Ticks at Wags & Wishes

[Pumba]

Just wanted to warn you all at the Wags & Wishes in Del Mar. My dog came home with a few unwanted friends attached to him. So keep an eye out for those unwanted ticks.

[flyinJRT]

I didn't have a problem, but then I keep Frontline Plus on my dogs year around.

[Chase]

Thanks for the info.

My dog is NOT on Frontline because my vet does not think there are ticks in my area (San Clemente) and thus does not want him on it unless he has to be. I just have him on the Sentinel flea control and Heartworm pill.

I just checked Chase and did not see any ticks, but I am not a tick afficienado and thus am not really clear on where to look or how. I ran my fingers all over him and looked between his toes, armpits, etc. Where did you find them on your dog?

Plus, where do you think you picked them up at Wags? Did you walk your dog in the brush at along that little stream or did you just have him on the dirt near the event?

Thanks,

Brooke & Chase

[MickeyD'sMom]

Brooke:
When we lived out on 10 acres the dogs frequently had ticks. They are difficult to find until they are full of blood, so check him out in a few days. Black dogs are obviously harder to spot on. Read up on the removal because you do not want to kill it and leave the head in. Jim used to be the expert!

[Stanley]

SOCAL is full of ticks. I'm always finding those little beasts on my clothes after a days work walking around Camp Pendleton. I'm sure some of those Marine Ticks have made their way to San Clem.

Ticks feel just like a small skin mole. This is another reason why you should always pet your dog from head to toe.

[all4sadie]

Thank you for the information. I remember last year someone told me to be careful around the water area that there were ticks....I've checked Sadie everyday and so far so good....but will keep checking.....she is on flea and tick medicine K9 Advantix so that will help.....

Thanks for the heads up

[Chase]

Geez! I did get some Frontline liquid from my vet to have in case I ever go to a location that has ticks, like Big Bear, etc. I even called a vet that is located a couple of blocks away from the Scottsdale West World location before I went there in April 2007 for the PetFest to see if they had ticks and the Arizona vet said no. But, it never occurred to me that I would need to put it on him at Wags. Darn!

I will keep checking him. How small are they? Are they the size of the little icons on the message board (the smiley faces, etc)?

Brooke & Chase

[MickeyD'sMom]

Smaller than that Brooke until they fill up with your blood!!!! YUCK

[Sassy Girl]

Brooke - they are bigger than a flea, but not as big as a fly. You need to really look and feel around your dog carefully.

[Chase]

Okay, thanks Sandra and Ursula. I have already looked over him three times and found nothing, but if they are THAT small, I guess I could have missed somthing. He has such thick hair around his neck and across his back that it is hard to see in there, but I do not feel anything with my fingertips. I will go over him again with a "fine toothed comb (flea comb) right now. If he had one and it fell off into the carpet or bedding, can it live there, as fleas can, and reattach to him (or me) later? It is not only repulsive, but scary because they carry Lyme and other diseases. I think I will go vaccuum the house again!!!!!

Brooke

[hershey kiss]

I have been checking Hershey Kiss & Madison so far so good & Thanks for the info on how to check for them & to get them out Hershey Kiss

[renegade]

My dogs get ticks a lot (we hike a lot). I find that they're not that hard to feel if you run your hands all over the dogs (yes they are hard to see on black dogs). They tend to frequent behind the ears, necks, in the ears, groin areas, but can latch on anywhere.

I know there are diseases associated with ticks, but my understanding is that at least in the bay area they are not common and I know that all the vets I've talked to don't worry much if a dog gets a tick. If you do find one, just pull it out - try to get the whole thing, and flush it down the toilet (don't throw it in the trash, they are near impossible to squish or kill).

Yes they can fall off and live in your house, but only for a few days is my understanding. I've found a few, but they tend to migrate towards hosts so they end up on you or your animals pretty quickly or die.

I guess I tend to just think of them as a fact of life and not something to spend too much time worrying about. I make sure to go over myself and my dogs for a few days after hikes in areas that they frequent and do pull them when I find them, but don't do too much else about it....