeuuuw

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by nightshade

The Quantocks are having a bumper tick year,the mild weather means their numbers have not reduced and they are HUNGRY

Saw this on local news, numbers are up by loads and 1 in 4 carry Lymes disease. Judging by the symptoms; confusion, lack of energy etc I've been suffering for years

[rlchew]

Some interesting information and advice here ....

Warning as tick diseases on rise

Richard

[creepycrawly]

Our dog always picks up loads of ticks and we always struggle to remove them as she would never keep still. An expensive trip to the vet used to be our only option until we searched on the internet and found the tick remover lasso!

This device is so good it only takes seconds to remove the tick and it has worked every time so far (4 ticks so far - one of which was tiny). The manufacturer also claims it can be used on humans but luckily we haven't tried that yet!

Have a search on ebay, that is where we bought ours, or alternatively there is a UK distributor Tick Remover - Trix Tick Lasso Remover - UK Distributor - Tick Removal

The device you need is the Trix product with a green tip. A friend bought a cheap chinese copy and it was as good as useless!

[Dogghound]

It sounds disgusting but i have picked up a fair few ticks over the years in deer areas, never had a problem, think im just a tick magnet lol.

[werdnal]

Just found this post searching for info on Lyme. My cat suddenly became ill last week. He's been on treatment for thyroid problems for month or so and was doing well. Suddenly he stopped eating anything and is sleeping all the time. Vet thought it was bad reaction to his medication. He's been in every day this week on a drip to keep him hydrated, but she says by Friday we must make a decision if we are making any progress.

Suddenly remembered this evening he had a tick on him recently. I didn't notice it at first, thinking he'd been fighting as it was beside his nose - a usual spot for a scratch! By the time I realised what it was must have been on him for several days. Treated him with Frontline and 2 days later it was drowsy enough to take it off. Just looked up symptoms of Lyme in cats and they include lethargy and loss of appetite. Apparently ticks associated with deer carry the most risk, and we have a couple of Roe who moved into our area earlier this year and he goes rabbit hunting in the field they have been seen in.

I may be clutching at straws, but will ring vet tomorrow with my latest theory. Keep your fingers crossed I might just be on to something. Anyone know how common Lyme is in Cornwall or have any experience of animals contracting it?