To be freaked out by a tick on my DD!

[ADHDHDHDHD]

Wow she had been playing outside, said her back hurt. Yes a tick was about to bite!

I ran to get my - as recommended by Mumsnet- tick remover tool from the first aid kit. Removed said tick successfully.

It's now drowning in some gin (that we don't like, haven't wasted Hendricks on it don't worry)

People- get a proper tick remover tool!

@Capricornandproud South Hampshire. We have loads of deer.

I remember similar horror at Centre Parks many years ago when DD2 was 2. I spotted a mole I didn't recognise. Puzzled, I looked a little closer amd realised that said mole had legs! 😱

The nurse at the first aid station sorted it pretty quick but it still makes me shudder 23 years later!

Lymes disease is so dangerous. Please go to A & E immediately if you see a bulls eye mark appearing

This thread is horrifying. 😦 What brand tick remover should I buy?

O'Tom Tick Twister - it's a pack of two, for different sized ticks.

Thank-you! My cousin has Lyme Disease, I don't know why I have not bought a kit sooner! Edit. Done.
PS. Thanks for this thread OP.

No need to go A&E! The Dr can easily give you the antibiotics needed to sort Lyme disease.

My kids have had literally hundreds of ticks between them. Not unusual to get 10 in a day when we’re wild camping. It really isn’t that big of a deal. Not sure what all this stuff about twisting is. You just get the tick hook or card (I keep a card in my wallet so I’ve got one at all times), slide it under and the tick pops out.

We also get a lot at the start of the season that are too small for a tool. I take those out with flat headed tweezers. Sometimes I have left the head in, that isn’t that big of a deal either.

By the way someone upthread said 48 hours attached to transfer Lyme, I’ve always been told it was 24 hours but either way as long as you check daily you’re ok.

If you don’t have a remover tool cost tick in Vaseline it suffocates them

No that's not a good thing to do because it can increase the risk of lymes. Tick removal tool (I have a flat card like one that lives in my wallet) or tweezers.

The NHS site recommends fine tipped tweezers or a tick remover and says nothing about twisting

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/#:~:text=Ticks%20that%20may%20cause%20Lyme,What%20are%20ticks%3F&text=Ticks%20are%20tiny%20spider%2Dlike,in%20urban%20parks%20and%20gardens.

The classic sign of Lymes is a bulls-eye rash, but this does not occur in all cases. Keep an eye out for flu like symptoms and if you have either visit your GP straight-away for antibiotics.

I live in a high tick area (we have to do daily tick checks in the summer, and I even pulled one of DS in the CHRISTMAS holidays?! The mild, wet weather really brings them out!) Lymes terrifies me, but here’s what I know:

1. they don’t really start sucking until 24 hours after they’ve latched on
2. if they are small they are unlikely to have bitten anything else, so won’t be carrying lymes
3. generally getting them off quickly with a tick tool is the best, don’t mess about with vasaline-ing them or anything as if you stress them out, they will vomit in you (yum)
4. watch tick sites carefully after you’ve removed them (fun when your kids might have multiple ones or like my DD, will pick compulsively) if there’s a ‘bullseye’ rash or other noticeable red rash get yourself to the Drs for antibiotics.
5. I flush them down the loo when they’re off - some advice says to keep them if you are worried about the bite, as they can test the tick for lymes, but I would have dozens of dead ticks filed away if I did that 🤢
6. try to prevent them by wearing proper shoes, long socks and fitted trousers when in long grass/underbrush etc.

As an ex gardener I've had about 20 ticks, one I missed and must have been on a couple of days as I felt something but as it was on the back of my leg I didn't see it until too late. .went to the doctors, antibiotics so all ok.

The rest I removed using the tool.

Please don't worry even if your dd develops a rash particularly if ring shaped or flu like symptoms it's not too late.

I even asked the vet if I could use the drop treatment they give to dogs and cats...she wouldn't recommend it

Morning! Didn't expect so many replies!

To clarify, when removing the tick I realised it was really gripping on. And I wondered if there was a 'method' that was best. But too late to know as I wanted to get it off her asap.
I used the non tweezer tool in this set amzn.eu/d/03oqws5X

And kind of slid it under the tick as much as possible- thinking it would just brush off. Nope it was like tug of war and as I pulled up it came off, wedged in the tool.

I was wondering if I should have approached it head first, instinct told me to, but I wondered if that was best?

Said tick is now drowned in a shot glass of gin. Its mouth parts seem intact so I think I got it all off and out of DD.

No rash this morning but will keep an eye on her.

I only had the gadget because of Mumsnet, having never used it before.
So I thought I would encourage others to get a proper tool.

We moved house a few months ago and have found a few on the dogs from the garden. Never experienced them before. We're in Newcastle upon Tyne

Good grief! I've had dogs all my life and I've only ever seen 2 and one of those was on the ground. I think that I'm going to get a remover, just in case.

Unscrew anti-clockwise, took one off the dog a few weeks back, just crush, no need to drown!

Rife in South West Surrey/Hampshire. We have had them in our garden for years. DH caught Lyme about 5 years ago now, he didn't get the rash, didn't notice a tick on the back of his leg, which may have been there a while by the time I noticed it, and then suddenly felt very unwell about a week later.

I spray repellent when I garden now, just as you would for mossies, and it seems to be doing the job. I haven't had any this year. The only ones I have seen have been dropped by the cat on my bed sheets!! Thanks Arthur.

Very dependent on area, if there are deer, you’ll see them occasionally, walking through long grass/ferns, Lake District/Scotland, going over the mountains. I came back from Scotland and the do’s head was covered, same coming back from a hike in the Lakes, there were lots. The one on the dog the other week was from the Welsh/English border. Never see them where I live, thank god.

Oh lord, I’m from there, never encountered them until we went to Scotland (Ullapool) on holiday. Mind, you’d never have see them on our very long haired dog unless they were on his face like in Scotland.

Yeah, we've never had them there either! Garden was very overgrown and DH cut it all back which probably didn't help. Apparently they can lie dormant and re awake when animals or people appear. Have sprayed with pet safe
insecticide, flea bathed, treated and trimmed dogs and just got some nematodes which are supposed to keep the numbers down.

What's the insecticide to use?

How would you know if your dog had a tic?

These are by far the best tick tweezers I've ever bought - especially for the tiny ticks (full stop size)

https://www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/tick-remover