And If The Worst Happens, Make Sure You Know the Correct Treatment
Photo Reference www.tickinfo.com
I do a lot of work outside and run an increased risk of tick bite as a result. My work keeps me updated on how to protect myself from tick bites and the threat of contracting Lyme Disease, which is carried by these pests.
It is equally important, although often overlooked, to make sure that you protect yourself and your dog while you are out and about enjoying the countryside. Because ticks don’t care whether they are munching on a man at work or a dog at play. And the end result could be the same – ticks ending up in your home and biting you, your dog and maybe causing Lyme Disease for you and your family.
There are some good spot-on treatments that will treat both ticks and fleas, and I recommend a few approaches for treating fleas in another of my articles elsewhere on this site. See Flea Control for Dogs: Flea Extermination Tips for Getting Rid of Fleas in the House and Getting Rid of Fleas on Dogs for more information.
Some information on ticks and Lyme Disease dropped into my email inbox last week, and I think it is worth sharing the main points with you. I hope that it saves someone from the dreaded diseased ticks. Here we go.
SAFETY UPDATE – LYME DISEASE
What is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by a spiral shaped micro-organism called a spirochete and is spread by tick bites
In Britain the disease infects around 200 people a year and can be fatal in certain circumstances. Research has found people involved in country pursuits in the West Country, New Forest, Breckland in Norfolk and the Highlands of Scotland are most prone to infection from the ticks. Lyme disease first appeared in Thetford, Norfolk in 1968 and in Scotland and the New Forest in the 1970s. The majority of cases are reported between spring and autumn when the ticks are most active. Human symptoms of Lyme disease include chills, fever, fatigue, joint and muscle pains, and loss of appetite – even mild musculo-skeletal disturbances.
Lyme disease is hard to diagnose in the early stages. Its flu-like symptoms can be caused by many other factors.
After an incubation period of 3 – 30 days one or more skin lesions may develop at the site of the tick bite. Skin lesions appear in 85% of patients and are typically 3 to 68 mm in diameter, red, with a flat border and central clearing. Several antibiotics are effective. Patients treated in the early stages with antibiotics usually recover rapidly and completely. Most patients who are treated in later stages of the disease also respond well to antibiotics. In a few patients who are treated for Lyme disease, symptoms of persisting infection may continue or recur, making additional antibiotic treatment necessary. Varying degrees of permanent damage to joints or the nervous system can develop in patients with late chronic Lyme disease. Typically these are patients in whom Lyme disease was unrecognized in the early stages or for whom the initial treatment was unsuccessful.
Who is at risk?
Those involved in field activities are urged to inspect themselves and remove the parasites when they return home to avoid infections. The tick is found on many animals including mice, rabbits, pheasants, squirrels, deer and domestic pets. Deer are one of the main carriers and could be host for up to 200 ticks.
Risk Control Measures
Avoiding Tick Bites
The chances of being bitten by a tick can be decreased with a few precautions:
- Wear light-coloured clothing so that ticks can be spotted more easily.
- Tuck trouser legs into socks or boots and shirt into trousers.
- Wear clothing with a tight weave.
- Spray insect repellent on clothes and on exposed skin other than the face.
- Wear a hat and a long-sleeved shirt for added protection.
- Where there are trails, walk in the centre of trails to avoid overhanging grass and brush.
- When working in tick habitat on a regular basis, do not wear work clothing into your home. This will reduce the chances of bringing ticks home and exposing family members.
- A tick has to be attached to a host for 36 to 48 hours before an infection will be transmitted. Inspect your body thoroughly when you return home.
- Inspect clothing for ticks regularly – every 2 to 3 hours.
Tick Removal
- Techniques like suffocating ticks with petroleum jelly, butter, etc., do not work. Gasoline, kerosene and hot matches are not recommended either and may cause additional injuries. It is possible these techniques will irritate the tick and provoke it to discharge spirochetes into the skin.
- Pull the tick out with tweezers or small forceps by grasping the tick as close as possible to the skin. Then without jerking, pull it upward steadily.
- After removing the tick, disinfect the skin area with rubbing alcohol or Betadine. Don’t handle the tick. Spirochetes could enter the body through breaks in the skin. Dispose of it in alcohol or flush it down the drain. Check the bite for at least two weeks to see if a rash forms. If it does, seek treatment promptly.
Vaccination is not usually given as a routine control measure. Evidence on the effectiveness of vaccination is still inconclusive
Lyme disease is a reportable disease to the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). This should be reported to your Health and Safety Advisor.
So there you have it, take care when you’re out and about with your dog. Maintain a close watch on you, your clothing and your pet and take prompt action if you see a tick lurking.
Be safe!
