Ticks , removing them etc

[Falconry Equipment International]

Yesterday I noticed on the side of my Juvenile Setter's muzzle something that looked initially like a scab , I looked carefully at it decided to take the 'scab' off bur it seemed to be really stuck in after a few seconds it came away but with a noticeable resistance(by chance I reckon I got bot thumb and index fingernail under it and the'sack was almost non existent). when I showed it to my partner she thought it may be a bramble thorn that had broken off when she had gone into cover. When I took it to the window I noticed had little legs/claws and deduced it was a Tick ! I have never come across one of these before( presumably just by luck) , but am aware that you have to be careful when removing them etc . Took her to the vets , but a new intern had a quick look both at offending sample in tube and the bitches muzzle & said sometyhing" like oh it looks as if you've got most/ all of it out so don't worry". Needless to say I am still a little worried as i can still feel a very slight bump where it was( my partner has just informed me that she left the sample at the surgery :evil: lot of good that is when I want to upload a pic of it for you to see). I would be very grateful for any input, especially from Jack or any of the vets

[Bones]

A freind of mine had a tick on one of his dogs and when he took it to the local vet they told him that he had done the right thing to bring the dog in as he didn't know how to remove them, as just pulling them from the dog could cause the head of the tick to be left in the dog and all you pull clear is the body of the tick hence the head being left behind to go septic and cause a big irritation to the dog.
The vet used some thing called liquid parrifin if my memory serves me right dabbed onto the tick which makes it release its grip and fall off intact and doesn't harm the dog,you then kill the tick once free from the animal.
HTH
PAUL

[Gaz]

Get a tick remover tool,a couple of quid,get used to "um :!: you"ll get more :!: ..remember they can be VERY dangerous to us mere mortals,check yourself as well on getting home :finga:

[Gary.B]

Steal some of the wife's nail varnish remover put a few drops onto a cotton wool ball and hold on the tick it should drop off after a while or alternatively do the same with frontline spray. You can also make a tick remover by putting a loop in some fuse wire hooking it over the tick and give it a sharp tug. Its difficult to explain the method.

[CastleFalconry]

Ticks are like grey pieces of sweetcorn with legs and a head at the point where they join the 'cob'!

They breathe though their bodies, rather than their heads. eg, they bury their heads and legs into the skin, leaving their grey 'sweetcorn' like bodie poking out of the skin.

if you can cover the body with something like vasaline, liquid paraffin etc, this stops them from breathing, therefore the eventually drop off dead.

or you can buy various tick removers from your vets.

I always prefer the vasaline method though, as this really does kill the little fu@ke#s!

[BrianM]

mmmmm vas a line.aaaaaaaaarrrrrgggggg....lol

[Goldie]

used to get stacks of them on the greyhounds that came over from Ireland. Tick remover tool if you have one, or like Gary said a looped wire to get in close to where the jaws are or the simplest way is to touch its arse with a lit fag and it soon releases. Done it countless times

[RabbitHawker]

Tick removers are great, but don't leave the heads in, the only ticks we have problems with are the ones people have played with. They shoud drop off on their own after a few days when they have fed. Ticks on birds are a different matter, and can be fatal.

[Jack Merlin]

As a kennel owner, I got a long letter and a leaflet from Borreliosis & Associated Diseases Awareness UK the other day.

As far as I can discover, there is growing concern (at least, by these people) about ticks and the diseases they carry.

The leaflet says "Tick borne diseases in both canines and humans can lead to intractable pain, disabling fatigue, heart block, paralysis and visual impairment to name but a few".

Ticks carry Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Bartonella, Louping Ill, and Tick Fever.

The leaflet recommends using fine tipped forceps or proper tick removal tools and shielding the fingers with tissue paper or rubber gloves. Keep the tick for identification in case symptoms appear later. Do NOT use vaseline or burn the tick as this might stimulate the tick to produce more saliva (which could be infectious).

More at http://www.bada-uk.org

Sorry if this has scared the sh*t out of everyone, but that's the message. And just to cheer you up, they predict that most doctors won't be able to diagnose your illness and there probably isn't a cure anyway.

