A couple of questions about tics & dogs
Full Name:
Lance minimum goad Newberry
Forums:
I inherited my mothers little dog a few months ago. He & I live alone which is hard for him because I'm gone a lot, so last week I left him for a couple of nights with a dog sitter as I was going to be gone day & night for basically three days.
The sitter is great and she took him on a long hike on trails in the hills on Wednesday, and now this morning I discover that he has a tic that looks like a fat raisin under his jaw. I know nothing about tics and almost as little about dogs so I hit the internet. I see photos that look exactly like the thing on my dogs jaw so I spend around 10 minutes reading a couple of "how to" articles and watch a video. I then nervously collect my operation instruments and get ready to do the procedure to remove the blood-sucker. But when I go get the dog I see the tic is now gone.
I'm certain it was a tic, and in one of the articles it said that the tic will detach itself and drop off on it's own when it's finished with it's grisly feeding. I'm figuring that's what happened, but I'm also worrying a bit that the dog could have scratched it off, which I figure would leave the head of the tic still in him.
I cleaned the bite area and put some antibiotic goop on it. I've looked closely at the area and while it's red there doesn't appear to be any sign of anything left in there, but I don't have a clue what that would look like, so my questions are... if the tic head is still inside my dog would I be able to see it or feel it under the skin, and if it IS still in there what should I do about THAT?
This dog ownership thing can be a pain.
Here's a photo of Scooter. He's a good boy.
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MarkD
Don't have your answers Tom
Don't have your answers Tom but would be glad to hear them when they come. I would think you have done what you could already. If the head is in there, you should be able to tell soon.
I took the second tick off my puppy today. There are deer all over the place around here. Ticks abound.
My question is what percentage of ticks carry lyme and other diseases?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
I hate tics, have removed
I hate tics, have removed hundreds from dogs in the last year, and several from myself... I had one regrow a body from a detached head on my side decades ago....
Need to get tweezers, grab right at the skin (without grabbing the skin, nor crushing the head), and spin counter clockwise until they detach...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
Here's one of the lil F*****
Here's one of the lil F*****'s
BURN (!!!) them after removing them!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
I've used "Vetco" which is a
I've used "Vetco" which is a licensed veterinarian service, that set up camp in "Petco" stores every other weekend or so.
They are inexpensive for basic Cat / Dog injections or vaccinations like Rabies, Kennel Cough, etc.
Stuff that is required / mandatory for your animal, they do for less $$ without the 75-100 office visit fee.
Also they will do a blood test for Heartworm (you have to do the test prior to the anti-Heartworm medicine) and throw in the Lyme test for another 5-10 bucks.
The Lyme disease test also checks for a few other bacterial infections, besides the "Borreliella burgdorferi" spirochete.
As far as I can tell, most ticks carry other stuff besides the original Bb bacteria. It's a syndrome, with multiple agents, but can be controlled with antibiotics.
So look up all that stuff in your free time, but the "Vetco" walk-in clinic is a good start if you want a basic blood test for your Pup.
https://www.vetcoclinics.com/services-and-clinics/clinic-locations-and-s...
Don't panic. All outdoor dogs get the occasional tick. If you get a positive test for Lyme and associated bacteria, consult a holistic Vet.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
BTW,
BTW,
Scooter is a Cutey Pup
I've had a Dozen different Doggies in the Family since infancy.
Pulled zillions of ticks off them and me. None of those Dogs ever died of anything but Olde Age.
Late 1980's -> early 1990's us East Coast folks first started hearing of 'Lyme Disease'. It took a while for the average MD to catch on. Fortunately my old Doc was aware, due to his Rural clientele.
When I got a good dose of the LD, he gave me a script for Erythromycin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic. I believe that worked OK.
Within 11 - 17 months, a buddy was working for a pharmy company that had a pioneering Lyme - test product. He told me that my Blood would be worth beaucoups $$ if I tested positive for Lyme antigens, as these Draculas used extracts of hu-person blood for their Lyme test-kits.
