General Chat

Have already pm'd this to Janet but thought I'd put it here as well, in case anybody else needs information.

www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk

Julia

Thanks Sue -brilliant information,hubby takes garlic capsules every day for heart problem and never has a problem with ticks and 'squasmitos'-
Thanks again x

I'm always willing to give natural remedies try, far nicer than chemicals anyway. My daughter used to have something simiar to one of the recipes for the horses when she used to ride and I did try it out on the cats once, (vet assured me it was completely harmless) it did work pretty well, but they were pretty disgusted at being rubbed with the oily stuff - lots of frantic washing - lol

Definitely worth trying I'd have thought.

I find essential oils very useful and effective.

Sue

The briarwoodpups one is brilliant - I have saved it to favorites, thanks again.

Thanks Sue.

http://briarwoodpups.blogspot.com/2008/05/recipe-for-natural-flea-and-tick.html

Sue

Here's a herbal repellant perhaps worth trying

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/tick-repellant.html

Sue

No he's short-haired.

As for protecting ourselves - there is a vaccination for dogs against Lyme Borreliose - not for humans - strange.

There are various repellents here, most of them are mosquito repellents too, I do use them when I'm gardening but have still been bitten twice.

and

http://www.nontix.co.uk/

Sue

this might help

http://www.tickfree.co.uk/disease_prevention/en/index.shtml

Sue

Julia-I think that's cos the frontline is working that you see the ticks -they are almost dead ,a long haired cat is he?
But how can we protect ourselves ?

Me in Cyprus- yes we do frontline them - works for the fleas, not for the ticks- in fact one of the cats seems to attract more when he's just been done!

lying in the long grass looking up at the blue sky on a summers day no longer has the same appeal since I started this thread - but thanks to everyone who has responded

Julia-do you not frontline the cats & dog? Just a simple liquid on the back of their head which will kill all ticks and fleas ---cheaper online than at the local vet obviously,-but there is none for humans just yet!!!!

Three of the diseases that can be caught from a tick bite in Britain are, Lyme borreliosis, Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis. Globally, the list of diseases is much longer.

Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis [bore-EL-ee-OH-sis] is caused by bacteria called Borrelia. Early symptoms can develop within weeks. They may include tiredness, chills, fever, headache, muscle and/or joint pain, swollen lymph glands and blurred vision. A characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans may appear. It is generally a circular rash that may clear in the centre, resulting in a "Bull's eye" appearance. It can expand and move around the body.

If early symptoms are not recognised, serious complications can develop weeks, months, or even years later. Later stage symptoms include arthritis in the large joints, which can recur over many years. Nervous system problems are common, e.g. numbness, meningitis (with fever, stiff neck and severe headache), Bell’s palsy (paralysis of the facial muscles) and memory problems. Some people experience irregularities of the heart rhythm.

Lyme disease should be diagnosed by a physical examination and medical history. This clinical diagnosis may in some cases be supported by laboratory testing. Diagnosis based on tests alone is not reliable – a negative result does not mean that the disease is not present. Symptoms can mimic those of other diseases. Diagnosis is easiest when there is a skin rash but this occurs in under 50% of patients.

Babesiosis [bab-EE-see-OH-sis] is caused by the Babesia parasite, an organism similar to that causing malaria. This attacks the red blood cells and its existence can only be shown by laboratory identification of the parasite. Symptoms, if any, begin with tiredness, loss of appetite and a general ill feeling. In severe cases, as the infection progresses, fever, drenching sweats, muscle aches and headache can follow, leading to complications such as very low blood pressure, liver problems, severe haemolytic anaemia (a breakdown of red blood cells) and kidney failure. Other cases usually have a milder illness and often get better on their own. The symptoms can take from 1 to 12 months after the tick bite to appear and can last from several days to several months.

Ehrlichiosis [air-LICK-ee-OH-sis] is a bacterial attack upon the white blood cells. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 16 days after a tick bite. The most common symptoms are sudden high fever, tiredness, major muscle aches, severe headache, and, in some cases, a rash. Diagnosis is difficult, even in severe cases. Diagnostic tests are not widely available and the diagnosis of Ehrlichiosis is usually based on symptoms and a history of exposure to ticks. Severely ill patients can develop abnormally low numbers of white blood cells or platelets and kidney failure.

Horrible creatures, aren't they?!!!!! We have so many of the little blighters here it's become routine to de-tick our cats and our dog every evening during spring and summer.

Last year I had one that had crawled up my trouser leg whilst gardening, it attached itself to a most embarassing part of my anatomy, I managed not to faint - just!

Janet-thanks for this horrible thread x
Julia-thanks for advice x
Now I know what I did wrong when one attached itself to my earlobe -I should have eased it out gently but firmly ,without fainting!!..

Trying to remove tick using techniques like suffocation with petroleum jelly, butter, etc. do not work.

Gasoline, kerosene and hot matches are not recommended either and may cause additional injuries. It is possible these techniques will irritate the tick and provoke it to discharge spirochetes into the skin.

Twist the tick out with tweezers, tick removers or small forceps by grasping the tick as close as possible to the skin. Then without jerking, pull it upward steadily. After removing the tick, disinfect the skin area by rubbing alcohol or Betadine. Don't handle the tick, spirochetes could enter the body through breaks in the skin. Dispose of it in alcohol or flush it down the drain.

Check the bite for at least two weeks to see if a rash forms. If it does, seek treatment from your GP promptly.

There are 2 main viruses that can be transmitted to humans by tick: Louping-Ill and Lyme Disease. If you suspect you may be infected by either, see your GP as soon as possible and ask for a blood test.

Louping-Ill causes flu like symptoms and Lyme Disease (which can lie dormant for many years) symptoms of which can include chills, fever, fatigue, joint and muscle pains, and loss of appetite - even mild muscular-skeletal disturbances. Lyme disease is hard to diagnose in the early stages.

I've managed to remove ticks using alcohol. My daughter picked up one on her leg a year or so ago and my husband once got one after taking a school camp.
His was on his tummy from doing some daft game with the kids in long grass and bracken.

You can't yank the things off or you risk them breaking but soak some cotton wool in some whisky or similar spirit and hold it on them for several minutes and they can be easily taken off with tweezers. Alcohol is sterile too so seems to help.

Then you do need to keep an eye out for symptoms.

Anywhere in the countryside in the UK where there's long grass and especially ferns and brackens is likely to have them.

A few years ago the local school was going to have the children walking to a service at the local church across a field but they had to cancel the walk because a child picked up a tick on its way to school earlier in the week.

It's not sensible to wear shorts and sandals in long grass or woodland.

Sue