I’ve found this very effective against mosquitos as well. It is my preferred bug spray at this point.
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I’ve always gotten more ticks on my sorrel with a flaxen mane and tail. I have a chestnut, dun, bay, and bay paint who pick them up only occasionally. They do get treated with EquiSpot every other week.
Not sure where I came across this, I think it was somewhere here in COTH, and I could’ve sworn it was in this thread, but now I can’t find it! Sorry if it’s already been mentioned
Bumping this up to see about any other suggestions! Never in my LIFE have I had such issues with ticks. The horses are on a dry lot, we keep all areas we work in or access mowed pretty dang short (“2” on the mower), almost always wear pants tucked into socks and most of the time wear Off too and somehow I pulled a tick out of my hair today. That’s the 7?th day IN A ROW either myself or SO has pulled a tick off of us. I think the total for last year between the two of us was 1? Maybe 0? No idea what the issue is but I am this close to packing it in and heading to the desert.
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I hate to say it, but I’m not sure there is anything else to do other than vigilant tick checks, every day, if not more than once a day. Stand naked in front of the mirror and look at your back, check your hair with your fingers and/or a fine comb.
I actually prefer (as do some of my hunting dog owning friends) to wear shorts rather than pants so you can feel them rather than just wonder if they’ve made it to your head before you notice them.
But…I literally pick them off every day too. Usually before they attach, not always. In 2020 I had one embedded inside my ear canal and thought I had an ear infection…went to Urgent Care. The PA was looking and then said “Oh! Um…ok. So…I can see legs…”
That was unpleasant.
So, these days I feel lucky when I just find them crawling on me. They do come in waves; not sure of the “season” exactly, but we have fewer now than about a month ago. So, fingers crossed you’ll at least get some relief soon.
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Are you wearing permethrin treated clothing?
I do, and have not had a tick on me in years. (And I live in tick central – the Hudson Valley, and am out on our farm feeding twice a day).
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Oh my God, how absolutely horrifying! How did they get it out? After your story, I may start dabbing OFF behind my ears, like perfume.
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There is actually a device used to get things out of places like ears and noses, but it was too big for my ear canal. So they literally used a long, very thin set of tweezers. One person held the flashlight, the other person used the tweezers. I am pretty amazed they got it, but it was not fun - it hurt! I really didn’t want to have to be sedated but there was a moment when I wasn’t sure I could manage it without puking or passing out.
It’s likely this tick came off one of my dogs, but it could have come off my clothing or really, anywhere. But I’ve never had anything like that before or since. And my dogs are ripping through tall grass 2x a day, so we’re at high risk.
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I wasn’t fully sedated to have my wisdom teeth out, but I think I might have to be for something like that!
This is what my dad does (he is often out in tick infested woods). Treat the clothes and tuck in all the ends into something! He says its very effective.
I agree, I think they’re worse this year than normal. I spray myself before walking outside, and immediately come back in, strip and check myself in front of the mirror. Over half the time, I’ll find one crawling on me. I’ve caught them all before they’ve bitten me, at least. It doesn’t help that my (4) dogs bring them in the house too…they’re all on nexguard but if the ticks don’t bite them, they just hitch a ride inside. Between the ticks and flies this year, I’m already ready for winter!
I don’t think - outside of Texas - the winter was cold enough.
Welcome to climate change.
I found a tick on my arm a while back.
But that was not the reason to buy chickens. Besides, Guinea Hens would have been more tick oriented. I jiust don’t want to do that to my neighbors (I am considering to ask one though if they would go in with me in some quail…)
If you do get one attached, you have have blood drawn for an early lyme test. I had to do that last year.
Every time I read some of these posts, my stomach does a flip flop. Ick ick ick ick!
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It takes several weeks to have a positive Lyme test after getting infected–there’s no point in testing early. Around here (tick/Lyme central) prophylactic antibiotics are prescribed when an engorged deer tick is found. One dose of doxycycline, IIRC. No testing.
You can test the tick, though. Our town health department offers it for free.
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Yes, you would want to wait a few weeks before testing.
Yes, the protocol here (in Massachusetts) is that if you have a tick that has obviously been attached for more than an hour or two, your healthcare provider will give you a double dose of doxy to take as a one time prophylactic.
It will take a while to test positive for Lyme disease, and what is being testing is your immune response. What that means is that if you test positive, you’ve already got the disease.
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Bad year for ticks for sure. I just moved to VA but my old neighborhood FB groups are reporting lots of ticks there too. I’ve never had one on me and I’ve had 5 embedded so far this year. My black dog had a few last year, many more this year. All of them have been Lone Star ticks, no Lyme threat but I’m waiting to become allergic to meat…
