TICK fever!!!!!

[s219]

Thanks. Great information guys and here are my symptoms. That clinic doctor was off base saying I was ok not having a "bullseye" area, etc.
If anyone has these symptoms...get checked out and bloodwork done!
Mainly I felt weak. I got exhausted easy. Joint pain. (Dr. said it was muscle ache) but mainly knees, back, arms, neck.
One night I got chilly. (In Drs office it was 97.6).
Not to be an alarmist...but if in doubt, better safe than sorry!

Good for you for being proactive and knowing something was off. They have been bad around my part of VA this year, I suspect maybe the mild winter is a contributor. Some are so small that I don't spot them with a visual check.

 

[Jstpssng]

Good for you for being proactive and knowing something was off. They have been bad around my part of VA this year, I suspect maybe the mild winter is a contributor. Some are so small that I don't spot them with a visual check.

THOSE are the ones that you need to worry about, as it's the tiny deer tick which spreads Lyme's. There seem to be more and more varieties of tick-borne diseases cropping up though, spread by different types of ticks.

 

[wheelbuilder]

THOSE are the ones that you need to worry about, as it's the tiny deer tick which spreads Lyme's. There seem to be more and more varieties of tick-borne diseases cropping up though, spread by different types of ticks.

Any type of tick can carry Lyme disease, as well as a bunch of other hard to diagnose and treat ailments. I believe we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg with these. It makes me wonder if these ailments affect squirrels, deer and rabbits. I know dogs get them.

 

[Jstpssng]

Any type of tick can carry Lyme disease, as well as a bunch of other hard to diagnose and treat ailments. I believe we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg with these. It makes me wonder if these ailments affect squirrels, deer and rabbits. I know dogs get them.

From this site: Lyme Disease and Other Diseases Spread by Ticks | Health

Lyme disease is spread through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick (also known as a deer tick). Only the blacklegged tick transmits the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Fairfax County Health Department provides a free tick identification service.

Unfortunately for us, the rest of your statement is spot on.

 

[wheelbuilder]

Sorry for the misinformation. The top vet I use told me otherwise.

From this site: Lyme Disease and Other Diseases Spread by Ticks | Health



Unfortunately for us, the rest of your statement is spot on.

 

[CobyRupert]

The Iceman, who is estimated to be 5,300 years old, appears to have had Lyme, Iceman Mummy May Hold Earliest Evidence of Lyme Disease

Later,
Dan

And....?

Sure, an Icemen may someday be discovered who had smallpox or the Black Plague. And if a NEW smallpox or Black Plague epidemic suddenly starts outside the gates of a biological weapons facility........uhm....
...well, that would be a coincidence too!! Love coincidences!

 

[Fuddy1952]

My family doctor just called me. Earlier I dropped off a copy of my blood work for his review. He said I caught it very early and doxycycline will cure it, I won't have aftereffects. He was amazed how I made the self diagnosis, apologetic how I had to insist clinic do bloodwork for ticks.
Gut instincts can save your life.

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^
That's good news. :thumbsup:

 

[oosik]

WoW! All the stories of ticks - making me itch. I'm using NexGard on my little Cocker Spaniel for now. He is such a hair ball - Front Line would be difficult to administer. He will DEFINITELY be getting a hair cut after completion of his puppy shot series.

 

[rekees4300]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:Two thumbs up for NexGard. More effective and less messy than Frontline. NexGard can be ordered from Pet Shed without Vet prescription. Pet Shed - Pet Supplies at Discount Prices!I

 

[oosik]

I've seen deer scratching/clawing at spots on their belly - probably ticks. Every once in a while I will see one of the neighbor's cows with a patch of ticks. For whatever reason this cow has not gone under/thru the "medication station". I know he will re-soak the med stations at least every month. Whatever is used is effective - if the cow will use it.

 

[Dftodd]

Elderly neighbor had issues for over a year. She was tipsy, worn out, achy joints, ect..... Doctors passed it off to her age which was early 80's. Her daughter finally insisted they check her for tick diseases. Come to find out she had rocky Mountain spotted fever for over a year

 

[Jstpssng]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:Two thumbs up for NexGard. More effective and less messy than Frontline. NexGard can be ordered from Pet Shed without Vet prescription. Pet Shed - Pet Supplies at Discount Prices!I

That's similar to the Bravecto which I had linked to. The two major differences which I can see is that the Nexgard can be bought over the counter, while the Bravecto will last about 3 times as long. Either way I agree with you that it's better than any topical treatment I've ever tried... and going in the woods with me every day my dogs were a pretty good testing ground for flea and tick products.

