How to prevent ticks
Discussion
One for “PHers and their first world problems”
We bought a house with a woodland, we’ve been here about 6 months. The dog and toddler love it.
We’ve had 3 instances so far with ticks that we’ve noticed on the dog (he wasn’t getting tick treatment initially, he is now on the monthly)
Today we found one attached to my little boy (he’s 4) and the wife subsequently swears she saw one on the sofa.
Dog is allowed on sofa and sleeps on the sofa in the dining room.
Tomorrow’s job is a big deep clean and tick spray on the carpets and furniture.
Given the woodland, I can’t see this going away. Will keep on top of the dog treatment but does anyone have any tips to stop the ticks?
Cheers Neil Chambers
We bought a house with a woodland, we’ve been here about 6 months. The dog and toddler love it.
We’ve had 3 instances so far with ticks that we’ve noticed on the dog (he wasn’t getting tick treatment initially, he is now on the monthly)
Today we found one attached to my little boy (he’s 4) and the wife subsequently swears she saw one on the sofa.
Dog is allowed on sofa and sleeps on the sofa in the dining room.
Tomorrow’s job is a big deep clean and tick spray on the carpets and furniture.
Given the woodland, I can’t see this going away. Will keep on top of the dog treatment but does anyone have any tips to stop the ticks?
Cheers Neil Chambers
Cover up, (long sleeves and ankles covered) check when you come back in and enjoy the outdoors.
You can use DEET, but it's not fragrent
They live on wildlife. Long wild grass and wherever the deer roam.
So enjoy the wildlife and check for ticks.
As for dogs on sofas and beds.....
You can use DEET, but it's not fragrent
They live on wildlife. Long wild grass and wherever the deer roam.
So enjoy the wildlife and check for ticks.
As for dogs on sofas and beds.....
Edited by The_Doc on Saturday 26th April 18:30
I'm not sure you can stop them, other then spraying yourself with Deet before you venture into the woodland which is totally impractical. We also live on the edge of woodland and there are ticks in the garden, they come in on foxes and squirrels I assume, this despite us keeping it tidy, no long grass, not leaving piles of leaves etc. Strangely my wife gets 2 or 3 every summer whereas I've only found one on me in 8 years. I wonder if it's blood type?
Check for ticks when you get in after being in the woods, and keep a pair of tweezers handy to pull them off.
The sooner you can do it, the better as if they get established on you then you get an itchy spot for a few days.
I go trail running a fair bit, and pick up about half a dozen every yearn off of the long grass and bracken on the moors.
The sooner you can do it, the better as if they get established on you then you get an itchy spot for a few days.
I go trail running a fair bit, and pick up about half a dozen every yearn off of the long grass and bracken on the moors.
We live in a forest on a Scottish hillside with lots of deer so no shortage of ticks going around.
Things that have helped.
1) dogs given Bravecto over the warmer months - no latched on ticks at all since starting this. Any that they do pickup seem to either drop off or (very rarely) seem to make their way towards the dogs head where they can be easily spotted.
2) deer fencing off the area where the dogs (and people) play. This made a massive difference and has all seemingly but eliminated ticks in the fenced off area. Also obviously means the dogs can't chase the deer (or run away I guess!) and the deer can't eat all my wife's plants.
3) keep the grass mown where possible and strimming down rough areas in late autumn means that there's less habitat for the ticks to overwinter or survive hot dry spells.
If you can't mow the forest then mowing paths through it will allow you to go in there and walk around without ploughing through long grass.
4) Red top fly traps - these do nothing at all for ticks but will make a huge difference to the almost inevitable fly plagues you get in forests during warm humid weather.
Things that have helped.
1) dogs given Bravecto over the warmer months - no latched on ticks at all since starting this. Any that they do pickup seem to either drop off or (very rarely) seem to make their way towards the dogs head where they can be easily spotted.
2) deer fencing off the area where the dogs (and people) play. This made a massive difference and has all seemingly but eliminated ticks in the fenced off area. Also obviously means the dogs can't chase the deer (or run away I guess!) and the deer can't eat all my wife's plants.
3) keep the grass mown where possible and strimming down rough areas in late autumn means that there's less habitat for the ticks to overwinter or survive hot dry spells.
If you can't mow the forest then mowing paths through it will allow you to go in there and walk around without ploughing through long grass.
4) Red top fly traps - these do nothing at all for ticks but will make a huge difference to the almost inevitable fly plagues you get in forests during warm humid weather.
Edited by Snow and Rocks on Saturday 26th April 20:09
cliffords said:
Doofus said:
Get the proper tick tweezer things. If not properly removed, their mouthnparts can stay behind, attached to dog/child.
That's a terrible way of referring to his toddler.
Whe I encounter the in the supermarket, I call them 'runty little s
tbags'All good advice above.
We live in a forest and have a family of deer live in the garden so ticks are a way of life for us.
We have a set of outdoor garden & walking clothes and strip off every time we come in the house from the garden. Those clothes are kept in isolation from anything else and frequently washed. My wife and I check each other for ticks with a magnifying glass every night if we’ve been in the garden or gone for a walk.
If you find any, those special tick tweezers are essential and help them come out very easily.
We live in a forest and have a family of deer live in the garden so ticks are a way of life for us.
We have a set of outdoor garden & walking clothes and strip off every time we come in the house from the garden. Those clothes are kept in isolation from anything else and frequently washed. My wife and I check each other for ticks with a magnifying glass every night if we’ve been in the garden or gone for a walk.
If you find any, those special tick tweezers are essential and help them come out very easily.
We have tick tweezers for taking ticks off our dogs.
Unlike ordinary tweezers these tick tweezers are designed to spring closed. When you squeeze the tweezers they open up and then when you release they spring closed and grip the tick. The tick can then be twisted off.
I have never failed to get the full head and if I hold the bd up I can see its little front legs and stuff waving at me. Then flush down the sink.
Unlike ordinary tweezers these tick tweezers are designed to spring closed. When you squeeze the tweezers they open up and then when you release they spring closed and grip the tick. The tick can then be twisted off.
I have never failed to get the full head and if I hold the b
d up I can see its little front legs and stuff waving at me. Then flush down the sink.Snow and Rocks said:
We live in a forest on a Scottish hillside with lots of deer so no shortage of ticks going around.
Things that have helped.
1) dogs given Bravecto over the warmer months - no latched on ticks at all since starting this. Any that they do pickup seem to either drop off or (very rarely) seem to make their way towards the dogs head where they can be easily spotted.]
We had the same with one of our Westies, as we got rid we found another one had crawled inside his nostril but bless the wee bugger he held still and let us remove it.Things that have helped.
1) dogs given Bravecto over the warmer months - no latched on ticks at all since starting this. Any that they do pickup seem to either drop off or (very rarely) seem to make their way towards the dogs head where they can be easily spotted.]
RichB said:
loskie said:
Is it a real problem???
It can be, like everything it depends on how susceptible you are to the possible diseases they carry like Lyme disease. beambeam1 said:
Quite. I have always been extremely wary since I read about Matt Dawson having to have heart surgeries after contracting Lyme disease following a tick bite.
I say it because were I live in Hampshire there are adders. Most people say an adder bit is not much to worry about but a friend of mine was bitten and his leg was so badly inflamed for 6 months, made me very cautious. Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff