Buddy is Home - But We Need Your Help with Ticks

[alimel]

We picked up Buddy today at a Rescue shelter...if you can call it that. The conditions were terrible, 60 dogs live together outdoors eating and drinking from the same bowls. Poor Buddy was so dirty I could not tell what color he was. Buddy is a Beagle by the way, 3 1/2 yrs old. He is infested with ticks and has visible worms. I took him home and soaked him in the bath tub with flea and tick shampoo for 20 minutes. I know he felt so much better because as I was scrubbing him he was looking in my eyes saying thank you! Poor baby fell asleep for 2 hours after dinner.

I called our vet at home since it was after hours and he promised to get us in early Monday morning. I cannot seem to get rid of the ticks...we put the tick and flea killer on his back after his bath, I sprinkled Borax on the carpets (luckily most of my house has white tile) vaccummed and mopped the floor with Lysol. I still see them! what do I do??

Poor little guy, can't wait to get him the meds he needs to feel better, he is very quiet and sad..I am looking forward to that Beagle personality!

[Heart_Song]

Frontline spray is probably the best to kill ticks on the dog. If you see any running around that you can catch, wrap them in tissue and flush them down the toilet or drown them in some rubbing alcohol. Don't try to pull ticks off Buddy if they are already attached. Mostly, just keep trying to control them until you can see the vet. They'll be able to get all ticks off Buddy and sell you some overly priced product to get rid of the ticks in the environment.

[fairlight]

Personally, if Buddy is that infested I would ask the vet if his office can bathe him. Some vets will do this. In most cases flea and tick collars do not work for squat. I have read that Dawn dish detergent will remove a tick from a human, but don't know if it will work on dogs. I wouldn't let buddy run freely in your house. I know the poor little guy has been penned up for who knows how long but I would keep him in a place that is not heavily trafficed in your house. You can try and bathe him again tomorrow, but be ready with tissues to capture the ticks and flush them. When you go to bathe start at the neck and top of the head. Then work your way down. Fleas will run like wild fire to the top of the dogs head...so soap him there first. Keep us posted.

[whimzikal]

Poor Buddy, he is in good hands now though.
For tic removal, put a GOB of vasoline on the embeded tick. Leave it. The tic will pull itself out as the vasoline suffocates it. My old boss taught me that trick when my son had a tic in his head. It worked GREAT.

[fairlight]

Yes whim Vaseline does work....but...will it stay on the dog? My dogs love vaseline like I love banana splits! One of my friends said to cover the tick with dawn dish detergent and the tick will work it's way out. Again...this was for humans.

[peanutsmom]

How is Buddy doing and how is the tick situation?

[Himerz]

the veterinarian clinics currently carry a new thing called the deticker it is like a pair of tweezers but it gets the tick out right by the legs so no body stays in and it currently cost roughly $5.00 canadian.. But you can also get a needle and syringe and inject the ticks body with alcohol and wait 5 minutes and it should release itself because alcohol kills them.. or else you can go directly to your veterinarian clinic and get an advantix treatment that kills ticks in 24 hours.. But i strongly advice you take your dog in and get him/her tested for lime disease because ticks are currently carrying this and it is extremely faital to dogs and if your dog has alot i would not hesistate and take the trip in... it would be worth it in the long run before serious problems come up... i hope this helps

[FairyDogMother]

My last foster kid had a tick also. They had taken a few off at the first vet's office. I put on bug repelant that works for ticks too. Used a q-tip right on it and in a few secs was able to pull it out. If he has that many, I'd certainly ask the vet if they could do a work up on him (bath, dip, removal)... good luck!

[fairlight]

I would freak out trying to inject a tick with a syringe. I would be afraid I would be sticking the dog more than I would the tick. Excellent idea Himerz. Biddy should have a work up to make sure he doesn't have Lyme disease. My dogs had the initial work up and then get a yearly shot to insure they do not get Lyme. I agree also with Teresa. If possible put Buddy in the hands of a professional (hopefully the vet) and let his staff do the dip and removal. Please keep us posted.

[alimel]

Thank you all for your input. Buddy is doing much better, we are only seeing alot less ticks, he was covered when we picked him up Saturday. He has had 3 baths since Saturday. I did try vaseline, but he was so sticky! He had his first vet visit yesterday and has been put on Frontline and a tick collar as well as my Rottie. Our vet drew blood to check for diseases caused by ticks as well as checking for Heartworms. Should know results tomorrow. Once these results come back, he will go back for his rabies vaccine and what ever else he needs. I am kind of worried about him, he sleeps all the time and he is only 3 1/2. He does have a very good appetite and loves to go for walks, his nose is cold and wet and his gums are good. He did have tape worms which he has been treated for. Could it be he is weak from the ticks draining his blood??? He is so sweet. Here is a picture of him at home. He looks happier now.