 

[s219]

Well, I joined the doxycycline club too! Got a tick bite on the back of my leg last Thursday that started causing some strange symptoms over the weekend, like chills and aches up and down my leg, and a lot of soreness around the bite. Large pale pink rash (no bullseye). It seemed to be settling down by the time I got to work on Monday, but then I was walking to lunch and a few minutes in to the 15 minute walk, my knee was obviously stiff and angry. I knew that wasn't normal (I typically need to have a major injury for my knee to act up) so I went to see my doctor that afternoon.

He looked at the bite, asked about my symptoms, and went right over to the computer to put in the prescription. No blood test. I found that surprising, since he is normally very stingy/strategic about prescribing antibiotics. He said they have an extremely low tolerance and low threshold for tick bite diagnoses in our area. Apparently blood tests may not pick up bacterial infections for a couple weeks after a bite, plus there are all sorts of infections, complications, and unknown bacteria that could come from a tick bite. He said he's even seen people get a widespread skin infection (cellulitis) from tick bites. So they don't take chances, and it happens that doxycycline will address pretty much all of these infections and complications.

Lo and behold, after just one dose I could already feel a big improvement, and after two doses I feel back to normal. I have a full 10 day course of the drug to finish up, but I feel like the rapid improvement is a good confirmation something was definitely wrong here. I have gotten hundreds of tick bites in the last 5 years or so, and this is the first one that seemed different and really had me concerned.

I also learned that only the black legged deer tick is a threat for Lyme disease. I see a few of those, but 99% of the ticks I see are Lone Star ticks. They can transmit a similar disease called STARI (Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness). Only the dog tick is a threat for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. I have never seen those in my area. I will be paying more attention to the ticks I pick off myself, as knowing the tick species is an important detail in diagnosing any illness. But really, any tick species can carry random bacterias and lead to skin infections and other complications.

 

[jbrumberg]

That's similar to the Bravecto which I had linked to. The two major differences which I can see is that the Nexgard can be bought over the counter, while the Bravecto will last about 3 times as long. Either way I agree with you that it's better than any topical treatment I've ever tried... and going in the woods with me every day my dogs were a pretty good testing ground for flea and tick products.

I too referenced Bravecto. Bravecto keeps my 160# dog tick free. It either repeals the ticks or kills them after biting. I wish they had something similar for humans.

 

[rekees4300]

That's similar to the Bravecto which I had linked to. The two major differences which I can see is that the Nexgard can be bought over the counter, while the Bravecto will last about 3 times as long. Either way I agree with you that it's better than any topical treatment I've ever tried... and going in the woods with me every day my dogs were a pretty good testing ground for flea and tick products.

Never heard of Bravecto but will check it out, thanks for the heads-up. :thumbsup:

 

[Alan W.]

This is what happens when your allergic to tick bites. It will ooze and stay swelled for days.
Yes I can go get a shot but it doesnt make it go away much faster.
Sucker was inside my sock and just barely attached.
The weird part is nothing occurs until I pull the tick out.

 

[Fuddy1952]

View attachment 611053

This is what happens when your allergic to tick bites. It will ooze and stay swelled for days.
Yes I can go get a shot but it doesnt make it go away much faster.
Sucker was inside my sock and just barely attached.
The weird part is nothing occurs until I pull the tick out.

Get medical attention...yesterday!!!!!

 

[Fuddy1952]

My mother (92) lives about 15 miles away. There are herds of deer there, as many as 40 counted at one time. I was there a few weeks ago then got Rocky Mountain Spotted tick fever. I assumed I got it from a tick bite here, however, just an hour ago I was talking with mom's caregiver who right now is being treated for RMSTF! Apparently, I got it there since I walked to the lake, barn, etc.
Please listen! Early detection is critical. I don't want to sound like an alarmist but worldwide it has an 80% mortality rate.
Much better safe than sorry. I've been off antibiotics now for a week, and I still haven't recovered. I get exhausted easily.

 

[mscheeer772]

the 2 products Mosquito Squad uses are permethrin and Fendona. One is a contact killer and the over I believe is a larvicide. The larvicide interrupts the mosquito's breeding cycle.
I'm a skeptic by nature, but these products WORK.