@JENGOSMonkey I WAS THERE FOR '89! I was a kid, but I remember the water coming out of the swimming pool in huge waves and everything falling from the shelves! I was actually born in San Jose, but moved around a lot later LOL I hear the wildfires are more of a concern for you guys now? That's scarier than quakes for me...
Tick removal tip
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Well, it sure won't hurt to try it… my friend swears by this.
Spring will be here soon and the ticks will soon be showing their heads. Here is a good way to get them off you, your children, or your pets. Give it a try.
Please forward to anyone with children... or hunters or dogs, or anyone who even steps outside in summer!!
A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share -- And it really works!!
I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick. This is great, because it works in those places where it's some times difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.
Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me.
Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!"Please pass on. Everyone needs this helpful hint.
Insects breath through their skin. This acts to suffocate them.
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Wow, so simple! Sharron, thanks for passing this info on. I had a horrible incident with a friend of mine getting a tick out years ago, and this would have been so much easier than me botching up the removal and her having to go to emergency to get it out and then take a very full course of antibiotics. Thankfully, our pets have never had a burrowed tick in them - and now that they are older, they pretty much stay around our front or back yard (short grass), which I suppose is still not a guarantee to not get bit by one.
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Very good info Sharron..I'll be sure to try it this summer..we are moving to the country and ticks are sure to be abundant..
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I've already yanked 2 out of Buddy Boy. Found this on Snopes on the above email which says it's false.
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/tick.aspWhen I searched the web extensively the consensus with vets and doctors was that putting anything on them or using a match does not work and is not recommended but to use tweezers per the exact instructions which is what I did on Buddy.
On the other hand what ever works for you.
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Dan, thanks for this correction. I didn't check snopes, as I trusted my friend. But the write up here is good info.
Again, sorry for the mis-information. -
Sharron, no worries at all - it came from the goodness of your heart.
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Thanks Fran for being so kind, but its good to double check things.. I forget to do it sometimes and am glad others are not as lax..
Hope you all have a wonderful evening. -
I got a little v shaped tool called a tick off at my vets office a couple yrs ago, you slide it under the tick and the tick catches in the v and comes right out. We only get a few ticks a yr, but this tool work great and it was only about $2.
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Thank goodness we have very, very few tick problems here in No. Cal….
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Dan, thanks for this correction. I didn't check snopes, as I trusted my friend. But the write up here is good info.
Again, sorry for the mis-information.No apologies Sharron, you're always of help to us and we appreciate that. I just happened to go through the tick thing some weeks ago because I found 2 on Buddy and did some research before attempting to remove them.
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A couple things to remember about ticks … check immediately when you've been outside, even if just in your own backyard; if you find one that has attached itself, pull the tick straight out. If you twist it or pull sideways the head will break off and leave its toxic.
Recently found an organic spray for ticks and mosquitos - it contains citronella, rosemary, and garlic oils and you rub it into their fur. I think it must work because I haven't found any ticks on Gossy but plenty on me!
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I made my own spray - similar to what Wizard posted - same oils.
But then I was at Planet Dog last summer and they had wipes that come pre-moistened with the same ingredients and I use those now as they are super convenient and the dogs don't seem to mind them as much as spray.
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I have O'Tom for removing ticks and it's really great! (Lisastewart, do you have same tool?)
http://www.otom.com/ -
I have O'Tom for removing ticks and it's really great! (Lisastewart, do you have same tool?)
http://www.otom.com/Interesting because most say don't twist but pull gently and slowly straight up.
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yes, the O'tom is exactly like what I have, mine came with 2 sizes as we have little seed ticks here that are the size of a pin head and really hard to get out.
