Lyme Disease and/or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever!

[NDTerminator]

We have plenty of ticks in ND, fortunately we don't have Lymes Disease (yet).

If you live in the country and can have free ranging poultry, the best tick control you can get are Guinea Hens, bar none!

When we first moved out to our place, the ticks were horrible.  We heard about Guineas and got a dozen and just let them range.  Within 2 months we noticed a significant drop in the ticks on our animals and us.

We've now had Guineas out here for 9 years, and for the last 4-5, finding a tick on us or or cats-dogs is almost unheard of.  So far this year we have had a grand total of 2(!!!) ticks on our cats, none on our dogs, none on us.

We've found 18-24 birds keep our 4 acres plus quite an area around tick-free.  The Guineas start before dawn and range out around a 200 yard diameter or so around our house, eating every tick & bug they find. We just keep water out for them, other than that they are semi-wild.  They roost in the trees or on top of the bird pens at night.  In the winter we herd them into an inside pen.

Not only are they great for tick control, they make a fine meal....

[jon]

Guys,

I am in my fourth year of a battle with lyme. Had it for 8 years before it hit me hard. The doctor I went to when I got bit (and had the rash) poopooed me as overreacting when the western blot test came back negative. I asked him for antibiotics and he talked me out of it. To date, I have lost a business, spent over $120,000 out of pocket, and been through hell several times. In 2005, my wife was told I would not make it to the end of the week. By the grace of God, I am still here. I would take the doc to task for his mistake but Florida has a 4 year limit on missed diagnosis by doctors. I still get a weekly IV and still have a lot of mental/cognitive issues left from the lyme. I also have damage to the anterior wall of my heart that no one can tell me if it will heal. Bottom line, don't believe doctors; they don't know anything about lyme. Insist on antibiotics with any suspected bite. 30 days of Doxicycline will kill it if caught in the first 60 days. Symtoms can disapear for years while the bacteria quietly builds up its numbers and then come out and attack hard. Good luck and hunt safe.

Jon

[Shawn Leonard]

There is a proof positive test for Lyme Disease and that is to draw a small amount of spinal fluid and have it tested. It is very, very accurate but it is also usually a last resort. jon is correct but doxicycline will work after that as is my case because it got  what seems 99% of it the first time. Shawn