stupid ticks

17 years ago

I just pulled the first ever tick out of my body. I live in SE Wisconsin and while deer ticks aren't terribly common here compared the the western side of the state, they are present.

I love the outdoors and think nothing of tromping through any and all vegetation while hiking, geocaching, exploring after landing the canoe, camping, etc. Never in my life have I picked up a tick. I am 35.

I figured I was 'immune' to them just like I don't have any reaction to the various 'poisonous' plants since so many have talked about ticks and I have never been bothered by them.

Yikes, that changed tonite when the wife said 'you have something behind your ear'. I paid no attention for some reason and a few hours later I felt a little itch. Reached back and felt something small and hard. Pulled it and out it came. A male deer tick. Couldn't believe it.

Luckily it came out fully intact.

I don't live near the woods, I have a quarter acre of typical newish subdivision property. Nothing is overgrown, the lawn is kept mowed and other than some hoeing in the garden I spent the day on the deck and in the lawn.

I never expected to pick up a tick in my yard.

I am partially posting this because, well, I just pulled a tick out of me for the first time so I am kind of 'excited' about it, but also because maybe this is just a bad tick year in our region or something.

If I can get a tick sitting in my newish subdivision yard free of deer, woods and tall vegetation just minding my own business on my deck, I think anyone can. According to the University of Wisconsin something like 20% of deer ticks are carrying lyme disease. http://wihort.uwex.edu/pests/DeerTicks.htm

So, please accept this as a friendly reminder from me to check yourselves and your loved ones for ticks this season. This is particularly for those of you who are like I was until about 30 minutes ago, completely unconcerned about them, having never pulled one out of myself before.

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Comments (4)

Oswegian
17 years ago
It has been a wet spring, and maybe there are more because of that. When we lived in Arizona, I felt pretty safe there tickwise, because it was one of the last remaining states without Lyme disease. Too dry, I guess.

But now we live in Illinois, in basically the same situation you describe. Our newish subdivision is along the Fox River, though, and there are woods galore alone the shorelines.

At least we don't have bubonic plague carrying deer MICE, like in Arizona and New Mexico -- or do we?
Kat SE Wisconsin z5
17 years ago
Do you mind if I ask what county you live in? I've read that only the female deer ticks will attach and take blood. The males attach, but they don't take blood. So only the females can spread the Lyme's disease. Where I live, (southern edge of Milw. cty) I haven't heard of any....yet! I hate ticks. I've only had 2 of them. Both were from my family's farm in Green Lake County. There were never any ticks up there, deer or wood ticks, until the mid 80's. The 1st time I was up there and I was changing my cloths. I looked at my knee because it itched. I saw a mole. I thought 'I never noticed that mole before". I touched it and it moved. AHHHH!!! I put hydrogen proxide on it and it came off. One time I had noticed one on my dog several days after we came back from the farm. It was huge!! My hubby got it out. I just hate those things. The thought of them sticking their head in you and sucking your blood makes me ill. I've known several people who have gotten the area infected because they didn't get the head out. YUCK! They just give me the willies! LOL!! Gonna keep my eyes open for them now.

Kat
username_5
Original Author
17 years ago
I am in dodge county. Watertown to be exact. I can't be sure when the tick got me. I was at the Madison zoo the day before.

I hadn't heard that only females take blood. If so, why do makes bother attaching at all? When I removed this one it had an off white toungue thing sticking out which presumably was it's sucking part.

No rash or symptoms yet so hopefully no lyme disease.
zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
17 years ago
Just had a similar experience in Winnebago county, the tick attached on my lower back, right under my wasteband. Must have been there for a couple of days before I noticed it. There were never ticks in this area when I was growing up; now I get one from my backyard.

My back lot is all woods, and new development around me has increased the deer roaming (and browsing) on my property. I have seen seven at once. Bambi's not fun any more. Time to put up a deer fence (which will protect my garden & trees too).

The bad news about Lyme is that it can take a while to show symptoms, and that not everyone will get the classic "bulls-eye" rash. Some may show no sign at all, but have other symptoms. When I asked a nurse whether Lyme could be spread person-to-person (it is related to syphilis) she said "I'll get back to you".

It would seem prudent to give preventive antibiotics for tick bites, just as they give tetanus shots for puncture wounds, especially if there is a _chance_ of passing the disease to our loved ones. The organism is most easily destroyed during the early stages of infection. But doctors now are reluctant to give out antibiotics, citing "antibiotic resistance" as their reason. That, and they will get 2 office visits... I often think that modern medicine is anything but.

Oh, by the way... the white "tongue" is most likely the piece of your skin that the tick took with it when it was pulled out. That's a good thing, it means the head came out.

Anyone bitten by a tick should check out the Lyme Disease Foundation website, so they know what to look for. There are photos of symptoms, and of the ticks that can cause infection. Forewarned is forearmed.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lyme Disease Foundation