Tick removed....now what?

[Turnip]

Hi Folks,

My girlfriend has just come back from the Doctors after having a tick removed from her arm, they removed the tick (Poorly) dropped it on the floor and lost it then sent my GF on her way.
She doesn't believe it was on her for more than an hour or 2 at most, and probably came from picking the dog up in the garden.
Is there anything we should do/ be looking out for moving forward? the doctor didn't seem interested.

As always, your input is always very much appreciated!

Cheers

Turnip

 

[Kerne]

You could wait to see if the "bullseye" rash develops but I'd ask the Doctor to send me for a blood test for Lyme's disease. I did this once and was sent straight away for the test but my Doc is quite clued up about these things.

 

[Janne]

mmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[Nice65]

I wouldn't worry too much for now, just keep an eye on it. I've had hundred of the bloody things on me over the years, sheep and deer, and never had a problem. But do keep an eye, and the bullseye effect isn't always present, so she needs to be aware of possible symptoms. But not every tick presents a Lymes risk, it's relatively rare.

Doctors seem a bit clueless about Lymes, and ticks in general, using forceps for removal and squeezing the body, and often leaving the mouthparts in. Get yourself a set of O'Tom tick tools for clean removal. Couple of quid off the Bay.

 

[Janne]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[Leshy]

+1 for O'Tom tick tools.
Easy

 

[peaks]

I use neat Tee Tree oil on the dogs + myself every time theres a bite. Keep swabbing the bite site with it for 2 days. Never had one develop into anything since adopting this regime.

 

[Nomad64]

No harm in being careful but the odds of getting anything nasty after a single bite are very much in your GF's favour.

My mother who lives in the West Country is a tick magnet (but also pretty tick-savvy) - I think that removing 17 of the horrible little things in a day is her record and she has never had any kind of infection.

Fingers crossed!

 

[artschool]

I do quite a bit of deer stalking and actually had myself tested for lymes recently. more out of curiosity than any particular reason, came back negative.

not every tick bite gets infected.

 

[srod]

I live (and play) on the west coast of Scotland. Loads of ticks! Lost count of the amount I had to evict off my body, from some awkward places too (as mentioned already!). Worst are the ones that are too small to pick out with the tick tool, so try to go at them with fine tweezers or needle nosed wire cutters. Never had a problem, Just keep an eye out for the rash, as long as you are aware of it.

I'm more experienced now in the sort of places I'm likely to run into them, and have learned to check myself over - especially if having just walked through brush, and can spot them and flick them off before they get a chance to find somewhere to latch onto.

 

[Janne]

Mmmmmmmmmmm

 

[santaman2000]

As has been said, watch for the red bullseye rash. I pull several ticks off me and the dogs every week during the summer. If it's a really small one I'll use fine tweezers. Otherwise my fingers. Mind, I've had the full 3 shot Lyme's vaccine series. That said, I had the same removal regimen for the 40 odd years before I was vaccinated.

Do y'all have any of the other tick borne diseases?

 

[Dogoak]

Read up as much as you can, this is good place to start........ http://www.bada-uk.org/

It important to know that not everyone who gets bitten by an infected tick develop the Erythema Migrans (EM or "bull's-eye") rash, look out for the other symptoms.

I'd either change the GP or take him/her some info for future reference.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Keep an eye out for flu-like symptoms, or the big red bullseye rash at the bite site. The odds sound pretty good, but treating Lyme is best done early, and doctors here are notoriously poorly informed. I have never been bitten by a tick in the UK (that I know of) and only two in the US, one dog tick, one deer tick, and that one deer tick left me with the big red rash!

 

[Highbinder]

Same here. More than I care to count. The worst ones were between the scrotum and anus. Also on the scalp. Hair always gets pulled out too, which increases the level of joy!

Got the dreaded infection once, but a good doc saw it and treated me before it got bad.

Jeez, I've had my fair share of ticks but in retrospect very thankful they've never climbed higher than my inner thigh!

 

[Janne]

Jeez, I've had my fair share of ticks but in retrospect very thankful they've never climbed higher than my inner thigh![/

 

[Jaeger]

Aye Up,

Topical question this as there has recently been an article in the media (I think by the Brit Vets Assoc) re the increase in tick infection of dogs (and respectively humans) in the UK, possibly caused in the 'explosion' in the UK deer population.

I've lived and worked in the countryside most of my life and whilst having occasionally found ticks on me due to the presence mostly of sheep and deer I'm not aware that I have been bitten, or if I have don't believe that I've contracted Lymes.

I've previously posted on this site re the precautions that I take re clothing - treatment (permethrine) and wear (sleeves/blousing etc).

That stated I did recently suspect that I might have copped it and I went straight to the docs for a blood test - and then THE SECOND test six weeks later as the first can often come back with a negative result.

Thankfully the second test also came back negative.

My GP was on the ball and stated that caught early Lymes can be treated - untreated it can lead to later probs.

Better safe that sorry.

 

[santaman2000]

.....I've lived and worked in the countryside most of my life and whilst having occasionally found ticks on me due to the presence mostly of sheep and deer I'm not aware that I have been bitten......

The thing about ticks is they don't just "bite." They attach and stay while they fatten up. usually anwhere from 1 to 4 days unless removed. Unlike mosquitoes, flies, and similar parasites, there's usually no pain or itch associated to let you know they're there. Your first clue is when you see them or feel them with your hand (easily overlooked in hard to see or reach places such as your back)

 

[santaman2000]

Aye Up,

Topical question this as there has recently been an article in the media (I think by the Brit Vets Assoc) re the increase in tick infection of dogs (and respectively humans) in the UK, possibly caused in the 'explosion' in the UK deer population.

I've lived and worked in the countryside most of my life and whilst having occasionally found ticks on me due to the presence mostly of sheep and deer I'm not aware that I have been bitten, or if I have don't believe that I've contracted Lymes.

I've previously posted on this site re the precautions that I take re clothing - treatment (permethrine) and wear (sleeves/blousing etc).

That stated I did recently suspect that I might have copped it and I went straight to the docs for a blood test - and then THE SECOND test six weeks later as the first can often come back with a negative result.

Thankfully the second test also came back negative.

My GP was on the ball and stated that caught early Lymes can be treated - untreated it can lead to later probs.

Better safe that sorry.

Agreed if you get ticks rarely. That said, I'd be spending all my time in a doctor's office if I got tested every time.

 

[Janne]

Mmmmmmmmmmm