Dear readers,
Today I am passing on some information I stole from my neighbor, Ann Breemer, but I'm sure she would want you to know. When she says, "Deer Ticks," she is not politely addressing your poor old nervous muscle spasms. She is simply nervous because there are ticks in the grass and bushes,
hungry and looking for fresh blood, and most of them carry Lymes disease.
Deer Ticks
Hi neighbors, it is cold and wet, right? But deer ticks are still alive and hopping even in the nymph stage. I was "ticked" last Friday, a raw day. Contrary to rumors, nymphs are able to transmit Lyme's disease, and surprisingly live in the nymph stage on lizards. These little critters are so tiny one rarely sees them and doesn't feel them crawling on the body like a dog tick. Easiest way to find it is in the shower. After working in brushy areas of gardens, run your hands over your body with soap, feeling for tiny new protruberences where they weren't before. If ticked (by a deer tick,) only 3 or more weeks of Doxycycline protects the victim. Another bit of news, 1 in 4 deer ticks used to carry Lymes, today they say 75% carry it. I have numerous clients being treated and they have been told it is endemic and a quiet epidemic.
That isn't the happiest New Year News, so I do wish you all a happy new
That isn't the happiest New Year News, so I do wish you all a happy new
year and will try to share lighter things things next time. Ann Breemer
Thank you, Ann
"Since the deer tick that transmits Lyme disease must feed for >36 hours before transmission of the spirochete, the risk of acquiring Lyme disease from an observed tick bite, for example, is only 1.2 to 1.4 percent, even in an area where the disease is common." So the soapy shower method as noted above is a real good idea. (Maybe even fun with some help;>))
ReplyDeleteThis link will provide some information to relieve some of the anxiety of finding a deer tick crawing on you or attached. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/what-to-do-after-a-tick-bite-to-prevent-lyme-disease-beyond-the-basics