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So my two year old dog has a tick and has been on him at least 3 days, if not longer. We tried to get the tick out as soon as we felt it but were unsuccessful. So the vet removed it. I wasn't told what type of tick this was. Immediately our dog was put on antibiotics for two weeks, then will be put on doxi and sometime later bloodwork.
I asked the vet if this was normal because I had a rescue a few years back that was a tick magnet. She had ticks removed after who knows how long she had them . . . And no follow up of treatment for tick borne illnesses. I was told because of the bite site, this treatment is the way to go.
For some reason this is all new to me. I'm doing some research. I live in the Houston area and no, I haven't seen any symptoms from my dog. The tick was brown and molted looking, not a deer tick - Our area doesn't have those.
I'm wondering if my vet is being overly cautious. Thoughts? Anyone gone through this?
Did the tick have a white dot on its back? If so, that's a female Lone Star tick.
They are known to carry Rocky Mountain Spotted fever but to my knowledge, they don't carry Lymes.
I'm in Middle TN where Lone Star ticks far outnumber deer ticks and the brown dog ticks. If a tick latches onto one of my dogs or horses in a place I cannot get it off, I smother it with any kind of ointment, wait for it to die, then pull it off with a piece of paper towel.
I use Advantix II on my dogs but it's not a repellent, the ticks have to bite the dog, then they die -- on the dog
You might want to call your vet and ask what type of tick came off your dog. Also, I'm curious about the vet taking medical precautions based "---on where the tick was on the dog--". Where was it?
I have new neighbors --- they have laying chickens --- they are doing a great job keeping the tick population down even though they don't come on my property
So my two year old dog has a tick and has been on him at least 3 days, if not longer. We tried to get the tick out as soon as we felt it but were unsuccessful. So the vet removed it. I wasn't told what type of tick this was. Immediately our dog was put on antibiotics for two weeks, then will be put on doxi and sometime later bloodwork.
I asked the vet if this was normal because I had a rescue a few years back that was a tick magnet. She had ticks removed after who knows how long she had them . . . And no follow up of treatment for tick borne illnesses. I was told because of the bite site, this treatment is the way to go.
For some reason this is all new to me. I'm doing some research. I live in the Houston area and no, I haven't seen any symptoms from my dog. The tick was brown and molted looking, not a deer tick - Our area doesn't have those.
I'm wondering if my vet is being overly cautious. Thoughts? Anyone gone through this?
I yank about 6 or 7 ticks a day off of my dog Fiona. We give her Frontline Gold but it doesn't seem to do much good. The joys of living in rural Missouri.
I know my dog picked up this tick in long grass on his walk. We do spray out yard, we are under a contract with a bug company.
The tick was found on the neck, under the collar area. The site was shaved and the tick removed. When our dog came back after having everything done, the site was a red circle around the bite area. The center of the circle was red and bloody -- About an inch square. My boy has been scratching and I thought it was his ears. . .
Yeah I am going to call and ask what type of tick it was.
It bothered me how they took my boy back for his shot and nail trim and tick removal and everything was done without me there. The vet was helpful but this was my first time seeing her. My other appointments have been with a different vet. I wasn't too pleased with her bossy vet tech.
So my two year old dog has a tick and has been on him at least 3 days, if not longer. We tried to get the tick out as soon as we felt it but were unsuccessful. So the vet removed it. I wasn't told what type of tick this was. Immediately our dog was put on antibiotics for two weeks, then will be put on doxi and sometime later bloodwork.
I asked the vet if this was normal because I had a rescue a few years back that was a tick magnet. She had ticks removed after who knows how long she had them . . . And no follow up of treatment for tick borne illnesses. I was told because of the bite site, this treatment is the way to go.
For some reason this is all new to me. I'm doing some research. I live in the Houston area and no, I haven't seen any symptoms from my dog. The tick was brown and molted looking, not a deer tick - Our area doesn't have those.
I'm wondering if my vet is being overly cautious. Thoughts? Anyone gone through this?
When it comes to tick borne diseases, better safe than sorry, especially given the tick had been on for at least 3 days. Make sure you give the full course of doxi. You might consider adding a tablespoon or so of yogurt to your dog’s food while he’s on it.
Ask the vet for NexGard. It is for flea and tick prevention. It is a chewable given once a month. My dog has never had a tick and we have gazillions of them up here in VT.
Added: the red circle around the bite area is a sign of Lyme... at least that is how it presents in humans.
Yeah I am going to call and ask what type of tick it was. It bothered me how they took my boy back for his shot and nail trim and tick removal and everything was done without me there. The vet was helpful but this was my first time seeing her. My other appointments have been with a different vet. I wasn't too pleased with her bossy vet tech.
I know some vets that want to do that and I have then heard negative things. Could be a coincidence. One time a young relative (18 years old) followed the vet back when the vet told the mom to wait in the waiting room. The young relative was thinking about being a vet and wanted to see what was happening. The vet thought it was okay. The dog went in sick, was not checked for that, was given several shots and fell down not breathing and had to be brought back around not once, not twice but three times. And the vet did not tell the mom anything afterwards. (Later dad returned and had it out with them).
I have other stories as well. I don't believe in all shots at once....nor every shot for elderly dogs. I don't like the vet that doesn't like to interact with the owners and doesn't ask questions about how the dog is doing.
