Ticks!!

[Mice!]

Thought I'd put this in here as well, anyone who stalks is going to come into contact with ticks, but I've never seen a squirrel with ticks like this.

 

This was around both armpits and around the base of the skull, I'd thought they were just sores but in full light you could see them!! After they were pointed out!!

This was shot in woodland,  lots of bracken so perfect tick country, I shot a second squirrel which looked fine when compared with this one.

Only difference being the one with ticks came along the floor, the other through the trees?

So what preventions do the stalkers take with regards ticks? I won't be lying down, I'll be shooting onto feeders, but I'm still in the wood brushing past stuff.

I've been told no gaps, and that they only climb upwards so its wellies or gaters in future.

[London Best]

And when you get home strip off immediately, get in the shower and do a full tick inspection......especially the wobbly bits!

Ask me how I know.

[Mice!]

5 minutes ago, London Best said:

And when you get home strip off immediately, get in the shower and do a full tick inspection......especially the wobbly bits!

Ask me how I know.

How do you know🤣

Had a couple of tiny ones on my pants, and one on my inner thigh as I headed for the shower, it was heading somewhere warm and moist. 

[bruno22rf]

At my age I would leave the Tick if it settled amongst my "wobbly bits" - can only improve the view.

[oowee]

I have taken nearly 30 off my dog over the last few weeks. I had a flock of sheep corralled whilst loading by my drive and the dog is picking them up from there. Fingers crossed they don't seem to like me 🙂. Plenty on the Roe and I make sure to keep the deer at arms length where I can. 

 

[islandgun]

2 hours ago, Mice! said:

Thought I'd put this in here as well, anyone who stalks is going to come into contact with ticks, but I've never seen a squirrel with ticks like this.

 

This was around both armpits and around the base of the skull, I'd thought they were just sores but in full light you could see them!! After they were pointed out!!

This was shot in woodland,  lots of bracken so perfect tick country, I shot a second squirrel which looked fine when compared with this one.

Only difference being the one with ticks came along the floor, the other through the trees?

So what preventions do the stalkers take with regards ticks? I won't be lying down, I'll be shooting onto feeders, but I'm still in the wood brushing past stuff.

I've been told no gaps, and that they only climb upwards so its wellies or gaters in future.

jeez ive never seen clusters before ! .. Ive not had a tick on me despite 20yrs of sheep keeping on the hill. I do  wear overtrousers and wellies or long leather boots though, 

[Farmboy91]

I've found two on myself this year having never had one on me before, one was walking up my leg and the other day on my t shirt so neither attached luckily. 

The first time I was wearing waterproof trousers and a wax jacket so somehow it had made its way through to the under layers.

The thought of contacting Lyme disease does concern me.

[Mice!]

41 minutes ago, Farmboy91 said:

The thought of contacting Lyme disease does concern me

These things are always in the back of your mind.

My M in L has walked the area for years, the dogs always get them but I don't think she has had any, or she just hasn't said?

[oowee]

4 minutes ago, Mice! said:

These things are always in the back of your mind.

My M in L has walked the area for years, the dogs always get them but I don't think she has had any, or she just hasn't said?

I wonder if some are more resistent to them than others. I used to shoot with a chap that would get them when we were out stalking and they always avoided me. 

[Walker570]

Our UK ticks are tiny compared with those in Texas, USA.  My wife and I called in at Cabela's on our return to the airport and as we walked around, she said she felt something on her neck. I took a quick look and there was the biggest red tick you have ever seen. I picked it off and showed her and she nearly fainted.  Left it crawling around the store.

Somerset/Dorset have always been hot spots. I remember going into a pub for lunch with a friend and he said his leg felt a bit starnge, we both had breeks and long socks. He rolled the sock down one leg and it was a mass of them most already attached.  He slid the blade of his knife up his leg and scrapped them off.   I always sprayed moy lower legs and clothing with wasp killer spray and never ever got attacked.

[Mice!]

