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Post by migsy on Jul 29, 2013 13:11:21 GMT
After many many years of tramping with dogs through woodland all over the country,what husband thought to be bites from horseflies turned out to be ticks,urrrrgh! He had just had a shower and said he thought something was sticking out of one of the bites,on looking closely I could see it was a minute tick,then found another,one on his arm,and another below his armpit where that sneaky little bugger had climbed inside his shirt...shudder.We never wear shorts or sandals around the woods as we have seen the odd Adder about.I managed to remove both with the trusty O'TOM tick remover.Think hikers would be wise to invest in these,as many wear shorts. As has happened with others who have found a tick on their body,husband had to have a blood test,and then another in a weeks time. I hope people will take ticks very seriously,as a friend was extremely ill for a very long time after one latched on to her in the Lake District,she didn't know one had and doctors were baffled at her illness,but luckily,as she became more ill,a doctor from a country where such problems are more common recognised the symptoms.Husband said he didn't feel them and they weren't itchy,so even more important to check skin after a walk in the country.I know the advice is to do this,but like us,I suspect it doesn't cross many peoples minds to do this,yet we check out our dogs.
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Post by tonib on Jul 29, 2013 13:16:54 GMT
Oh, hope your husband's blood tests are OK. Not nice at all.
Odd that you should have posted this at this time as I'm watching Doctors (sorry but I enjoy the program) & reading the forum posts at the same time. They had a storyline running around a year ago with one of the characters having exactly the same issues that your friend had - Lyme Disease was a the eventual diagnosis.
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Post by Avansa on Jul 29, 2013 14:45:02 GMT
Yuck! I got a tick on my arm while in the New Forest and it died while in me :s had to go to the doctor to get it taken out as didn't have a tick remover and didn't want it's nasty little head to fall off in there.
Going to invest in a nice strong insect repellent next time I go! People who go hiking and camping recommend DEET but I don't know much about it.
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Post by SarahHound on Jul 29, 2013 16:07:04 GMT
I get ticks all the time, never had a bad reaction to one but I always get really itchy at the spot where it was for about a week. I have two clegg bites right now, they are all inflamed, painful and itchy too. I hate them. Ticks don't bother me, but cleggs are nasty little sods.
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Post by migsy on Jul 29, 2013 16:32:58 GMT
On a programme about the best products to use to repel biting and blood sucking nasties,products containing Deet were the ones recommended.Lyme Disease is what friend was infected with from a tick.When grandson had tick on edge of his eyelid,too close for me to attempt to remove,he went to local hospital and they sent him home, daft doc on duty said no risk in this country! He went to his own doctor who wasn't happy about blood test not being done at the hospital,and even less happy they had sent him home without removing the tick. P.s. Nurse at our surgery told husband a man had been in who tried to remove tick with burning end of cigarette,an old remedy that often leads to trouble.The head was left in so she'd had to dig it out for him,not nice.
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Post by Avansa on Jul 29, 2013 17:05:01 GMT
Lyme Disease is a horrible, horrible illness I don't think enough people are made aware of it and just think that ticks are disgusting and annoying, but not a huge health risk. You need to be careful because sometimes symptoms don't show for weeks, months or even years. That doctor sounds like a total idiot!
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Post by Pawsforthought on Jul 29, 2013 17:27:24 GMT
I get ticks all the time, never had a bad reaction to one but I always get really itchy at the spot where it was for about a week. I have two clegg bites right now, they are all inflamed, painful and itchy too. I hate them. Ticks don't bother me, but cleggs are nasty little sods. Like Avansa said, Lyme disease is a horrible thing that isn't worth the risk. The breeder we got Monts and Woods from has it, and for years and years it ruined her life. She couldn't ride any more and she adores horses. She was left extremely weak and at risk of death from other illnesses! She didn't know she had it for a few months because it didn't show any symptoms. Anyway, don't underestimate them by any means.