And the nail trim. I have had two or three times when I went back and the dog, another time a cat, was taken to be weighed by a second vet. Came out soon with nails clipped. I was furious. There's a whole nail culture, as I call it. Even among those who don't find, there are important times to show nails...literally just show them. They can be significant in climbing, etc. And those were cases with me. But that second vet didn't know this and didn't want to discuss this but didn't charge for the clipping.
After that with every visit I said...no nail clipping till I say okay. Those who didn't know the situation were curious. I had not problem nicely telling them the reason.
I know some vets that want to do that and I have then heard negative things. Could be a coincidence. One time a young relative (18 years old) followed the vet back when the vet told the mom to wait in the waiting room. The young relative was thinking about being a vet and wanted to see what was happening. The vet thought it was okay. The dog went in sick, was not checked for that, was given several shots and fell down not breathing and had to be brought back around not once, not twice but three times. And the vet did not tell the mom anything afterwards. (Later dad returned and had it out with them).
I have other stories as well. I don't believe in all shots at once....nor every shot for elderly dogs. I don't like the vet that doesn't like to interact with the owners and doesn't ask questions about how the dog is doing.
And the nail trim. I have had two or three times when I went back and the dog, another time a cat, was taken to be weighed by a second vet. Came out soon with nails clipped. I was furious. There's a whole nail culture, as I call it. Even among those who don't find, there are important times to show nails...literally just show them. They can be significant in climbing, etc. And those were cases with me. But that second vet didn't know this and didn't want to discuss this but didn't charge for the clipping.
After that with every visit I said...no nail clipping till I say okay. Those who didn't know the situation were curious. I had not problem nicely telling them the reason.
The last few vets I've been to have wanted to take the dog back without me. I simply don't allow it. Unless they are having surgery, I insist that I am going back with them. So far, I've only had minor pushback but I would leave if they wouldn't let me go back. I think this is a fairly recent thing and I don't know what's behind it. I keep my own dogs groomed and their nails done weekly so I've never had them touch the nails, even with surgery (I know a few people that have had their dogs come out of a surgical procedure with trimmed nails and they were still too long).
I know my dog picked up this tick in long grass on his walk. We do spray out yard, we are under a contract with a bug company.
The tick was found on the neck, under the collar area. The site was shaved and the tick removed. When our dog came back after having everything done, the site was a red circle around the bite area. The center of the circle was red and bloody -- About an inch square. My boy has been scratching and I thought it was his ears. . .
Yeah I am going to call and ask what type of tick it was.
It bothered me how they took my boy back for his shot and nail trim and tick removal and everything was done without me there. The vet was helpful but this was my first time seeing her. My other appointments have been with a different vet. I wasn't too pleased with her bossy vet tech.
Your description of the bite site sounds like black-legged tick (aka deer tick). I've been handling dogs and ticks for decades, and have never seen a dog tick bite that looked that way. The red circle could also be a sign of something infectious. Typically black-legged tick bites that are transmitting disease have more of that "ring around the rose" rash and redness. It's not 100%.
For those who think they may still be free of black-legged ticks - lose your confidence. Those buggers have spread like wildfire. When I was a kid, they were unknown except for a very tiny bit of the US. Not true today, not at all, and unlike some other little critters, there isn't much to prevent them from traveling, and surviving, all over. https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/geographic_distribution.html
As for tick meds, I personally use the NexGard monthly tablets, and they work extremely well - much better than the shoulder spot treatments. My vet and her crew swear by the new Seresto collar. They think it is also more effective than the shoulder spot treatments. What I know is that I've taken a dog with the shoulder spot treatment on the same run, at the same time as my dogs with the NexGard. I live in the heart of black-legged tick metro. I'd get home and run tick-checks. Shoulder-spot dog would have ticks on. Mine would not.
Supposedly the ticks have to bite to die with the Nexgard, but my experience is that, after about the 2nd month of treatment, I no longer even see ticks on my dogs. Not at all. Even if the ticks do have to bite, they don't stay on the dog more than a few minutes. It takes time for the tick to transmit disease. Chances of disease transmission in the first 15 minutes is so low as to be almost as good as zero. The odds increase over the hours. After 24-48 hours, the odds increase to something over 50%. Something like 25% of black-legged ticks carry at least one of the several diseases they are known to transmit. Don't believe anyone who tells you the tick has to be attached for 24 hours to transmit disease. If someone tells you that, they have either not been keeping up with the science, or they are willingly blind.
With the possible exception of Lone-star ticks (about whom I know very little), as disease carriers, other ticks are pikers compared to black-legged ticks. But the danger IS real, even if uncommon.
And I would repeat that the rash you saw may be a symptom that alerted the vet. Talk to the vet.
Also, OP, given your description of this last experience with the vet, if it were me, I would be considering trying a different vet. I also prefer to be with my animals during treatment, but most vets I've checked out don't seem to appreciate that.
EDIT (Ottor came up with a good suggestion):
Quote:
Originally Posted by OttoR
When it comes to tick borne diseases, better safe than sorry, especially given the tick had been on for at least 3 days. Make sure you give the full course of doxi. You might consider adding a tablespoon or so of yogurt to your dog’s food while he’s on it.
Yeah - anytime my dogs are on antibiotics they end up with diarrhea. I don't find yogurt to be a strong enough probiotic, so I buy probiotic supplement pills and give those when feeding. They make special ones for dogs, which are expensive, of course. But they do work. However, because of the $$$, I just buy human probiotics, which are expensive, but not AS expensive. More like $$ than $$$. And they also work. I look for the ones with the most different types of cultures. IMO, YMMV.
Last edited by hiero2; 10-19-2018 at 09:09 AM..
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