Ticks!

[bdee]

Be sure to stay vigilant. I found an embedded deer tick last night - 4 hour wait in the ER, on Doxycycline (sp?) and waiting for the blood test. Good thing is it couldn't have been on for very long, it had been less than 36 hours since the last ride, so all signs point to an early catch. Now I just have to avoid middle of the day sun (drugs) and get another blood test in 2 weeks.

[Slider]

Bummer. Any period on Doxy is nasty. Don't forget the acidopholous to repopulate the important organisms.

So far, here in CT, ticks have been really scarce. Didn't even bother to Frontline the two cats, who go out regularly, under our supervision. Even with Frontline in previous years, we'd pull ticks off every time out. This year, no Frontline, and just two ticks on them, both in the early spring. Nothing else all summer. None on me all year from rides, either. Dunno if it is regional, seasonal, or pure luck.

Slider

[Jisch]

I haven't pulled any off the dog since early summer. Didn't find any on me all season. They predicted a bad tick season, but its been great as far as I can tell.

John

[huff'npuff]

I'm only living until I die,and not a minute longer !

[huff'npuff]

Rats !!! Posted On The Wrong Thread.........d'oh !

[GoBump]

I've been taking my dog to HP the last couple weeks. Pulled 2 ticks off of his collar area today. I'm blaming it on the little white flowers that he insists on swiping his head through everytime he sees them. Regardless, it looks like the little blood suckers are still out there.

[steevo]

Be sure to stay vigilant. I found an embedded deer tick last night - 4 hour wait in the ER, on Doxycycline (sp?) and waiting for the blood test. Good thing is it couldn't have been on for very long, it had been less than 36 hours since the last ride, so all signs point to an early catch. Now I just have to avoid middle of the day sun (drugs) and get another blood test in 2 weeks.

They put you on antibiotics without a blood test?? I had a deertick on me that had to have been on there at least 2 days, because I found it on a Tuesday morning and the last time I was in the woods was the previous Sunday. I pulled it off and saved it and called the doctor a few days later. They said to come in three weeks later so they could do a blood test. Apparently, they weren't willing to do anything precautionary until it showed a positive test. I'd rather they just put me on the antibiotics, but I felt better after reading that despite all the (fully warranted) concern, less than 5% of ticks actually carry lyme disease. Anyway, my test came back negative. Just surprised they jumped to antibiotics right away with you, that's unusual.

[NembaHobbit]

That's probably the more enlightened course of action. The prevailing wisdom now is to wait for positive blood test first. Of course the problem with that is that the Lyme test can be inaccurate, both positive and negative (It thinks it's getting better though).

I got 2 ticks last summer & fall (while gardening in my yard!) and they gave me antibiotics both times before definitive results on the test. At the time I thought that was prudent & pro-active (esp knowing how rough a time Splat had last year). I dunno if it was related, but I later realized I have mild tinnitus in one ear. Doxycycline and a lot common of antibiotics can be ototoxic, damaging your hearing, either temporarily or permanently.

Given the choice between a bad case of lyme and a slight ringing in my ears, I'd chose the drugs, but why take anything potentially harmful if you don't need to? There's also the overall concern about overuse/misuse of antibiotics creating more resistant beasties...