3 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

He slid the blade of his knife up his leg and scrapped them off.  

Surely that's the worse thing you could do? 

I've been out on heather before and the woods where I shot these, never had one on me until last night.

5 minutes ago, oowee said:

I wonder if some are more resistent to them than others. I used to shoot with a chap that would get them when we were out stalking and they always avoided me. 

More than likely. 

1 hour ago, islandgun said:

jeez ive never seen clusters before ! .. Ive not had a tick on me despite 20yrs of sheep keeping on the hill. I do  wear overtrousers and wellies or long leather boots though, 

I was sat in the wood about 25° thinking about thin lightweight clothes,  now I'm thinking over trousers might be a good idea 😭

[Farmboy91]

13 minutes ago, Mice! said:

These things are always in the back of your mind.

My M in L has walked the area for years, the dogs always get them but I don't think she has had any, or she just hasn't said?

The cat's always seem to have atleast one between them, if you was bitten, depending where it was would you even notice the bite?

 

11 minutes ago, oowee said:

I wonder if some are more resistent to them than others. I used to shoot with a chap that would get them when we were out stalking and they always avoided me. 

I don't doubt that, I think mosquitoes are the same.

[London Best]

I stalk in two woods in Oxfordshire, about four miles apart. One wood you find the odd tick on a deer. The other wood nearly every deer has a lot of ticks. The only difference I can see is that the second wood has grassland with sheep around it, whereas the first wood is surrounded by arable. I find ticks on my dog nearly every time I take her with me and often on myself. I carry a little plastic tool for tick removal.

ps.  Mozzies love me too.

[7daysinaweek]

2 hours ago, Mice! said:

How do you know🤣

Had a couple of tiny ones oy pants, and one on my inner thigh as I headed for the shower, it was heading somewhere warm and moist. 

Zikes! 

That is a nasty infestation on that squirrel though, I sometimes wonder how long an animal will last with such an overload as the ticks are parasitic, deprive the host of nutrients and cause disease within the host.

The picture below is the unique reaction from a tick bite, it is commonly known as a "Bulls eye rash" the medical term is Erythema  Migrans sign ,  the rash size usually ranges from approx 2-18 inches but can be up to a metre and occurs in around 65-80% tick borne infections. It appears from 1-4 weeks but can appear from a couple of days up to 3 months and can last for several weeks. Note the central area of the bite site with erythema and then an area of clearance then a developing or developed outer erythema ring. Other symptoms both in the presence and the absence of the migrans sign can be several of the following:

headache

fever and sweats

swollen glands

malaise

muscle aches

lethargy

joint pain and swelling

neck stiffness

difficulty concentrating

The symptoms can occur in 3 stages form weeks to years, very rarely it can cause severe neurological effects, encephalitis, sepsis and heart conditions such a Carditis among a few others.

The absence of the rash does not exclude a tick borne infection however, not all tick bites will result in a tick borne infection.

I diagnose and treat quite a few of these throughout each summer and usually see 2-3 presentations a week , treatment is with a prescription of oral antibiotics for 21 days if not acutely unwell which is usually the case. If the person has focal involvement of cardiac, neurology, joint swelling which is very rare, then it is off to hospital for tests and treatment.  If a risk of a suspected lymes infection is present in the absence of a migrans sign a  ELISA test can guide clinical judgement and starting of oral antibiotics should be the choice of treatment if a high clinical suspicion of lymes.

The good news is that the not all ticks carry Lyme Borreolis bacteria and prompt treatment with antibiotics have a clearance of infection at around 95% with ist course of antibiotic, most people go on to have no additional symptoms, less common is that individuals may have the presenting symptoms last for weeks to several months post clearance of infection with antibiotics.

For  late presentation infected individuals who teat positive on ELISA some may  have residual symptoms which may last from weeks, months to years and in lesser cases more severe chronic long term Lymes disease symptoms.

Working near the centre of a large city and  it never ceases to surprise me that many patients report a history that they have only been in local parks which have no deer or fox populous but I still see Erythema signs as a regular occurrence through the summer.

