Now we all know our little 'Teddie' the mini schnauzer is a bit of a scruff most days...
Pictured above in his favourite position (head in food bowl) but even his beloved favourite owner (me) did not recognize him today :-(
IT IS NOW PARALYSIS TICK SEASON if you didn't already know.
This is what my 'used to be cuddly schnauzer' now looks like after a week in the doctors...
Now i gotta tell you, i seriously didn't recognize my own dog at the vets!!!
PLEASE for all your sakes and your bank accounts sake, make sure you treat all your pets with anti tick stuff!!!
Around here a few people got slack and boy o boy have we had to pay for it!!!
If you live in a suburban home please be aware that birds carry and drop ticks!
Since the drought and then the floods straight after, ticks are prolific now!
Science says one female paralysis tick has 300 babies!!! If even a half of them are girls then you can start doing the numbers game!!
I've grown up in the bush with ticks all my life and I can tell you, I can't remember them ever being this prolific!
And a factual word that so many people don't understand...
If you find a tick on your pet, pull it off straight away!! Just grab it and rip it off!!!
Try not to squeeze the tick body as you do it, so you don't push the venom that is inside the tick, into your pet, but just rip it off!!!
Some may appear to have 'burrowed in' but this is actually your pets skin swollen from the venom, swelling up around the tick!
If you break the tick and it's head is left behind then THAT'S OK!!!!
The head will just dry out and fall off at a later day when the swelling has gone down on your pet.
Please be aware that the area around the tick bite is EXTREMELY sore and your pet may not want you to touch it, but that 'little sucker' (tick) needs to be removed as soon as possible!!!
Your pet will get sicker for at least the next 24 hours after you remove the tick, so after nearly loosing Monty (our old dog) 18 months ago, I would say, take your pet straight to the vets for a check up even if it only may just be a bit wobbly in the hind legs (one of the first signs of a paralysis tick)
Sadly these rotten insects cause big problems with your animals lungs and because they get worse for the next day or so, this is the part that causes the money and emotional duress!!!
Teddie wants you all to know he's on the mend but please treat your pets regularly for ticks and stroke them a lot so you may feel any little lumps before they get really big.
Here is a small list of symptoms to watch for and even if you can't find a tick it's worth the $70 for a pet check than wait and pay between $1500 and $4000 (yes if you love your pet that's the going rate to save them!!)
Here's the list
-Wobbly in the legs
-Looking and acting very lethargic
-Not wanting to eat
-Not greeting you the way they normally do
-Coughing
-Choking noises like they want to be sick
-Cant stand up, or fall over if you stand them up
-Not being able to move or lift up their head if they are laying down.
Our big dog has now seemed to have learnt to come and drive us crazy seeking attention when he has a tick....I think this is maybe because they are hurting and he wants us either to scratch it or fix it.
Sometimes, if a tick has been on your pet for a while, the bite (with tick still there) will form like a scabby lump over the tick. If you don't know your pet was injured in that spot, it's best to pick off the scab and make sure there is no tick!
I was told yesterday if you feed your pet the tick after you pull it off, it will strengthen your pets immunity.
I'd personally say not to do that but please check with your vet before you ask your pet to ingest a poisonous bug!!! ( I've never in 45 years heard that one)
Like everything you need to get the right advice and 'a stitch in time saves nine'.
I hope some of this information on ticks is handy to know but with a bit of luck you won't need the advice!
Please take my advice and use prevention products!
My last few days have been very upsetting and very expensive! There is no worse feeling than wondering if you should just put your pet down because of the size of the bill and it's all because of a damn insect!!!
Give your pet a pat from me!! They are such great company when you need a friend :-)
Nikki
