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happylady123 · Apr 25, 2010, 05:20 PM

Hello,
We adopted a 2nd dog about 4 hrs ago and we noticed a tick in his ear. Our other dog has never had a tick so we are not 100% sure what to do. We looked up some info online. We are going to take him to the vet tomorrow when they open but we are not sure how to handle it now. We don't want to take it out wrong and hurt the dog, and we are not even sure how long it has been there. If we leave it in can it crawl onto one of us during the night (dogs sleep in bed with us)? Can it get onto my other dog? Any help on this matter would be appreciated, thanks!

Aurora_Bell · Apr 25, 2010, 05:41 PM

Well what you can try is putting some rubbing alcohol on a q tip and putting it on the ticks butt end.Or pouring a cap full of the rubbing alcohol over top of the tick. Make sure to flush the tick or burn it. You can also try heating up a pin and placing that on the ticks butt as well. You have to make sure the dog will stay very still, you don't want to end up burning your dog. If you pull it out you should be extra cautious that the ticks head comes off as well. Sometimes the ticks head will stay in, and they can re generate a new body.

Ticks carry the lyme disease, which can never be cured, and is almost always mis diagnosed. You need to be careful of things like this. I know you can get tick repellent from your local vet.

Aurora_Bell · Apr 25, 2010, 05:42 PM

Oh and yes they can go from one animal to another to you, but unlikely seeing as it is already feeding off the one dog. What color is the tick now? Can you take a pic of it?

happylady123 · Apr 25, 2010, 05:55 PM

The tick is small and brown.

Aurora_Bell · Apr 25, 2010, 05:56 PM

Ok so chances are it hasn't been there too long. They tend to get larger and go a grayish whitish color when they have been int here for a while. You should be able to remove with a warm needle or the alcohol.

Catsmine · Apr 25, 2010, 06:21 PM

Another method is to put a drop of collodion on the body of the tick. Collodion is available everywhere under the brand name Compound W wart remover, as well as other brands

When the collodion dries (1/2 hour) the tick will have to release from the dog to be able to breathe. Then, like Aurora Bell said, be sure to flush it.

happylady123 · Apr 25, 2010, 06:22 PM

Here's a picture of the tick in his ear.

Aurora_Bell · Apr 25, 2010, 06:24 PM

Looks like he just got in there. Also, you can save the tick in a container and your vet or local hospital can test it for Lyme disease.

Catsmine · Apr 25, 2010, 06:25 PM

Looks like a North American Dog Tick. That's good. They're not as frequently carriers of Lyme disease.

Aurora_Bell · Apr 25, 2010, 06:25 PM

He also needs his ears cleaned :)

You can buy a solution or use vegetable oil, and that should kill any ear mites if he has any.

happylady123 · Apr 25, 2010, 06:28 PM

Do you think this tick will come out in the middle of the night. I am not sure how comfortable we are removing it. :/

Aurora_Bell · Apr 25, 2010, 06:29 PM

It could... not likely, but it could. Why aren't you comfortable?

happylady123 · Apr 25, 2010, 06:30 PM

We don't want to hurt him, and we want to make sure the whole thing comes out.

Aurora_Bell · Apr 25, 2010, 06:32 PM

Try the alcohol solution, or a warm pin. Living in a Provence where ticks run rampant, it's not really that bad, but I do understand wanting to get the whole thing. But the longer you leave it, the worse and deeper the tick will go.

happylady123 · Apr 25, 2010, 06:36 PM

Okay, thanks. I guess we are going to take it out now, and we will bring him to the vet tomorrow to have the tick tested and to make sure he's okay. Thanks for the help!

Aurora_Bell · Apr 25, 2010, 06:37 PM

No problem, you can try this method too: With a tweezers or tick removal device, grab the tick as close to the head as possible. With steady, gentle pressure, pull the tick out of the skin. Frequently, pieces of skin may come off with the tick.

ballengerb1 · Apr 25, 2010, 06:37 PM

A good discussion here but somewhere it was said lyme's disease can't be cured. That is not true but folks believe it. DVBID: Treatment | CDC Lyme Disease

Aurora_Bell · Apr 25, 2010, 06:40 PM

I've read that since lyme disease is constantly changing to fight the anti bodies it can never really be cured. Also just watched a documentary on that as well. Also with early treatment it can be controlled and lay dormant with no reoccurring symptoms.

happylady123 · Apr 25, 2010, 06:47 PM

Well we will see what the vet says, hopefully the tick doesn't carry Lyme

ballengerb1 · Apr 25, 2010, 07:16 PM

Not sure what you have been reading but most bacteria is constantly changing, not trying to fight anything including antibiotics. they just mutate. Dear ticks appear to be the primary carrier so our poster may be in luck. There is a treatment for an infected dog too How To Treat Lyme Disease in Dogs?Diagnosis and Treatment