# Do You Have Any Problems With Ticks Where You Live?



## SeaBreeze (Jun 16, 2019)

Yesterday, I pulled a tick off of my dog's snout.  I felt a little bump the day before, but I planned to groom him and clipper him yesterday so I focused on that when he was on the table.  It was a white bodied tick with a brown head, and even though it was attached to his skin, it was not filled with blood.  My husband helped me remove it using an old steel flea comb that had very tight teeth.  We got it out fully intact.

Over the years, we never had tick problems with our dogs her in Colorado, I know they are bad in other states.  Maybe now that winters are a bit warmer than in the past, the bugs are being affected.  I was pulling and cutting weeds in the backyard the day before, so maybe I disturbed some insects.  He's also been to a couple of parks since we've been home from camping.  

His face is hairy and bushy and so is his body, we brush him almost every day to avoid knots and mats, and to remove all the debris he picks up outside, like briars, pine needles, weeds, branches, foxtails, etc.

I already have him on heartworm meds year 'round, and don't want to use any more poisons or insecticides on him (or in him).  So, we'll keep a close eye and check on him often to make sure no more ticks make themselves comfortable.

Do you have tick problems with your dog or cat?


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## HazyDavey (Jun 17, 2019)

There was just one year when we were finding ticks on our dog, and that was the same year our backyard neighbor had chickens. They moved out the next year and the ticks also left. I don't know if there's a connection, I asked around for a while but never got a good answer so I finally gave up trying to find out..


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## JustBonee (Jun 17, 2019)

As far as I know,  ticks don't reside around my area down here on the Texas coast.   The Vet told me that they can be found in wooded areas in Texas though, with thick brush, etc.  ... places that we really don't go.


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## johndoe (Jun 17, 2019)

Deer ticks here in PA are running rampant. I got one embedded in my thigh a few years ago. I saw him first in the shower, and without wearing glasses, I assumed a skin eruption of some sort. Next day it was still there. I took a closer look and the little S.O.B. had dug in. I pulled him out with some pain and effort. My doctor said just put some Neosporin on it. A day later I got the classic bullseye. FINALLY, he gave me a shot. I am OK now, I hope. I got a new doctor.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jun 17, 2019)

We have ticks in New Jersey. Several years back I did get Lyme disease. Just last week there was a warning about a new species of tick that if you contract the disease there is no known cure. 2 people have died already. It is called the powassan virus.


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## Don M. (Jun 17, 2019)

Ticks and chiggers are an annual issue, here, especially for those of us living in the boondocks.  I keep a quart spray bottle filled with a mixture of 2 ounces of Dursban, and 2 ounces of Malathion....and spray my pants and shoes with this mix before I venture into the woods....and I spray some Deet on my arms/exposed skin.  If I fail to do so, I can guarantee that I will get chigger bites all over, and quite possibly a tick.  The chigger bites itch like crazy, and a tick can be deadly. 
When I finish for the day, I do a full body inspection for ticks...and if I find one, I put a drop of liquid hand soap on it...which causes it to back out of the skin, so I can 'dispose" of it properly.  Pulling a Tick off is Not advised...as before you get it off, it will probably inject its "juice" into you, and substantially increase the chances of getting Lyme disease, etc.


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 17, 2019)

johndoe said:


> Deer ticks here in PA are running rampant. I got one embedded in my thigh a few years ago. I saw him first in the shower, and without wearing glasses, I assumed a skin eruption of some sort. Next day it was still there. I took a closer look and the little S.O.B. had dug in. I pulled him out with some pain and effort. My doctor said just put some Neosporin on it. A day later I got the classic bullseye. FINALLY, he gave me a shot. I am OK now, I hope. I got a new doctor.



My sister (RIP) used to live in Pa., and I understand that tics were a major problem there.


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 17, 2019)

Ruth n Jersey said:


> We have ticks in New Jersey. Several years back I did get Lyme disease. Just last week there was a warning about a new species of tick that if you contract the disease there is no known cure. 2 people have died already. It is called the powassan virus.



So glad that you survived Lyme Disease Ruth, I'm sure that was very difficult for you to deal with.  My sister had a friend who suffered with the disease and died early from it.  I haven't heard of that new species or virus, will be interesting to learn more.


