Tick Season

[AussieGirl]

So the weather has been unusually warm for winter the past few weeks and it seems to have got the ticks out a little early (DD came home and told me a boy was in first aid because he had a tick on his head). I lost my Cav last year from complications relating to an Australian Paralysis Tick they are nasty little buggers so I guess you can say I am a little paranoid this year. I put a tick collar on Ruby nearly a month ago (I don't make her wear one in Winter) as Spring was getting closer, I have stock piled some Frontline Plus - she needs to have it applied every two weeks during tick season and I just bought this when I went to pick up her kangaroo meat this morning cost me $17.99 have you guys ever used one before? I used normal tweezers last year but you have to be really, really careful not to squeeze the ticks body or it releases a big amount of toxin into the dog - I got it off completly and without squeezing but I was petrified doing it and thought I would be armed with these tick twisters this year.

I hate giving the Frontline every two weeks as I worry about the chemicals but our Cav was taken to the vet, had the tick serum, stayed overnight for observation, they told me the next morning she was good and I could pick her up the following morning and then got a call an hour later saying she had gone - so I kind of feel like I'm going with the "lesser of two evils".

[Spyglass Sally]

Wow, that's really tough about your Cav. What a shocker that must have been.

I share your concern about chemicals. We've wrestled with that question since we live in an area with a lot of ticks. At the very beginning of Spring, we found one tick on Buddy and used a very similar removal twister. It took a little patience, but the thing finally let go. Then we put in in alcohol so we could identify it. Don't know if our ticks are the same as what you guys have, but here's a great site for ID'ing the little buggers.

Whereas many parasites, like fleas, are more prone to attack less healthy dogs, ticks are attracted to CO2 so that makes them more difficult to avoid. If you want to try something natural and non-toxic, Dr. Pitcairn and others have recommended herbal formulas containing eucalyptus. After our first tick this Spring, we started using Spa Dog's Eucalyptus Natural Flea Control and have had no problems since. The title says Fleas, but their website says All Natural Flea Dog Tick Repellent.

I've been very happy with it. Buddy goes into dune grass over his head, which I know has ticks in it, and we haven't found a tick on him since we started using it. Also, sometimes when he comes up from the beach he starts itching and biting himself like something's on him. I don't see anything, but I spray him with this spray and he stops. There's also a pretty happy testimonial on Amazon's site.

Those tic twisters are a great idea. We only had to use it once, but it really was nice because it not only safely removed it, we had the intact thing to then identify it. Good item to just have on hand.

[whitedaisy]

I don't use tick meds. Daisy had a reaction the one time we used it, turned into a balloon and scared me half to death. Being white, ticks are easy to spot (actually never seen one though) Archie did get a tick last year.
I TOTALLY understand your fear and reasoning, but I think normally the chemicals are worse then the disease. Course if I was finding more ticks or fleas I'm sure I'd sing a different tune.

[AussieGirl]

If we just had the ticks you guys did I wouldn't bother with the method of treatment I am doing BUT these are not the ordinary ticks you guys get. Also the area my Cav had a tick was white - these suckers are like an off whitish/very very light greyish colour, I searched her 4 times before I found it, in the end I had to wet her down to find the thing, as I said they are not the type found in the US

[whitedaisy]

Originally Posted by AussieGirl

If we just had the ticks you guys did I wouldn't bother with the method of treatment I am doing BUT these are not the ordinary ticks you guys get.

You keep those nasty things then!!!

My daughter did have lyme disease a couple years ago so I do keep my eye out for them.

[AussieGirl]

Lyme disease is tame compared to these guys. They inject the dog with a paralytic(sp?) toxin, first symptom is usually vomiting as the toxin starts to work - but vomiting can be such a broad symptom of many things so it can be missed, a strange bark as the vocal chords are affected, inability to walk properly, the toxin works it's way through the body causing in the end complete paralysis including the organs. We got our girl to the vet when we noticed the bark and walk but before it affected her lungs etc and she still didn't make it - just to give you an idea of how nasty they are. The thing too is some dogs will go down hill really fast and others slowly and there are things that can speed the progression up - like heat, it just happended to be an unseasonably hot week that week so it progressed really fast.

[Spyglass Sally]

The females of the Dermacentor variabilis, D. andersoni, and Ixodes holocyclus sound nasty!

"Tick paralysis is not a paralysis of the tick, but a paralysis in animals, which is caused by the tick. The females of the Dermacentor variabilis, D. andersoni, and Ixodes holocyclus (found in Australia) ticks secrete a toxin that affects the nervous system of mammals. It produces a flaccid (weak, with no muscular tone) paralysis. In some animals, only the hind limbs are affected. In others, the condition can ascend up the body and affect the front limbs and sometimes even the muscles required for respiration.

The signs of paralysis generally start 5-7 days after the ticks start feeding (it usually takes multiple ticks feeding simultaneously to elicit the paralysis). The first signs are weakness and incoordination in the hind legs. Several hours after the signs in the hind limbs start, the front legs are affected and soon the animal can not move any of his legs. Difficulty with breathing, chewing, and swallowing can be seen. The animal generally has no fever. Death can occur within hours from respiratory failure due to paralysis of the muscles necessary for respiration."

[whitedaisy]

that sounds absolutely horrid!!!! Def need to protect the pups!!