 

I would not advise under any circumstances to burn a tick off or douse it with any chemical as this increases the risk of the tick regurgitating its stomach contents into you as this increases the infection risk. Remove with tweezers or a tick remover and was the area. I have given patients their tick back in test pot when I have removed them and they have sent them to the "Tick surveillance scheme" which is ran by the goverment which complies tick data of spread and surveillance for the uk. They simply download a form from the site which gets sent with the specimen.

Keep well covered, check creases, both your own and your pets.

tickety - boo!

Could not help myself and all the best.

7diaw

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by 7daysinaweek

[islandgun]

17 minutes ago, 7daysinaweek said:

Zikes! 

That is a nasty infestation on that squirrel though, I sometimes wonder how long an animal will last with such an overload as the ticks are parasitic, deprive the host of nutrients and cause disease within the host.

The picture below is the unique reaction from a tick bite, it is commonly known as a "Bulls eye rash" the medical term is Erythema  Migrans sign ,  the rash size usually ranges from approx 2-18 inches but can be up to a metre and occurs in around 65-80% tick borne infections. It appears from 1-4 weeks but can appear from a couple of days up to 3 months and can last for several weeks. Note the central area of the bite site with erythema and then an area of clearance then a developing or developed outer erythema ring. Other symptoms both in the presence and the absence of the migrans sign can be several of the following:

headache

fever and sweats

swollen glands

malaise

muscle aches

lethargy

joint pain and swelling

neck stiffness

difficulty concentrating

The symptoms can occur in 3 stages form weeks to years, very rarely it can cause severe neurological effects, encephalitis, sepsis and heart conditions such a Carditis among a few others.

The absence of the rash does not exclude a tick borne infection however, not all tick bites will result in a tick borne infection.

I diagnose and treat quite a few of these throughout each summer and usually see 2-3 presentations a week , treatment is with a prescription of oral antibiotics for 21 days if not acutely unwell which is usually the case. If the person has focal involvement of cardiac, neurology, joint swelling which is very rare, then it is off to hospital for tests and treatment.  If a risk of a suspected lymes infection is present in the absence of a migrans sign a  ELISA test can guide clinical judgement and starting of oral antibiotics should be the choice of treatment if a high clinical suspicion of lymes.

The good news is that the not all ticks carry Lyme Borreolis bacteria and prompt treatment with antibiotics have a clearance of infection at around 95% with ist course of antibiotic, most people go on to have no additional symptoms, less common is that individuals may have the presenting symptoms last for weeks to several months post clearance of infection with antibiotics.

For  late presentation infected individuals who teat positive on ELISA some may  have residual symptoms which may last from weeks, months to years and in lesser cases more severe chronic long term Lymes disease symptoms.

Working near the centre of a large city and  it never ceases to surprise me that many patients report a history that they have only been in local parks which have no deer or fox populous but I still see Erythema signs as a regular occurrence through the summer.

 

I would not advise under any circumstances to burn a tick off or douse it with any chemical as this increases the risk of the tick regurgitating its stomach contents into you as this increases the infection risk. Remove with tweezers or a tick remover and was the area. I have given patients their tick back in test pot when I have removed them and they have sent them to the "Tick surveillance scheme" which is ran by the goverment which complies tick data of spread and surveillance for the uk. They simply download a form from the site which gets sent with the specimen.

Keep well covered, check creases, both your own and your pets.

tickety - boo!

Could not help myself and all the best.

7diaw

 

I have most of those symptoms, thought it was normal for my age..☠️

Edited June 18, 2020 by islandgun

[7daysinaweek]

@islandgun

Then I fear you are beyond saving! 

atb 

7diaw

[Walker570]

Acrually, sliding a knife blade up against the skin is basically the same as these tick removers. He lived anyway.  The main thing is don't squeeze them if they are fully embedded and that is the problem if they get under clothing the pressure of the clothing can do just that.

