Ticks......

[yelenots]

We found a tick on our Westie this morning. We have removed with a special thing we bought from our vets ages ago and I have been bathing the wound with saline solution.

Just wondering if anyone knows how long it would of taken from it jumping on her to getting the size of a large baked bean? She had her haircut last Wed so surely it would of been found then??

Thanks :)

[Chaffinch]

Not long yelenots, only about 24 hours. My pair get them quite often (live in an area with lots of sheep). I just grab them with a pair of tweezers very close to the skin, then burn the bu*gers on the bum! Tick then goes Oooooochhh and lets go, comes out whole with head and legs still attached!!

[carmalee]

or cover the tick with Vaseline and it can't breath - there have been lots of horror stories about ticks being pulled off and the head being left in which causes nasty sores. This can happen of course but overseas people just pull the ticks off - the dogs (and cats, horses etc) get hundreds. What you souldn't do is pop it.

[woofgang]

Latest research suggests that burning or using Vaseline stresses the tick and makes it regurgitate it's stomach contents (dinner anyone?) into the animal and makes the risk of infection or Lyme disease higher. Till this year I have found unscrewing with my fingers the best method but the o tom tick removers are first class.

[woofgang]

If a tick hits a bigger blood vessel, it can blow in a matter of 20 minutes or so. These look the nastiest as the wound bleeds when the tick is removed or drops off, also the blood mak have leaked out round the tick, and you get a bigger lump too. Keep the area clean and bathe off the blood gently.

[yelenots]

We removed the tick this morning with a 'Tick Picker' we got from the vet awhile ago. It came away but left a whole where it had been attached to her. I have bathed this several times during the day with saline solution and doesnt look like there is any infection (at the moment)
Just wanted to know how long it takes from when the tick attaches itself to growing to the size of 'baked bean' as I'm sure the dog groomer would of noticed last Wed if it was there then!


Thanks everyone!

[woofgang]

If the blood is all off you can stop bathing but keep an eye on the wound.

[Chaffinch]

yelenots, don't panic, as I said my dogs get them all the time. I also have 4 horses who also get them, its very rare to get an infection from ticks. In face neither my horses or dogs ever have. If your used to seeing and removing them there's nothing to worry about.

[Chaffinch]

*fact*

[seadogg]

We have a good number of deer round us and I've been told they are bad for Lymes.
Those tick removers that you have wologang are used on neighbouring dogs too as many are uneasy about the job

[woofgang]

My dog got infected twice when we lived in the US. The first time it showed up as lameness in one hip, the second time we had his blood tested before sending him home to quarantine just in case. he had no symptoms at all but did have Lyme disease. A course of antibis clears it up so yes its nothing to panic about, just be aware.