What was just in me?

[G5Unit]

I just got back from going through the forest earlier and I had an ichy spot on my upper leg(under my pants). I didn't think much about it until I looked and saw there was an spider in my leg!

I didn't know what it was and pulled up wikipedia and it looks like I have a tick I took it out and should I be worried at all?

[Bill Gates]

There is normally no need to worry unless you develop symptoms related to the bite, such as a rash around the bite area. Ensure that you removed 100% of the tick.

[Chundles]

Originally Posted by G5Unit

I just got back from going through the forest earlier and I had an ichy spot on my upper leg(under my pants). I didn't think much about it until I looked and saw there was an spider in my leg!

I didn't know what it was and pulled up wikipedia and it looks like I have a tick I took it out and should I be worried at all?

Did you get the head as well? The head of a tick can dislodge from the body and cause really bad infections.

Do you have paralysis ticks over there? They can be really nasty.

I'd get down to your GP right away with the tick if you still have it and get it checked out. Ticks are not something to be trifled with.

[MacNut]

What kind of tick? Lime disease is always something to watch out for. Can you take a picture of the tick?

[kretzy]

How did you take it out exactly? The problem with ticks is that if you pick the body off your skin the it's head and legs can stay embedded and get infected. If possible try and get it all out with some tweezers. But as long as you've removed it you've also removed the chance of it injecting more of it's toxins. If the area continues to look/feel irritated you should probably go see a doctor.

[G5Unit]

These are the best pictures I could get with my camera phone but it looked most like the professionally shot one:

[MacNut]

It looks like a dear tick.

[MacNut]

Remove any tick promptly. The mouthparts of a tick are barbed and may remain embedded and lead to infection at the bite site if not removed promptly. Do not burn the tick with a match or cover it with petroleum jelly or nail polish. Do not use bare hands to remove the tick because tick secretions may carry disease. The best way to remove a tick is to grasp it firmly with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and gently, but firmly, pull it straight out. Do not twist or jerk the tick. If tweezers are not available, grasp the tick with a piece of tissue or cloth or whatever can be used as a barrier between your fingers and the tick. Ticks can be safely disposed of by placing them in a container of soapy water or alcohol, sticking them to tape or flushing them down the toilet. If you want to have the tick identified, put it in a small vial of alcohol.
Wash the bite area and your hands thoroughly with soap and water and apply an antiseptic to the bite site.
If you have an unexplained illness with fever, contact a physician. Be sure to tell the physician if you have been outdoors in areas where ticks were present or traveled to areas where tick-borne diseases are common.

If you experience a rash that looks like a bull's-eye, or a rash anywhere on the body or an unexplained illness accompanied by fever following a tick bite, you should consult your physician and explain that you were bitten by a tick. Disease carried by ticks can be treated with antibiotics. However, the type of antibiotic can vary and individuals should be treated early in the infection.

[sushi]

Originally Posted by G5Unit

These are the best pictures I could get with my camera phone but it looked most like the professionally shot one:

Definitely get that one looked at by a physician. No need to take a chance with Lime disease or any other.

BTW, some advice for those who may get a tick bite it future. A method that works well in removing a tick from animals and humans is to take some rubbing alcohol on a Q-Tip and then put the Q-Tip where the tick's head is at. After a little while, the tick will let go.

As a substitute, you can use regular gasoline. Although gasoline can cause skin irritation.

[G5Unit]

Originally Posted by MacNut

Remove any tick promptly. The mouthparts of a tick are barbed and may remain embedded and lead to infection at the bite site if not removed promptly. Do not burn the tick with a match or cover it with petroleum jelly or nail polish. Do not use bare hands to remove the tick because tick secretions may carry disease. The best way to remove a tick is to grasp it firmly with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and gently, but firmly, pull it straight out. Do not twist or jerk the tick. If tweezers are not available, grasp the tick with a piece of tissue or cloth or whatever can be used as a barrier between your fingers and the tick. Ticks can be safely disposed of by placing them in a container of soapy water or alcohol, sticking them to tape or flushing them down the toilet. If you want to have the tick identified, put it in a small vial of alcohol.
Wash the bite area and your hands thoroughly with soap and water and apply an antiseptic to the bite site.
If you have an unexplained illness with fever, contact a physician. Be sure to tell the physician if you have been outdoors in areas where ticks were present or traveled to areas where tick-borne diseases are common.

Ok well through the panic of the situation I kind of just yanked it out(I'm only 15)

It seems to come out all the way as it was moving when it came out.

Maybe I should go tell my mom...

[bbergie]

Originally Posted by MacNut

Remove any tick promptly. The mouthparts of a tick are barbed and may remain embedded and lead to infection at the bite site if not removed promptly. Do not burn the tick with a match or cover it with petroleum jelly or nail polish. Do not use bare hands to remove the tick because tick secretions may carry disease. The best way to remove a tick is to grasp it firmly with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and gently, but firmly, pull it straight out. Do not twist or jerk the tick. If tweezers are not available, grasp the tick with a piece of tissue or cloth or whatever can be used as a barrier between your fingers and the tick. Ticks can be safely disposed of by placing them in a container of soapy water or alcohol, sticking them to tape or flushing them down the toilet. If you want to have the tick identified, put it in a small vial of alcohol.
Wash the bite area and your hands thoroughly with soap and water and apply an antiseptic to the bite site.
If you have an unexplained illness with fever, contact a physician. Be sure to tell the physician if you have been outdoors in areas where ticks were present or traveled to areas where tick-borne diseases are common.