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 17, 2019)

Don M. said:


> Ticks and chiggers are an annual issue, here, especially for those of us living in the boondocks.  I keep a quart spray bottle filled with a mixture of 2 ounces of Dursban, and 2 ounces of Malathion....and spray my pants and shoes with this mix before I venture into the woods....and I spray some Deet on my arms/exposed skin.  If I fail to do so, I can guarantee that I will get chigger bites all over, and quite possibly a tick.  The chigger bites itch like crazy, and a tick can be deadly.
> When I finish for the day, I do a full body inspection for ticks...and if I find one, I put a drop of liquid hand soap on it...which causes it to back out of the skin, so I can 'dispose" of it properly.  Pulling a Tick off is Not advised...as before you get it off, it will probably inject its "juice" into you, and substantially increase the chances of getting Lyme disease, etc.



Don, it sounds like the tick and chigger problems are really bad where you live.  It must be quite the effort to use those mixtures on your clothes and Deet on your skin so often.  I was never bitten by a chigger, just a mosquito bite and its itching drives me crazy.

  I never heard of using hand soap on ticks, but I did read not to smother them with things like Vaseline.  I never had much exposure to ticks, out on Long Island my girlfriend's Beagle used to come back from running around with ticks, many were bloated with blood, she used to just pull them off the dog, I actually helped with some even though I didn't like bugs, but I had sympathy for the dog.


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## Gemma (Jun 17, 2019)

Ticks are terrible this time of year in PA.  With all the wildlife moving around, they make good hosts to transport them.  

Colorado has a problem with ticks too.  Good article I found from the State's University.  https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/colorado-ticks-and-tick-borne-diseases-5-593/

I'd suggest a flea & tick collar on your pets to protect them too.


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## Don M. (Jun 17, 2019)

SeaBreeze said:


> Don, it sounds like the tick and chigger problems are really bad where you live.  It must be quite the effort to use those mixtures on your clothes and Deet on your skin so often.  I was never bitten by a chigger, just a mosquito bite and its itching drives me crazy.
> 
> I never heard of using hand soap on ticks, but I did read not to smother them with things like Vaseline.  I never had much exposure to ticks, out on Long Island my girlfriend's Beagle used to come back from running around with ticks, many were bloated with blood, she used to just pull them off the dog, I actually helped with some even though I didn't like bugs, but I had sympathy for the dog.



Yup, ticks and chiggers are part of our "Environment" in the Summer, but so long as I remember to spray my clothes and arms when I go into the woods, or deep grass, it's usually not a problem.  I keep my home made bug repellent in my workshop, and 2 or 3 shots of that stinky stuff keeps the bugs off me.  This Dursban/Malation mix was a clue I got from one of the local Mennonites....same with the hand soap.


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## hypochondriac (Jun 28, 2019)

Perth Australia here. No not yet. Think humid climates are more prone to ticks for dogs. But I dont really know for sure. We have very dry summers here.


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## mike4lorie (Jun 28, 2019)

SeaBreeze said:


> Yesterday, I pulled a tick off of my dog's snout.  I felt a little bump the day before, but I planned to groom him and clipper him yesterday so I focused on that when he was on the table.  It was a white bodied tick with a brown head, and even though it was attached to his skin, it was not filled with blood.  My husband helped me remove it using an old steel flea comb that had very tight teeth.  We got it out fully intact.
> 
> Over the years, we never had tick problems with our dogs her in Colorado, I know they are bad in other states.  Maybe now that winters are a bit warmer than in the past, the bugs are being affected.  I was pulling and cutting weeds in the backyard the day before, so maybe I disturbed some insects.  He's also been to a couple of parks since we've been home from camping.
> 
> ...




Hey SB..
We used to give our boys all those meds, but hate giving them those... Ticks do not like cedar chips, so we rub cedar oil all over our pups and cat, and since doing so, we've seen NO ticks on any of them. We have tons of deer around here, and prior to the last two years we were constantly pulling them off. We learned this from a dog park at the next town up from us that were populated with tics. The town filled the park with cedar chips, and NO more, all gone. Another secret is keep your grass short, they like long grass... Hope that helps you out...


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## JustBonee (Jun 28, 2019)

They used to make a wonderful product called Cedarcide Spray,  with only two ingredients.  It's still available, but like everything,  the spray's original formula has changed.   Reviews about it, like on Amazon,  aren't great.  

I love cedar chips in the closet and closed clothing containers - keeps moths/bugs  away.


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