Jump to content

Tick prevention


Recommended Posts

A lot of us will be exposed to the risk of tick bites and, therefore, infection by Lyme Disease. I came across the Tick Bite Prevention Week website earlier today and it provides lots of useful information, including removal of ticks and avoiding commonly used techniques that actually can make matters worse. Definately worth a look.

 

Incidently, I can recommend the O'Tom Tick Tister removal tool that the site mentions. I have had cause to use one on a friend and it is simple, quick and painless, as well as being relatively cheap

 

 

http://www.tickbitepreventionweek.org/tick-bite-prevention-week.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^ I wondered the same Khit?? No seen any since I've been here...had loads of them in Ireland! Had to take one out of my daughter's head when she was just a couple of weeks old...horrible things!! Glenveigh National Park in Donegal had a giant scale model of a tick...ugh.....the stuff nightmares are made of!!! :shock:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before attempting to TTP

Don't think anyone was TTP-ing Malcolm. Sorry if you thought that. It is right to be aware about them and warn others. It's just not as common here as in the Highlands, for instance. I, for one, was just passing on personal experience. :?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We always just removed them ourselves, successfully, no tools involved - by pinching at the very point of contact to the skin and twisting... this always seemed to do the job! Living in very rural environments and having horses, dogs and goats meant we were guaranteed our fair share of ticks through the summer, never seen anyone have any trouble..........unless for one lad who had an absolute panic attack after apparently finding one firmly attached to his nether regions :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It'd be interesting to learn exactly which species are here. A quick Google and all I found was a seabird tick. The info out there indicates Shetland isn't prone to more serious tick-spread infections (such as encephalopathies) but I can't seem to find any info about Lyme disease and Shetland. Have there been any known incidences? This person says so. :/

 

And thank you Malcolm, for letting us know about this potential problem. I honestly had never given ticks a second thought. Tweezers have now been added to the hill-walking first aid kit!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never came across anything here other than keds on sheep till our dog got a large tick last summer. Googled how to get it off & found one guy who said if you rub it anti-clockwise with a cotton bud dipped in chilli sauce they just fall off. Worked a treat. You apparently aren't meant to take them off with tweezers in case you leave the head in and it gets infected or squeeze them so hard they regurgitate which can cause disease in whatever animal they are attached to. That said the shock of chilli sauce might have the same effect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...