ticks

[Archer1977]

I too got a bunch of nymph ticks on me once, forgot to bug spray. Since then been using Sawyers permethrin spray, I always keep some sort of DEET spray in my Jeep for that unexpected trip to the woods, no ticks since.

I always wonder what, if anything, Native americans did to prevent ticks. Ive tried researching, but no luck.

[Tall Paul]

My Mother and Father-both in their 80's- say there weren't any ticks when they were kids. I live on the family farm where my Mom grew up, and she says no one even heard of a tick. Dad grew up hunting and fishing in the next county and says the same. They blame the deer that arrived in the 1960s for introducing ticks to this area.

Ticks have been horrible here since the 1970s.

[DaveT1963]

I usually get one or two tick bites a year despite spraying down.  I've already had two this spring.  Best thing is to have your better half look you over really good, that or use a hand mirror.  Also, ticks love to hang out in your hair, take a shower and wash your hair when you get home.

[DennyK]

David, prayers sent for a full recovery for you. I'm pretty nervous about ticks. I spray everything down with a good dose of permetherin, keep my britches tucked into my boots and give myself a good looking over when I get home. Certainly is nothing to mess with.    Denny

[Trond]

Funny thing about ticks. Up here ticks are a growing problem, and the funny thing is the reason why. They (gunhunters and sheepfarmers) are shooting off all the predators like wolf and lynx, so the population of roedeer has exploded. And roedeer are the main host for ticks. And tick-bourne disease is the main cause of death for sheep during the summer, not the predators they are shooting. I don't get it...

[Ulysseys]

My dog and I both had lymes...rode out a bad fever for a few days before I couldn't take anymore and went to an ER pretty seriously dehydrated....when I was younger we almost never saw a single tick all year, now everywhere I hunt PA to New Jersey they're on me, it's an epidemic.

[SELFBOW19953]

My father told me about the time he had a tick embedded between his shoulder blades and his father had to cut it out-circa 1925 or so, in Florida.  I remember when growing up in Florida, the mid to late 50's, picking ticks off the dogs and dropping them into a jelly jar of kerosene.

[Lady Frost]

Holy cow.  I am supposed to be traveling soon and this is almost enough to scare me off. Very scary stuff.

[LookMomNoSights]

I have been told that all Gods creatures have a reason for livin'.  
The "tick" has me second guessing that one.........    

With all of the 'advancements' in farming practices, they don't have any problems killing off butterflies, honey bees and song birds, but ticks are still untouchable.  There are ticks in local small waterways and farm groves now that never used to have any.  Whatever farmers are using to kill flies on their home places has no effect on ticks.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

At our family farm it seemed like any tick found was reported in the news. They were seldom if never heard of. Now you see them often enough to have to check yourself every time.

It seems here, its not uncommon to find several to dozens.

I use permithrin but have been bit 5 times this year.

One person I spoke with this year said he takes a Garlic pill every day and has not been bit in 5 years. anyone else ever try this?

[Kevin Dill]

I developed Ehrlichiosis from a tick bite in 2009. Until that time I had no real idea of what a tick can do to screw up my life. I live in the country and own a farm, plus being outdoors is a way of life. I simply can't prevent all ticks from getting to me, but I try. Still it seems like I end up removing 6-10 every year which somehow sneak in and get attached. The ones that make me crazy are the very small nymph-stage ticks about the size of a poppy seed. Too small to feel them crawling, and I am very allergic to their bite.

[mzombek]

I read in a backpacking mag. a couple of months ago. if you have a tick imbeded, keep the tick and if symptoms develop, they can anylize to see if the tick was infected with lyme.
What is the brand of the tick repelant that you use?

[Etter]

Google Alpha Gal Allergy.  I got it.  

Would probably rather have Lyme's Disease.

[SELFBOW19953]

Sounds nasty, Etter.

I read somewhere not long ago that because of the increase in animal numbers, ticks are more common/prevalent and that illnesses previously only seen in wild animals are now common in more urban areas.  Notice the number of deer, coyotes, raccoon, even bear in parks and suburban areas, there's the source of your ticks.

[Whitetail Addict]

Originally posted by Jon Stewart:
Just a friendly reminder, they are out and in a bad way in Michigan.  Make sure to wear light clothing and pants tucked into your socks.  wife had two wood ticks on her yesterday.

This morning in church they announced that a friend of ours, daughter, Mary, age 24 died from lymes disease.  What a tragedy and to make matters worse they have another daughter,  age 21 who has C.F and is waiting for a lung transplant.

And we think we have it bad>>

I'm sorry to hear about your friends Daughter Mary, Jon, and her sister as well.  I can't even imagine what it must be like to lose a child. We'll pray for them all.

I think I'll start taking ticks a little more seriously than I have in the past.

Thanks for the heads up Jon, and again, I'm very sorry to hear about your friends and their family.

Bob

[Whitetail Addict]

YORNOC, I hope you, and the others here that are having problems due to bites, are feeling better soon.  

I mentioned above, that I've never really worried much about ticks. I've found very few on me over the years, and none of them had sunk their heads in yet. Time to rethink my attitude towards them, for sure.

Bob

[Toxon]

In MD removed ticks can be sent to the Dept of Agriculture for ID and advice re. associated pathogens.  Although whether this happens within any meaningful time frame I have no idea.

In 30+ years of outdoors life in the UK, including 10 years of medical practice, I saw 2 ticks on dogs, and 1 person with Lyme disease (a police rural surveillance specialist who spent a lot of time lying in hedgerows in a ghillie suit).  The number of ticks I have pulled off my dogs and I since I got here has been a hell of a culture shock.  Tick borne diseases are way more of a pain in my ass studying for the USMLE's than they were in UK med school.

As an aside related to a previous post: Despite silver being used in some wound dressings, the antimicrobial activity of colloidal silver is dubious.  However it is well documented that long term use can leave your skin, and internal organs, with a colour somewhere between Papa Smurf and Dawn of the Living Dead.  As the poster said - see your doctor for definitive treatment.

     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyria    

     http://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Documents/tickid.pdf

[Steve Jr]

I hate tics !!!!!

[KSdan]

Toxon- that purple skin is just gross.      

I wonder what happens to all the hunters who wear that silver clothing and use silver spray. I think I will stick with merino wool and normal gray hair!

Yikes-

Dan in KS