As my husband and I were eating lunch today, he reached down to scratch an itch and found an attached tick. He's frequently outdoors with his job. We live in Florida. The tick is off-white with a black head and black legs. He got the entire tick when he pulled it out. There's a very red bump where it bit him.
We have the tick in a plastic baggie. What do we do with it in case we need to have it tested later?
Posted by BackinStOlaf (Member # 23725) on :
Leave it in the baggie. It doesn't need to be alive to be tested.
Knowing what I know now, I would get on doxy
Posted by erikjh1972 (Member # 20964) on :
yes get doxy now.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Doxy, 200 mg twice daily is usually given for new bites, check out the www.ilads.org guidelines for treatment.
Talk to YOUR LLMD .... mine would not treat my son because he had never seen my son as a patient, but the PA would tell me how they would treat one of their patients if they had a new tick bite. I found her info very helpful in determining the best route for my son.
I would have the tick tested to know for sure what you're dealing with. I believe it's Clonogen Labs.
Posted by KimDC (Member # 20699) on :
Thanks, everyone, for your responses. My husband is willing to take Doxy...we'll see what his PCP says. If he says no, I'll take him to my PCP, who will definately prescribe it.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Put the tick in a sealed heavy plastic or glass container. Some ticks have been know to chew through a baggie. Then put it inside another tight container and keep in the fridge until you find out where to get it tested. -
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Take a picture of bite area- also of rash if one appears --Jay--
Posted by t9im (Member # 25489) on :
Remember to protect against the sun and probiotics while on doxy.
Not all ticks have Lyme.
Posted by t9im (Member # 25489) on :
Remember to protect against the sun and probiotics while on doxy.
Not all ticks have Lyme.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Yes, remember not all ticks are infected. But it's also vital to be proactive in getting a good LLMD for a consult ASAP. If lyme, it can be spread to the nervous system in 12 hours. -
Posted by hiker53 (Member # 6046) on :
You can also tell your doctor you have symptoms of Rocky Mountian Spotted Fever and they are required to treat for that. The treatment is doxy.
I would definitely try and get the tick tested not just for Lyme but for bartonella and co-babesia.