[Angela24k]

I can certainly understand your concern with ticks because I personally have a real phobia when it comes to them. But I just take precausions. I don't go into the woods, which saddens me as I LOVE the woods. I stay away from tall grass. I recently starting taking my dog to agility classes...until the first time when they took the classes outside. While we were on the grass, we were surrounded by woods. I picked up my dog at one point and when I put him down I had a deer tick on my arm. Some gentleman took it off me as I was freaking out. I didn't go back to class, I can tell you that! The point here is, I have a serious phobia when it comes to ticks, but if I just stay out of the area's that are known to have lots of ticks, it's fine. Almost ALL my friends have been treated for Lime Disease at one point and many of their dogs too, and everyone is just fine.
Don't let ticks stop you from moving here! Stay out of the woods and tall grass in the summer and spring, and you'll be fine. As far as your dog, you'll use a product like Frontline for him.
Angie

[Skatergirl]

My friend took her kids to a town that borders ct and Ny--I'm drawing a blank now--and sure enough, the kids were playing in some dense areas with grass and trees and mom found a tick and it she got the rash and is on antibiotics now. However, I live in W.H. and my neighbor up the street got it too. It's here, but as much of a nervous nelly that I am as a mother of 4, it doesn't make me paranoid at all. The kids are given a once over each night at bath time. Btw, I used to spend summers in Ky and we we're also checked for ticks--we just accepted it was a way of life.

[Kathleenh54]

The best thing for fleas and ticks is Frontline, period. Spend the money, it's worth it for your dog and you.

We lived in Weston and Wilton for fourteen years. We were careful and did 'tick checks' whenever we came in from outside. All five of us have had and been treated for Lyme Disease. Just be vigilant, use the spray, stay out of high grass and if you have a fever/flu-like symptoms in the warm weather ask to be tested for it. It has to be treated QUICKLY.

You should be fine, but forewarned is forearmed.

[johngol]

connecticut is no more of a risk than other east coast and northern states it was just discovered here it went misdiagnosed for years before concerns are always but i have 4 children and they do not live in a bubble i have had lyme disease i do not know where i got it. but it was diagnosed early i had to take amoxacilin for 2 months and that was 3 years ago a friend of mone who lives in upstate ny had a very bad case of it 5 years ago he was treated ans today is also fine

[mels]

The Hartford Courant had a cover story in Sunday's (yesterday) paper about Lyme disease and even have a map breaking it down town by town in CT. Pretty interesting. Lyme Disease Rates For 2006

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by mels

The Hartford Courant had a cover story in Sunday's (yesterday) paper about Lyme disease and even have a map breaking it down town by town in CT. Pretty interesting. Lyme Disease Rates For 2006

Thanks Mel

very informative

[30apples]

sticksnsniffles-- Thanks VERY much for starting this excellent thread. i have been interested in all the same questions you have asked about lyme ticks. I notice that the northwestern counties of Ct. had more lyme disease than other counties of Ct.,as reported in '06. Last summer I was visiting in the part of eastern NY nearby and found that many people there had or have lyme disease, incl. a friend's young daughter, who now has arthritis as a result. Another friend had lyme and then took the lyme vaccine. I have since read that the human vaccine isn't very effective. I'd like to know if that is actually correct....if so, how unfortunate. it does seem to be a huge problem in so many places ,incld other NE states, like Ma and NH,VT as mentioned on other states' forums.
I keep looking for news of research done to prevent this horrid disease which you can get from doing NOTHING unusual or dangerous!! Where is the federal and state funding for this important research???? where is the private funding ???
The people who wrote about lyme ticks in the snow are absolutely correct. A field biologist from Va. told me that they had seen lyme ticks under leaves or on rocks in protected areas (facing south, so it was warmer) in Feb. whilst there was snow on the ground!
Another question which you didn't ask, but which I have wondered about is what caused this huge lyme tick problem???? it seems like it really exploded in about 1980. Before that, people went all over in the fields, woods and areas by water,etc. w/ nothing but MAYBE a few dog ticks, which were just a "yuk" event, not a problem. People didn't have or use bug spray and only had flea collars for dogs. Seems like the environment is seriously out of whack! Any scientists out there know the answer to this question? I have asked this question of several field biologist friends and none had an answer.
Thanks again for writing Sticksnsniffles.

[JViello]

HAHA! The irony...I just got back from a wonderful outdoor adventure in Maine and was greeted with a ravaging case of Lyme. LOL

To preface this, I have a very "brushy" back portion of my property which I have been systematically eliminating and my poor Maine Coon Cat gets hammered with ticks and we clean him up best we can. Problem is, he sneaks up and sleeps in my arms at night when I'm too sleepy to realize it. I got hit and plucked 5 ticks off me about 3 weeks ago...no big deal, whatever.

With the amount of time I spend outdoors and my property I would say I am a high risk case so it's not the norm for the area IMO.

It's really just like flu without the fever. (However I will admit I feel like I fell off a building...every fiber in my body is in pain.) I got my bloodwork done this afternoon and am on an antiboitic. It'll be gone in a few weeks. Crisis over. I'd be more worried about the drunks on the road than a tick bite...you can't live in a bubble and still enjoy life! (To further explain how it hits you, we are heading out to dinner in a half hour...I hurt - bad, but I'm functional.)

P.S. For the people who think ticks can jump 45 feet from the edge of your yard onto your picnic table or are just crawling around the yard waiting to pounce etc...don't worry about it, it's not like that at all. And this is from a guy with Lyme. LOL

[JViello]

Originally Posted by 30apples

Last summer I was visiting in the part of eastern NY nearby and found that many people there had or have lyme disease, incl. a friend's young daughter, who now has arthritis as a result. Another friend had lyme and then took the lyme vaccine. I have since read that the human vaccine isn't very effective. I keep looking for news of research done to prevent this horrid disease which you can get from doing NOTHING unusual or dangerous!!

30apples: Relax. You seem to be in a panic. I think you are over dramatizing this problem with all due respect.

To touch a few subjects you posted above:

1. You don't walk around with Lyme disease without knowing it...trust me, I'm sitting here with every muscle in my body aching away.

2. Dibilitating affects are only from cases which are not treated for months or years. Diagnose it, treat it and you are fine.

3. There is no "vaccine". It's simply a bacteria which gets transmitted via the tick, you take an antiboitic for a few weeks and it goes away. Really.

In a very very very very small percentage of people they have futher complications down the road...and even then they can be treated.

It's not like HIV, leukemia or cancer. It's very curable...you just feel like crap for a little while. Ask me how I know.

[skytrekker]

JV

sorry about those little critters getting under your skin. It reminds all of us to be careful in areas where Lyme disease ticks may be prevalent.

Get better soon and welcome back.