Heads up, the ticks are back!

[Windwalker7]

I found one on me this morning. It was one of those tiny ones. It wasn't bloated up yet but was sticking in me.

I had an itch and went to scratch it. I scratched it off before I realized what it was.

The weather has been nice here in PA for the last day or so. We had a problem with the dogs getting them last year and put them on Advantics.

I'm surprised to see one this early in the year, the snow just melted a few days ago.

 

[billdiesel]

Found two crawling up my pant leg monday after walking through my woods.

 

[Sparky8370]

We've pulled about 8-10 off of the dogs and they are on frontline. The bad part is that even if it were effective on the dogs, they bring a ton of them in the house. And our dogs sleep in the bed with us.

 

[goosegunner]

I just got back from hauling wood. I read your post so I thought I better take a look.

Found a deer tick on my back. I hate those little b@#%ards.

South central Wisconsin.

gg

 

[046]

yep... it's starting ... pulled one off of me a few days ago
then found two on my German Shepard pup.

 

[husky455rancher]

my boxer is a tick magnet. i use frontline plus on him too. i got lyme disease last year from those damn things. no doubt it was a tick that hopped off the dog.

 

[Windwalker7]

We've pulled about 8-10 off of the dogs and they are on frontline. The bad part is that even if it were effective on the dogs, they bring a ton of them in the house. And our dogs sleep in the bed with us.

We have 3 dogs here. The two little ones sleep in bed too. Wondering if the tick didn't hitch a ride on one of them. Had the dogs outside for a good while yesterday in the sunshine, while I was doing some yard work.

 

[KD57]

I haven't had a tick problem in several years, guess the fire ants have taken care of them. Along w/ everything else that lives on the ground..

 

[jwales21]

Repellent recommendations?

They are bad in my area too. Terrible last year. I'm not sure what the deal is. I've never worn tick repellent before. Any good ones out there?

 

[Windwalker7]

We have never had a problem with ticks until last year. Up until then I haven't even seen a tick around here.

Last year we found several on the dogs.

I heard that guinea fowl are wonderful for keeping ticks at bay. I'm trying to talk the wife into having a few loose in the yard for that purpose. She doesn't like the idea at all.

Thought of just getting a few anyhow and turning them loose.

 

[KD57]

We have never had a problem with ticks until last year. Up until then I haven't even seen a tick around here.

Last year we found several on the dogs.

I heard that guinea fowl are wonderful for keeping ticks at bay. I'm trying to talk the wife into having a few loose in the yard for that purpose. She doesn't like the idea at all.

Thought of just getting a few anyhow and turning them loose.

If you have coyotes or feral dogs, they won't last long. I have been thru about 3 dozen so far the last several years. They slowly dissappear one by one. But they do help, and make great watchdogs. Nothing comes into my pasture w/o them squawking.

 

[Upidstay]

Do you have Lyme Disease out there yet? Check the bite site for a funky bullseye shaped rash. Also, if you feel like you have the flu, go to your doctor and get tested!!! Hot, sore joints, typically knees and elbows is another symptom. They usually swell up too. Very very very nasty disease. #1 vector borne disease in the country right now. Started right here in Connecticut, in the town of Old Lyme. There's a government run biological warfare lab on an island a few miles off of the coast from there, but they assure us there is absolutely NO connection.

Good news, it usually easy to treat. A good strong course of Doxycyclene antibiotics will typically cure it quick. But if it goes untreated, it can really mess you up. Attacks the central nervous system.

Another reason to hunt. The less deer there are, the less deer ticks. So blast away boys!! Just make sure you tuck your socks into your pants, spray the strongest DEET spray you can find (the organic stuff does NOT work), and check yourself when you get home.

 

[Cambium]

Wait a minute...ever since storing wood on my property I been seeing them on my dog and here and there. Is it possible or just coincidence? I never heard of ticks making a home in trees.

 

[Upidstay]

Deer ticks nymphs (babies) are often found on the head/ears of small rodents like chipmunks, mice, etc. The same ones who like to nest in wood piles. Ticks are ambush hunters, lying in wait for weeks for a meal to walk by. I put bait stations around my wood pile to keep the mice down. Make sure it's in a good, sturdy bait station, anchored to a rock or brick so it can't get carried away by something.

The nymphal stage will feed on anything. The adults feed exclusively on deer. The nymphs like the rodents because it's a convenient food source.

 

[Windwalker7]

Wait a minute...ever since storing wood on my property I been seeing them on my dog and here and there. Is it possible or just coincidence? I never heard of ticks making a home in trees.

I never noticed them until I started stacking up wood for the OWB.

 

[dingeryote]

They are bad in my area too. Terrible last year. I'm not sure what the deal is. I've never worn tick repellent before. Any good ones out there?

Permethrin.
Treat your clothes with it, but keep it off your skin.

DEET works on skin, but lotsa folks hate the smell and are leery of the hazzards.
Beats Lyme disease or the other crud ticks carry.

I havn't picked up any here yet, but they are likely just waiting.
Time to get the sprayer calibrated anyhow.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[logdog]

Ticks and Lyme

Five years ago my wife had a rash with a bulls eye on her back.
We asked the dr to test for tick bite and he laughed.
Wish I had known the disaster that would occur by not forcing the issue. Months later and more tests proved positive. It's been a living hell ever since.
My suggestion to anyone with dogs or who is in the woods, take a tick bite serious.

 

[Sparky8370]

Five years ago my wife had a rash with a bulls eye on her back.
We asked the dr to test for tick bite and he laughed.
Wish I had known the disaster that would occur by not forcing the issue. Months later and more tests proved positive. It's been a living hell ever since.
My suggestion to anyone with dogs or who is in the woods, take a tick bite serious.

Sorry to hear that man. When I saw the "bulls eye on my wife's back" I thought it was gonna be joke so I was kind of looking forward to reading the rest and it turns out to be a sad story. I have an aunt that went through hell with that crap. Even having seizures at times.

 

[Deep Woods Man]

My son had a tick on him yesterday when we got home from the woods. Time to get out the Deet!

I had Lyme disease about 3 years ago and it is very painful and a long battle to recover. It mimics alot of other sicknesses and diseases, it took the doctors over 7 months to correctly diagnose my situation...So be careful...!!!

 

[wat648]

"Just make sure you tuck your socks into your pants"


Not sure how that helps, but did sound funny the first time reading it!