eeeekkkk!!!! even more worried now!!!! i have pulled two out today and one completely come out but i think the other that was really buried into otis's skin left a little behind. What should i do now?

God i have only had otis for nearly two weeks and i feel i am a crap 'mum' to him. I want to be perfect but am constatntly worrying and keep thinking i am not doing the right thing.

i think he gets them in the garden though. How can i avoid that?

Ticks are part of the spider family.
Ticks bury their head into the animal, 'lock' themselves in, and suck the blood out.
Once they have 'fed, they drop out.

If you 'pull' the tick out, it's head will probably be left in, and this can lead to infections etc.
Ticks actually spread a lot of diseases (such as Lyme disease).

if you do want to remove the tick yourself, hold it as close to the skin as possible, and make sure you twist, to 'unscrew' it.
Ensure you do not squeeze the tick, as bacteria can spread from the tick into the bloodstream.

Go to your vets and get some Frontline.

Otis is only little, he shouldn't have his body challenged by the ticks and the diseases they potentially carry and the fact that they take his blood.

I don't know if you can destroy them in the garden. Perhaps somebody else will.

Ok- i will take him to the Vets. Will it be ok to wait until Tuesday as my vet is now closed until then?

Don't think you need take him - just get the stuff. I don't think you can buy it at pet shops - but perhaps you can?
In the meantime you'll have to keep checking him over and removing them as soon as you find them.....
Horrible things - I hate them

Just a tip: remember when you twist the little *******s not to squeeze them. They will empty their stomach into your dog and thats what courses the diseases. Twist them gently till they let go or use the tool from the vet or a petshop to remove them.

I´m not a fan of Frontline and other stuff like that on dogs. As a friend of mine said; if it´s harmless why havent they invented something similar to humans? When the seasons kicks in this year, I´ll try garlic on Ally.

´Nothing wil probablely happen to him. My friend have sometimes not gotten the head with out. And Freja is still healthy and fine.

But I would either start on the garlic or the frontline or both...

Must be that time of year, just had a call from my sister with the border collie, to say she's found this small lump on Sassy's head......yep, you've guessed it, a TICK! So we smothered it in vaseline, gave it a little twist and it came out nice and easy.......I've told her she has to do the next one.......horrible little creatures!!

Hello

bruno has a terrible problem with tics - he always gets them - FROM HEDGEHOGS - he thinks they are footballs - thus he always gets them on his face and then they spread from there - You need to absolutely coat him with frontline and this will get rid of most of them - as for preventing them difficult to say - Have never tried the garlic so that might be one to try - I woudl advise against pulling them out yourself due to the risk of infection - you will never know if you have got them properly - Those special tweezers you get - I didnt find they worked that well - mind you as soon as Bruno sees them he goes running. It sounds like it might be hedgehogs he is getting them from - although I thought it was a little early yet for tics - Bruno doesnt usually get problems uintil May.

He is actually allergic to them though and comes out in a major lumpy rash after he gets any so we always know if he has any on his body, as they can be difficult to see until they have been sucking the blood for a while....

bets to take him in on Tuesday and get him a dose of frontline - they can also give an injection i think if they are really bad....

dani