Discussion: Watch out for ticks at Lynn Woods!

I found 14 separate deer ticks after two hours in the woods vetting all controls this afternoon. Please be careful and check yourself after your run.

I particularly liked the point where I thought 'that's dirt, not a deer tick: it's the wrong shape.' Turned out it was two deer ticks on top of each other.

If you find a tick attached while still at the event, come see me. I will be bringing a tick remover that can help pull it out without squeezing its belly.

Thanks for the heads-up, feet! (And for the vetting, too.)

Maybe there are none left?

No, he left one for me. (Embedded in my back - lucky I used a mirror.)

I removed 2 from "customers".

Rhonda had five, Jim Henderson had one (big one, not a deer tick) that he gave to me. I've still got it, and will likely carry it with me tomorrow on my course.

In our perverse household, wife (biologist) carried a dog tick in her coin purse (30 yrs ago) for a month as there was nothing more convenient at an inopportune time. It began a unique observation opportunity.

Currently, raising a baby mouse... Beth found in the drive two weeks ago, brought to the UNO meet. Now weaned fm milk, doing fine, learning human contact. Needs a name (needs a sex first). A more upbeat focus than TV news, we think....

Just found a deer tick embedded in my chest. Dug half of it out. Does this warrant a blood test or should I wait for a rash or other symptoms to appear?

Found one on my clean, backpack-stored, post-race shirt yesterday. Geoman, I'm no doctor, but I've heard a prophylactic course of antibiotics is pretty standard procedure when it's definitely a deer tick. I'm no fan of antibiotic overuse, but I think it's warranted if your doctor suggests it. My mom's gotten Lyme twice, but fortunately dodged the permanent arthritis-like effects. Another friend got his misdiagnosed as spinal meningitis and had a rough few weeks. The stuff doesn't mess around, so take care of it.

Can you dig out the rest of it? Seems like getting someone gouging some skin off of you is better than wondering if you have Lyme...

Tick testing is sometimes/usually inconclusive. They have to culture the bug, it's not like a human blood test. And the borrelia doesn't like to grow in a dish; it's not exactly in the same form inside the tick as it is when it's in your joints and nerves. I would go for the prophylactic course. I believe 14 days doxycycline 100 mg 2× day is standard. P.S. I never had a rash.