I am not scared of much in our natural world. I believe being educated about the critters, and then using the appropriate levels of caution, is the best way to approach life in nature. Here in Vermont I don’t worry about bears, as I know better than to keep bird feeders out in the summer and certainly know never to get between a mama and her cubs. I am not scared of coyotes, as I know they are heading away from me way before I even know they are around. When I hike in the desert with the snakes, scorpions, black widows, cactus, etc- well, suffice it to say that I am extremely cautious about where I put my fingers and toes, and I keep my eyes peeled at all times. I really do find that I coexist harmoniously with most beings.
But there is one little bugger that truly scares me. Ixodes scapularis. Better known as the deer tick. This is the lovely creature that can carry Lyme disease to people and to pets. You can’t feel a tick bite. They are hard to see because they are so small. In an animals fur they are even harder to find than on our bare skin. Yikes!
Lyme disease can be completely debilitating, with joint pain, fatigue, rash, flu like symptoms, and worse. Although it can often be treated with antibiotics it can also become chronic and actually change for ever how one gets to live their lives. Worth being scared of!
So for me- I keep a natural tick repellant handy for outside work, and I do my best to check for ticks with my hands at the end of each day. I also shower and swim frequently to wash off any that have not yet attached themselves. For my dogs I have chosen to get the Lyme vaccine, even though there is some controversy about the effectiveness. I treat them with a topical Pyrethrin based product that, in theory, only permeates their skin and will kill fleas and ticks for 30 days. That was a tough decision or me, as I believe strongly in holistic health, but it somehow feels like the lesser of two evils. And I use the natural tick spray on the dogs as well, when we are going walking.
What are the chances that one of us will get Lyme? I don’t know that, but I do know that it is a terrible disease worth taking very seriously. It is endemic here in New England, and in other parts of the US so please talk to your vet about the best ways to prevent Lyme in your animals. Read up. Learn everything you can about it. Hope that someone, somewhere will start doing some real research into ways to prevent or treat it that are more effective than what is currently being done.
And so I learn how to live with this bit of fear. I would love to think I can just be cautious and maintain my families immune systems and that will be sufficient. And maybe it will be. Meanwhile I will live in this beautiful spot that feeds my soul and enjoy every day that is offered to me. I will walk in the woods and fields with my dogs. I will garden, and swim, and pursue my dreams. And I will do everything in my power to do all of this Lyme free!
Helpful links:
