Tick central here at the Shindig. May not stay.
Shindig goers are reporting finding ticks on their dogs. Some even multiples. One couple found 13 ticks on their dog this morning. Others are reporting 1-3 ticks. Someone found a tick in their bed, probably brought in by their dog. Another person felt something in her hair, brushed at it, it fell, hit her face, and then landed on her shirt. It's so bad around here that the front desk has a pre-printed slip that describes ticks and how to deal with them. As soon as I found out that it's a widespread issue around here, I got nervous. I took Brick back to the room, went in the bathroom, and began combing him out with his flea comb. I found one tick between his toes on his RR paw. Flushed it. It took almost 2 hours to thoroughly comb him out. Then I carefully inspected the bed and went so far as to shake the sheets out in the hallway. And then I inspected my clothes, shook them out, and then inspected myself. I came back to my room at about 9:45 and I just climbed into bed at around 12:45 am. I'm not even sure I want to stay because the ticks are so bad. I can't be combing him out every day. He was miserable & crying the whole time I was doing it. Not to mention if he were to get Lyme disease. He's 9 years old now and something like that could probably be devastating to him. And what if I brought them home and they dropped off in the house & yard? The yard could become infested and a stray one in the house could attach to me, or worse, to my 79 year old mother. I'm sure it would be very bad if someone that age were to get Lyme disease. GRRRRRRR!! I'm so mad right now. Why do they have to be around right now? I know I'm being a, well probably shouldn't say it here, but I don't want to risk mine or Brick's health. Nor do I want to put him thru the time consuming torture of combing him every night. I guess I'll sleep on it and decide in the morning. |
|
|
| How disappointing! |
Wow, that must be so disappointing  I've never even seen a tick, and never want to! I hope they don't head this far up north this year if they're that bad down there already. I totally understand your concern, but if your dogs are on a preventative shouldn't that prevent any from latching on at least? I don't know how tick preventatives work really since I've never used them, but doesn't it just kill the ticks that do end up on the dog? |
| It is my understanding that most (if not all brands) of preventative do not repel tics, tics still attach and bite but do not burrow in to engorge. The problem (as I understand it) is the saliva of the tic also contains a "pain killer", and the diseases. The bite "injects" saliva so the tic can burrow in to engorge itself, but the preventative kills the tics, after the bite, before the burrowing. The positive side, the bite is a limited exposure to the diseases, so a reduced chance of contracting the disease. And not all tics carry all the "tic borne" diseases so only "x" of 10 tics carry Lyme or aniplasmosis or tuleremia or . . . |
| The other issue is the dog just carrying the tick. The tick can drop off the dog in your room/house and now it can bite you. One of the attendees found one in her bed and another found one on herself. And Brick is on Frontline Plus, but he was on that when he got fleas a couple years ago. I think the bugs build immunity to the medicines. |
Willowsprite wrote: Wow, that must be so disappointing I've never even seen a tick, and never want to! I hope they don't head this far up north this year if they're that bad down there already. I totally understand your concern, but if your dogs are on a preventative shouldn't that prevent any from latching on at least? I don't know how tick preventatives work really since I've never used them, but doesn't it just kill the ticks that do end up on the dog? Stacey, Until today, I had never seen one either. |
| Ticks are really bad this year. I find one on each dog a day. When we walk our new property we get them too. I started making some herbal concoctions to spray on all of us and it seems to work. They creep me out, so I understand your feelings. Good luck. Lisa Frankie and Mattie |
 I understand how you feel - however when you,re already there some days wouldn't make a big difference - would it? It's possible to get used to them - even if you really don't like them, ticks are nasty animals  I do not like the ticks either; however, it's possible to handle it without getting sick or having the worst illness thinkable. It's a lot of ticks by the coast where we go in the summertime. I give Joy "Frontline spot on" and forbids her to go into the beds, sofa and chairs. I look through her fur on head, neck and legs with a brush or my fingers as often as we cuddle and more carefully once a week when I brush her whole coat. And even more often when I see that there are lots of them or when we have been walking at places where I know it's a lot of ticks. Remember - when you remove the tick before 24 hours, you shouldn't get any illness at all! And you can see if the wound from a tick is dangerous or not, then antibiotics kill the infections. It's mostly people who doesn't remove the tick or they doesn't treat it even if the wound looks bad or if you're given wrong kind of antibiotics or if they don't treat you long enough - then it's possible to get very ill from ticks.  Well, I look forward to the day when the tick is endangered, ha, ha.  |
| I didn't think ticks can live in cold weather? Didn't you say it was only in the 40's? |
| You need a thick frost to kill them off (or maybe render them dormant). Never got that cold. Apparently they're hardy little creatures. |
| Much better day today. We stayed away from the campus and I think the dogs fared much better with regards to ticks. |
| Ticks actually thrive in cool/cold. It must be VERY cold (below 10') for them to have difficulty attaching. They may be slower, but not dead. The 24 hr thing is questionable- depends which 'expert' you talk to. It may help to remove prior to that, but maybe not as much as we used to think. However, not all ticks are created equal either. Of Deer ticks (the ones that carry lyme) only about 30-60% carry lyme, and even if you are bitten by one of those you may not get it. Only a small percentage actually are diagnosed with lyme after a bite. And to further complicate it - not everyone gets the classic bullseye at the bite site. Don't you just HATE these things?!! I can't figure out why we need fleas and ticks. They just seem pointless. I say, get chickens. They LOVE ticks - eat 'em like candy. Shellie |
| The ticks were bad in the long grass, there was this gorgeous nature path which I walked the girls off-leash on Wednesday, within 10 minutes, I noticed ticks on them, lots of ticks. I immediately took them off and killed them and took them off the path and went over them 3 times each. I think the ticks were only in the long grass, like around the wine-tasting on Friday, not the short lawn around the hotel and the cage. The other destinations seemed tick-free too (farm, dog park, vineyard). I ended up with a tick attached to my thigh! But I didn't notice anymore ticks issues for the rest of the weekend and I checked them regularly. On the plus side, these were those big, easy to seek ticks, NOT deer ticks. So there was no risk of lyme disease, yeah they are disgusting, but it's not like dog-ebola or something  |
| Wow, I was going to post a general question about ticks but I guess I got my answer by reading this strand! I have been having a horrible time with ticks, particularly on James (full coat). I have taken about 7 embedded ticks off of him, today one on his front leg. I check him and feel his coat for bumps but until I really get in and line brush down to the skin, am unable to feel them. I did find one on the part on top of his head because I could see it but I am finding them in unusual places like in the middle of his back and on his front shin. He does love to sniff in the grasses when we walk and it has been very wet and then hot a couple of weeks ago, perfect brewing weather. I am grossed out totally by them and hate that they hide in his thick coat. He is wearing Vectra, too, which I get from my vet. I guess it's just the time of year and the right weather but it is keeping me from taking him out right now. Must groom the other side of him this evening and hoping I don't find any on that side, too. ICK!!!!!!! |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|