tick season

[outllaw]

reminder guys its tick season just pulled the first one from my Labrador. I just don't wanna see OFC folks have an issue

[Paudash]

Everyone please take this very seriously as my daughter has had Lyme Disease for the past 4 years and it not something to take lightly

[NAW]

Thanks for the reminder!

[BillM]

Do ticks like snow?

[Gnote]

Thanks, those little buggers can be a serious pest

[Roy]

Do ticks like snow?

 

Ticks survive snow quite nicely. Some, such as the American dog tick, better than others. They're just not active during the fall and winter.

[Headhunter]

Been told by my neighbours who are dog walkers that ticks have been found recently in my area of Scarborough. Not a pleasant occurrence.

Thanks for the reminder OP.

HH

[PUMP KNOWS]

Whats the best way to avoid ticks?

 

I never encountered them before.

[Paudash]

you or your pet can pick them up any time you walk across your lawn

 

The best prevention is to take a shower any time you do any work outside

[lew]

Everyone please take this very seriously as my daughter has had Lyme Disease for the past 4 years and it not something to take lightly

 

It is indeed a terrible disease, my bud who is 85 years old has had it for 35 years now. It affected his knees and ankles so bad he has braces on both legs and needs a cane or scooter to get around.

[fishnsled]

It's not only Lyme disease you have to worry about with ticks either. The Powassan virus is much worse. (yes it is named after the community in Ontario - first case in 1958)

 

I've seen quite a bit of talk about it in the news lately.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/powassan-virus-prompts-officials-to-expand-tick-monitoring-1.3036326

[Paudash]

Before gardening, camping, hiking, or just playing outdoors, make tick bite prevention part of your outdoor plans.

Over 25,000 cases of Lyme disease among Americans will be reported this year. The risk is greatest among those living in or visiting New England, the mid-Atlantic states, and the upper Midwest. A recent national survey found that nearly 20 percent of people in areas where Lyme disease is common were unaware of the danger. Fortunately, there are several tactics you and your family can use to prevent tick bites and reduce your risk of tickborne disease.

Protect Yourself from Tick Bites

Know where to expect ticks. Blacklegged ticks live in moist and humid environments, particularly in or near wooded or grassy areas. You may come into contact with ticks during outdoor activities around your home or when walking through vegetation such as leaf litter or shrubs. To avoid ticks, walk in the center of trails and avoid tall vegetation.

Here is some basic information

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/LymeDisease/

[manitoubass2]

Anytime we are in the bush its almost cerimonial now to do full body checks upon getting home. Shower up too cause that def helps with poison ivy which is everywhere here(cold shower).

 

I hate ticks but I probably pick off about 200 or more a year. Out of those maybe 3 or 4 are imbedded.

 

In spite of all the home remedies for removal, we still pull out slowly with tweezers and make sure to get the head!

 

Make sure to check your head!!!

[James77]

I found a tick on the back of my cats neck the other day, this is my first ever encounter with a tick and now I am hearing more and more about it.

Creepy stuff. Other than bug spray any way to protect yourself?

 

James

[manitoubass2]

I found a tick on the back of my cats neck the other day, this is my first ever encounter with a tick and now I am hearing more and more about it.

Creepy stuff. Other than bug spray any way to protect yourself?

 

James

Stay out of the bush?

 

Where long clothes in this bush.

 

Check often

 

Or totally chemical yourself with deet(which I strongly prefer not to do myself)

Edited April 23, 2015 by manitoubass2

[Oggie]

Yes my wife just got diagnosed with Lyme's disease. Fortunately they were looking for the cause of another ailment and just decided to check for Lyme's. She has no symptoms related to the Lyme's. Doesn't a dose of antibiotics clear it up? Am I being naive?

Dan O.

[outllaw]

I know a fellow fisherman. his doctor put him on the lyme didease medicine from a tick. he lost near 6 weeks of fishing from naseau vertigo and such from meds..

[Paudash]

Yes my wife just got diagnosed with Lyme's disease. Fortunately they were looking for the cause of another ailment and just decided to check for Lyme's. She has no symptoms related to the Lyme's. Doesn't a dose of antibiotics clear it up? Am I being naive? Dan O.

 

You are being very naive, the antibiotics only clear it up if you start them within 4 weeks of being bitten. If she has been diagnosed with Lyme you are are in for a long tough battle, please do your research and get her to a doctor that will treat it correctly.

[captpierre]

So as a vet I'm well informed about what to do with your dogs.

Lyme disease is transmitted by deer ticks.

They live mostly in wooded areas, tall grass and ravines etc.

they are increasing every year in Ontario.

They are most active in spring and fall. Less so when it's hot. Tick activity starts at 4 degrees Celsius.

They are less than 1/8 inch long when they first get on you or your dog.

They climb up tall grass or to the end of a shrub branch and wait patiently for some critter to come by

After getting on their victim, they attach and begin to feed in one place. After 36-72 hrs they begin to fill up with blood and start to regurgitate back into the victim. This regurgitated blood can contain the Lyme bacteria from the tick's stomach.

Only a small percentage of ticks carry the Lyme bug in most areas. There are 2 notable exceptions.

The north shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario east of Toronto are hotspots. Especially Bellevile and east.

Bottom line. Avoid tick bites if possible.

Remove ticks as soon as possible. Grab tick by the head as close to skin as you can with tweezers and pull straight out. Don't squeeze the body of the tick. You can push in the belly contents of the tick into the victim by squeezing the body.

Ticks secret an anesthetic so you really can't feel them until you see or touch them.

Get preventive medication from your vet for your dog. If you visit a Lyme hotspot avoid high risk areas and get your dog vaccinated.

For people spray deet and keep skin covered.

This is the new reality in Ontario.

You or your dog don't want Lyme Disease.

Avril Lavigne got it. She lives in Napanee

No more shorts and sandals in the bush