Tick question...

[silverback mike]

HI folks,

My 8 year old daughter and I had a good wander through the woods on Saturday, afterwards she noticed a 'bug' on her leg. She yanked it off, and that was that. On speaking to her yesterday (lives with mum) she told me that she found two on her leg the next morning.

I've googled pictures and they were definately a very small black tick.

Should she visit the doctor?

Anyone have any inside knowledge of ticks?

[E21_Ross]

Given her age, i would just in case. If you don't have a tic remover, smother the bd in vaseline for the mean time.

Just keep alert for any rash which looks like a dartboard!

[silverback mike]

Think I will bimble off to the doctors just in case, no symptoms at all really, but nhs direct link to lymes disease, which looks thoroughly unpleasant

[E21_Ross]

silverback mike said:

Think I will bimble off to the doctors just in case, no symptoms at all really, but nhs direct link to lymes disease, which looks thoroughly unpleasant

Yup hence my mention to keep alert about a rash which looks like a dartboard. I think its called erythema migrans or something off the top of my head but may be slightly off. It's pretty obvious when it shows up though. You're doing the right thing by going to gp

[silverback mike]

[RemainAllHoof]

Given your name, shouldn't you just sit behind her, pick the ticks off her and eat them?

[bexVN]

RemainAllHoof said:

Given your name, shouldn't you just sit behind her, pick the ticks off her and eat them?

Agree with above advice best get them checked, also check the head wasn't left behind when the tick was pulled off. Glad to say Lymes disease is not common. Using vaseline suffocates them so give it 24hrs then remove, much less likely to leave any of it behind if it's dead. (Sometimes they drop off when they die but not always)

[shouldbworking]

Picked up 2 of the buggers myself riding around beacon batch on friday... I'm now in full on paranoia mode but no bullseyes yet. just standard minging bites.

Used a proper tick remover inside 24 hours so should be ok... i hope.

[silverback mike]

RemainAllHoof said:

Given your name, shouldn't you just sit behind her, pick the ticks off her and eat them?

Appointment today at 16.20

[alfa pint]

I just take them out using the same remover that I use for the dog. I'd only be worried if I developed the dodgy rash and flu like symptoms afterwards.

Missus got one in her leg the other week. I offered to remove it. She phoned the docs, who booked her into see a nurse that morning and said "Yep, we take ticks out all the time."

Missus got into see the nurse. Rude and grumpy nurse took one look and said that she wasn't wasting her time removing it and just stuck a layer of granuflex over the top of it, suffocating it. This killed the tick, making it spew its guts up into my missus leg, so you're asking for blood poisoning there. She was really upset and has now made a complaint against the nurse.

I took the tick out when we got home; it was already dead.

[bexVN]

Got to be honest. Suffocating a tick is common practice. I've never heard of one 'spewing its guts up' though! I know several people who have had exactly the same technique used with no problem. Tick dies making it easier to remove much better than leaving the head behind.

[K77 CTR]

Suffocating the tick is not advocated anymore, best removed with a proper tick remover.

[PH lurker]

silverback mike said:

Appointment today at 16.20

Is she OK?

[silverback mike]

Fine thanks, all sorted, the doc had a good look and a prod around, advised what has been said on here really. Also, apparently lymes disease is very rare in this country.

So, thanks folks, madamsilverback all sorted.

Mind you, I had a bking from her for 'taking me on a walk in the woods in totally inappropriate clothing' ie summer dress and sandals...... hmmm, sounds like ex wifey words transposed there

[bexVN]

K77 CTR said:

Suffocating the tick is not advocated anymore, best removed with a proper tick remover.

Just out of interest, why not?

[bobr]

Whisky soaked cotton wool makes them a doddle to remove

[alfa pint]

bexVN said:

K77 CTR said:

Suffocating the tick is not advocated anymore, best removed with a proper tick remover.

Just out of interest, why not?

What, you really want a dead animal hanging out the back of your leg? Head in your bloodstream, guts being released through its mouth into your blood?

As long as you take them off clean (which is a doddle with the remover) then there's virtually no risk of blood poisoning.

[bexVN]

alfa pint said:

bexVN said:

K77 CTR said:

Suffocating the tick is not advocated anymore, best removed with a proper tick remover.

Just out of interest, why not?

What, you really want a dead animal hanging out the back of your leg? Head in your bloodstream, guts being released through its mouth into your blood?

As long as you take them off clean (which is a doddle with the remover) then there's virtually no risk of blood poisoning.

I know it is, we remove them all the time at work, however they occasionally end up in very tricky areas which makes it hard to remove them so this is one option. Also tick drops work on killing a tick and they then drop off once dead (or make them easier to remove) Never seen a case of blood poisoning due to this method.

A lot of people manage to leave the heads behind even with tick removers!

[K77 CTR]

bexVN said:

Just out of interest, why not?

It's been proven that it encourages the tick to burrow deeper and secrete more saliva, increasing the risk of infection.

[bexVN]

K77 CTR said:

bexVN said:

Just out of interest, why not?

It's been proven that it encourages the tick to burrow deeper and secrete more saliva, increasing the risk of infection.

Aah ok, did not know that, worth remembering, still find it a useful method in the world of animals though
ETA tend use a tick remover most of the time though.

Edited by bexVN on Wednesday 22 June 08:57