Blood Sucking Monsters
Posted: Tuesday, 12 July 2005 |
Comments
The list of methods could well turn out to be very long and perhaps like ways of dealing with midges it's whatever works for you. Going of at a tangent, and with a do n't try this at home on yourself warning we got a little plastic hook from the vets that pulls them out of the dog. Nothing subtle it simply pulls them off but it does pull all of them out. This year we're trying a treatment for him "Frontline" seems to work, its applied monthly and ticks die and fall off within an hour or so of him being bitten but like everything from the vets it costs.
John from Jura
Vaseline makes them vomit back into raising the chances of limes disease. Just unscrew them anti-clockwise. The vet doesn't like humans turning up as he's not supposed to treat them, legal thingy so if you can't get it to budge do go to the doc's
Kate from Arran
Vaseline works because it blocks their airway. Vomiting ticks? Give us a break! If the tick has Lyme's disease, you got it when it bit you. just get the damn thing out.
Gerry from Glasgow
I'm a tick magnet too. Have spent lots of years in Jura and Islay, been bitten by many ticks and haven't had Lyme's, although it's about. Just pull ticks off carefully, maybe with tweezers so that it comes off whole, as if the stinger is left in it itches for ever so long. Often enough you'll scratch them off before you even see them on you.
Susan from Islay
Simple advice, don't wear shorts,short-sleeved shirts..or stay away from the bracken, bogs, mires, sheep, cattle....thats what i would do when i'm fencing, to cover up exposed skin, even in extreme heat/rain. Hope it helps a bit.
Dudebhoy from From Mull
The "transmission" of Lyme's disease takes a while after the bite, so get it out as soon as possible. Everything that chokes them makes the tick empty its stomach (or whatever you call it with these things), so no glue, vaseline etc and no twisting or turning clock-or anti-clockwise - they aren't screwed in! Just get your pinchers or a special one (from the vet's or a good pharmacy - not necessary but makes it easier as you can concentrate on one motion), and pull it out straight & quick. You only need to go to the doctor if a red area develops around the bite, or/and you develop mild flu symptoms.
Karen from Edinburgh
I am a clinical nutritionist in new hampshire. What I use here is one drop of tea tree oil placed where the head enters. The tick will back right out!!!!
michael beauchamp from mikebeauchamp-15@msn.com
The way to get rid of a tick is to use a device from the vet, it works on dogs so it should work on you. You could also try tickling it off, seriously, rub the tick with your finger tip in an anti clockwise motion then do the same clockwise do this a few times and it gets pi**ed off and lets go, all you then need to do is crack it between two bits of paper. Enjoy.
sawdoc from the rinns
Use the small tweezers found on knives prefered by gentry of a small Alpine country( no names no pack drill). It does actually help to give them a wee twist, this breaks the allignment of the "pincers" therefore making it easier to pull out. If you develope a bulls-eye like rash, you will need anti-biotic treatment. Otherwise just keep eating your five portions a day. At work we remove vast numbers of the wee blighters every week and at one venue I removed 37 without loss. The New Forest Authority have an excellent info sheet in pdf format to download if you need it.
Scottish Soldier from Mull
Thanks! Can you send the PDF to info@arranartstore.com?
Sunny from Arran
Lyme desease was first discovered in Lyme, Connecticut and is carried by the deer tick, which is much smaller than the other types, which we find mostly here. Using tweezers , firmly grip the tick, making sure you have the head too, as that is what can give a lot of grief . Friends who have been infected with Lyme disease have suffered the severe symptoms for many months before getting relief. Vaccines have thus far not been affective, so Karen from Edinburgh made a lot of sense, plus using an effective repellent ( I don't know of a water-proof one for swimming, though), and suitable clothing is the wisest course. Good luck!
Doreen from Dover, Delaware, USA
They are deer ticks, it's been so hot that the deer are coming down off the mountains. Really don't fancy lymes disease, yuck!
Sunny from Arran
You'd be lucky if you don't get Lyme disease after having so many tick bites. I was bitten 30 miles south of London, just ONE bite. Became ill a year later with severe symptoms, never knew it was related to Lyme disease. I finally got my diagnosis 2 months ago - but I sufferered for 3 years with a misdiagnosis of "M.E". It took 12 months for me to develop symptoms so I strongly suggest if you ever get bitten just go on antibiotics straight away, don't wait for symptoms!
Chris from UK
I picked up a tick just below my knee while climbing Ben Cruachan (Argyll). The start and end of the walk goes right through woodland and bracken - prime tick territory apparently. I came across a good summary of the disease at http://www.singletrackworld.co.uk/article.php?sid=1693. I managed to remove mine using just tweezers, although I don't know how long it'd been there, possibly more than 24 hours. I'm waiting to see if a rash develops and then I'll go to my GP.
Tony from East Lothian
I pick wild mushrooms and often get bitten by dear ticks. I keep a special tool for removing them in the land rover. It looks like a tiny click-top pen with tiny tweezers with a small notch cut in them - you just push down on the button, release to clamp on the tick, twist and remove. Make sure you check yourself often, they like to hide in the arm pits and the back of the legs.
TImR from Ballindalloch
Well..good site! and Happy New Year! )))
Goodman
Ticks are becoming an increasing problem in Britain in general. Two members of my family have been badly affected by ticks. Some years ago, my father, who was a gamekeeper at the time, became very ill for no apparent reason. He became very weak and developed, fever and sickness for some time - before an old lady form a nearby farm heard about him and arrived at his home. She examined him and found a " Deer Tick" embedded in his groin. My brother Dougie was working in a ditch at the side of a moorland road. Sheep and deer frequented this particular area. The following day he felt sick and stayed off work. It would be almost six months and several misdiagnosis before Lyme Disease and the related suggestion that he had been bitten by a disease carrying tick from a Deer or a sheep. In my brothers case he suffered lyme arthritis as a result and had to endure terrible crippling pains when walking and associated joint pain as well. When walking through areas of moorland, bracken, marsh or long grass, wear clothing that reduces your chance of attracting these creatures. Shorts and short sleeved shirts may look good during the summer months but you could be laid up over the winter with Lyme Disease as a result. Avoid and deter
Robert Hogg from Stranraer
I was on holiday in Muck 3 weeks ago and got bitten by a tick - I was wearing clothes that covered me but it still got me.I didn't get it all out with tweezers - some ofthe end was left in. It has now gone red.I got antibiotics today but haven't started them yet because they are so strong they say you are better to take in morning standing up. They are for 2 weeks -anyone know if this will definately clear lymes if I have it. And how do you know if you really do have it? Thanks for any replies.
Susie Wilson from Edinburgh
Have heard that Lyme's disease is only prevalent in ticks in certain parts of the country - not everywhere. Their large numbers now, are due to the reduction in sheep dipping which used to get rid of them.
Joani from edinburgh
Theres only one thing i hate more than midges... Ticks.... Every time i go camping i get bitten by these blood sucking critters. I hate them. I just pull them out with snips or anythin else that works. Never had a rash but in some cases that never develops. I suggest killing them on sight. Today i was out in the woods when i discovered 4 ticks on my hand. I dont believe long clothing is that good, because i still got them, and sometimes in the most embarrasing places!!
DOC from Forres, Scotland
I recently was diagnosed with Lyme's disease due to a bull's eye rash that developed. The antibiotic of choice for human or animal is doxycycline. I thought I caught it very early but after 3 weeks on medicine, I still have rash and am very tired. I heard that if we had more chickens around our homes, we would have less ticks. Also, the regular dog tick does not carry Lyme's, only the deer tick. It is a very, very small tick, difficult to see. We use a tick twister to remove ticks here. It is like a mini crowbar that you slide between your skin and the tick then you twist and it comes right out, head and all. So easy and it really works. Use bug repellant with DEET. Wear long sleeve and long pants, light colored so you can see them better. Good luck to you all.
Terry from Framingham, Massachusetts
Deer ticks are very small and I have never, thank God, got bit by one: insect repellent w/ lots of DEET is the thing to keep them off. But I grew up spending all my time in the woods & fields around Lake Cochituate, and we always removed normal ticks by holding a lit cigarette to their evil behinds. The main thing is to get them off without leaving their fangs inside you.
Horatio Monaghan from Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
I was bitten in August by something that left a purple mark about the size of a 20 p piece on the back of my leg whilst on a camping/ fishing holiday at Lochearn.. I started to get constant headaches 2 weeks later. At the time the headaches and bite weren't connected by me nor the doc. The bite area started to spread out and the headaches continued. After all other tests thyroid, eye test, blood pressure, infection markers etc. The doc looked at the bite site and had the eureka moment 5 weeks after the bite. As soon as she told me it could be lymes disease and explained the symptoms I knew I had it. I was tested and the first result came back negative. The doctor then started quizzing me about how much alchohol I was drinking and started to point the finger at that. I insisted on a second test and started the anti biotics which i basically demanded. 3 weeks later and after taking anti biotic for 2 weeks. My result came back positive. I live in an area where there are few ticks and as a result the local docs aren't as aware of this condition. I have had a further 2 courses of anti biotics and am now feeling better 4 months after the bite.
Ian from Stonehouse
Arran ExPat wandering the world, residing in Cyprus for now with the odd visit home.
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