Mammograms and Deer Ticks

[RSKY]

My wife got her yearly mammogram last week. As the technician was positioning her she ran her hand all over my wife's back. Went back and rubbed a spot two or three times and asked my wife if she could raise her gown and check something. It turned out to be a mole. The technician said that last year either the clinic or herself, wife was not sure which, found over a hundred deer ticks on women's backs when they came in for their x-ray. They are so small that even when the woman takes a mirror and tries to look at her own back she sometimes misses them. So all the techs now run their hand over the women's backs to try to feel for ticks. Kinda scary isn't it?

We have pulled several ticks off each other in the last couple years. Will start checking closer.

Just a posts to make all aware!

RSKY

 

[texasjohn]

Yep, good post. I guess your point is that now when kids are on a date and run a careful finger check, one of them might get ticked off!! :thumbsup:

Something to be aware of, for sure.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

That's one thing I always do religiously with the kids, tick checks. My older boy found one on my little one's head a couple weeks ago crawling about. You can never be too careful. We have a tremendous deer population on the farm, a bit too much. Don't want Lyme Disease.

 

[oosik]

So far this year all the ticks that have crawled off the dog or I've scraped off me have been wood ticks. I'm sure we must have deer ticks too - we sure have enough muleys. I wish they made something like Frontline for people - it works good on the dog. This is already a bad year for ticks.

 

[RSKY]

I have heard that there is a sellers market for guinea hens in this area due to the tick problem. They are supposed to love eating ticks. Local farmer's market guy said you gotta put them up in a pen for 30 days or they will wander off.

 

[oosik]

Interesting idea RSKY. Maybe all our turkeys will help with the ticks. We have too many coyotes to try and keep any kind of bird - penned up or otherwise. I found a "nest" of ticks yesterday. Looked just like an ant hill. Was going to burn it but that option is no good - already too dry in this part of the country. I circled the "nest" with diazanon(sp) granules and that took care of the situation. I've lived here 32 years and never seen a "nest" of ticks like this. Still makes my skin crawl.

 

[Dozernut]

Good post! I am currently taking a strong antibiotic twice a day for Lyme disease. The side effect of these drugs are they screw with your taste receptors along with digestive tract problems . I can't hardly stand the taste of most sweet foods (guess that is not a totally bad thing). Check for ticks, the doctor told me they can bite and release, but still infect you. Use a good insect repellent,

 

[newbury]

I've had Lyme also. Not fun.
Permethrin and DEET are my weapons. You can spray clothes w/ Permethrin made for clothes and they will be good for several washings. Repellents

Permethrin is commonly sold in places like Walmart at a 0.5% concentration and TSC sells a 10% solution at $20 for 32 oz. I just bought a gallon and a half from Amazon of 36.8% for $73. I'm spraying it around walls and yard edges.

Ticks often depend on a mammalian host in their lifecyle, such as mice, and one way to decrease the tick population is to put out tubes baited with cotton balls soaked in permethrin. It's relatively safe for most mammals.

BUT
Just be VERY careful because permethrin is deadly to cats.

Where I'm at now there are no cats.

Tick checks w/ significant others can be a bonding experience, especially if you don't find any ticks.

 

[Stimw]

Brad Paisley is way ahead of you with the song!!

 

[KiotiKowboy]

I've had Lyme also. Not fun.
Permethrin and DEET are my weapons. You can spray clothes w/ Permethrin made for clothes and they will be good for several washings. Repellents

Permethrin is commonly sold in places like Walmart at a 0.5% concentration and TSC sells a 10% solution at $20 for 32 oz. I just bought a gallon and a half from Amazon of 36.8% for $73. I'm spraying it around walls and yard edges.

Ticks often depend on a mammalian host in their lifecyle, such as mice, and one way to decrease the tick population is to put out tubes baited with cotton balls soaked in permethrin. It's relatively safe for most mammals.

BUT
Just be VERY careful because permethrin is deadly to cats.

Where I'm at now there are no cats.

Tick checks w/ significant others can be a bonding experience, especially if you don't find any ticks.

You're better off to soak your clothing, as you won't miss any spots. Buying the concentrate is FAR cheaper. Just mix it to .5%, soak and dry.

Permethrin is only dangerous to cats in liquid form. After it dries there is no danger.