Burning Porcupine July 17th through 25th 2010

[Russell Kanning]

then we headed over to Funspot, but we had to be back home that night and I didn't know which of the people there were any of you guys.
Is the next event the Liberty rally?

too bad you didn't know what we looked like .... we played air hockey until our arms hurt
i don't know what the liberty rally is

[jaqeboy]

Yikes, too bad you've had a difficult time hooking up with folks here. Be sure to post a message in advance where you're going to be next time and people will come out to meet and greet you.

There will be dozens if not hundreds of Porcupines at the Live Free or Die Rally (& on Facebook) in Jaffrey 26-29 August. Just introduce yourselves around and you'll surely meet some free-staters.

On 13 & 14 August, I'll be at one or 2 of 3 possible events on the AltOrgs tour schedule: http://altorgs.com/2010-altorgs-tour/, but other folks should be around.

Welcme!

I just registered here so I could let you know thanks for the invite.  Although we didn't make it over to Grafton, I was glad to find the pics here on the forum.  It looks like you all had a lot of fun!  We haven't had much luck meeting people... we went to porcfest on Thurs. but I wasn't feeling well so we left in the night, and then we headed over to Funspot, but we had to be back home that night and I didn't know which of the people there were any of you guys.  We have been looking at houses though, no luck yet.  We might stop and start again in the spring because we cannot do a move in the snow since we would have to set up a kennel.  Is the next event the Liberty rally?  Do any of you meet up there?  We will be in Laconia on 8-13 an 14 for a concert, is anything happening then?  It's all only a matter of time I guess... Enjoy the rest of the summer everyone!  Jessica and Russ

[Sunshine]

I believe it usually takes weeks for signs of scabies to show after infection, FWIW.  The insects have to reproduce and spread a certain amount before you actually develop symptoms.

Some types only take a few days.

When a person is infested with scabies mites the first time, symptoms usually do not appear for up to two months (2-6 weeks) after being infested; however, an infested person still can spread scabies during this time even though he/she does not have symptoms.

If a person has had scabies before, symptoms appear much sooner (1-4 days) after exposure. An infested person can transmit scabies, even if they do not have symptoms, until they are successfully treated and the mites and eggs are destroyed.

Do you know if the person had been treated?

[PattyLee loves dogs]

Someone came who had scabies, so anyone who attended might be infected. 

A long time ago I developed a red itchy rash (I am free of infection at present)
I do not like to admit this, but my Vet diagnosed me with scabies after first getting Lucy who had it then. I think I amazed the Vet after quick response  home remedy of boric acid powder made into a topical paste using hand lotion applied to the rash which presented typically in the crease  of the elbows; and through out the body of my dog Lucy. Lucy probably took along time to acquire the severe form but I got my quickly after receiving Lucy.
In my case scabies was a Zoonosis. My dogs Lucy's scabies was caused by a mite that took advantage of her immunocompromised state associated with her poor condition that which she was found.
We are healthy now.     

[PattyLee loves dogs]

   http://livefreeordierally.com/

[Kat Kanning]

Thanks for the info about the boric acid. 

[dalebert]

Dog scabies is a different infection commonly known as mange.  The species of mite that infects dogs is different than humans.  You can get a rash but it will tend to be very localized and will go away on its own.  You can't get the horrible spreading infection that can be really hard to get rid of unless you get the human version, and the same applies to human scabies and dogs.  They're not interchangeable.  There are a series of steps you need to take with scabies to make sure you thoroughly killed all the mites and their eggs so you don't get reinfected.  For instance, they tend to be in bedding so if you put used bedding aside and away from human contact for a week, maybe even two, all the mites will starve to death.  Then you can just wash it and it's safe to use again.  You can try certain harsh cleaning methods, but to be effective, they might be hard on the bedding too so it's best if you can just not use it for a while.

They subscribe a poisonous lotion that you have to cover every inch of your body with from the neck down.  You need to be sure and get it under your fingernails.  The mites love to hang out there.  They often get there when you scratch.  Missing spots is a way the infection can come back later.  It's takes 2 to 4 weeks for symptoms to show after infection so you can be infected and not know it.  Also, you can feel relief and not realize you missed a few mites and then the rash can come back.  Alternatively, you can kill all the mites and still be itchy for quite a while afterward and think you're still infected when you're not.  You just have some lingering dead ones making you itch until you've sloughed off a couple layers of skin.  All you can do is be really thorough, and that's usually sufficient, and then wait a while before you can know for sure that you got rid of them.

The rash is basically an allergic reaction to a mites bite and its body or eggs, dead or alive.  Any antihistamine, local or even oral, will help a lot with the itching until you've gotten it under control.

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/scabies-topic-overview

[MaineShark]

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/scabies-topic-overview

The Wikipedia entry actually has some decent info, as well, including alternatives to the poisons that are used (eg, neem oil).

Joe

[KBCraig]

A single dose of Revolution will get rid of most cases of sarcoptic mange in dogs.

Ivermectin works equally well in humans and animals. It's an off-label use, but it works. And you can get it at the farm supply store if you feel comfortable calculating your own dose. (Warning about collies and Australian Shepherds: they have a genetic mutation that makes the effects of Ivermectin much stronger. For those breeds, I suggest consulting with a professional.)

[Ron Helwig]

There are a series of steps you need to take with scabies to make sure you thoroughly killed all the mites and their eggs so you don't get reinfected.  For instance, they tend to be in bedding so if you put used bedding aside and away from human contact for a week, maybe even two, all the mites will starve to death.  Then you can just wash it and it's safe to use again.  You can try certain harsh cleaning methods, but to be effective, they might be hard on the bedding too so it's best if you can just not use it for a while.

I was harsh with the bedding. Did it all at once. Did clothes harshly too.

They subscribe a poisonous lotion that you have to cover every inch of your body with from the neck down.  You need to be sure and get it under your fingernails.

And it doesn't smell too bad.

I also looked up on the Mayo Clinic's site, as well as wikipedia.

I had been suspecting it was something with this bedroom. Glad its not the case.

[dalebert]

I had been suspecting it was something with this bedroom. Glad its not the case.

I doubt it.  The impression I have is they are very tiny and they really don't get around much.  They transfer mainly by direct contact or through linens.  Possibly through cloth-covered furniture if you spend a long time on it or if you lie on it nearly naked.  I think it's very unlikely they transfer from a really brief contact like a handshake, but they do love to infect hand skin so if you were holding hands for a long time like a couple, the likelihood goes up quite a bit.  They have some way to sense a different person there, i.e. fresh real estate ripe for homesteading.   

It's amazing how many people, even some doctors, treat them like an STD when it absolutely doesn't take sexual contact to transfer them.  It also isn't an issue of how much you bathe or anything like that.  Bathing won't get rid of them or prevent you getting infected.  That's probably a myth that emerged from a higher incidence in homeless people but that's probably something about using a bed that many other people have slept in at a shelter.  I've met a lot of homeless people working at a shelter and most of them actually bathe as well as anyone.

Uhm, it might not be a new room, per se, but it's possible it was a mattress.  Was the room furnished when you moved in and did someone only recently move out of it?  Might want to put a plastic cover over that mattress for a couple weeks.