Ticks - Lyme disease

[jimmychooing]

I've booked a holiday in summer to a campsite near the New Forest, and ever since I keep seeing loads of scary info about Ticks and the dangers of Lyme Disease! This isn't something I had ever really considered before and it's freaking me out!

Does anyone have any experience of this, or would this put you off visiting the New Forest? I realise there are other 'hotspots' in the UK and Europe, but the New Forest seems to be mentioned quite a bit and it's where I'm going...

Hi there
I live in the new forest and have done for over 40 years. I have ponies, some of which run out on the forest, so I am often putting myself at risk of picking up a "passenger"
I've only ever had one tick attach to me in all that time. It was up at Boldrewood where the deer are a particular feature and I had sat on the grass with some friends eating lunch. It was in my groin and when I realised a few days later what it was I freaked and went to the local A&E to get them to take it out, it wasn't the most accessible place. So my advice would be don't sit directly on the grass, sit on a blanket for example. Try not to walk through long grass or bracken unless you're in trousers or wearing long boots. It's often the lower legs that the ticks attach to. Obviously check for them and remove as soon as you can. Those tick stick puller things are very good. If you get the circular bullseye rash and don't feel well (fluey) then you need to get the antibiotics ASAP, that's the indicator for Lyme and you really want to avoid that if you can. My daughters and my DH have never got a tick bite, honestly they really aren't that common so please don't let it put you off coming here. A friend of mine picked up on Lymes tick last year. He was properly ill for about a week (he's the sort who's never ill usually) he did the antibiotic course and a few weeks later was completely back to normal so it doesn't have to be awful if you catch it quickly. Enjoy your stay here!

Glad to hear Lyme's is rare! I'm ok about it now (still a bit squeamish about the thought of ticks burrowed in skin but...)

I know the information campaigns are intended to raise awareness, they just might be a bit full on

Just read a trip advisor review of the place we're going to and a woman came back from there a few weeks ago having caught Lyme disease from a tick in the connecting forest it's like a sign

Golly I just removed a tick from my 16 month old's shoulder! She must have got it yesterday in the long grass.

Hope she's ok?

I use to live in a high tick area, I would de-tick the dog after every walk and he never had less than 3, as many as 15 in one go. I'm a tick removing pro.
The thing about ticks are that they are incredibly itchy, 1000 times worse than mozzies or fleas and they itch when they crawl on you. Even the really tiny ones. So it's often easy to feel them before they bite.

The thing about ticks are that they are incredibly itchy, 1000 times worse than mozzies or fleas and they itch when they crawl on you. Even the really tiny ones. So it's often easy to feel them before they bite.

I wouldn't rely on that - DH wasn't itching the couple of times he's had ticks, and he's very sensitive to midges. Maybe people are sensitive to different things?

spacecadet, or maybe not, I had several tick bites as a child, so little body hair, and about 10 as an adult in the days I could be arsed to epilate.

LinoleumBlownapart I think you have that backwards unfortunately - most people can't feel tick bites at all. The ticks' intention is to feed in one location for days and have evolved suppressants in their saliva to stop the host feeling anything.

Very few people feel itching until after the tick drops off - by which time it's been attached for 2-3 days. Ticks are only itchy while attached if the host is allergic to their saliva.

Her0utdoors yes I'm also sceptical about the leg shaving claims, as the backs of knees are a common bite site and they're not hairy on anyone (are they?). Prepubescent children are also bitten more than adults and aren't hairy at all.

Lyme disease isn't transmitted instantly - the tick has to have been attached for 12+ hours.

The two DH had recently were on unhairy areas - one on his side which he noticed when showering, the other behind the knee which we wouldn't have noticed if the other one hadn't alerted us to do an inspection. We should have known to, we'd been off the path by a loch looking (successfully!) for otters and seals.
Maybe some people have different scents?

Thanks OP. I hope so too! Looks like the tick was on for about 24-36 hours and was small so likely she'll be fine. Will keep an eye out though!

No, I've felt something tickling my leg and looked down to see a tick crawling up it. Most times that I've removed ticks from my body have been way before the engorged stage. My dog used to scratch insanely and he started to figure out what it was and would come over for a removal. We're talking daily and I've had over 25 tick bites. Maybe different species are different, but that's been my experience.

I've lived in a high-tick area (as it were) for 15 years. Up until last year I hadn't had a single one, then I had two in a week. None since, even though the cat is bringing them in with her on a regular basis.

Other people had had lots of ticks, but I know none with Lyme disease. So long as you take the right precautions you should be fine.