What to do about ticks?

catwoman · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 12:13 pm Post subject: What to do about ticks?

Hi Everybody,

What do I do about the ticks on my dog Sheila. She just had puppies on the 23rd and is still nursing. I noticed 2 back by her shoulder blades. I don't want to put her on frontline because of the puppies, but these 2 ticks I see are really getting huge.

How can I pull them off if they are embedded in her? Are flea/tick collars safe? And do they actually work?

I hate to have to wait 4 or 5 more weeks until the puppies are weaned. Any suggestions?

Mary_NH · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 12:20 pm Post subject:

the collars don't work so I wouldn't bother with those.

Maybe you can treat your lawn for ticks rather than treat the dog....that might work.

Mary_NH · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 12:22 pm Post subject:

I found this
http://www.mesavet.com/library/tickcontrol.htm

kyles101 · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 12:24 pm Post subject:

i always thought you could use frontline etc on nursing dogs? or is this some lie the companies tell us to people still buy it?

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

I wouldn't use ANY poison on a nursing dog. It seems like common sense to me.

Just pull the ticks off. Use your fingernails as close as possible to where they are attached and pull gently but firmly. I know it's scary and you worry they will break off in the dog, but what else can you do? All the stuff about burning them or using oil have been found to be even worse, I believe. And then flush the little critters. I always do.

We always remove them the way I described, from both the kids and the dogs. My goal is to move back to the Pacific Northwest where stupid things like ticks and leeches don't exist. Smile

Jamiya

honeybears · Super Senior Member Plus Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 3637

Carwoman, ticks are fairly easy to remove and you wnat ot get them off right away. here are a few sights th

1 Using a pair of fine-pointed tweezers, grasp the tick by the head or mouth (not the body). Do not use a match, petroleum jelly, or alcohol, any of which could cause the tick to burrow deeper.

2 Pull firmly and steadily outward. Don't twist the tick as you pull.

3 Clean the bite wound with disinfectant.

#1 is extremely important as you dont want to leave the head in the body
If a small part of the tick breaks off, you can try to remove it as you would a splinter, but it is probably best to leave it alone.

honeybear

catwoman · Posted: Thu May 06, 2004 12:27 am Post subject:

We tried getting the tick out and it broke off Rolling Eyes

I am going to keep a watch on the spot where it was. The part that is supposedly in her still, will that come out eventually? I mean, without the body, the silly thing is dead isn't it?

Ticks are soooo gross! I hate them and I can just imagine how animals can't stand them either. I am definetly going to get her on some kind of prevention as soon as I can.

ilovemaltipoos · Posted: Thu May 06, 2004 2:25 am Post subject:

This is what I do if I find a tick on a nursing mom ,I use Adams flea ad tick spray .You can get it at most pet stores and vets .I just take a cloth and spray the area ,making sure none gets anywhere else and after about 3 minutes they turn loose .i get them ,wipe the area and clean it and then mom is okay .Hope this helped .

Jody · Posted: Thu May 06, 2004 2:27 am Post subject:

It might be best to take your dog to the vet and get them to take them out.

Ticks usually when pulled off, there head will stay in the dog for a day or two, then fall off and go for there next victim. It can however, cause iritation to your dog and it may become infected. You'd have to keep an eye on the area.

I always thought you could use front line on a dog that has ticks. I thought it would take longer to use on ticks then flee's, but I always thought you could use it. Maybe if she's nursing it might not be a good idea. A phonecall to your vet would solve that problem.

I hate ticks, i can't stand them. We get Cattle ticks, Brown Dog ticks, Bush Ticks & Kangaroo Ticks out this way.

I check jasper everyday for ticks....

catwoman · Posted: Thu May 06, 2004 1:04 pm Post subject:

Thank you for all the ideas everyone has given me. It has helped a lot. But I have a question for Jody. First, I must apologize for being so naive about ticks. I had a german shephard for 16 years while growing up, never noticed a tick on him. And now we have 7 dogs (not counting the puppies) and haven't noticed a tick until now.

But you said that when you pull off ticks, the head can stay on the animal and then falls off after a day or two. But then you said, then it claims another victim. You mean the head along is still alive??? God, are they sort of like starfish and can grow another body? I don't mean to sound dumb, but this is really blowing my mind. Here I thought the darn thing was dead.

