# Yuck - first ever tick



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I found a tick on Poppy when bathing her this morning - I know it was not there yesterday as I brushed and combed her thoroughly ready for today's bath, but will now be paying even more attention to checking! I have occasionally found one on the cats, but this is the first time on the dogs. We went closer to the sheep pasture yesterday, which could have been where she picked it up, but there are cattle by the river and innumerable dogs walked there, so who knows. Lyme disease does occur in the UK, but it is not nearly as prevalent as in the US - still hate the little devils, though!


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Did you send send the tick for analysis ? I suppose if yhere are a lot you can't do that everytime but I know when they're on humans you have to have them checked to see if they're lyme carriers.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Nope - dropped it down the loo as I had a sopping wet Poppy in the bath and no other suitable receptacle was within reach!


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## Summerhouse (Jun 12, 2015)

Horrible little blighters. Have you got a Tom o Tick gadget for removing them ? Best little gadget ever to make sure you don't leave any head bits in. I then always wash area with hibiscrub or salvon antiseptic wipe.

We only seem to pick one up on the cliff paths due to all the rabbits. Never had one on me though thank goodness:afraid:


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I do have a twister, but it wasn't to hand - I very carefully got it behind the head with tweezers and twisted it out that way, being particularly careful not to squeeze it and to make sure the head came out too. The area was a bit red, but seems fine now - I will be watching it, of course!


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

Was it the large tick or the little tiny black speck. The tiny ones are the one that create Lyme decease, the large ones creat the Rockly Mount tick fever, that is what my DR told me. I had the tiny ones 2 sent them away at 65.00 per tick to be tested (insurance does not cover) both negative


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## maryann0312 (Apr 7, 2016)

damn all fleas. my dogs and cats had fleas a month ago and took more than 40 bucks of Revolution and Seresto to kill them all.


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## kmart (Apr 28, 2015)

I pulled 14 off my dog the other day after one afternoon out running on deer trails. They are insanely bad this year. So gross!


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

I freaking hate ticks! I had to take one off of Zooey a few years ago. I called the vet in a panic and said I was bringing her in. The vet tried not to laugh at me and told me how to remove it myself. She said to twist it and pull gently, which was contradictory to internet advice which is to pull straight out. Well, the twisting worked and got the whole thing out. Very yucky! I was shaking from taking it out, it was so gross. Then a couple of years ago I got a tick on my arm. Double freak out, ick!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Try this tick!!

https://www.virbac.com.au/home/dog-...ick-control/paralysis-tick-a-real-threat.html

Full inspection every day for yourself and your dog. Failure means death for dogs and children and sickness for humans. All of these ticks are dangerous and it only needs one to kill your dog.
Eric


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## seminolewind (Mar 11, 2016)

Don't those monthly pills or chews kill them?


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

zooeysmom said:


> I freaking hate ticks! I had to take one off of Zooey a few years ago. I called the vet in a panic and said I was bringing her in. The vet tried not to laugh at me and told me how to remove it myself. She said to twist it and pull gently, which was contradictory to internet advice which is to pull straight out. Well, the twisting worked and got the whole thing out. Very yucky! I was shaking from taking it out, it was so gross. Then a couple of years ago I got a tick on my arm. Double freak out, ick!



Your vet would really get a chuckle out of me - if I found one, I wouldn't call, I would just bring them straight in and say I will just sit here until you can see her!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Has anybody ever tried soaking a cotton ball in liquid soap and holding it over it so that it detaches itself trick? Just wondering if it works in case I ever get one - I might be too embarrassed to go to the emergency room lol


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## Summerhouse (Jun 12, 2015)

Seminolewind someone do it depends what you give. We've never had a reported case of limes here so I just take them off. If we go to UK I apply one of those drop type ones to the back of his neck.

Tiny poodles I've read that but never tried not knowing how long it takes for them to drop off. I wouldn't want it dropping off in the house. With the gadget they are easy to get off, even when he got one close to his eyelid he was fine.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Summerhouse said:


> Seminolewind someone do it depends what you give. We've never had a reported case of limes here so I just take them off. If we go to UK I apply one of those drop type ones to the back of his neck.
> 
> 
> 
> Tiny poodles I've read that but never tried not knowing how long it takes for them to drop off. I wouldn't want it dropping off in the house. With the gadget they are easy to get off, even when he got one close to his eyelid he was fine.



What I have read is that they will detach pretty quickly because it suffocates them, then you just catch them in the cotton and get rid of them. Just wondering if it works as nicely as they say...


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Not a good idea to try to suffocate them, as it can make them regurgitate back into the dog which is just what you are trying to avoid. A tick twister or fine pointed tweezers are the recommended methods.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I haven't seen any ticks yet this year. And never on the Poodles or Chihuahuas. But when we lived on acreage not too far from here, they got on my Lab. I remember pulling them off with tweezers...slowly, steadily, no quick motions...easy does it and I'd get the whole thing. They're GROSS!!!!! They'd get on her eye lids, muzzle...the most horrible places. And she stood so nicely for me. We don't have too much in the way of diseases from ticks, but there are some cases. Here is some info. Part of the article is good general advice and info and some pertains specifically to western Washington because that's the search I did. I was wondering how prevalent some of these diseases are. There are lots of icky diseases ticks can carry.

That gizmo sounds like a good tool to have around. Glad you got them out Fjm! Creepy! What possible purpose could these awful creatures have?

Ticks :: Washington State Dept. of Health


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I would go bankrupt sending all ticks out for testing. I believe the tick needs to be latched on for 24 hours before Lyme can be transmitted. Once I found one on the back of my head. I couldn't very well ask a neighbor to take it off so I had to get my doctor to remove it. Swizzle occasionally gets bitten but normally I get them off him before they latch on. Yuck!!!


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## Summerhouse (Jun 12, 2015)

Apparently they can stay attached for 10 days sucking before they drop off:afraid:


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Well, I found one crawling on Sophy in a post-walk check this afternoon - at least they are easy to catch, not like the fleas pinging off in all directions! It seems the systemic preventatives take up to 48 hours to kill them, and most advisory sites state the disease infection risk is greater the longer the tick has been feeding, although infection is possible as soon as they bite. Short of drenching the dogs in insecticide, which would probably be more dangerous than the ticks, they seem the best bet even so, and I will try the diluted vinegar spray as well. I'll start a new thread on recommended preventatives - I am leaning towards Bravecto, which is a 12 week chewable... Whatever I use has to be compatible with spraying Sophy's feet with Frontline to keep off the harvest mites come August!


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## ApricotsRock (Jan 10, 2014)

We check rookie every night before bed. So Far so good. 

I just don't want him to get lymes again.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

That is what I have started doing, AR - it seems that the systemic treatments take 12-48 hours to kill the ticks, so are really a belt and braces for any that get missed - and with my tinies I don't think I will miss them, now that I know what I am looking for!


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