And reading thru the prevention page and taking it to heart might help prevent the next tick bite.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
IF you are bitten, go to www.TreatTheBite.com to print out a document with treatment protocols you can take to your doctor with you. One is for adults, and one is for children.
If you want to share this site with friends so they know what to do, please do.
I just did a quick Google search and saw a few mentions of vinegar repelling ticks, but none listed sources or gave anything different (as far as more detailed info) than what you just shared.
My thought is one person copied another and another with no one checking the source. Happens a lot actually, and unfortunately.
Then I checked specifically for scientific articles on vinegar and ticks and found no studies listed.
Having to work in the woods every day I personally tried MANY things on my own to try to kill and repel ticks. (DEET was making me very ill by then.) Vinegar was one of the things I tested.
Once I poured vinegar on my head while washing my hair after finding a nymph tick on my body. Never do that. Every tiny place you've scratched on your head will burn like your head is on fire.
(I eventually found the lice shampoo worked to kill ticks after you've gone thru a nest of the babies.)
To experiment I put adult ticks in a jar of vinegar to see if it would kill them. Two days later they were still alive, sucking down a bottle of Bud Light and munching on Doritoes, and basically doing the back stroke thru the jar of straight vinegar, so it obviously didn't kill them and didn't work any better than plain water.
I've never tried to use vinegar just to repel ticks by putting it on my clothing.
I have read that ticks don't have "noses" like we do. They have organs that MAY detect smells (and/or heat and gases) located on their legs near where their toes would be.
In experiments, if the legs with those organs are cut off (first two legs of the tick) the tick will live for a while, and will drink/suck various fluids not knowing (?) what they are (even something that would kill them) when the ticks with legs in tact will NOT drink the bad stuff.
The above info makes me wonder if ticks could actually "smell" vinegar and not like the smell as the article suggests?
I don't know (and I am pretty sure they don't). You've obviously got me thinking!
My final thought is... if you were going to go to the trouble of mixing up vinegar and water in a spray bottle and soak your clothes in it- not knowing if it will work, why not use something we know does kill ticks, like permanone?
I don't think I could recommend people substitute vinegar for permanone until there are actual studies showing it is successful.
I smile cause I had to THINK! HA!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Thanks .. and thanks for the laughs!!
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
You are very welcome.
Hoping those who do get their ticks tested will share the results here too!
Especially those in the so-called "non-endemic" areas.
Posted by TX Lyme Mom (Member # 3162) on :
NB: This is a recent change from previous years. The Texas Dept. of State Health no longer has funding for testing ticks.
Likewise, the TAMU Veterinary College no longer has funding for testing ticks attached to humans, but TAMU Vet Pathology Lab does accept samples of ticks from sick animals.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Hey TX mom,
Always nice to see you! Is this a free service? I didn't want to go thru the 6 page form to try to find out, but was wondering it you knew?
Well, just answered my own question! Read the link to the lab instead. It states...
"Testing of ticks attached to Texas residents is provided through the TX DSHS at no charge.... There is no charge for testing; however, the DSHS will only accept specimens from Texas residents submitting from a Texas address."
This may be important to some? It states...
"Results are either faxed or emailed to the submitting health care provider or laboratory within 4 working days of sample’s receipt at UNTHSC. Texas resident samples submitted through the TX DSHS will have the results reported back to submitting regional zoonosis control office."
Sounds like residents may not get a copy of the results? Folks may want to check about this before sending ticks in.
Also, it says this..
"Testing includes amplification and identification of Borrelia spp., Ehrlichia spp. and spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. as a comprehensive screen. Screens for individual pathogens and testing for Bartonella henselae and Babesia microti are also available upon request, for a lesser fee."
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Looking at this "tick testing" from another view:
The ticks would certainly score much higher & prove themselves much more knowledgeable on their tests about borrelia and other infections than anyone with the IDSA / CDC / IOM / NIH! -
Posted by ConnieMc (Member # 191) on :
Anyone done this? Curious how long it takes to get results.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
In California, the Bay Area Lyme Foundation will test ticks for free.
Posted by ConnieMc (Member # 191) on :
Sent 2 deer ticks in 2 weeks ago today. Thought I would have heard something by now. Can anyone who has done this tell me how long it took to hear something? The form says they will send results by email.
Many thanks.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
You are the first I've heard of to do this (and thanks for doing it).
I warned people to not expect results in the time limits they gave because I didn't think that would happen. IGeneX, for example, can take weeks to get results.
ConnieMc- could you call and ask them? If so, could you please report what you found out.
This is one BIG reason I don't recommend tick testing. (Others, not you thank goodness, often wait to get results before treating, delaying treatment that is needed as soon as possible.)
I recommend spending the money people send the lab to test a tick on a doc visit and doxycycline instead.
ONLY because this testing was free, and we need to know what ticks are carrying, do I suggest it.
Again, ConnieMc, thanks for letting us know! Sorry about the delay.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Robin 2945856763894095
What was posted at the link I shared originally is the same tick testing you are talking about.
I also just checked for ConnieMc- they've changed their info a bit now saying 7-10 business days to get results.
See below....
How long will it take before I get my results? Typically, we will test ticks and have results within 7-10 business days.
How will I learn the results? You will receive an email from our laboratory that will detail the species we identified, and the list of positive and negative results.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
PS- I would it expect the time for waiting to get your results will continue getting longer as the tick season gets in full force.
At some labs when they are busy, six weeks has been the "norm" and even longer is some cases.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Oh, I see - so the Bay Area Lyme Foundation is working with the professor in AZ - got it!
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Up...
Posted by hadlyme (Member # 6364) on :
I just sent in a few ticks from Montana to be tested! It bugs the livin' day lights out of me that Montana still says we do not have lyme ticks here. Grrr.
I have the word out with friends to save me ticks in baggies so I can send more in!
Can't wait to see the results! It might take awhile I understand, but will be interesting.
I hope more people are taking advantage of testing ticks in each state.
Posted by hadlyme (Member # 6364) on :
Just wanted to provide some feedback on this. I sent 2 deer ticks in to this lab on 04/27/2016. I just received the email results TODAY (06/15/2016), so the processing time is well over 7-10 days.
They tested both ticks for Lyme, Relapsing fever, Babs and Anaplasmosis and all results were negative.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
ConnieMc- thanks for sharing that info. Too bad it is taking so long to get results. Good though that the results were negative.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)