posted
Awful!! ... I thankfully never see them. I live in MO... they are definitely here, but I don't walk on grass, don't have pets...so that reduces my exposure.
Where do you think you are picking them up?
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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surprise
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34987
posted
I'm so sorry! Awful!
-------------------- Lyme positive PCR blood, and positive Bartonella henselae Igenex, 2011. low positive Fry biofilm test, 2012. Update 7/16- After extensive treatments, doing okay! Posts: 2518 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2011
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desertwind
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25256
posted
I put myself at risk so I guess I should not complain. My dog, my outdoor activities and I live on a wooded property nestled between a wildlife preserve (think hoards of nj deer) and a 20 mile nature path. Natures delight turned ugly.
Nothing will change until I change my exposure. Maybe I'll go hang out in a mall...DW
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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Lymedin2010
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34322
posted
I hear crazy, crazy reports from dog owners & the ticks they find.
It is a shame, but I live my life & constrict my kids as never before. We are simply living in different times, with an explosion of ticks & a varied resistant viral & bacterial load.
Simply not worth it with what my eyes have seen in person.
Posts: 2087 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2011
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surprise
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34987
posted
If you have a viable way to move to AZ, maybe the universe is telling you something.
I've said this before, but I've absolutely adjusted my life. My older teenage son (healthy), I can't change, he takes fishing trips, golfs, and I'm glad, of course he's had my lectures on ticks.
Now, my 2 young girls: no, they won't go on overnight camp trips in elementary school (don't trust the chaperoning anyway) I can't begin to describe what it took and what we went through with one of these girls to find TBI's, and all the treatments, never mind me.
The whole re infecting on a body that's already carrying strains- I just can't. On many levels.
-------------------- Lyme positive PCR blood, and positive Bartonella henselae Igenex, 2011. low positive Fry biofilm test, 2012. Update 7/16- After extensive treatments, doing okay! Posts: 2518 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2011
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GretaM
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Member # 40917
posted
Yesterday a stray dog followed me and the foster dog home from a stroll.
It was one of those long haired smooth hair shih tzus.
The dogs played together for two hours on short grass.
No one came looking for the dog. It took my dog luring it inside so I could put a leash on it.
Anyways, when I brought it inside, I couldn't figure how to tick check it with it's long hair all over the place.
In the tub it went. I used lavender castille soap, and added white thyme, thieves and major tea tree oil to the soap.
Gave it a good scrub. Anyways, when I blasted it with the spray wand from the shower-unbelievable the bugs and ticks and strange plant debris that came out of its coat
I had to use a magnifying glass to be sure some of the debris was ticks and not dirt bits.
It was disgusting. I washed it a second time and used rosemary conditioner on it.
My foster dog is a short haired chi with mainly white coat. He gets a tick inspection every time we come in. It is easy to see cause his skin is pink.
These long haired dogs...I don't know how the owners deal with the extra dirt and bugs these dogs track around.
(after phoning the vets groomers and animal shelters-the owners contacted me at 11PM last night and were happily reunited with their dog. )
The ticks (mostly real tiny, but 3 adult males also), were disgusting from being on cut grass.
I live in a metropolis.
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
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Lymedin2010
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34322
posted
Reminds me of when I donated some time to a Vet, coming out of High School. I toyed with the possibility, but quickly changed my mind when watching them wash dogs and seeing all the ticks & fleas jump all over the place.
Then there was all the barking & chaos, not to mention a castration before my very eyes. It was mostly the fleas that got to me & I determined that I could never do that even though I loved animals.
Posts: 2087 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2011
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posted
Any chance any of you could cover yourself with tick repellent on clothing and skin? Even possibly spray your place with an essential oil like Orange Guard? Dogs can handle that. Just trying to think how to make us and ours unappetizing to ticks...
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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dbpei
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33574
posted
Desertwind, so sorry to hear about your tick bites. I am probably preaching to the choir here... but here are some suggestions to prevent those ticks from attacking.
Get your clothes treated with Permethrin that you wear when walking your dog or spending time outdoors. I know it is expensive, but so worth it. You can buy clothes already treated through Insectshield or LL Bean and these will last through 70 washings.
You can also buy permethrin and treat your clothes yourself. Walmart even sells it! If you seem to be finding them near your neck and head, you could treat a bandana and hat and make sure you wear them faithfully when you go out. Socks and sneakers should be treated too!
You can make your own tick tubes by placing cotton balls soaked in permethrin in cardboard or plastic tubes around your property wherever you think mice may hang out. Best places are stone walls. Spring is a really good time to do this. It can wipe out tick populations in your yard!
Of course, with pets, you will need to check them faithfully and use something like Frontline or another product on them. I know there was some information about a safe tick repellent for dogs and cats posted on Lymenet last year but I can't find it when I try to search Posts: 2386 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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desertwind
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25256
posted
Thanks everyone for all the advice. I am going to look into the Permethrin treated clothing.
A few years ago I bought some natural tick repellant spray from vitacost and I think it helped. I forget the name of it but it smelled wonderful.
I typically wear my long hair up and a light colored bandana ( I probably look like someone from Woodstock:)) on my head and shower ASAP after being out.
My dog gets sick from Frontline - gave her some weird neuro symptoms so I don't want to use that on her. She also has chronic lyme and we pulse her Doxy every month. She is blonde so that helps to see the ticks on her.
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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just don
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1129
posted
I would think you could powder the dog with Diamaceous earth (sp). it feels like soft powder but is all natural insect eliminator.
It is the main ingredient in 20 Mule Team Borax before they add the foo foo and other smell good additives.
Food grade you can even eat yourself and feed to pets for internal parasites.
At least its nice to be around. But Robins Orange citrus things smell nice too. I dont see why one could not use both at once.
Garlic works too but obviously smells worse. I heard hedge apples work too but never tried them.
-------------------- just don Posts: 4548 | From Middle of midwest | Registered: May 2001
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desertwind
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Member # 25256
posted
just don; Very interesting...... I take Diamaceous Earth food grade but never though about putting on the pup. Do you think the food grade would work on her or would I need to get the non-food grade?
I am looking into all these suggestions and have a ton of different essential oils that I could probably create my own tick repellant from.
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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