Sheep ticks / there back !

Ticks

The last weekend I was out in the hills the I was out with SARDA and many of the dogs were covered in ticks. last thing I was thinking about was ticks! Despite a thorough search I found another sheep tick again after the hill walk when I got home as did another one of the group who was out at the weekend, it was still tiny but I had missed it, they are hard to locate. Despite being covered up they get in and both were near my waist so please be aware as we all should know now they can cause huge problems. I make no apology for repeating the warnings regularly and please do not forget your pets. I have had several pals one seriously ill for a few years after a tick bite. One that serious he was off work for a couple of years, Do you know what to check for?

Ticks /

With the arrival of spring, now is a good time to brush up on your knowledge of ticks; what they are, where they live, the diseases they can carry, and how to minimise your risk of infection.

Being out in the countryside or even town parks and gardens where wildlife is present may put you and your pets at risk from tick bites?

Around 3,000 people in the UK contract Lyme disease (Borreliosis) from a tick bite each year?Recent research suggests that the prevalence of Lyme disease bacteria in the UK tick population is considerably higher than previously thought?

The most important tick prevention behaviour is regular checking of your body, particularly the skin folds, and prompt removal of any ticks found. It is important to try and remove ticks within 24 hours of attaching.

The following measure can also help to prevent tick bites.

Use of repellent on skin (DEET) and/or permethrin on clothing

Avoiding contact with tall vegetation where ticks are likely to be questing

Walk on the paths or centre of tracks where possible rather than in the long grass or verges

Wearing light coloured clothing to easily see ticks and brush them off before they attach to skin. Tuck trousers into socks or shoes to minimise ticks under clothing.Regular checks for ticks on clothing

Regular use of tick treatment on companion animals and regular checking and removal of ticks from pets. Different tick species are found in different habitats, but the ticks most commonly found on humans or their pets are found in woodland, heathland, upland or moorland pastures and grassland. Ticks are particularly abundant in ecotones, the transition zone between two vegetation communities, such as woodland and meadow or shrub communities, which permit a wider range of potential hosts.

Removing a tick safely

If you are bitten, follow these simple steps to safely remove ticks

Remove the tick as soon as possible using fine tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool.

Grasp the tick head parts as close to the skin as possible,

Pull upwards firmly and steadily, without jerking or twisting (twisting is not recommended as this increases the chance of the mouthparts breaking off, thereby remaining in the skin and increasing the chance of a secondary localised infection).

Don’t squeeze or crush the tick’s body as this could increase the risk of infection by prompting the tick to regurgitate saliva into the bite wound.

After removal of the tick, apply an antiseptic to the bite site.

Don’t use petroleum jelly, liquid solutions, freeze or burn the tick.

After the tick has been removed, continue to check the bite site over the subsequent month, looking for signs of increased redness or rash.

Consult your doctor if any symptoms develop.

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How small – Yet they can cause real problems.

[/caption]Hill Fires

I also noticed how dry the hills were especially on the West Coast the braken and heather is so dry ! It is worth remembering that Wild fires are the hills are so dry just now another wild fires that are occurring. Please be careful and be aware of the dangers of naked flames just now, they cause so much damage and danger.