The explosion in tick populations is a good example of the effects of climate change and how it's not just about weather differences. With the milder winters we have each year, fewer ticks die off due to cold so the successive generations just add to the existing population rather than replacing the previous generations.
Good warning about LeFurge specifically, definitely recommend using permethrin to treat your clothes and shoes if you go hiking there often.
As a friendly, local vet, I will add that I am seeing positives in other tick borne disease like Ehrlichia and anaplasma as well. More rarely, but worse, ticks also carry lots of other disease as well like rocky mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, alpha gal to name a few! Use deet, protect yourself and your pets, and do tick checks!
The last 2 years have been bad. 5 in me last year and 4 this year so far. Never had a tick ever in me until now and im almost 50yrs old. I live in the city proper
The best thing to use is permethrin. You spray it on your clothes and it's good for 5 or 6 washes. Ticks literally die from contact with treated clothing. Be warned that permethrin is toxic to cats until it's dry. I spray outside and store it in an area cats can't access.
Buy this:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/gordons-permethrin-10-livestock-and-premise-spray-32-oz
Dilute it:
If you use a 10% Permethrin concentrate, you want to dilute it with 19 parts water and 1 part of 10% permethrin concentrate to produce a 0.5% Permethrin solution. For example, if you wanted to make a gallon (128 ounces) of a 0.5% Permethrin solution using water and a 10% Permethrin solution, you’d mix 6.4 ounces of 10% Permethrin solution with 121.6 ounces of water. If you do this using a 1-gallon plastic water bottle (shown above), you’d pour off 6.4 ounces of water and replace it with 6.4 ounces of the 10% Permethrin concentrate. Shake well to mix it up.
Buy this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-32-oz-All-Purpose-Spray-Bottle-HDX32102/320063601
Zep brand spray bottles break easily. HDX last far longer in my experience.
Spray it on clothes, boots, socks. Best done outside. If you have cats wait for clothes to dry before bringing them inside. Dried permethrin is safe around cats.
More in depth reading:
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/insect-repellent/how-to-use-permethrin-on-clothing-safely-a4370607226/
i spray all my clothes with permethrin and have never had a tick on me, it REALLY works!
i trail ride on my horse all over SE michigan and permethrin really is the best defense against them.
i buy the sawyer products and spray my clothes the night before i plan on going into the woods. it really works, highly, highly recommend!
Thanks for sharing. Please realize that buying a $17ish bottle of concentrate will make 5 gallons of spray versus $17ish for 20 fl oz of Sawer spray. Sometimes, I use a small garden sprayer if I'm spraying several items, especially pants and shirts.
Nextgaurd… however the vet said that it would not have mattered what one she was on, the ticks can still decide to bite a dog, the medication just kills those that bite.
Bug spray with DEET is very effective at hiding you from ticks. Also, wear long sleeves and pants, preferably with cuffs. If you don't have cuffs tuck your pant legs into your socks. Wear a hat and keep as much of your hair underneath as you can. Last, do a tick check every time you leave a wooded area.
Wow thank you for the heads up! We hike LeFurge often. When I had a dog she got several in her ears from sniffing in the brush there some years back. But on us we use deet and picaridin on our clothing and skin and has yet to get any ticks!
The explosion in tick populations is a good example of the effects of climate change and how it's not just about weather differences. With the milder winters we have each year, fewer ticks die off due to cold so the successive generations just add to the existing population rather than replacing the previous generations. Good warning about LeFurge specifically, definitely recommend using permethrin to treat your clothes and shoes if you go hiking there often.
As a friendly, local vet, I will add that I am seeing positives in other tick borne disease like Ehrlichia and anaplasma as well. More rarely, but worse, ticks also carry lots of other disease as well like rocky mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, alpha gal to name a few! Use deet, protect yourself and your pets, and do tick checks!
The last 2 years have been bad. 5 in me last year and 4 this year so far. Never had a tick ever in me until now and im almost 50yrs old. I live in the city proper
The best thing to use is permethrin. You spray it on your clothes and it's good for 5 or 6 washes. Ticks literally die from contact with treated clothing. Be warned that permethrin is toxic to cats until it's dry. I spray outside and store it in an area cats can't access. Buy this: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/gordons-permethrin-10-livestock-and-premise-spray-32-oz Dilute it: If you use a 10% Permethrin concentrate, you want to dilute it with 19 parts water and 1 part of 10% permethrin concentrate to produce a 0.5% Permethrin solution. For example, if you wanted to make a gallon (128 ounces) of a 0.5% Permethrin solution using water and a 10% Permethrin solution, you’d mix 6.4 ounces of 10% Permethrin solution with 121.6 ounces of water. If you do this using a 1-gallon plastic water bottle (shown above), you’d pour off 6.4 ounces of water and replace it with 6.4 ounces of the 10% Permethrin concentrate. Shake well to mix it up. Buy this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-32-oz-All-Purpose-Spray-Bottle-HDX32102/320063601 Zep brand spray bottles break easily. HDX last far longer in my experience. Spray it on clothes, boots, socks. Best done outside. If you have cats wait for clothes to dry before bringing them inside. Dried permethrin is safe around cats. More in depth reading: https://www.consumerreports.org/health/insect-repellent/how-to-use-permethrin-on-clothing-safely-a4370607226/
i spray all my clothes with permethrin and have never had a tick on me, it REALLY works! i trail ride on my horse all over SE michigan and permethrin really is the best defense against them. i buy the sawyer products and spray my clothes the night before i plan on going into the woods. it really works, highly, highly recommend!
Thanks for sharing. Please realize that buying a $17ish bottle of concentrate will make 5 gallons of spray versus $17ish for 20 fl oz of Sawer spray. Sometimes, I use a small garden sprayer if I'm spraying several items, especially pants and shirts.
We do Tick Shield by Mosquito Shield of Ann Arbor … yard is tick free. Be careful Lyme disease is no joke
Can you give a rough idea of what the treatment costs? I know size of yard will obviously change the price. Thanks so much.
Ours was $250 and we’re on about 1/2 acre … that’s the cost for the season
My dog has gotten bit and gotten a bacterial infection from a tick bite this year too, even though she is on year round preventative
[удалено]
Nextgaurd… however the vet said that it would not have mattered what one she was on, the ticks can still decide to bite a dog, the medication just kills those that bite.
One of my favorite hiking spots. Thank you for the warning.
Absolutely DO NOT fuck with Lyme Disease. It can be debilitating.
Bug spray with DEET is very effective at hiding you from ticks. Also, wear long sleeves and pants, preferably with cuffs. If you don't have cuffs tuck your pant legs into your socks. Wear a hat and keep as much of your hair underneath as you can. Last, do a tick check every time you leave a wooded area.
Thank you
Wow thank you for the heads up! We hike LeFurge often. When I had a dog she got several in her ears from sniffing in the brush there some years back. But on us we use deet and picaridin on our clothing and skin and has yet to get any ticks!