So you are all doomed, dooomed, DOOMED!!! :(

[Ben C]

I hate ticks, just the name makes me feel odd. My ferrets got em of rabbits and they were a bloody pain. Gave them a wash in tick shampoo and they went away.

[Gary.B]

I got a tick on my ankle when on a hill in Ireland, that was 10 years ago, I'm living proof you can survive a tick bite, but I've still got a lump and a scar. :wink:

[Jack Merlin]

Yes, but where is the lump and the scar??<vbg>

The last one I got was right in my tummy button. I whacked it with some stuff I had for ear mites in the dogs after the tweezers didn't work. (Talk about keyhole surgery!).

Now whenever I think of doing some work I am overwhelmed by these feelings of lethargy. Do you think I could go on a sicky??<g>

[BlackHawke]

found out accidentally one day i dabbed some disinfectant on the tic in it just fell of straightaway. done it a couple of times now seems to work

[Bubo]

vodka does the trick as does any good alcohol. just dab it on them and they just fall out :lol: i just have to make sure i go quick enough or i get knocked out first with the smell of the alcohol :oops: :P

i never knew about the vasaline one though so i will keep that in mind. they are ugly nasty little ******s

[Coedhirion]

Sheep get 'tick born fever' and suffer as per the above in severe cases. but most sheep survive living in tick infested areas!! get a lot round here, use alcohol or liquid parafin spray with teramycin then. Depends whats to hand, we are all stil alive ..least I think I am :lol: :lol:
If I took an animal to the vets with a tick, I would be there most days....admit, never had one on my bird & would ring an avian vet for that as ticks are blood suckers

[Sprout]

Get a product called Frontline from your vets, also treats for fleas. Very effective at killing ticks so they fall off quickly and no risk of leaving head parts in. Assuming the whole of the tick was removed and no head parts left I'd assume the swelling is just a localised reaction to the tick and should settle down. As mentioned already, ticks can carry some very nasty diseases so if the dog appears ill at all consult your vet

[Falco_Forms]

Here in Minnesota I cnt go outside without having a tick on MN but dogs dont take them off so its hard on them. I didnt know they were so rare over there. Now i really want to move there.

[Bubo]

when they are not sucking away on everything and everyone where is they linger around? are they in the grass, ground or bushes?
bubo

[North East Harris Hawker]

having removed these nasty creatures from squaddies @rses (and other places) its safe to say that there is a knack,
vaseline applied before/or a dab of alcohol/ethanol makes the job a lot easier. there is a saying of "twist it clockwise" and other such rubbish however its a relatiively simple proceedure
1>
if using vaseline, apply plenty over the ticka and leave for an hour
using a pair of womens tweezers gently grip the tick so that you have hold of it at its widest point
2 try to get hold of it as close to the host (your dog/mate/etc)as possible
3 GENTLY lever the tick from side to side until both of the jaws are free from the skin (the positioning of the jaws will become apparent upon removal of one of them)
4 take care not to squash the tick and subsequently leave half of its mouth parts still under the skin of the host, as this will invariably lead to a secondry infection
5 wipe the area over with alcowipe/tcp/or something sterile after gentle removal
6dispose of tick (in the fire)
check your mutt for further ticks
Job done!

[Falco_Forms]

bubo they are everywhere in taller grass(not fresh cut) bushes, any where there is a chance for them to get on a bird or dog.

[Jack Merlin]

when they are not sucking away on everything and everyone where is they linger around?

On heather moorland they hide in the moss and come out when the weather is suitable, climb up the plants, and sit there with their little feelers out waiting for a lift.

That usually comes when a hare, rabbit, deer, or sheep brushes past ands they grab hold. The ticks then gorge themselves with blood, fall off, and lay their eggs in the moss again.

That is pretty much the same for all ticks.

[North East Harris Hawker]

apparently then can live for up to 2 yrs from one feed :shock: ( at least thats what i heard down the NAAFI bar years back )