Insect bites and allergies

Thanks Val, an interesting read.

It's surprising how irritable the odd mozzie bite can be, especially one in a softer spot, such as behind the knee. And for some, sandfly bites are a major problem.

Didn't know about the Tick induced allergy, to red meat. So there are things worse than dying. Love a rib fillet.........

Bob.

That article looks like the same old media fluff.

No solid facts and nothing new, but plenty to be affraid of.

Most people with alaphalaxis issues will know about it and what they need to be carefull about, if it is serious they will carry the required meds.
My wifes wakling partner suffers with very bad reactions to ants and the like......they have wakled many thousands of Km, here, un the UK and NZ without incident.

We have scrub ticks arround here and let me tell you the faster you get them off the better......any person prone to strong bad reactions will be in serious trouble if they wait to have a tick removed.

Lots of these "medical people" assue that medical attention is 20 minutes away.

Mostly the first thing you will know when you have been bitten by a scrub tick is the reaction...for most of is that is the itch....the longer they are on the more salava they inject and the worse the problem gets.

the best thing is to get them off with a strong sharp pointy set of tweesers.

forget twisting anti-clockwise or killing the tick with alcahol or insectspray.....lay the tweesrers on their side, get right up tight to the skin, get the sharp pointy tips right down on the head, get a firm grip and pull......and it may take a quite a bit of force.

I once had 3 of these little buggers at the top of one leg......thank god for tight undies.......My whole leg itched like mad for days and continued to itch for a fortnight after.

3 things we have found work for ticks.

1 use insect repellant, spray ya socs and the tops of ya boots and the bare skin above ya socks, regardless of long trousers or shorts.
spray the cuffs of ya trousers and ya legs if you are in shorts...and right up under the shorts.
spray arround ya waist line, arround ya kneck, the cuffs of ya shirt and down ya buttons.
spray ya hat and wear it

2 wear tight undies......not rediciloulsy tight but briefs that are snug arround the waist and the legs......many times I and my family and friends have removed ticks just out side the line of the undies.
Ladies should be very carefull a tick in the lady parts can be a very serious thing, I tick on the man parts can be unpleasnt, but a tick in the lady parts can be seriuos trouble..

3 get some good pairs of tweezers, they need to be strong, sharp pointed and of sergical quality...most chemists and first aid supliers wont have em....best are the ones with the angled "S" shaped tip

OH and I'LL add another...if you are in or are going to a tick prone area, put ya dog on a tick medication ..speak to your vet ....frontline used to be the only one that worked...chec with ya vet.

we have had at least 8 dogs in this street killed by scrub ticks....but owners wont listen.
Put ya dog on the meds or sooner or later it WILL die and very unpleasant death......Roothy lost his dog to a tick a while ago.

cheers