[spoospirit]

We discovered a couple of days ago that our dogs had picked up ticks from our walk. We went over all of them well and removed six ticks in all. I was telling my husband about it when he returned home from work last night and he said that he was wondering about something that he thought was dirt on his neck. I checked it out and sure enough! It was a new tick! :scared: I checked him all over and found another on his shoulder and one on his lower back. They were all smaller than the ones on the dogs so we are sure he picked his up while metal detecting the day before.

I took him to the ER since all doctor's offices were closed. They gave him two doses of antibiotics to prevent Lyme Disease and said everything should be fine since he had them less than 72 hours. That is the time they consider to be the marker for concern for the disease.

I don't normally creep out at bugs, etc. but this was a bit much!! Seeing all those tiny legs waving around and knowing the possibilities of disease was very disturbing.

Apparently, we are in for a very bad tick season this year. The ER PA said that she has already seen several patients to have ticks removed and it isn't really warm yet.

 

[Keithsomething]

blech I hate ticks >.<
especially the tiny tiny ones that look almost smaller than fleas

 

[Lincoln Love]

ewww!

blech I hate ticks >.<
especially the tiny tiny ones that look almost smaller than fleas

Really, I've never seen them that small here in California--- I get the EBGB'S too!

 

[bigpoodleperson]

I found one on Riley this week too. We havnt even been out walking with his leg for him to get it either. I wonder if he picked it up in our backyard. If so then this is the first time in 4 years we have had ticks in our yard. hwell:

I hope your husband does fine. Ticks are nasty disease carriers. They creep me out for the simple fact that they are bugs, but i can deal with them better then most.

 

[Rockporters]

Yeah, it's going to be a b-a-d season here in the NE. Believe it or not we're still finding the dang things around here from our adventure almost TWO WEEKS ago. I've lost count, but if I had to guess we're over 30 ticks into this now. Between myself, Jas, and the Toy we're all probably infected with one tick disease or another at this point.

I've come to the conclusion that ticks ARE Satan .

 

[myfunnyvalentine]

I'm sure this makes them more creepy but they are actually related to spiders in the arachnid family. :spider:

Is there any trick to checking a dark spoo?

 

[Rockporters]

I'm sure this makes them more creepy but they are actually related to spiders in the arachnid family. :spider:

Is there any trick to checking a dark spoo?

I've found the easiest thing with Jasper is to pop him up on the grooming table and slowly move the dryer along. I can see to the skin where the hair parts from the air. Otherwise, unless I feel it, it goes unfound in that dark, thick coat.

 

[spoospirit]

I'm sure this makes them more creepy but they are actually related to spiders in the arachnid family. :spider:

Is there any trick to checking a dark spoo?

I thought i was going to be sick when I saw the little one on my husband's neck waving its spider-like legs all over....blech and shiver. I had to pull them out!! :vollkommenauf: I did it exactly as the medical profession recommends but they still broke off; all but one. They said it was OK because the body will just reject the heads in a few days. Not very comforting; especially if you are the one with them stuck in you. My poor husband!!

I found it very difficult to check Billy between his color and the density of his coat. I found the one between his shoulder only because it had started to become engorged and was big enough to feel like a large pimple. I have to check him every day by massaging my fingers throughout his coat 'feeling' for anything that is raised up.

 

[spoospirit]

I've found the easiest thing with Jasper is to pop him up on the grooming table and slowly move the dryer along. I can see to the skin where the hair parts from the air. Otherwise, unless I feel it, it goes unfound in that dark, thick coat.

OF COURSE!! I forgot but that is how I found one on Dianne's spoo, Grace, last year. I was blowing her dry during grooming and when the hair split, I saw something that was not normal. On closer inspection, there was that ugly tick. Great way to check!

 

[*heather*]

You guys need one of these;
Best Tick Removal Tool

 

[bigpoodleperson]

Spoospirit, how exactly did you remove them?

I have always had great luck with this method (either engorged or not). I take a tissue and with my thumb and forfinger go on either side of the head. I apply slow, steady, downward and in pressue (like popping a pimple). I then try and pull up. If they are still in then i repeat. This method will make the tick want to retrack its head on its own. I have never left a head on my dog or clients dogs with this method. Patience is the key.

I have also used the dryer method several times after forest walks. Works great and found 3 of them one time that i missed in the bath.

 

[Rockporters]

I've had the same problem--with breaking off. This is the first year really. Perhaps a brittle variety this year LMAO.

There was a new story about ticks in our paper the other day. The head is indeed harmless and any diseases are carried in the tick's body. Tick Article Creepy buggers either way!

 

[spoospirit]

Spoospirit, how exactly did you remove them?

I have always had great luck with this method (either engorged or not). I take a tissue and with my thumb and forfinger go on either side of the head. I apply slow, steady, downward and in pressue (like popping a pimple). I then try and pull up. If they are still in then i repeat. This method will make the tick want to retrack its head on its own. I have never left a head on my dog or clients dogs with this method. Patience is the key.

I have also used the dryer method several times after forest walks. Works great and found 3 of them one time that i missed in the bath.

I put my thumb and finger on either side and pulled up steadily. What I did not try is pushing down and in around it. That sounds like a good idea. I will try it next time. Thank you for the advice.

 

[spoospirit]

I've had the same problem--with breaking off. This is the first year really. Perhaps a brittle variety this year LMAO.

There was a new story about ticks in our paper the other day. The head is indeed harmless and any diseases are carried in the tick's body. Tick Article Creepy buggers either way!

Thank you for the link to the article.

That is what we were told last night at the ER. The disease is transferred to the body when the tick begins to feed and then regurgitates some of the blood back into the body. That is what the 72-hour window is for. They are like the mosquito in that way.

 

[flufflvr]

Ewwww! That would definitely put a damper on hiking. Good luck to all of you.

I knew someone whose standard got lyme disease from a tick. It was horrible. Evil little creatures!