Barftastistic subjec! Had a tick unsuccessfully removed which has left behind mouthparts

[MadameCheese]

What the heck should I do?

niiice.

are you sure the mouth is stillin?

this happened to me, I just smothered it in savlon, was fine after about a week, but be aware of Lyme's disease.

oh. risk of infection I think. best get orf to the dr.

Yup, it is soooooo gross. I've shoved fucidin cream on it and will continue to do so. Would it be something NHS direct could advise about or shall I just go to the Doc?

[faints]

I've decided to stop feeding DS who is 14 mo because if there's the faintest chance of Lyme's disease, I certainly don't want him to get it

would a poultice work in the mean time, until you can get to the GP?

i had mouth pieces left in when i was a child, it turned into a huge lump that had to be cut out. i still have the scar.

Is it still alive? Put vaseline all over it and it will back out because it can't breathe.

Thanks bbb the area around it is red but not really inflammed or anything. This is so yucky

I hope it's not still alive, it is just the mouthparts not the whole tick that's left.

oooh, mouthpart is the worst part I was always told (ticks used to attach to my aunts dogs when we used to go hiking).

you got to smother it, so the vasiline advice is sound.....what my uncle used to do.

never try an pull it out, the mouth can burrow deeper apparently (think of it like a worm, the two ends are independent of each other if you separate them.

I am sorry......not what you wanna hear I am sure, but IIRC, I am 99% sure of the mouth still being alive.

here's a poultice recipe.

hope it works.

yes I would smother with vaseline

have had a few ticks in my time (grr) - would also go back to the GP first thing on Monday.

Was it a medical person who left the head of the tick in? because that's pretty unforgiveable imo.

have you got tweezers? you need to be v careful not to squeeze it although I suspect if part of it has come out already, it has splurged into you already

I might be tempted to go to out of hours to get it out tbh, especially if it is already looking red around the edges

(or minor injuries - it's probably nurses who take things like that out - if you do that, ignore the vaseline because it will make it harder for them to get it out)

DO NOT try to burn the tick off, apply petroleum jelly, nail polish or any other chemical. Any of these methods can cause discomfort to the tick, resulting in regurgitation, or saliva release. Both can cause further infection to arise.

Would seek medical advice in any event as there could be infection present; also ticks don't solely carry just Lyme disease.

it would have done that already if half of it is chopped off tbh

once you've left half a tick in, you need medical assistance to get the rest out tbh (and they might put you on antibs)

I don't know if it's similar but I had a leech that I brushed off my leg, which clearly left a bit behind and it was swollen and infected looking for ages. I used betadine (iodine) on it which cleared it up, but GO to the Dr as I didn't and had a horrid lump all last summer.

for future tick removal you need this method www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-a-tick/

I think you'd best head to the docs this time though.

Oooh grim. I remember my dad burning one off my foot when I was little.

I wouldn't call nhs direct tbh, they will be inundated with Swine Flu calls today.

Thanks all for your advice. My husband tried the rotating thing for about half an hour with no effect and in the end I asked him to pull it out, doh! I'm off to the doctor's tomorrow. Groooooooooooooss!

Bit of off the cuff medical advice form dh (off-duty GP today). He says best go to casualty to get is removed today as it is a risk of infection.

This cos the GP will just send you to casualty anyway to get it one - unlikely to get it done in the surgery normally.

Thanks weegiemum and to your DH. Don't fancy the wait up there with DS, bum!