Bloodthirsty
Posted by luci meylan on August 3, 2006
Q: we took our kids/family to turner falls, ok this week and my youngest said that something was wrong with her foot and when she showed me,a leech about 3/4" was on her the sole of her foot. has anyone else reported this before?
thanks!~
State: Oklahoma
A: I can't give you any specifics on Turner Falls, but leeches are common in waters all across North America - doesn't sound unusual. I realize that having a leech on a child's foot is upsetting to a child but it really isn't a big deal. To the best of my knowledge, leeches don't transmit disease and their bite doesn't even hurt or itch.
Leeches can simply be pulled off and although the bite site may bleed quite a bit, little damage is done. Leeches have a special chemical in their saliva that keeps blood from coagulating and this is why their bites tend to bleed so freely. Over the years I've had many leeches get on me and although I don't particularly like it, it's never been a problem. Hope this helps a bit and your child now has an interesting experience he/she can share with friends. Thanks for asking.
John Wiessinger ( August 3, 2006)