I went in and gave a blood sample. Nothing detectable, and they had pretty serious Bio-machinery...
So back then, I considered myself Lyme - free.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
Sweet looking pup. Good luck.
Sweet looking pup. Good luck.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: charmskooldropout
Just bought a house in Lyme.
Just bought a house in Lyme. It's nice to have our very own disease.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dr. Benway
those fuckers are strong and
those fuckers are strong and its unlikely a dog that small would be able to scratch hard enough to remove the body but not the head. fat raisin size is about the size they will drop off on their own to digest the blood.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Tim
Does he bite?
Does he bite?
Can I pet him??
Good doggie......good doggie
you want to rid yourself of him I would be a taker
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond
Good on you for taking your
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sless is Best
You would see a black speck
You would see a black speck of tick head still in there
probably dropped off
Scotter is so cute!
i always examine my dog after we have been in bushes, etc
you can see them crawling, trying to burrow
so that’s the best way to get them off quickly
I always burn them, too!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
>>>Does he bite? Can I pet
>>>Does he bite? Can I pet him??<<<
That dog doesn't have an aggressive or mean bone in his little body. I can reach into his mouth to take a chicken bone away and he doesn't even growl. He's the sweetest and most gentle dog I've ever known.
Believe me, I have been considering finding a better home for him and have asked the people I know and work with. Recently I have also been looking into some sites that promote older dog adoptions. I think he would be perfect for an older couple or a retired person. On the one hand it would break my heart to give him up, my mom had him for 10 years and we figure he's around 11 so he & I are more than pals, but I also know that he would be so much better off in a more attentive situation.
His only issue is that he barks when he gets excited, and I don't know how he generates so much power from his little body but his bark can reshape time it's so fucking loud. He's not a "yapper", barking all the time for no reason, but he'll definitely let you know when he's excited about something.
Thanks for the input folks. He seems fine today, the redness is fading and there's no swelling. He's scheduled to get some blood tests in around a month, so I'll probably ask the vet to add what she thinks would be appropriate then, unless he starts acting sick or different before then.
And Tim, are you local (Bay Area)? Are you serious? Are you a nice guy?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: That’s Nancy with the laughin’ face
Cute dog, Lance.
Cute dog, Lance.
As you already must know, ticks transmit Lyme disease - use rubber gloves and a good tick remover (the slit spoon gizmos are the best) and wash your hands well. If the tick dropped off by itself it means it had plenty of time to feast on the pup and it’s still somewhere in your house waiting for another meal? I’d be vacuuming like crazy. If you do find the tick, you can put it in a plastic bag with a wet paper towel and bring it (or even mail it) to your county vector control with your contact info. they will test the tick for Lyme, free of charge. Not much to do in the meantime but find that tick, check the dogs bedding. And yours.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
>>>it’s still somewhere in
>>>it’s still somewhere in your house waiting for another meal?<<<
Believe me, I've thought of that. As I said, on Sunday morning I noticed it and was looking at the thing attached to him. I put him in the backyard right away and was away from him for maybe a half-hour at most while I was figuring what to do. When I got him from the backyard to take the thing off it was gone, so I figure it's laying around in the bushes in the backyard somewhere.
I still took a flashlight and looked closely over the areas of the house he was in when the beastly thing was still on him, and I looked around the backyard the best I could as well, but I didn't see it anywhere. How quick do they shrink down?
Fuckin' blood-suckers.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: That’s Nancy with the laughin’ face
good question, Lance. sounds
good question, Lance. sounds like most ticks get to feed about 3 times during their lifecycle. so odds are that the tick that fell off your dog probably won't be needing to feed again, but she could be busying laying around 5000 eggs...
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/medical/brown_dog_tick.htm
PS
Lavender, Lemongrass, Eucalyptus and Lemon all work to repel ticks.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
Some tick photos here --
Some tick photos here --
https://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/index.php/about-lyme/tick-vectors...
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/deer-black-legged-and-wood-ticks
And some information re: other bacterial / viral agents spread by ticks.
https://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/about-lyme/other-tick-borne-diseases