Blargh! Ticks!

[Darsa]

Wow, this is definitely a drawback to getting in shape! This year I've spent a lot more time outside than, gosh, since I was a kid! Anyway, so far not only have I pulled two ticks off doggie (despite frontline), and one tick off each of the cats, I've found TWO on ME!!

The first tick on me, on my foot, looked just like the ones that were on the dog/cats, except it wasn't... full. It also didn't have a very good grip on, and was easy to remove, tho I was completely and totally grossed out. The second one, however, that I found last night, was MUCH, MUCH smaller, and quite securely attached to my upper arm. UGH UGH UGH I did the nasty dance again, and yanked that sucker out, luckily getting it all.

Is there a particular "breed" of tick that I should be particularly worried about? Honestly, before this year I don't remember EVER getting a tick before!

Oh yeah, and I tried google but I just couldn't get past the photos and descriptions; I'm that bad about these things!

 

[dawson5]

I thought deer ticks were the bad ones. Not sure though.

I know you said you pulled some off, read up on Lyme disease. I have two friends who live in MA and they both had lyme disease from a tick bite. I know it wasn't diagnosed until later, after symptoms started to appear. It was scary. They picked up the tick in the backyard.

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

Yes, deer ticks are the ones that carry Lyme disease. They are smaller than wood ticks and have a spot of red on them - which can be hard to see. They do need to have been embedded for quite a while (I think 24-48 hours) in order to transmit the disease though so if you do a "tick check" regularly and get them right away, you should be okay.

We live in an area where both types of ticks are very prevalent. During the bad times of the year if I only pull a couple of the suckers off of me in one day - it's a good day. They are in the yard, the tall grass, the woods, just everywhere. The cat and the dog get "tick checks" every time they come into the house too. They are so common, it's no longer a yuck factor, just an everyday fact of life.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Ticks have been nightmarish this year here in Pennsylvania. We get our share of regular ticks and deer ticks, but I've seen way more of the regular ones this year, and very few deer ticks (which is good IMO).

We've had so many this year that, on a windy day, they'll actually catch on the wind and land on you.

 

[Darsa]

Egad, just reading through the replies I have goosebumps all over, and the twitches!! Thank you though; I couldn't remember that it was Deer Ticks that I should look out for. I'll have to "hold it in" and actually do some research, might even call my doctor for advice.

Both ticks on me were "flat", so I assume that either they weren't happy with my blood or had just recently latched on *shudder* But I can't be too careful when it comes to those things, UUUUGGGH...

Amazing how something so tiny can instill such fear in a big person like me!

 

[JessicaR]

We have tick issues where we live too. This year has been really bad though. When I moved here 20 years ago I freaked at the mention of the word. Now I am queen at tick removal and popping them. If they are still crawling you should be OK if they are head buried and engorged and palish in color I would have it checked out. The tiny ones are the deer ticks. I was going to post some pictures but thought better of it.

 

[Nette]

Brown dog ticks have been especially bad in our area this year. The vets all have signs saying to watch for them this year. And the baby ones look a bit like deer ticks. But the dog ticks are harmless and actually PREFER to bite the dogs, so treating the dogs seems to have helped our problem (knock virtual wood).

And to the poster who "pops" the ticks, that's a good way to spread their eggs. Just drown the sucker in alcohol.