Ticks. Ew.

[hers]

Last night I found a tick on Leeluu on the back of her neck, just below where her collar sits. It was engorged, meaning she'd had it a few days without my noticing. It looked like a big white zit sitting on top of her skin.

 

I knew not to mess with it and to get some tweezers to pull it out at the head, so that's what I did. But I'm so worried that because it was so engorged (white and puffy) that she could get sick from it.

 

Should I be worrying?

 

I looked around online and the basic idea is that I did the right thing, b/c if you mess with it or it feels threatened, it can regurgitate into their skin, making the possibility of disease much higher. I did wiggle it for a second when I first noticed it, before I even looked at it (sort of was like "waht's this?" and then looked at it). But I just worry about my girl and getting very sick. She's only had one tick before in her life, and I got it when it was just attaching to her skin, still black, hadnt started feeding yet. So I wasn't sure how to handle this one.

 

Help if you can. Thanks!

[jcrisph]

what did you do to the tick...you could of put it in a zip lock bag and brought it to the vet. they test it some how. or you can bring the animal to the vet. do you use any kinds of meds already like frontline..etc?

[hers]

I put it under hot water and put it down the sink drain. I didn't have anything to burn it with.

 

I don't use any flea or heartworm vaccines on her at all. She is an inside dog except for bathroom and play breaks so i've never worried. Plus she's a short-haired white dog...I can see everything on her. Dog has only ever gotten fleas when sh's stayed at my mom's house or a random one here and there. She's 100% clean. She was about 1 year old when she got her other tick and she's 6 now. She's always had a clean bill of health with all of that stuff.

[jengh]

Oh god, gross I hate ticks/fleas/creepies... Comet had a tick this summer, did the exact same thing as you did and she's thriving. I hope Miss L is okay!!! Just keep an eye on her, it sounds like you did the right thing.

[lostandhurt]

I wouldn't worry about her getting sick. Dogs are pretty tough.

Ticks and fleas are everywhere! Your avi shows her in the grass and guess where ticks and fleas hang out waiting for movement near them?

I only have one dog but isn't allowed in the house. I use Fronline on him and it works great. No fleas or ticks ever. He roams 3 acres here with skunks, raccoons, dogs/cats and coyotes and has never gotten anything. It might be worth it to you to get some frontline for her.

 

lost

[hers]

Yeah right now we're at my old roommate's house in FL and their backyard (just a small enclosure) has a bunch of woods behind the fence of it, and I know they're prevalent in these sorts of settings. So I told my old roommate and he said they'll spray their backyard and keep an eye on their dog too just in case. We've been here since Wednesday and the tick looked a couple days old.

[IphigeniaSaysHi]

They say heartworm and parasite meds are really a good investment. I am guilty of neglecting them on my dogs, too.

 

But all in all I think she should be just fine. I hope so!!!!!

[hers]

I don't buy the meds mostly b/c I'm awful at giving them to her. I just forget. I'm bad at buying them every couple of months, and i can't afford to get them in bulk. That's why I don't take BC pills and vitamins...I just forget. It happens with my dog too. With the flea stuff, she never has a flea on her (I can see everything on her and immediately go for it if I think it's a flea). She's a very clean dog and I've been doing it this way for 6 years so I figure she's ok. Bad mom, I know.

[IphigeniaSaysHi]

I don't buy the meds mostly b/c I'm awful at giving them to her. I just forget. I'm bad at buying them every couple of months, and i can't afford to get them in bulk. That's why I don't take BC pills and vitamins...I just forget. It happens with my dog too. With the flea stuff, she never has a flea on her (I can see everything on her and immediately go for it if I think it's a flea). She's a very clean dog and I've been doing it this way for 6 years so I figure she's ok. Bad mom, I know.

 

It's ok, I know the feeling. My sheltie is almost 11 and his health is really bad right now. They suspect heart troubles possibly from worms or because his teeth are rotten.

 

We never gave him heart worm meds and were really spotty with the flea meds. But we brushed his teeth monthly! It's so sad

Not to go OT but it's just amazing how much you have to do to keep your pet healthy.

[lostandhurt]

I spread the Frontline application to 3 months for each one. I put it on the calendar and make sure he gets it then. If you can't afford it just check her every night.

 

lost

[BeStrongBeHappy]

Do you have Lyme's disease in your area? There is a test they can give them to see if it is positive, and a vaccine as well. That is the one illness that they can get from ticks that is quite serious, but can be alleviated with prompt administration of antibiotics.

 

You are playing russian roulette with heartworm if you don't give her that medication. heartworm is gotten via mosquitos, which are everywhere including getting into the house. If she can get a tick, she can get heartworms, and they are deadly and the treatment for them not easy if they are advanced.

 

The once a month topspot treatment is very easy to do as well. Remember also that fleas and ticks can give you illnesses as well, and your house can get infested.

 

you can set the calendar alarm on your PC to go off once a month to give the heartworm medication (or use the alarm on your cellphone for this).

 

so take her to the vet and get her the medications now... it is easy to do, and you will really regret it if she dies from some tickborn or mosquito born problem that was easy to prevent.

[Hope75]

BSBH is right. If your dog goes outside to toilet and play she is not an 'inside dog'. She is at risk for other tick borne diseases such as Ehrlichiosis or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, depending on where you live. (RMSF more common on West Coast but not unheard of on the East Coast) I worked as a vet tech for years before becoming a nurse and saw dogs die from kidney failure after getting Lyme disease. There is an annual test and a vaccine, (which does not protect 100% but can help decrease severity) preventative topical treatments (Frontline works best in my experience) and it's easily treatable with Doxycycline if detected early.

 

Mosquitos, as BSBH said, transmit heartworm and they are everywhere, including in your house. Ticks can climb on a dog in a second, bite, and drop off before you'd even notice. They can nestle in armpits, groin, in ears, under the collar, in places you can't obviously see unless you are doing a thorough check each time you come in. And even then the chance that one climbed on and bit her and dropped off before coming in is still there.

 

You can even set your phone to remind you to give Heartgard and Frontline. You are responsible for this dog, so I hope you will invest in the medication and avoid the risk in the future.

 

Good luck!

[hers]

I know you're all right. I do. I suppose I've let my laziness transmit to my dog. She's up for her annuals this month so I will make sure I get heartworm pills when I get her shots.

 

Ya know, it's no secret that I love my dog more than anything but yes reading this all, it appears I've neglected her & need to take better care of her physically. I will make sure I do that from now on. Thanks everyone.