T(r)icked

I don't know where these ticks are biting me that I can't see them.

Here is the stupid little b*st*rd that bit me. I sent it to the Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory to be tested for Lyme and other diseases. It turned out, this guy was clean. He didn’t carry a single illness.

Since my Western Blot test came back positive, that means a different tick bit me, unnoticed, and gave me a fresh dose of Lyme. What mystifies me is, I’ve seen engorged ticks on my pups. They are visibly noticeable even on a dog with shaggy fur. How can I possibly keep missing these things when they bite me?!

Out of curiosity I looked up whether it is possible to get Lyme another way, but it looks like no. A statistically significant number of people who get Lyme, though, never knew they were bitten.

The moral of my story is: ticks suck. No wait, the moral of my story is that even if you tuck your pants into your socks or have your ticks tested, you still might miss the one that “got” you.

Why don’t you get protection like I’ve got? Then you’ll be safe!

(As a funny side note, my blog is more popular in China than it is in the US. I wonder what they are learning by reading humble Bitey Dog?)

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Find out what Murphy’s Cairn brothers are up to when no one is looking as you travel with them to the Museum of the Imagination in Dream Our World .

Inside the museum, Geordie and Toby view the world of art from a canine perspective while enjoying a day of unsupervised fun. There are many hidden gems inside Dream Our World, and it is a joy for all ages. Treat yourself to a read that is both fun and educational!

Dream Our World, and other fine gifts, are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.

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Third Time’s The Charm

Adulterated, borrowed image.

Yup. For the third time in four years I have this stinking disease. (The national average is once.)

Here’s the little a**hole that gave it to me. When the doctor asked if I knew how long the tick had been attached, I lied and said I didn’t. Conventional medical wisdom says it takes 24-48 hrs to transmit. This was on me 20 minutes. I was afraid if I told the truth I wouldn’t get help.

Of course I started showing symptoms on a Friday and had to wait until Monday to call the doctor. When I called Monday morning, they couldn’t see me until Thursday afternoon. Everyone at the office asked if I had taken a preventive dose of antibiotics. (I didn’t realize that was an option!) If someone shows up for an appointment with a tick bite and Lyme symptoms, doctors are supposed to prescribe a course of antibiotics RIGHT AWAY. Instead this office made me do a Western Blot test which if you’re lucky takes a week to come back with results. Now I’m at more than 5+ weeks with this stupid disease, and have to take the long course of horse pill antibiotics.

Needless to say, Bitey Mom is not a happy camper. Unfortunately, she is too tired to do anything about it.

I’ll be tired with you, mommy!

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5 1/2 Weeks

I apologize if any of you were eating when you opened this. (Eww! Gross old lady legs!)

I use Bitey Dog as sort of a personal journal. This post is for myself so later I can look back and remember what this stupid tick bite was like.

What does it feel like? It is like having a deep tissue bruise on top of a giant mosquito bite. When I’m reclining it feels better. Standing makes it ache. It nearly always itches. Heat makes everything much worse. (Hard to avoid heat in the summer! 😆)

Why don’t I take antihistamines? There are very few antihistamines I can take. When I’ve tried them in the past, they made me sleepy and gave me dry mouth, but they didn’t really affect the allergic reaction.

What about steroids? Topical ones make things worse (increased itching). I don’t know about oral steroids. There are none that I can take because they all contain corn.

Would you get that thing out of my face already?!? I told you how we dogs feel about ticks.

Years ago I was bitten by several spiders. If I remember correctly, it took around eight weeks for the symptoms to fade. It looks like I have close to three weeks more of this to go. ☹️.

I wish I could use my experience to pressure pharma companies to diversify the bases for products. I know I’m not the only person in a situation where we would likely benefit from medication but can’t take it.

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Ick. Another Tick

It’s tough to take a picture of the back of your leg.

About 3 1/2 weeks ago I was bitten by a tick. Since then the bite has been itchy and red like a huge mosquito bite. I feel sure I’m fine because I got the tick off minutes after it attached, but still, it’s miserable.

It makes me wonder. Back when I was bitten by a tick and developed Lyme Disease, how on earth did I miss something this big and red and itchy? I never suspected I had the disease because I was unaware I’d been used as a dinner service by a gross insect.

Just keep that thing away from me, will ya? Dogs really don’t like the “T” word.

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Mommy’s Tick

Help, I have a tick! It's the worst pain in the entire world! She's doomed!

That's not what happened. Who is the world going to believe? You or me?

Well, it was my turn to get a tick this week. I foolishly laid down in the grass to stretch my back, and one of those blood-thirsty little suckers got me. Toby said he was glad I finally knew what it felt like to be snacked on by a bug and that I should have much more sympathy for him and that I should give him more Milk Bones to make up for all the suffering he has gone through and the Milk Bone compensation is retroactive to Geordie’s lifetime and it extends to other animals that have ticks too. In other words, many more Milk Bones.

Many, many more Milk Bone

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Those Dreaded “T” Words

Picture of a tick, a check mark and a watch

After a walk through a field with Toby, I checked my puppy to make sure he had no fur hitchhikers. That afternoon, just to be safe, I checked him again. In case there might be any late biters, that evening I checked him again.

I have to say that by the end of the day, he was really ticked with me.

Don't worry, Mom. I'll help.

For heaven’s sake, quit using me as a prop in your lame stories.

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Toby, like most pets, is loving this lock down….his grandparents, not so much. So far, they have had their water filter break, the microwave break and a drain back up.

On top of these things, they are seriously not liking the new mask rules. My Mom is severely claustrophobic and won’t go anywhere they are required. Both of my parents are hard of hearing (age related). Not only are they having trouble hearing people, they can’t lip read with everyone’s faces covered.

What a strange world we find ourselves in.

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Do you need a birthday present for someone but can’t get out to shop? Then send your special someone a copy of Dream Our World!

Dream Our World is filled with sweet puppies, historical art references and is peppered with liberal amounts of humor.

Dream Our World is available from Amazon.

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Tick, Tick, Taken

This “traveling between the worlds” business takes some getting used to. At this time of year, it is pretty much impossible to get bird or butterfly bodies to borrow since they don’t function well in the cold. Instead I have been reduced to using ticks.

One fine day last week, I craftily tiptoed onto Toby’s leg as he was walking through some leaves. Without him even being aware, I crawled up to his collar and latched onto his neck. It was kind of gross, but I always wanted to be able to bite him and get away with it. Sadly, before I could complete my mission, Mom found me and flushed me down the toilet.

Back I came…making the slow climb up Toby’s unreasonably tall body. I was too tired from my last trip I to go all the way up to his neck, so decided to bite him on the arm instead. This time I was able to accomplish more of my goal, and I transmitted my essence into Toby before Mom could flush me. It was like a Vulcan Mind Meld but with tick spit.

From then on, Toby and I became the same being. We are a perfect blend of our two personalities. He has started doing things that I used to do – things that he never saw, but now he knows intimately. He is also still the impish little rascal he has always been – the little boy who likes ear scratches and hugs.

Cairn terrier sleeps on blanket on the floor.

When Toby and I lived together, he liked to sleep in his kennel while I preferred to sleep in Mom’s room. As soon as I left, Toby took my spot. He doesn’t know how happy it makes Mom to have him there. I do. That’s why I told him to do it.

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