Ticks are out in droves this year. We have already had three instances with this pesky little (fill in the blank - explicit language) and I am not sure what else to do.
IMAGE CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
Earlier this year a Detroit newspaper reported that Lyme Disease
was on the rise. Well, I have to say, the tick invasion is still running rampant.
The dog had one after we went on a five-mile hike through the local 900-acres state land and game area a couple of months ago. I found one on my leg after working in the garden a couple of days later and just last night, I had to get one off my husband's back. He hadn't even walked off the front deck ALL day. So, where in the world are they all coming from?
Two months ago I took my baby girl (the dog) to the vet for her yearly check up and vaccinations, and the veterinarian informed me that the tick infestation in our county was horrible this year. Just look at the changes and increase of reported and confirmed tick and Lyme Disease encounters in the chart below.
Photo: Martha Thierry, Detroit Free Press
Our state website has some great information that I thought I'd share with you. It is basic prevention measures to take, but it never hurts for the reminder.
Quoting the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website
Prompt diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics can cure the infection and prevent later complications in both humans and domestic animals. Treatment during later stages of the disease often requires more intensive antibiotic therapy.
While there is no sure way to completely eliminate the chance of contracting Lyme disease, there are several specific preventative measures one can take:
- Wear long pants tucked into boots or socks and wear long-sleeved shirts buttoned at the cuff.
- Use tick repellents containing 0.5% permethrin or mosquito repellents containing 30% DEET.
- Examine clothing, skin and pets for ticks and remove them promptly."
On the dog we use your traditional liquid application of medicine (Advantix), but while at the vet's office she mentioned a new one that's available and she commends it highly for being better to repel the little critters. Here's the link in case anyone is interested in checking it out. I know I am definitely considering trying it.
OK, aside from me... who else has read this post and is itchy now?
It has been several years back since I was bit by a tick and it made me sick. I had a rash and the doctor said it looked like lyme disease. Not long after the antibiotics were gone I developed aother funny rash and arthritis. Been sick ever since. I hate ticks
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Oh, how awful for you!
I can't imagine what you're going through.
Ticks kind of freak me out. I usually only see one a year but already have seen three, and the year's only half over.
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I have been hearing a lot about oil of wild oregano, lately. There are a lot of people claiming it fights Lyme disease. It may be something worth looking into.
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Thank you for sharing. Ill look into it for sure.
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Wild oregano? Hmmm, I will have to research that. I'm not thrilled with using chemicals at all, but for safety and health for my gal, I have been. Thanks for sharing!
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I found a deer tick on me in June, I picked it off and didn't think much more about it. I've had lots of ticks on me in the past from spending time in the woods, so this one didn't bother me. 2 days later I was feeling sick. I went to the walk in clinic at the local V.A. hospital and told them about it, and they gave me the current antibiotic treatment for Lymes. Better to be safe than sorry.
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Oh no! How are you feeling now after taking the antibiotics?
Just an anxious feeling knowing he had one on his back and it had started to burrow in. I know it can take a few hours before their heads are buried in skin and then can cause issues, but after reading the article I am on 'red flag' alert here.
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The antibiotics did the job. It was 1 big dose instead of several pills. After 2 days, I was feeling normal again.
My problem is that I didn't know how long the tick had been on me, probably all day. If you find them before they dig into your skin, it's not a problem. I usually always feel the regular ticks crawling on me, this one was so small that I never felt it.
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I hate ticks! I got into some seed ticks a couple of weeks ago. It was kinda disgusting.
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ICK! It is amazing. I am 48 and until this year, I have NEVER even seen a tick. Now... BAMM! Three within a couple of weeks.
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Ugh! In New England, ticks and poison ivy are the two great natural menaces.
Did the vet tell you about the different species of tick? The larger dog ticks don't carry lyme, while the smaller deer ticks are really worth checking for. And you also want to be on the lookout for the "bulls-eye" rash - a dramatic red ring with a pale center.
Be careful and make sure you get a course of antibiotics if you suspect you might have a bite. Lyme disease is nothing to mess with!
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Yes she did. She mentioned the normal ones- deer tick, dog tick and something called a black _______. I can't recall the name right now. We have antibiotics on hand all the time and I keep looking at my hubby's back. I am on edge waiting to see if he develops symptoms. Told him, maybe go see DR just in case.
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