If you experience a rash that looks like a bull's-eye, or a rash anywhere on the body or an unexplained illness accompanied by fever following a tick bite, you should consult your physician and explain that you were bitten by a tick. Disease carried by ticks can be treated with antibiotics. However, the type of antibiotic can vary and individuals should be treated early in the infection.

Most resourceful. Impressive.

[Chundles]

Originally Posted by G5Unit

Ok well through the panic of the situation I kind of just yanked it out(I'm only 15)

It seems to come out all the way as it was moving when it came out.

Maybe I should go tell my mom...

Er, yah.

Get yourself to your GP as soon as possible, these are not things to leave alone. Tick bites should be seen to as soon as possible.

Trust me, if there's one thing we Aussies know it's how to deal with dangerous insects/arachnids.

[emac kinda guy]

This sounds reasonable.

Originally Posted by G5Unit

Maybe I should go tell my mom...

I've had a lot of tick bites over the years. I pull them out with my finger nails, but make sure I get the head. Definitely a "the sooner the better" thing to do.

You will most likely have no problems, but having a doctor look at it in the next few days is good advice.

One evening I found more than 40 of them crawling on me. A most unwelcome visitor. Once you learn their habits, you can manage them much better.

[Patmian212]

Originally Posted by emac kinda guy

This sounds reasonable.



I've had a lot of tick bites over the years. I pull them out with my finger nails, but make sure I get the head. Definitely a "the sooner the better" thing to do.

You will most likely have no problems, but having a doctor look at it in the next few days is good advice.

One evening I found more than 40 of them crawling on me. A most unwelcome visitor. Once you learn their habits, you can manage them much better.

40 TICKS???? Did you get sick? HOW IS 40 TICKS EVEN POSSIBLE?

[balamw]

Originally Posted by MacNut

Lime disease is always something to watch out for.

Just FWIW, it's Lyme disease, and certainly worth getting checked for.

B

[sushi]

Originally Posted by Patmian212

40 TICKS???? Did you get sick? HOW IS 40 TICKS EVEN POSSIBLE?

Be in a wooded area.

All kinds of critters out there in nature!

[Chundles]

Originally Posted by Patmian212

40 TICKS???? Did you get sick? HOW IS 40 TICKS EVEN POSSIBLE?

Come over here mate and we'll go for a little walk in the bush. Then I'll show you where 40 ticks can come from.

[balamw]

Originally Posted by Chundles

Come over here mate and we'll go for a little walk in the bush. Then I'll show you where 40 ticks can come from.

Were they on a baby carrying dingo?

B

[Dros]

I thought this was going to be one of those, "what are you wearing now?" type threads. I was interested to see the answers!

[Chundles]

Originally Posted by balamw

Were they on a baby carrying dingo?

B

Bloody oath but the dingo was drunk so he dropped his baby in a billabong a couple of kays back on the track. Now he just thinks he's carrying a baby - the flamin' Galah.

'Scuse me, I gotta go practice playing my didgeridoo and cook me up some tucker. Maybe a wallaby or two...

Actually I prefer kangaroo. It's got a much better taste and when you cook it rare and serve it with some spicy plum sauce it's bloody gorgeous.

Oh crap the colt from old regret just got away! Gotta do the harold holt now, see ya.

Oh I feel so dirty and boy is that hard to keep up.

[SpookTheHamster]

Ticks are one thing I definitely don't miss about living away from home. Leeches are worse, eugh.

[MACDRIVE]

Originally Posted by Chundles

Actually I prefer kangaroo. It's got a much better taste and when you cook it rare and serve it with some spicy plum sauce it's bloody gorgeous.

You guys are eating the kangaroos over there?

[simontarr]

I always thought the best thing to do was wait for the bastard to have its fill, then let it wait for it to drop off (that way, no mouthparts/head will be left in you) Then you go see your GP and get it treated. If it was going to infect you, it would have done it pretty much at the time it bit you.

Or you can be careful and burn it off with a lighter.

[Grakkle]

Originally Posted by simontarr

I always thought the best thing to do was wait for the bastard to have its fill, then let it wait for it to drop off (that way, no mouthparts/head will be left in you) Then you go see your GP and get it treated. If it was going to infect you, it would have done it pretty much at the time it bit you.

Or you can be careful and burn it off with a lighter.

I wouldn't do that. Ticks can keep filling for a long time - I've seen ticks the size of a grape on a horse that had a massive tick infestation. Incidentally, I removed the ticks by spraying the horse with a witchhazel and mineral oil mixture, and that worked marvelously.

DON'T just pull out the tick. That's sure to leave part of the tick still under the skin.

Either put some oil on the tick (which will make it back out, so it can breathe: ticks breath through their rear when feeding) or burn it's bum with a match or lighter. Either way, the tick will back out. Then you can eat it or crush it, depending on your tastes.

[Chundles]

Originally Posted by MACDRIVE

You guys are eating the kangaroos over there?

Er, yeah, they're like cows.

There are more roos here than cows and there are a hell of a lot of cows.

It still makes me laugh when the yanks get upset about us eating roos - they're not endangered, far from it, they're thriving to the point of overrunning some places so much they need to cull them every year.

Roos are great and they make for great eating too.