Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Information => Outdoor News and Events => Topic started by: admin on February 23, 2012
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OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS AT INCREASED RISK FOLLOWING EU BAN
Tick-borne disease charity BADA-UK (Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness-UK) and Patron Ray Mears are warning walkers and outdoor enthusiasts to be especially vigilant next spring.
The charity is using its annual awareness campaign Tick Bite Prevention Week (26 March – 1 April) to highlight the increased risk to outdoor enthusiasts in 2012 from tick bites and tick-borne diseases following the EU ban of the herbicide Asulam.
Asulam is used by farmers to control the invasive spread of bracken which provides the perfect habitat for ticks. TV bushcraft and survival expert and BADA-UK Patron Ray Mears warns:
"The control of bracken is vital to the survival of numerous species of flora and fauna as well as reducing tick populations. The spread of bracken as a result of this ban will lead to increased tick numbers making it all the more important that the public takes precautions against tick bites when out and about in rural areas.”
Reports suggest that the tick population and its distribution is increasing, and with it comes the risk of contracting Lyme disease (borreliosis) and other tick-borne diseases.
Ticks are second only to mosquitoes for carrying disease to humans worldwide. In Northern Ireland, voluntary reporting is made to the Public Health Agency. As with other voluntary surveillance systems, the Public Health Agency recognises that cases are likely to be under recorded. From 2005 - 2009, 5 cases in Northern Ireland have been reported. In the UK in 2010 there were 1,361 laboratory-confirmed cases of tick-borne Lyme disease, a 24.4% increase on 2009. The Health Protection Agency estimates a further 1,000-2,000 cases go unrecorded each year.
BADA-UK, a registered charity run by unpaid volunteers who have been affected by Lyme disease and associated infections, believes that public and professional awareness is key to combating the rise in cases of tick-borne disease.
The charity advises that the best defense against tick-borne infection is to avoid being bitten in the first place by taking a few simple precautions when out walking.
These include wearing suitable clothing that prevent ticks from accessing the body; use of gaiters, or tucking long trousers into socks, and choosing clothes with elastic or drawstrings at the waist, wrist and ankle, all help to deter ticks from crawling under clothes and attaching.
Clothing made from smooth or waxed material is hard for ticks to climb whilst light-coloured fabrics make it easier to spot a tick. Wearing shorts in a tick habitat is just an invitation to be bitten!
The charity also recommends using an effective insect repellent before setting out, walking in the centre of paths to avoid over hanging vegetation where ticks may be waiting, performing regular tick checks and carrying a tick remover.
Wendy Fox, Chair of BADA-UK says: "We understand, perhaps better than most the devastating effects that tick-borne diseases can have, therefore we strive to help prevent others from falling victim to them.
People who frequent bracken-rich areas can be recreationally exposed to tick-borne disease, particularly Lyme disease. Increased interest in outdoor pursuits, combined with an increasing tick population is resulting in a year-on-year rise in cases of tick-borne disease."
Tick Bite Prevention Week coincides with the onset of the tick season (March to October) and when people start to get out and about in the warmer weather promotes awareness of tick-borne diseases and effective tick bite prevention for all at-risk groups.
In 2012, BADA-UK and Tick Bite Prevention Week are once again being supported by Mosi-guard® Natural. A dedicated website with educational and advisory information can be found at www.tickbitepreventionweek.org (http://www.tickbitepreventionweek.org).
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Never really heard of Tick's before last year when i noticed my dog biting at itself,found what only be described as white chocolate covered peanut
(http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1109/920828343_4b2aefc44d.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mplonsky/920828343/)
Engorged Dog (or Wood) Tick (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mplonsky/920828343/) by mplonsky (http://www.flickr.com/people/mplonsky/), on Flickr
on the dog's groin area,so quick check on the internet to find out what it was,( beware some bad advice on internet) ie burning the tick off with a cig,this in fact is worse for you dog as it only kills the tick,leaving behind the rest of the tick inside your pet,this can cause serious infection,also i'am sure the dog won't like getting burned :o(proper treatment)which i got for vet,pour a little surgical spirit( or strong whiskey) over the tick,he'll fall of within seconds
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From someone who gets umpteen ticks a year and who along with my colleagues get more ticks than group of people should ever get - please don't pour surgical spirit or whisky on to an attached tick! Your risk of disease is massively intensified if you stress out the tick, as it will regurgitate the contents of its stomach into you. Tweezers (or specialist tick removers) are the only reasonably way to remove ticks. Sometimes the head will remain attached. While this is not desirable, it's nothing to worry about. In a few hours the teeth that hold it in place will lose grip and it will fall out of its own accord.
From 2005 - 2009, 5 cases in Northern Ireland have been reported.
This mildly concerned me, as from what we had been told, there were no reports of Lyme's disease in NI, though I might be reading this incorrectly.
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im scared! anyone ever seen that movie ticks?
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There are forum members who have a great deal of experience in this. I've had the misfortune of having to remove one of these wee gits before. Also had to remove one from my son. I'll admit that they give me the heebee geebees.
I carry one of these (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Systems-Tick-Remover/dp/B0017KJJG8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1330005027&sr=8-8) with me when I'm outdoors now.
The important thing when removing them is not to squeeze their body. If you push the contents of their stomach up through their mouth then it is more likely that disease can be transferred. Maybe the alcohol makes them sick and that is why that is discouraged.
I see Samm has replied. Any expert advice for avoiding them? Obviously the covering up bit has been mentioned, but where are we more likely to encounter them?
I'm grossed-out even typing this.
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Any expert advice for avoiding them? Obviously the covering up bit has been mentioned, but where are we more likely to encounter them?
I'm grossed-out even typing this.
Ah, a tick expert, just what I dreamed of being when I was a little girl! Firstly, some people are just prone to ticks. If there's one in a 10 mile radius they will find it. I've worked with people who have spent their whole life working outdoors and never got a tick and I've worked with others who can't step outside their front door without getting a tick. I don't know why this is. Covering up is definitely the key, but they're minute, if there's a way in, a tick will find it. We tend to mostly get them around our waists or at the top of our arms. Light coloured clothing also helps, it doesn't repel them, but you see them and can flick them off as they're crawling up your trousers. Much harder if you're wearing tick coloured clothing!! Sorry if anyone gets nightmares!! I would tend to find them mostly where there are wild goats and deer, but you can find them associated with any animal. Advice is always to beware in long vegetation, but I've found them in 3mm tall grasslands. Some people swear that things like autan work for them in repelling ticks, but I've never found it to be effective. Unfortunately it's mostly just a case of staying vigilant, if you find one, remove it as soon as you can and keep an eye on the location of the bite to make sure it doesn't develop the bullseye rash associated with lymes disease. And ultimately, after removing about your 100th tick the squeamishness goes away :-)
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good advice from samm but at the easter camp i think we should pour as much strong whiskey down our throats as we can in the hope it keeps away the ticks
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good advice from samm but at the easter camp i think we should pour as much strong whiskey down our throats as we can in the hope it keeps away the ticks
Ticks dont seem to like alcohol, so if we have plenty in our blood stream if they do bite us they wont like it very much and not do it again maybe? I like this train of thought.
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I feel a little bit sick after reading all that :-\ especially looking at the picture :-X
But great advice all the same!
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i agree - they disgust me i've never seen one and hope i never will! :-S
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One of the first things I do is check the mutt for ticks. Usually will have one, once they have fed for a while are much easier to find.
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Oh meant to say, they taste good, but make sure you cook them right through, bit of garlic, butter etc
yum yum ;D
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Oh meant to say, they taste good, but make sure you cook them right through, bit of garlic, butter etc
yum yum ;D
i jus mini-sicked in my mouth ^^^^
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Sometimes the head will remain attached. While this is not desirable, it's nothing to worry about. In a few hours the teeth that hold it in place will lose grip and it will fall out of its own accord.
Hi Samm,
sounds like you are a right tick magnet....I am a volunteer for BADA-UK and have come on to give you guys some information about awareness of tick and the diseases they carry. As you said by stressing the tick it will regurgitate and all the gut contents go into the host, bacteria and all. The only part of the tick that enters the host are the mouth parts, which are like an upside down xmas tree also their saliva acts like a cement keeping them in place. The safest and easiest tool to use to remove them is the O'tom tick twister. It removes all the tick and mouth parts. If by any chance you were left with a barb in your skin, best keep a wee eye on them as they can become infected, or can leave you with a bump on your skin. My hubby has a few after removing ticks incorrectly. Also as you said you should never put anything on a tick, it can regurgitate quicker than you can do anything to it. :)
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There are forum members who have a great deal of experience in this. I've had the misfortune of having to remove one of these wee gits before. Also had to remove one from my son. I'll admit that they give me the heebee geebees.
I carry one of these (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Systems-Tick-Remover/dp/B0017KJJG8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1330005027&sr=8-8) with me when I'm outdoors now.
The important thing when removing them is not to squeeze their body. If you push the contents of their stomach up through their mouth then it is more likely that disease can be transferred. Maybe the alcohol makes them sick and that is why that is discouraged.
I see Samm has replied. Any expert advice for avoiding them? Obviously the covering up bit has been mentioned, but where are we more likely to encounter them?
I'm grossed-out even typing this.
You will find ticks anywhere there is wildlife. A tick will release it'self from a host when it has had enough blood. So where ever that host maybe that's where the tick falls. It then goes off and moves on to the next stage of it's life cycle, and then waits for it's next host. There is an increase in the cases of Urban Lyme, there are even ticks in the centre of cities. It is no longer the case that you only get them walking the Highlands of Scotland :D That is why we do what we do, to make as many people as we can aware of them and what to do. If you do ever become infected by Lyme it is easily treatable with a course of anti biotics in the early stages. If you go on to our website there is all the information you will ever need to know about ticks. ;)
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. Unfortunately it's mostly just a case of staying vigilant, if you find one, remove it as soon as you can and keep an eye on the location of the bite to make sure it doesn't develop the bullseye rash associated with lymes disease. And ultimately, after removing about your 100th tick the squeamishness goes away :-)
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Only 30% of people who become infected with Lyme end up with the Bulls eye rash. You can also get a rash on any part of your body, not just where you were bitten. If you do then photograph it, as they can fade and move. Also it shows you Dr proof you had a rash. Other signs that you could be infected are feeling like you have the flu, this can happen up to 6 weeks after being bitten. Also you may feel extreme tiredness, and your body aching... If you get bitten by a tick, we advise that you keep the tick...not as a pet cause they would be very boring to watch ;D but inbetween two bits of cellotape, take a note of the date as I said it can take up the 6 weeks for any symptoms to show. If you do have any concerns of symptoms go to your GP and take the tick, as this proves you have been bitten. Without it the Dr may think you have a virus, and most people wouldn't think to mention a tick bite weeks ago. If you catch Lyme early it is very easily treated.
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I'll always remember my first encounter with ticks, our group all ended up like Chimpanzee's grooming each other. We were not shy with each other after that as we had them in some pretty hard to reach places. :-[ ???
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Oh they do love those dark warm places!! ::) my son has had a few on his nether regions, not really the place a 15 year old wants his mum checking.... :-\ It is best to help each other check as the younger ticks are so tiny. Favourite places are, belly button, groin, behind the knee, around your waist, around your sock like, behind the ear and in the nape of your neck.
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One of the first things I do is check the mutt for ticks. Usually will have one, once they have fed for a while are much easier to find.
We have 5 gundogs and checking for ticks is a nightmare when they are young and not fed. They are easily missed. Do you use any repellents on them?
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Thanks for the replies scottishquine. I actually ordered the o'tom tool as myself and one of the other guys here are heading to Scotland in May and that's the last place I got bitten by ticks.
Glad you will have your tool ready, there is a raised oval ring near the top of the handle of each of them. If you have a dremmel drill you could drill through that bit and then attach them too our key ring....saves loosing them. ;)
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One of the first things I do is check the mutt for ticks. Usually will have one, once they have fed for a while are much easier to find.
We have 5 gundogs and checking for ticks is a nightmare when they are young and not fed. They are easily missed. Do you use any repellents on them?
It's a springer so I have to let her run, as you know its what they do. I honestly just have a good look by going through the fur, but unless thay have fed for a day or so, or rather until the backend has swollen, they are hard to find. I dont want to spray her with anything. I find them, I remove them.
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One of the first things I do is check the mutt for ticks. Usually will have one, once they have fed for a while are much easier to find.
We have 5 gundogs and checking for ticks is a nightmare when they are young and not fed. They are easily missed. Do you use any repellents on them?
It's a springer so I have to let her run, as you know its what they do. I honestly just have a good look by going through the fur, but unless thay have fed for a day or so, or rather until the backend has swollen, they are hard to find. I dont want to spray her with anything. I find them, I remove them.
Springers sure do need to run! :) As you say it is so difficult to spot the young ones until they have fed....You can use natural repellents on them here is a link to the correct page. We use Flea or Die Shampoo on our dogs and it does help. The problem can be that there is no "one size fits all repellent" I so wish there was....... ::)
http://www.bada-uk.org/products/pet_products.php
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One of the first things I do is check the mutt for ticks. Usually will have one, once they have fed for a while are much easier to find.
We have 5 gundogs and checking for ticks is a nightmare when they are young and not fed. They are easily missed. Do you use any repellents on them?
It's a springer so I have to let her run, as you know its what they do. I honestly just have a good look by going through the fur, but unless thay have fed for a day or so, or rather until the backend has swollen, they are hard to find. I dont want to spray her with anything. I find them, I remove them.
Springers sure do need to run! :) As you say it is so difficult to spot the young ones until they have fed....You can use natural repellents on them here is a link to the correct page. We use Flea or Die Shampoo on our dogs and it does help. The problem can be that there is no "one size fits all repellent" I so wish there was....... ::)
http://www.bada-uk.org/products/pet_products.php
Thanks for the link. Might give it a go. She had a lump removed around chest about 6 weeks back, could have been an infected bite, but vet said young dogs get the odd lump, which in this case was nothing nasty.
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One of the first things I do is check the mutt for ticks. Usually will have one, once they have fed for a while are much easier to find.
We have 5 gundogs and checking for ticks is a nightmare when they are young and not fed. They are easily missed. Do you use any repellents on them?
It's a springer so I have to let her run, as you know its what they do. I honestly just have a good look by going through the fur, but unless thay have fed for a day or so, or rather until the backend has swollen, they are hard to find. I dont want to spray her with anything. I find them, I remove them.
Springers sure do need to run! :) As you say it is so difficult to spot the young ones until they have fed....You can use natural repellents on them here is a link to the correct page. We use Flea or Die Shampoo on our dogs and it does help. The problem can be that there is no "one size fits all repellent" I so wish there was....... ::)
http://www.bada-uk.org/products/pet_products.php
Thanks for the link. Might give it a go. She had a lump removed around chest about 6 weeks back, could have been an infected bite, but vet said young dogs get the odd lump, which in this case was nothing nasty.
Would be great if you let us know if you do use them, please let us know how it works. As I said one of my dogs gets lumps after tick bites...so hopefully that was what your dog had...hope she is ok after then op.... ;)
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Tick remover group buy?
http://www.bada-uk.org/products/tick_products.php
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We sell them cheaper in bigger amounts, some people buy them for organisations.....if we could we would give them away....but were a self funded chairty.....Were you wanting to buy some?
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Tick remover group buy?
http://www.bada-uk.org/products/tick_products.php
I'm 100% for tick awareness. But we bought these in work and everyone of us changed back to using tweezers after trying them for a while.
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Tick remover group buy?
http://www.bada-uk.org/products/tick_products.php
I'm 100% for tick awareness. But we bought these in work and everyone of us changed back to using tweezers after trying them for a while.
That is rather strange as I know they work brilliantly....I use them on our dogs and family, one show last year myself and my husband removed ticks from over 30 people with them too......they are much much easier and safer to use....what did you find so difficult to use about them?? What kind of tweezers do you use?
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That is rather strange as I know they work brilliantly....I use them on our dogs and family, one show last year myself and my husband removed ticks from over 30 people with them too......they are much much easier and safer to use....what did you find so difficult to use about them?? What kind of tweezers do you use?
I'm sure they'd work fantastically if the tick had been on a while. I can definitely see an advantage of them for using on dogs. But we are all hyper vigilant cause we get so many, so we are trying to remove them nearly immediately and we found they were just too small for the tick twister, we would have had to leave them attached for a few hours to be at a good size for the tick twister to work. So all just back to using normal tweezers.
Where were you that you managed to find 30 people with ticks attached? Sounds like a nasty show!
And hi and welcome to the forum :-)
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It was at the Bushcraft Show in Cumbria, on the side of Lake Windemere....it was a glorious weekend and a load of eggs hatched...one wee girl had 27 ticks removed from her......I know the young ones can be fidley to remove is you go in from the opposite side that usually does the trick....you really should only use very very fine nosed tweezers, with them being so small you don't want to squeeze the body, as it will regurgitate....sorry not meaning to sound like a know it all, just have seen the damage caused by Lyme Disease. Where is it you work, that you guys come across them so much?
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Well guys Tick Bite Prevention Week starts on Monday.......lets hope we have a great week...... ;D ;D
http://www.tickbitepreventionweek.org/
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We are running competitions on our Facebook and Twitter pages every day till Friday. First two to answer the questions win a tick twister and mosi guard......check our FB page for the terms and conditions.... ;)
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Xeroshield are doing a online questionnaire about ticks and Lyme disease, the information gathered from this will be shared with BADA-UK so will be of great benefit to us....if you live in Scotland and can spare a few minutes to fill it in that would be great...
On the subject of ticks and Lyme disease, you may be interested to know that a leading Scottish life sciences company called Xeroshield is currently looking for members of the public who live and/or work in Scotland to take five minutes to fill out a simple online survey as part of a major new study.
Xeroshield is exploring the development of a device to remove ticks from humans and pets, combined with a laboratory service for the detection of Lyme disease in ticks collected and immobilised using this device. The study is designed to assess the potential market for such a product and service. But it is also expected to generate valuable data about general awareness of ticks and Lyme disease in Scotland.
The survey asks a series of very straightforward questions about people’s own experience of ticks and Lyme disease in Scotland. Xeroshield is keen to hear from anyone who spends long periods of time outdoors for work or leisure and is therefore at higher risk of being bitten by ticks.
At a later stage, Xeroshield also plans to carry out more detailed interviews and focus groups and would be particularly interested to hear from anyone willing to participate in these later this year.
If you live and/or work in Scotland, would like to find out more about this project, and to complete the ticks and Lyme disease survey online, please visit: xerolyme.wordpress.com
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well i've now got myself a shiny new set of o'tom tick twisters and i'm looking forward to twisting my first tick out now, i did get bitten by something last week when i was in scotland, i don't know what it was but it left a hard bump on my skin and a faint red rash about 3cm diameter!
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Glad to hear you have your tick twisters at the ready.......it could have been something else that has bitten you. Just remember to keep an eye on yourself....take a photo of the rash or any other rashes that follow......and if you feel like you have the flu, then off to the Dr....I live in Scotland and know we have quite a few biting beasties!! but just be aware, if any concerns please contact us through our main website and one of us will contact you as soon as we can. ;)
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I seem to have survived my scottish beastie attack so far :)
Just thought i'd mention that Ireland's first Lyme Disease Conference takes place on 5th & 6th June 2012, see here http://www.ticktalkireland.org/lymeconference/
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I had to remove three of the wee gits following out trip to Kerry last weekend. I used the life systems tick remover. They are now my pets - they messed with the wrong guy!
I was surprised to find them since I had walked all day with full length trousers and gaiters on. The only time was getting up first thing in the morning for a pee wearing nothing but a pair of whips and my trainers.
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Used my o'tom tick twister for the first time yesterday, the dog had a nice big juicy tick and the wee bugger had quite a grip but the twister pulled him out completely, success.
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Where did you pick that up from?
Used my o'tom tick twister for the first time yesterday, the dog had a nice big juicy tick and the wee bugger had quite a grip but the twister pulled him out completely, success.
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Where did you pick that up from?
Do you mean the tick or the tick twister?