- Joined: December 1998
- Location: Little Rock, AR
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I happened to run my hand over my leg, felt a bump and see a tick attached to me. I got a pair of tweezers and was amazed at the grip the little sucker had. I had to exercise some real force and got him off in one piece. After that, I applied some hydrogen peroxide to the spot.
I'm wondering now about lyme disease. I seem to recall there is some RX that can be taken as a preventative when a tick bite is suspected. Anyone recall what that is and how soon I have to take it.
I'll be calling my doctor tomorrow.
Edit: BTW, I'm in Arkansas and we do have deer in the vicinity.
Johnny
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Re: Just Pulled a Tick Off My Leg
Doxycycline - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Doxycycline is the standard treatment for lyme or suspected lyme disease and I believe you can take that even if you aren't 100% sure that you were bit by a deer tick. Obviously there are other kinds of ticks and I've heard that even if it physically bites you, it isn't a sure thing, but do see your physician and check the symptons of Lyme and stay forward on this.
Keep the tick too, for positive identification.
Jay
You are the crispy noodle in the vegetarian salad of life
- Joined: December 1998
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Re: Just Pulled a Tick Off My Leg
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Al.Anderson
Also, if you could pull the tick off of you, I believe it was the wrong kind of tick. The Lyme disease ticks are very small.
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I hope you are right, this was a large tick, big enough to get a grip on with my fingers. I have a call into my doctor.
Johnny
www.teamfurr.org
Another cat? Perhaps. For love there is also a season; its seeds must be resown. But a family cat is not replaceable like a wornout coat or a set of tires. Each new kitten becomes its own cat, and none is repeated. I am four cats old, measuring out my life in friends that...
- Joined: March 1999
- Location: NJ
- Post Count: 5,230
Re: Just Pulled a Tick Off My Leg
If it was pretty large, then I would agree with Dave, most likely a wood tick. I would also concur to check your physician for peice of mind and for symptons.
Jay
You are the crispy noodle in the vegetarian salad of life
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Re: Just Pulled a Tick Off My Leg
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Kevin Hewell
When I got a tick my grandma would take a lit match and then blow it out and put it on the tick to get it to release its grip.
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My mom used to do that too, but I've heard that you're better off just using tweezers. When you use a match the heat causes the tick to not just let go, but also to spit more anti-coagulate into the wound increasing the chance of disease.
In other words, try not to hurt the tick as you're pulling it off because you really don't want it to do anything other than keep sucking at that moment.
Lurking at HTF Since 2001
- Joined: December 1998
- Location: Little Rock, AR
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Re: Just Pulled a Tick Off My Leg
It's not the deer tick based on those pictures, though I didn't see a black one. I talked with my doctor's nurse on the phone and they are confident it wasn't the deer tick and as long as there are no symptoms, no problem.
He hadn't engorged himself on my blood yet, because I'm sure he would have splatted it out while I was pulling him off. I am still amazed at how much force it took to pull him off.
Johnny
www.teamfurr.org
Another cat? Perhaps. For love there is also a season; its seeds must be resown. But a family cat is not replaceable like a wornout coat or a set of tires. Each new kitten becomes its own cat, and none is repeated. I am four cats old, measuring out my life in friends that...
- Joined: December 1998
- Location: Little Rock, AR
- Post Count: 2,061
Re: Just Pulled a Tick Off My Leg
Quote:
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Originally Posted by TonyD
after i pull a tick off one of my dogs i always wrap it in a tissue and set it on fire making sure i hear a pop.
the only way i feel sure it's dead.
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There's no way I could have gotten this guy with my fingers, had to use tweezers. Afterwards I applied plenty of pressure to finish him off.
Johnny
www.teamfurr.org
Another cat? Perhaps. For love there is also a season; its seeds must be resown. But a family cat is not replaceable like a wornout coat or a set of tires. Each new kitten becomes its own cat, and none is repeated. I am four cats old, measuring out my life in friends that...
- Joined: March 1999
- Location: NJ
- Post Count: 5,230
Re: Just Pulled a Tick Off My Leg
When one of my cats coughed up some wiggly roundworms, I wrapped them in a tissue and threw them in my wood stove (~800°F) would probably kill most things...
Of course, then my vet tells me that i should have saved them... but they were ALIVE!
Jay
You are the crispy noodle in the vegetarian salad of life
- Joined: November 2002
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Re: Just Pulled a Tick Off My Leg
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jay H
When one of my cats coughed up some wiggly roundworms, I wrapped them in a tissue and threw them in my wood stove (~800°F) would probably kill most things... Of course, then my vet tells me that i should have saved them... but they were ALIVE!
Jay |
OK. I'm going to barf now.
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