reduce tick habitats at home

[homealone]

Those who have developed Lyme disease, approximatly 70% actually catch it in their own yards. This is a disease carried by ticks. Ticks are usally transported into your yard via animals such as Deer,mice,cats,dogs and even some birds.

To greatly reduce the number of ticks living in your yard, keep your yard free of leaf litter,clippings from grass,and other debris. Construct a 3' wide woodchip,gravel or mulch barrier between your lawn and any wooded areas around your home. Keep shrubs and bushes neatly timmed.

If there are playhouses, swing sets, bird feeders or wood piles on the property, be sure to create another barrier under and around these items.If there are stone walls present, be sure to keep all cracks sealed. Mice like to live in areas such as this. Deer have been known to carry hundereds of ticks,so It is best not to attempt to attract them into your yard by feeding them. Instead it is a better idea to ward them off by fencing in your yard or by planting certain plants which deer do not like.

If there are pets in the home be sure to check them for ticks often. If the pet is outdoors be sure to brush their fur often and throughly to help detect any ticks. To help prevent your pet from being a tick target the use of flea and tick collars, shampoos or even drops are a great idea. Family pets are also at risk at contracting lyme disease from ticks. In conclusion making your yard less of a tick habitat will also make your yard and home even more beautiful.

[flippinout]

Our neighbors daughter contracted Lyme disease and it took a while for the doctors to finally discover that this is what she had. She underwent extensive treatment for this disease.

A person also has to be careful when camping or doing any outdoor activities. Check children often for ticks if they play outdoors a lot. Prevention in the form of bug repellent is also something needed for people that are outdoors a lot.

Not only do you have to be careful of ticks because of Lyme disease, mosquitos can cause encyphilitis, so care needs to be taken in that area also.

[flip_it_fast]

Great post homealone. I don't think some people understand how severe lyme disease can be. It is treatable, done so easier if caught early enough, with antibiotics. It can be disabling though. Symptoms of lyme disease are a bullseye rash on the skin, loss of muscle tone of the face, painful headaches, stiffness of the neck, dizziness and heart palpitations. If left untreated more severe symptoms will occur.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. Borrelia is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected hard ticks belonging to several species of the genus Ixodes.[2] Early manifestations of infection may include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. Left untreated, late manifestations involving the joints, heart, and nervous system can occur. In a majority of cases, symptoms can be eliminated with antibiotics, especially if diagnosis and treatment occur early in the course of illness. Late, delayed, or inadequate treatment can lead to late manifestations of Lyme disease which can be disabling and difficult to treat.

Wikipedia


Do what you can around your home to protect youself and your family from this aweful disease.

Lyme Disease

[flippinout]

Thank you so much for posting about Lyme disease. A lot of people, as you said, are not aware of what all problems this disease can cause.

Especially, be sure to check children daily for ticks.

Hiking in the woods needs to be done in long sleeved shirts, long pants tucked into your hiking boots and a good check should be done of oneself after arriving back home.

Anything that can be done around your home to prevent tick infestation is well worth the time it takes to prevent the infestation.

[homealone]

I thank you Flippinout and Flip_it_fast for adding even more importand information about ticks.I do hope that your neighbors daughter responded well to the treatment and is now alright! Ticks are truely frightening, something so small that can cause such damage. Another small tip, when hiking or working in your yard dont just wear any long sleeve shirt and pants, wear something light colored, that will allow a tick to be seen easier.

I also Thank you Flip_it_fast for posting the pics. I tried to post a couple, but I just couldnt even bring myself to put my cursor over them...EWWWW.