Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Ticks -- Protection

 Updated 3/2017-- photos and all links (except to my own posts) removed as many no longer active.

Having been outside more lately, as the weather has gotten so much nicer I have also noticed more ticks. I believe that prevention in medicine is to the act of doing something (change diet, not smoke, use condoms, etc) to avoid the need for treatment of a disease (heart disease, emphysema, HIV). So I would encourage all or you to take the proper steps to prevent Lyme's Disease and avoid the need for treatment. The "preventive" steps to take are to either avoided the tick-invested area or used a DEET or permethrin-based tick repellent and then doing a body check for ticks that same evening.
  • According to the Center for Disease Control it takes 36-48 hrs for transmission of B.burgdorferi or B. microti to occur from an attached tick and not all ticks are infected. Therefore, a tick bite does not necessarily mean a person will get infected. Prompt removal of the attached tick will reduce the chance of infection.
I walk my dogs daily in the woods nearby. My dogs are protected with Frontline. I use Deep-Woods Off and often wish I could use Frontline. That would be so much simpler, apply once monthly. Don't forget the sunscreen and wide-brimmed hat.
Protect yourself, then get outside and enjoy life!

No comments: