Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

[Graptolite]

All you need to do is take the dogs out to for a walk in the forest and you'll find the wildlife will come right into your house.
Picked this up off the kitchen floor this morning...







Nothing in the pics to indicate scale but it was about the size of a raisin, and made a very satisfying pop when I squashed it.

[andym]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

Well I'm not squeamish about bugs but I don't like these.

It's a Tick, careful you can get Lyme disease from them,not very nice.

Nice sharp image though.

[Graptolite]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

Just like the one Greg had, but better fed!
And probably less drunk.

[JonSchick]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

I'd give the dog a good check too - they can get Lyme disease and it is not at all nice.

[skids]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

Two years ago I pulled one of those out of me after a cycling trip in Italy. Blood tests and other stuff to check for Lyme disease followed for a few months afterwards. Andy is right, be careful.

[David M]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

If I remember correctly there's less risk if the tick falls off fully fed than from trying to remove one incorrectly.

[skids]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

If I remember correctly there's less risk if the tick falls off fully fed than from trying to remove one incorrectly.

Correct David. I removed the one I had attached incorrectly (I'd ridden over 100 miles the day before in the Dolomites so wasn't thinking straight).

[Graptolite]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

I'd give the dog a good check too - they can get Lyme disease and it is not at all nice.

We usually use the drops on the back of the dogs neck over the summer months which do work pretty well and last about a month as long as the dog stays out of the water (which ours don't!). If we find a tick on one of them or on the floor like this one, it's time to redo the drops.
Interestingly dogs are apparently more likely to get the arthritic features of Lyme disease and humans the neurological complications. We do get Lyme disease around here and our local docs are pretty good at recognising it - the first recorded case of neurological Lyme disease in Scotland was correctly diagnosed by a local GP about 20 years ago.

If I remember correctly there's less risk if the tick falls off fully fed than from trying to remove one incorrectly.

I'm sure your right David - I think trying to pull the tick off risks squeezing it and making it regurgitate blood back into the host, along with the Lyme bacteria. The tick removers are better, but best to avoid getting bitten in the first place. Socks pulled up over the trouser bottoms! Gets you some odd looks but works fairly well.

[David M]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

I used the socks over the trouser trick when I lived in western Canada. One afternoon I stopped counting after killing 20 ticks crawling up my jeans.

[gregles]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

Just like the one Greg had, but better fed!
And probably less drunk.

The alcohol reduces the risk of Lyme disease

I made a real hash of removing the one I had and it was a good two months later that the mouth parts made their own way out through my skin

Luckily I had no rash or any ill effects, probably thanks to the lager

Meant to say they are gruesome photos David - Yeeuucchh.

[cinders]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

I've taken several f these of my partner after his field trips in Scotland. Needless to say we use the tick removal tool. Nasty beasties! Friend of mine had Lymes disease once. Had some really serious mental problems from it - luckily he seems ok now but it really is a good idea to check all over yourself every time you go out in deer/sheep territory.

[David M]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

In North America some ticks carry the bacteria that causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

[Melaka]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

Frontline does well for dogs every six weeks or so. Buy the cheaper non prescription sort. Be careful too if you are taking a dog to the continent as the ticks there carry diseases we don't find here and for which there's no effective treatment.

[Graptolite]

Re: Of dogs, wildlife and the 50mm macro..... (Warning! Contains bugs)

I've taken several f these of my partner after his field trips in Scotland. Needless to say we use the tick removal tool. Nasty beasties! Friend of mine had Lymes disease once. Had some really serious mental problems from it - luckily he seems ok now but it really is a good idea to check all over yourself every time you go out in deer/sheep territory.

If you get them off within 24 hours the risk of Lyme disease is much reduced.