🕷 Tick season comes with a warning

**Sandcut** · March 24th, 2023, 07:23 PM

Although Babesiosis will make you sick, it is readily treated with doxycycline, like most tick-borne diseases. Folks that really need to be cautious of this disease are people who no longer have a spleen. Folks who are asplenic can get messed up badly with Babesiosis for some reason. A former co-worker of mine caught it working in NJ back around 2000-2001. He spent 3 days in ICU drowning in his own fluids.

Also, don't succumb to the false narrative that essential oils are safer than DEET because they are "natural". The cyanide in cherry pits is natural, but it will still kill you. Essential oils can be somewhat effective as insect repellants. The only problem is, since they are all aromatic hydrocarbons, they evaporate very quickly, requiring repeated applications to maintain effective protection. Also, since they evaporate more quickly, the person wearing it will believe themselves to be protected when they really aren't.

DEET has developed a bad rap lately, due to incorrect, naturapathic presumptions. It's been around since 1948, and is safely used something like 80 million times/year. When used on the skin, with permethrin on the clothing, you are about as protected from tick bite as you can get.

**John_Wick** · March 24th, 2023, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by Sandcut

Although Babesiosis will make you sick, it is readily treated with doxycycline, like most tick-borne diseases. Folks that really need to be cautious of this disease are people who no longer have a spleen. Folks who are asplenic can get messed up badly with Babesiosis for some reason. A former co-worker of mine caught it working in NJ back around 2000-2001. He spent 3 days in ICU drowning in his own fluids.

Also, don't succumb to the false narrative that essential oils are safer than DEET because they are "natural". The cyanide in cherry pits is natural, but it will still kill you. Essential oils can be somewhat effective as insect repellants. The only problem is, since they are all aromatic hydrocarbons, they evaporate very quickly, requiring repeated applications to maintain effective protection. Also, since they evaporate more quickly, the person wearing it will believe themselves to be protected when they really aren't.

DEET has developed a bad rap lately, due to incorrect, naturapathic presumptions. It's been around since 1948, and is safely used something like 80 million times/year. When used on the skin, with permethrin on the clothing, you are about as protected from tick bite as you can get.

Doxy is the preferred treatment for most tick-borne diseases, but is not effective against Babesiosis unless used in combination with other antibiotics (clindamycin, metro, etc.).

A splenectomy makes one more susceptible to infection in general, not just tick-borne diseases. This is because the spleen plays a significant role as part of your immune system.

**Qtrborecrazy** · March 25th, 2023, 11:45 AM

All I know is when I hit the woods, everything below my waist gets sprayed down. Shoes, socks, pants, get treated with Sawyers tick repellent. I use to use Coultons which was great at repelling the little bastards, but Sawyers bought them out.

**Sandcut** · March 25th, 2023, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by Qtrborecrazy

All I know is when I hit the woods, everything below my waist gets sprayed down. Shoes, socks, pants, get treated with Sawyers tick repellent. I use to use Coultons which was great at repelling the little bastards, but Sawyers bought them out.

Just so you know, despite what the internet says, I have picked up ticks at chest and head level from both small trees and shrubs. The notion that questing only occurs on blades of grass is perpetuated by people who don't actively work in the field. If you're going afield, treat all of your clothing/gear with permethrin.

**Sandcut** · March 25th, 2023, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by John_Wick

Doxy is the preferred treatment for most tick-borne diseases, but is not effective against Babesiosis unless used in combination with other antibiotics (clindamycin, metro, etc.).

A splenectomy makes one more susceptible to infection in general, not just tick-borne diseases. This is because the spleen plays a significant role as part of your immune system.

That Rx has changed since the last time that I checked. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!