safe from lymes?

[Luna2]

How do we keep our kids safe from lyme ticks. We live in a wood area, dd 13 loves to be outdoors and we have 2 cats and a dog. Also, our favorite vacation is camping and we hike a lot. Do you dose with pesicide or ? Spring is almost here (CA) and the thought of another tick causes my blood to run cold. What about lymes and dogs and cats? Can they transmit? Do enzymes in saliva break down diseases? Thank you.

[MichaelTampa]

Don't know much about this myself, but here is one link that looks reputable. There are many websites discussing this.

 

http://www.lymeinfo.net/prevention.html

 

I think little is known about transmission from cats/dogs. The lyme bacteria can infect many animals, human-to-human transmissions has happened, even one documented case of classic lyme rash following mosquito bite, so I think the possibilities are endless, but some more more unlikely than others. Real data and probabilities are just not available. It's more a question of taking the precautions you deem reasonable, which can be a difficult decision.

[kmom]

I discussed this w/ Dr. J last week. I said, "So where should we move to!?" Half joking...it has crossed my mind. I also asked about prevention. He told me that one who has been bitten by a tick should assume they give off pheromones that attracts ticks. That only made me worry more. He suggested Expedition by Avon. He said it is 80-90% effective and doesn't contain Deet. That was his #1 choice of repellent. He suggested tucking pants in socks, nightly tick checks and daily showers and head washes. He did mention that if you are re-infected, you know a lot faster. You know the symptoms faster 2nd time around.

 

I can tell you right now, I am in the chicken stage right now. A neighbor asked about putting the kids in camp this summer and I said, "Not this summer." I need to spend time lowering our chances of exposure while we heal. I know I can't be a chicken forever but supposedly babesia microti runs ramped in my area of PA. We have been dx'd w/ Borrelia and Bartonella. Will Babesia come out as we treat? Maybe, but I can't imagine adding it to our list of problems b/c I send the kids to camp. I just talked to a mom in my town who got Lyme last spring when she went on my daughter's class field trip to a nearby park. She was so sick. Went to the ER in the middle of the night. Western Blot was neg.--of course. They treated her for a bladder infection and flu. A few days later the big bull's eye rash appeared. Lucky her. Her family dr. diagnosed the Lyme disease and switched her meds to doxycycline. Hopefully the 3 wks of abx got it all. She has learned from us though to be aware if strange symptoms appear over time and it appears to be a relapse.

 

Not sure about the pets. But if I had pets, I'd be sure to use Frontline or something very regularly. Heck, I might be putting Frontline on my kids' back! Just Kidding! LOL!