Ticks

[MeredithMan]

Originally Posted by windsail

Hi, did you dog have frontline or something similar on? I don't know if it's enough for walking in the woods. perhaps a powder also. My daughter had lymes and it's very scary. She was lucky in a way that she was sick enough they treated her correctly. If anyone has any great methods to keep them at bay please post.
Thanks

Normally, we are very diligent with applying the tick repellent to our dog. We use a liquid product that our vet recommended called "Vector", which is very similar to Frontline. With all of the snow and cold through March, we hadn't applied any, thinking there were no ticks around. The snow melted fast at end of March and we got caught.

We have used the Lyme vaccine for our dog since moving to CT several years ago, (a little factoid is that Lyme disease is named for Lyme, CT, since it is so prevalent down here), and she hasn't gotten it...not sure if it is the vaccine or just dumb luck.

MM

[Barney Bear]

I have only seen one leech at our place on East Bear Island in the 46 years that we have been there. It was in our boat slip area between our breakwater and our dock which contained some vegitation. It resembled an undulating tape worm and was a couple of inches long. [In the mid-west, we have leeches which we call "blood suckers". They are much smaller, resembling a black "glob".] We no longer have any weeds in our slip, but we do have a resident mink family which has taken care of our crawtads [crawfish] and possibly any leeches. Duck itch is our present nemesis. UGH!!!!!

[Oregonrain]

What is duck itch?

[tis]

It seems like everybody's dogs are testing positive for Lyme Disease around here. Mine did yesterday-now they have to send it away to get a count and make sure it wasn't a false positive. I have only ever seen two maybe three ticks on this dog. But the deer ticks are so tiny that maybe I didn't see one. Am hoping it comes back ok, but since so many others are testing positive I am not optimistic. It seems like it is an epidemic.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by tis

It seems like everybody's dogs are testing positive for Lyme Disease around here. Mine did yesterday-now they have to send it away to get a count and make sure it wasn't a false positive. I have only ever seen two maybe three ticks on this dog. But the deer ticks are so tiny that maybe I didn't see one. Am hoping it comes back ok, but since so many others are testing positive I am not optimistic. It seems like it is an epidemic.

I have a dog that is 11 years old and last year he tested positive for Lyme disease. I didn't even know that the vet was testing him for it until she told me he tested positive and should take the 10 day medicine treatment. Then this year he still tested positive again and the vet said that she could treat him or just watch to see if he gets lame or sick. I read that most all dogs will test positive for Lyme Disease and that most of them will not show symptoms because their immune system fights it off.

Over the years my dog has been given all the latest and greatest protection medicine for Lyme Disease so I am a little confused as to why "NOW" has he tested positive. He never showed any symptoms of the disease and has always acted the same.

It's a little confusing as to why more and more dogs are testing positive.

IMO I think most all dogs will test positive but the body fights it well enough without the treatments. If your dog shows symptoms then probably he/she needs the treatments.

[tis]

I am thinking the same thing you are, Rusty. There are just too many dogs testing positive. I mean EVERYBODY I know who has had their dog tested is coming back positive. She called me a little while ago and said he is 112 and should have the antibiotic for a month. He has no symptoms. It is confusing. Sometimes I wonder if we don't give them too many shots and medicines.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Oregonrain

What is duck itch?

Sorry,...had to do it.

[Misha888]

Originally Posted by Oregonrain

What is duck itch?

Swimmer's itch is an allergic reaction to microscopic parasites that burrow into your skin. The parasites associated with swimmer's itch normally live in waterfowl and some animals that live near the water. Humans aren't suitable hosts, so the parasites soon die while still in your skin.

Although uncomfortable, swimmer's itch is usually short-lived. The rash typically clears up on its own within a few days. In the meantime, you can control itching with over-the-counter or prescription medications.

Compliments of the ducks and geese.

[Oregonrain]

Originally Posted by Misha888

Swimmer's itch is an allergic reaction to microscopic parasites that burrow into your skin. The parasites associated with swimmer's itch normally live in waterfowl and some animals that live near the water. Humans aren't suitable hosts, so the parasites soon die while still in your skin.

Although uncomfortable, swimmer's itch is usually short-lived. The rash typically clears up on its own within a few days. In the meantime, you can control itching with over-the-counter or prescription medications.

Compliments of the ducks and geese.

Thank you.

[Dave R]

We used to have dogs and they used to get ticks all the time on our heavily wooded lot. I cleared all the underbrush from the woody areas that the dogs frequent and started keeping the the ground cover well-trimmed with a string trimmer pass twice a year. The tick problem disappeared immediately and the woods look really nice now. It's a lot of work at first, but not too hard to maintain.

I do a lot of hiking and have found that I can remain tick-free pretty easily by staying on the trail and not brushing up against vegetation along the trail edge.

[Rich]

How to keep the ticks off of you?

One method is to treat your clothes.

Hunters use "Permethrin" on their clothing and I'm told it works well (just keep it away from your feline friends, it can be toxic to them), it can be found at Wal-Mart and other outdoor type of shops under various brand names.

[Fargo]

I just noticed a black spec on our neighbor's white dog. It was a tiny tick, so small four would fit on the head of a pin. That's the second one this week I've been able to see. Had to use a magnifying glass to confirm it was a tick. Good thing the dog is white. Just an FYI these things are small and tough to see.

[SAMIAM]

Originally Posted by Dave R

We used to have dogs and they used to get ticks all the time on our heavily wooded lot. I cleared all the underbrush from the woody areas that the dogs frequent and started keeping the the ground cover well-trimmed with a string trimmer pass twice a year. The tick problem disappeared immediately and the woods look really nice now. It's a lot of work at first, but not too hard to maintain.

I do a lot of hiking and have found that I can remain tick-free pretty easily by staying on the trail and not brushing up against vegetation along the trail edge.

That is excellent advice. I did the same thing and we have not had a single tick on us or our pets this year even though I am working in my yard, the woods and wood pile. We cleared the underbrush right down to the pine needle cover, trimmed small lower branches and just left the larger trees....like they do in parks.
At my business, however, we are surrounded by woods that aren't cleared as well as long grass around the perimeter. The other day, after working outside, I found more than a dozen ticks all over me......even a day or two later I found a couple.

[Misha888]

but then I took one off our cat. Then another off the spare bed. It must have jumped on me when clearing her off.

Revolution! You keep them from embedding, but not from jumping on board.

Check yourself, and check yourself often. I've seen Lyme do terrible things. Be well.

[Oregonrain]

http://www.prevention.com/health/hea...mentsonhorizon

Here's an article about Lyme disease and a new treatment.

[Barbara]

Originally Posted by Oregonrain

http://www.prevention.com/health/hea...mentsonhorizon

Here's an article about Lyme disease and a new treatment.

NH also has a law protecting doctors who are treating chronic lyme patients with long term antibiotic treatment.

A family member has been in treatment for chronic lyme for five years. The doctor believes she was infected years before her diagnosis. Deer ticks, the tiny ones, are the ones that carry the disease. Lyme is not the only problem, there are other diseases passed on by ticks that are also very difficult to treat. Unfortunately, my family member us dealing with two of these in addition to lyme, babesiosis and bartonella.