Please don't think I'm being sarcastic, I really don't know much about these insects. I will continue to monitor the spot where it was. Ahhhh, I just thought of something, I hope the puppies don't have any ticks from mommy Sad

Jody · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 12:55 am Post subject:

Hi Cat

Apology accepted, and please ask as many questions as possible as you want to be safe then sorry.... I'm sorry if i didn't make sence, but I'll try again..... Cool

If you pull a tick off an animal and you only get the body of the tick and not the head, the head can stay in the animal for a couple of days and keep burying itself into the animal. Yes the head can still stay alive.

I used to live in Coffs Harbour where its tropical and we used to get bush ticks, my flat mate had a little white fluffy dog. I can remember she checked it over for ticks one day and found 3 ticks in it, she pulled all three out but the heads stayed in, she got a pair of pointed tweezers, filled a cup with Metholayted spirits, pull the heads out, put then in the metho and left them to die.

I don't mean to scare you, but I had another incident that involved my girlfriends dog that had a cattle tick on him, she pulled it out but the head was buryied so far into the skin, they had to cut it out.

catwoman · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 1:31 am Post subject:

Thanks Jody,

No, you aren't scaring me, but it is grossing me out. Not you, just the thought of those awful ticks still being alive, even if it's just the head, yuck!

I am going to make an apointment with the vet and have him look at her. Perhaps he can get the head out for me. I hope she doesn't have any more of them. I didn't see any, but who knows...

You live in Australia, right? I know this is a dog board, but I just thought I'd ask you a quick question off the subject. Do you ever see cockatoos? I know some are from there, but not sure where at in Australia. I have five different species of cockatoos. I here they can be a bit of a bother to farmers in Australia. I think they are beautiful and soooo affectionate for a bird.

Just wondering Smile

kyles101 · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 2:44 am Post subject:

cockatoos are everywhere, damn things! there is a bunch of white cockatoos that hang out at a shopping centre near me. when its late afternoon they start sqwaking and they are so loud! some species are harder to find and arent in suburban areas.

Jody · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 5:41 am Post subject:

http://www.birdsnways.com/cockatoo/major.htm

These birds sit out front in the two big gum tree's we have out front of our house. They start squawking at sunlight for about an hour, then at sunset for about 2 hours, they drive me crazy.

We have white cockatoo's that are so pretty, I really like them kind of birds.

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

That would be so weird! Seeing cockatoos just flying around and sitting in the trees.

I must go to Australia someday!

Jamiya

honeybears · Super Senior Member Plus Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 3637

Okay, now I am freaking out, because my husband just sent me an email form of his dogs has lyme disease

honeybear

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

Can you try typing that one again, honeybears? Shocked

Who has lyme disease?

Jamiya

honeybears · Super Senior Member Plus Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 3637

well someone he works with dog - I didnt know it was prevailant in our area. Midas has an appt tomorrow so I am going to ask about it.

I may go back to puttiong the tick colalrs on, but it could just be a fluke that I found so many this week because they may have brought them back from our hike, even though we have deer around, I havnt seem that many ticks around

honeybear

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

Eek! Let us know what the vet says. I'm sure your babies will be fine!!

Jamiya

catwoman · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 10:08 pm Post subject:

Me too, I must go to Australia some day. I can't imagine seeing a flock of 'toos flying free. What an awsome site that must be! I LOVE cockatoos. They are so pretty and the hand fed ones, usually, soooo friendly. You just wouldn't think they were birds. They can sit and cuddle all day if you let them.

I've got 5 cockatoos, ranging from two Moluccans, one umbrella, one goffins and one citron. They are a real joy. But I do agree Jody, they are really loud. Especially when I get on the phone and they want my attention.

I've got one blue and gold macaw, now that would be a pretty thing, to see a flock of macaws.

But back to the subject of dogs. How can you tell if your dog is being a good mother to her pups? My dog that had the pups on the 23rd, seems to want to just leave them alone. They look healthy enough, really chunky little things. But every time I look out, the mother is out in the yard, laying in the grass, not paying any attention to the pups. Do I need to be on her all the time to be with them? Or, does she know when her milk is getting full and it's time to feed them? I just don't know if she's doing the right thing by this litter. But like I said, they are gaining weight. Oh, and also, when do you start feeding them puppy food?