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Post by SarahHound on Jul 29, 2013 20:09:36 GMT
I get ticks all the time, never had a bad reaction to one but I always get really itchy at the spot where it was for about a week. I have two clegg bites right now, they are all inflamed, painful and itchy too. I hate them. Ticks don't bother me, but cleggs are nasty little sods. Like Avansa said, Lyme disease is a horrible thing that isn't worth the risk. The breeder we got Monts and Woods from has it, and for years and years it ruined her life. She couldn't ride any more and she adores horses. She was left extremely weak and at risk of death from other illnesses! She didn't know she had it for a few months because it didn't show any symptoms. Anyway, don't underestimate them by any means. I am well aware of Lymes Disease, I've known 2 people with it, one was seriously ill for months and the other still suffers pain 6 years afterwards. What exactly am I meant to do about them, I can hardly move away to escape the risk? All I can do is take them out, but like I said, that doesn't bother me.
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Post by caz2golden on Jul 29, 2013 21:25:21 GMT
I have two clegg bites right now, they are all inflamed, painful and itchy too. I hate them. Ticks don't bother me, but cleggs are nasty little sods. Cleggs, sorry being a bit thick, whats that, assuming horse fly but know I am probably totally wrong!! As far as I am aware never been bitten by a tick!! Midges and mosquito's!! Now they are nasty for me!! Midges I look like I am covered in small lumps, mosquito's and they can be up to penny sized lumps! Currently covered in mosquito bites which I have scratched and every one I have made bleed!! The other thing which is bad for me is nettle stings, they hurt for days and I always get lumps!! Migsy really hope your other half is ok, Lyme disease sounds terrible.
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Post by SarahHound on Jul 29, 2013 21:27:42 GMT
I have two clegg bites right now, they are all inflamed, painful and itchy too. I hate them. Ticks don't bother me, but cleggs are nasty little sods. Cleggs, sorry being a bit thick, whats that, assuming horse fly but know I am probably totally wrong!! As far as I am aware never been bitten by a tick!! Midges and mosquito's!! Now they are nasty for me!! Midges I look like I am covered in small lumps, mosquito's and they can be up to penny sized lumps! Currently covered in mosquito bites which I have scratched and every one I have made bleed!! The other thing which is bad for me is nettle stings, they hurt for days and I always get lumps!! Migsy really hope your other half is ok, Lyme disease sounds terrible. Yes, horseflies. I think Cleggs is a Scottish word!
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Post by scallywag on Jul 29, 2013 21:29:41 GMT
Hmmmm have to say, glad I am a town girl, this all sounds so awful, guess it is what you are used to eh ?
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Post by Avansa on Jul 29, 2013 22:18:05 GMT
Like Avansa said, Lyme disease is a horrible thing that isn't worth the risk. The breeder we got Monts and Woods from has it, and for years and years it ruined her life. She couldn't ride any more and she adores horses. She was left extremely weak and at risk of death from other illnesses! She didn't know she had it for a few months because it didn't show any symptoms. Anyway, don't underestimate them by any means. I am well aware of Lymes Disease, I've known 2 people with it, one was seriously ill for months and the other still suffers pain 6 years afterwards. What exactly am I meant to do about them, I can hardly move away to escape the risk? All I can do is take them out, but like I said, that doesn't bother me. Use insect repellent? Just taking them out won't help with the risk of Lyme Disease, but I'm sure you know that anyway. Autan is a particularly good one, kept PFT's nanny tick free and she lives in the New Forest
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Post by cazypops on Jul 29, 2013 22:25:52 GMT
Touch wood, I've never come across a tic. But think I might get a remover just in case as I know there's a few about where other half goes fishing.
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Post by tonib on Jul 29, 2013 22:35:47 GMT
caz2golden, I'm glad I'm not the only one to react badly to midge & mozzy bites. It never used to bother me much until on holiday abroad I got bitten by a few mozzys on night, they seemed attracted to me, mind you I think my friends appreciated that - they didn't get many bites!! However I got bitten on my hand, in this country, a few years later & my hand became nearly twice the size!! Luckily nothing as bad since but still react to them.
Luckily never seen a tick (I hope that;s not famous last words )
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Post by migsy on Jul 29, 2013 23:15:51 GMT
Mozzies love me!They seem to think 'party food' whenever I go on holiday abroad.Always end up with one that turns nasty and needing anti biotics when I return home.Husband has never been touched by them,yet I completely cover up in the evening from neck to ankles,plus repellent,and yep,still get feasted on.Strange thing happened on the N.Broads one year,we ate outside in beer garden and midges were around,daughter was lucky one with light stole around shoulders...she was only one to suffer bites,hundreds of them covering her back !
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