While working in the woods. How do you keep the ticks away?

We never use to see this many ticks when we were younger. But they are getting bad and it does not look like that will change. While out in the woods, tell me what precautions you take to keep the ticks off of you and try not to contract Lyme disease.

 

Elimitick clothing, the stuff is awesome!

http://www.gamehide.com/Elimitick_Tick_Repellent_Clothing_s/138.htm

 

I have some of this that I use on some of my clothing, do your research on it.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Sawy...t=tick+spray&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products

 

Permethrin.
Got a small bottle and mixed with water. Spray on clothes to repel and kill the little bastages. Supposed to last several washings.
It's one of the major ingredients in Advantix 2 for dogs. It doesn't work on human skin though.
Tuck in your loose clothing, and check yourself.
I've also read that if you put your clothes in the dryer for a while, it kills 'em.
I paid 8 bucks for the bottle and it makes something like 5 gallons.
I've found 'em on the living room floor. I can only presume they came in on a dog, then died and fell off.

 

I'm not as precautious as some, and I should be.
I have short head hair and usually I'm white as a ghost
after woods work I do the spin before my shower and my
wife gives me the once over.

 

They can be really small! Man, I don't want to get Lyme.

 

x2 on Permethrin, haven't found a tick on me since using it. Also x2 on tucking in your pants to your boots.

And Oslo's wife can give me a once over before going into the shower...

 

Deep Woods with Deet… close up pants with socks, spray boots and legs well up to knees, then lightly above. damm deer ticks are really small so do checks often.

I hate em… makes the whole summer season in the woods a different deal from when I was a kid… that's for sure.

 

Strip down to your shots, put your clothes is a plastic bag that can be opened and dumped into the washing machine. Don't be too modest to have someone check you over. You can't believe how small those things are. Check your pets when they come in. Especially if the have been in tall grass or in wooded areas. I got a tic I think that one of the dogs carried in. Was one of the most painful skin infection I ever had. Blood test came back + for Lyme's. I got treated twice to get it out of my system. Usually the bite isn't painful. Mine turned into a cellulitis the size of a football. I now have a lot of arthritis that only gets worse.

 

Sorry to read that Larry. Is there anything that can cure Lyme once it's in the body?

 

It needs to be treated aggressively as soon as it is confirmed. The antibiotics are rough. Most docs don't do follow ups. Folks who are still having symptoms need to seek a specialist who is know to treat the long term effects of Lyme's.

 

What are the immediate symptoms and how long does it take for the bite to be noticed/infected? Does the tick always hang on and become engorged, or can they infect multiple times, with different people? I've had only wood ticks on me so far, and it's nuts how they latch on.

 

I know that all ticks do not have the disease. I wonder what is the chance.

 

True. And, here anyway, it's been more likely to get wood ticks on you, they don't carry Lyme… but, we have a path that deer are on so… and, I'm pretty sure the deer ticks "ride" on other animals too. My dog for instance. Soon as this snow melts a little we'll get her tick collar on her.

 

Tick bites often go unnoticed because of the small size of the tick in its nymphal stage, as well as tick secretions that prevent the host from feeling any itch or pain from the bite. However, transmission is quite rare, with only about 1% of recognized tick bites resulting in Lyme disease.

That makes me feel a little better. Interesting read here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease

 

You do know that the info on Lyme on Wikipedia was put there by a guy named Jimmy in his underwear… right?

 

LOL

I will check info elsewhere. Seems like I read somewhere else that chances are slim for getting it. But, does not make it any less important to try to prevent it.

 

If you get a bulls eye at the bite site, seek medical attention. Don't wait. Time is very important to prevent infection.

 

How big an area? Does it swell or does it just form that red bullseye around it? Is the tick always found in the center, or do they release?