Tick on my back. Now What?

Found a tick today embedded in my back shoulder blade area, about the size of a sheep tick, full of blood. Dug it out with a hair comb. Do I watch & wait or ??? In the last week I've found two tiny ticks, hard to kill but found these before they dug in. Lime's disease threat yet?? Opinions appreciated.

Red ring around bite is not good, look up lymes on the net.

I remove tick, put alcohol on the area and forget about.

remove tick and put alky on it. at least here in Nebraska

Had the disease several years ago. Nothing they can give you. Was Sick Sick for 22 days. Every day I hurt in a different way. The only good news is that I never had a tick on me sence. If you get it and your eyes hurt like hell us eye drops from a tea bag. (COOL/WARM) not hot. It is late in the season for the disease. Normally Apr-May.

Those suckers ARE hard to kill. I take a piece of clear tape and catch them with it, then fold it over and seal the bugger in. Or catch them, quickly wrap them in paper/~bag and microwave for 10 sec or so. won't pop but get "done" like an egg, especially the ones that got already some blood ....!

I know someone who had one recently and received treatment right away as soon as he suspected infection, he came out of it right away. We check for ticks every evening when we are at the farm, but I spray pretty well beforehand too!

Well, Lyme literate doctors are apparently hard to find, or not, but seems GP's may kind be kind of "cavalier" about it, Lyme Disease is not something you want left undetected.

One approach is to see a doctor, possible or likely you'll get a significant dose of anti-biotics, to "knock it out" so to speak, but that interferes with testing apparently, so you have to clear those anti-biotics for a few weeks, before those can be done, and thats not really developed yet, not an exact science on it if you will, maybe there are some updates, would need to research that.

Those deer ticks are thick here now, we never had any when I was a kid, lots of deer, lots of ticks, been nailed so many times now, you just can't avoid them, boy though, it does teach you to have "thin skin" as the least little sensation I send a search party out, now I'm so bad, I swear sometimes you think you feel one marching around on you and its nothing, maybe a no see-um at worst.

I've gone to the doc, but I believe each time its been less than 36 hours, mostly less than 24 hours, some leave a nice welt at the sight of the bite, discolor vividly, never a bulls eye rash, or symptoms, still worries you though, about Lyme, as you have been bit, darned things are nasty, I've known people to get sick from other tick born illnesses, a weakened person, old or feeble would not be good. What in H$ll purpose those serve I'll never know.

I often times notice them now, before they start drilling, just sit down for dinner, one will start crawling down your face, and they're these flat, hard, crustacean like things, (hate em!) or down your arm, like at thanksgiving dinner or something, guaranteed in my neighborhood! LOL ! Just sit down to have a meal at the end of the day, they show up. Sometimes, I've gotten them and cannot figure out where from, not been in the woods, field or anything, horses, or a barn cat possibly, while working up there got nailed 6x like that spring 2011. Be nice to let chickens loose, fox and coyote ruin that.
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wolfman,

I have at least 6 tick bites on me right now. I probably get 30 or so per year and have done so for many years.

So far, I've never had any sickness from them. They itch like crazy and take 3 or 4 weeks to completely heal, but I've never had complications or seen a doctor about them.

Keep an eye on the bite. If a red CIRCLE forms AROUND the bite, see a doctor. If it just festers and itches, it'll get better after a while.

Good luck,

Tom in TN

I read somewhere the other day that an imbalance in the wildlife makes it worse. Evidently the small mammals, like mice carry it. When fox numbers go down because of coyotes eating foxes,the population of ticks moves to the deer. I thought fox and coyotes had the same diet, but I read that it is significantly different. I don't remember many more specifics as it was way too late one recent night.

Most of the ticks that get on us are the little tiny ones Old was talking about... You think you just got bit by a horsefly or mosquito until the itch lasts long enough to investigate. The yard ain't the only thing that gets mowed around here between April and November and we have a "tick/bite kit" that consists of tweezers, magnifying glass, and a little bottle with Absorbine (horse strength) for disinfecting and will sometimes make them let loose. Put up as many bird houses as you can, and if you feed birds, don't feed them in summer.

I've seen more of those ticks (and had more bite me) this year than any other year. None got much blood but they left a really itchy red spot that took a day or so to clear up. Had one spot that almost looked like one of those bullseye rashes back in May but never did see a tick there on my wrist. I keep a pair of pliers handy to crush them as they are tough to kill otherwise. Haven't seen one for a week or more now so maybe the season is ending.

Been cleaning electric fence lines for the last week or so. Find at least five each evening. The good part - Wife has to help look for them - my old neck won't twist like it used to. I've read a couple of articles that say you should bag the ticks you find on you so the doc could identify the hazardous ones, should you have problems later.

A good way to kill a tick - Drop a spot of Dawn dishwashing soap on him and he's a goner.

Paul

We have a lot too. I check my beagle pups every morning after our "training walk." Sometimes I see one early against their white coat patches. They really like their ears for some reason.

Larry

(quoted from post at 03:22:50 07/24/12) Found a tick today embedded in my back shoulder blade area, about the size of a sheep tick, full of blood. Dug it out with a hair comb. Do I watch & wait or ??? In the last week I've found two tiny ticks, hard to kill but found these before they dug in. Lime's disease threat yet?? Opinions appreciated.

Click to expand...

You don't say what area you are from, and/or if there is Lyme present in your area. We got lot of Lyme and lots of ticks around here, the current preferred treatment is one massive dose of antibiotics taken within within 24 hours (IIRC) of removing the tick. After that, it's a 14 or 21 day treatment. If you're in a Lyme area your Dr. should be aware of these treatments. Being out in the woods and brush a lot I've been treated twice this year already, my NP just gave me a refillable script last time I was in...

Should have said southwest PA. Lots of deer.

(quoted from post at 16:44:48 07/24/12) Should have said southwest PA. Lots of deer.

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SW PA doesn't seem too bad at this point. Wouldn't hurt to talk to your doc, but he'll probably tell you to just watch the site for signs of infection...

http://www.aldf.com/RiskMap/pennsylvania/pennsylvania.shtml

OONO! Get your affairs in order, but DO NOT confess to the wife about anything. Doing so could have a great effect on your chances for survival! Lime disease is possable but still rare around here.

I have had several ticks removed. My Doctor does not believe in giving antibiotics for a tick bite. He said very rarely do the ticks have lyme. I don't know if I agree with him.

My wife is a nurse at a clinic and the Doctors there perscribe antibiodics

You're doctor has probably never had to deal with one of his patients having Lyme.

He's probably right the percentage of tick bites that transmit Lyme are pretty rare, but it's not something to mess with, can be one of those infections that gives you persist problems for years. Ounce or prevention...