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Do you have ticks in your garden?

FireFire Posts: 19,096
in Problem solving
I'm interested in ticks. They are a growing and spreading in prevalence in the UK. All London parks have them. Apparently one in three dogs is carrying a tick at any one time. I imagine it's an issue for cats and other domestic animals too. Have you encountered them in your garden? Do you do anything about it, where you have grass, such as always wearing wellies? I'd like to hear your stories.
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  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    presumably so. The cat gets ticks and the hedgehogs I have seen often have them. I tend to keep legs covered to keep from getting stung by nettles more than bitten by tickks.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    edited May 2018
    I got lymes disease in my garden in south east London. Fortunately, a locum doctor diagnosed it in the early stages.
    Everyone needs to be aware of the target shaped rash. 
    https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/early-lyme/&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjg2pb5panbAhWIJMAKHQWuCFAQwW4IGDAB&usg=AOvVaw2pJpjDmKyPVDLfv-UO5ox3
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Yes. And in the house, courtesy the cat. I tuck my trews into my socks this time of year when I wading around in the grass.

    What is the point of a tick???
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    It is a blood sucker. Parasite.
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    I had a nasty tick bite on my foot 3 years ago whilst helping my mum in her garden. I wore flip flops because it was in the middle of summer. Ever since, I always wear wellies or tuck socks over trousers. Even in summer. The swelling lasted for almost 2 weeks and it’s definitely no fun.

    I’m glad the doctors picked up on your early diagnosis B3. Late diagnosis can have some serious lasting damage.  
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    B3 said:
    I got lymes disease in my garden in south east London. Fortunately, a locum doctor diagnosed it in the early stages.
    What did they do to fix it? Antibiotics? It annoys me that you can get stuff for cats to combat ticks but you can't get it for humans!
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    fidgetbones said:
    It is a blood sucker. Parasite.
    Indeed, but what's the point of them ;) If they ceased to exist would the world be worse off?
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Thanks Bl. It's a nasty disease but at least I know what to look for.
    People in urban areas don't realise the dangers.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    My dog is a magnet for ticks. He's treated for them with the spot-on type stuff but it doesn't do much for him so in the summer we have to upgrade to a special collar that works much better. I've picked ticks off him using the special twister tool but so far it's only from when we've been walking in the hills where there are deer and sheep. I usually dump them in a sealed plastic vial in case they're needed for ID if he gets sick and one laid a load of eggs in there so I only just got to it in time.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    I would assume so as the dogs and cat get them, We've just put their treatment on yesterday, I have never myself gotten one from the garden (7 at one time is my record while hiking) I suspect that having dogs barging through all the long stuff all day long while being poisonous keeps them down. The only way to keep ticks out would be to keep all wildlife out, so since i like watching my dog (collie/lab) hide from the roe deer as if they were dangerous elephants... I'll have to put up with the possibility of a tick or 3.
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