Ticks

Well it is that time of year. I have been outside a lot this week and today after lunch I was talking with Bill when I casually ran my hand though my hair. Oops . what did I feel? The first tick of the season had attached itself to the middle of my head. I gently removed it and was happy to see a very thin tick with a bit of skin attached to its mouth. I was not home at the time but washed the area and applied alcohol to the area as soon as I walked into the door.

So what should you do if you are a victim of a tick bite?

• Determine if the tick has a head by observing it closely. There are two groups of ticks: those with heads are called hard ticks, and those without heads are called soft ticks.  The soft ticks generally do not transmit diseases to animals or humans.
• Determine the size of the tick. If the tick is a small as a speck of black pepper with black legs it is most likely a deer tick which can spread Lyme disease.

• The American dog tick can be 1/8 to 1/2 inch wide depending on how much blood it has withdrawn from its host. The rear of the American dog tick appears to be made up of small squares and the body has silver-white markings on it.  A silver spot behind the head of a tick indicates it is a female American dog tick. This tick is also called a wood tick and often carries Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and ehrlichiosis.

Male

female

• Check the tick for any markings on its body. One or more distinctive white speck on back of a light brown body or ticks have striping   is the tropical markings of a long star tick, which can carry tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and southern tick associated rash infection (STAR).

• Next check out the mouth of the tick. The deer tick has a long narrow mouth and the dog tick has a thick short mouth.

How to remove a tick:

First it is important to remove the tick as quickly as possible. The longer it is on you the more likely it will transmit a disease or infection to you.

Use tweezers or  special instruments that are designed specifically for tick removal and grab the tick as close to your skin as possible. Do not crush the tick as this will force the tick’s stomach content into  your bite. Next apply steady pressure and gingerly pull upward on the tick. Take care not to twist the tick  or yank it quickly, as this can leave the mouth parts still lingering in the bite site. Pull steadily until the tick becomes unattached.

Wash the affected region where the tick bit you with warm water and soap and apply an antiseptic.

Check the bite area if it is not at all red or swollen, the tick was probably not attached long enough to leave any poisonous substance; but, If it is red and puffy, it may be infected. You should seek medical attention for any tick bite to be on the safe side but especially if it shows signs of infection or develop flu-like symptoms.

I always keep the tick in a plastic bag or bottle  with rubbing alcohol to help preserve it and labeled with the date I removed it. That way if an infection accords I can take the tick with me to the doctor’s office.

Remember to keep the grass cut short, use tick prevention on yourself and your pets and always check for ticks when you come inside.

This is a picture of my hitchhiker:

Photo by Kathryn L. Jarvis

Clear off home office desk top.

I have to admit this one is hard to keep up with. I always have research  going on and I hate closing all the books up when I am in the middle of something so the study desk which is a huge desk is always covered. It doesn’t help that I like to be around things that made me feel happy and I display them on that desk – so even when I have the desk cleaned up it is never clear. (Computers, printers, pen and pencil holder, and phone are allowed the goal should be to only have things on your desktop that you use daily ). The note/letter writing desk in the dinning room is always clear since it is a drop leaf desk and I have to clear it off to shut the leaf. Chris’ desk is always clear and the business desk is cleared most days.