7DIW that is a very good outline of the effects etc., many thanks.  Should be retained on permanent display for the future.

[islandgun]

 

 

17 minutes ago, 7daysinaweek said:

@islandgun

Then I fear you are beyond saving! 

atb 

7diaw

sadly your not the first to say that...🙄

 

4 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Acrually, sliding a knife blade up against the skin is basically the same as these tick removers. He lived anyway.  The main thing is don't squeeze them if they are fully embedded and that is the problem if they get under clothing the pressure of the clothing can do just that.

7DIW that is a very good outline of the effects etc., many thanks.  Should be retained on permanent display for the future.

I always use the plastic tick remover on my dogs, it comes with the advise to turn it anti - clockwise its about unscrewing the little ***** seems to work, although my 15 yr old Paterdale has ALL of the symptoms as outlined by 7diaw..and a few more..😁

 

[7daysinaweek]

1 hour ago, Walker570 said:

Acrually, sliding a knife blade up against the skin is basically the same as these tick removers. He lived anyway.  The main thing is don't squeeze them if they are fully embedded and that is the problem if they get under clothing the pressure of the clothing can do just that.

7DIW that is a very good outline of the effects etc., many thanks.  Should be retained on permanent display for the future.

👍

I occasionally get someone in who has burnt one off with a cigarette. Thank you for posting up about the not squeezing them as this is also very important,  I forgetfully omitted from my post.

Over the 30 odd  years of keeping and working my own ferrets fortunately they only  picked up the odd one. Most the areas I ferreted had no cattle or sheep and very low numbers of deer. Even though they were an irregular beastie I would try to check them after each outing and for a few days after as they can start out as looking just like a small blue/grey/cream skin eruption then hey presto a big engorged Tick.

[Mice!]

4 hours ago, 7daysinaweek said:

Keep well covered, check creases, both your own and your pets.

tickety - boo!

Could not help myself and all the best.

7diaw

Top man, I've mentioned to Mrs Mice that I'll have to be checked thoroughly but she didn't seem overly happy?

I saw a couple on my trousers,  tiny tiny brown almost paper thin, same as the one which was heading for my special place😯

[7daysinaweek]

2 hours ago, Mice! said:

Top man, I've mentioned to Mrs Mice that I'll have to be checked thoroughly but she didn't seem overly happy?

I saw a couple on my trousers,  tiny tiny brown almost paper thin, same as the one which was heading for my special place😯

Are you sure that it wasn't trying to get away. 

[bumpy22]

Pulled 3 of my back this week a day after being out stalking. I seem to attract them quite often remove them. The area I was in was densily wooded and think this did not help. Always worth checking groin armpits etc all the hot sweaty areas. But saying that I seem to get them on my back and sides where I think they climb up between trousers and shirt. 

I was after a troublesome fox about ten years ago now with a mate of mine sat in a cut grass field he was one part of farm I was other. The following morning I pulled 8 of me and he never suffered any. Could just be me lol. Over the years my wife has pulled loads of them off me with tweezers

[Mice!]

46 minutes ago, 7daysinaweek said:

Are you sure that it wasn't trying to get away. 

Shouldn't call my wife an IT 🤣🤣

 

27 minutes ago, bumpy22 said:

Pulled 3 of my back this week a day after being out stalking. I seem to attract them quite often remove them. The area I was in was densily wooded and think this did not help. Always worth checking groin armpits etc all the hot sweaty areas. But saying that I seem to get them on my back and sides where I think they climb up between trousers and shirt. 

I was after a troublesome fox about ten years ago now with a mate of mine sat in a cut grass field he was one part of farm I was other. The following morning I pulled 8 of me and he never suffered any. Could just be me lol. Over the years my wife has pulled loads of them off me with tweezers

You must be tasty or you eat a lot of venison?

[7daysinaweek]

7 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Shouldn't call my wife an IT 🤣🤣

 

 

[Mice!]

This was posted on Agf,  worth a watch.