Tick increase across the uk

[7daysinaweek]

_{just seen this, took one off one of my moggies only a couple of weeks ago with tick puller.}

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37252925

[TONY R]

Been a bad year for them, hundreds of sheep on the fields by the river i cant avoid them now .

[norfolk dumpling]

Ok we need to be aware of this but every news prog today, including JV lunchtime, had a double dose of Packham. Awful man.

[fortune]

They made it sound like it was the fault of dogs. Still they are only reporters. What else would you expect? My spaniel had a tick after a walk across the cow fields. I put a bit of isopropyl Alcohol on a cotton bud and soaked the blighter. It soon let go.

[EMT]

I can't agree with the BBC article that one in three dogs have a tick. We see a lot of dogs every week in our grooming parlour and we have only removed 4 this year and one of those was on one of my cockers.

 

If one in three dogs had a tick we would see shed loads of them.

[fortune]

I can't agree with the BBC article that one in three dogs have a tick. We see a lot of dogs every week in our grooming parlour and we have only removed 4 this year and one of those was on one of my cockers.

 

If one in three dogs had a tick we would see shed loads of them.

they are only reporters. What else would you expect? They only trot out what they are told to. do any of them actually go and investigate from people ike you who are working on the job in hand? It's no different to when they have a guns amnesty. it's just a load of tat and worn out air guns that someone just wants rid of.

[toontastic]

They made it sound like it was the fault of dogs. Still they are only reporters. What else would you expect? My spaniel had a tick after a walk across the cow fields. I put a bit of isopropyl Alcohol on a cotton bud and soaked the blighter. It soon let go.

And yet every expert on ticks advises against doing it, I hope people on here have more sense and buy the correct tool and do the job properly.

[toontastic]

Ok we need to be aware of this but every news prog today, including JV lunchtime, had a double dose of Packham. Awful man.

He's may be a ***** but if it helps get the message across to the general public about ticks and lymes then I will try to put up with him on this one item.

[fortune]

And yet every expert on ticks advises against doing it, I hope people on here have more sense and buy the correct tool and do the job properly.

I didnt have one to hand and the alcohol soon made it fall off. what makes anyone a so called expert? As long as you dont pull them off and leave the mouth bits behind what does it matter how it is removed and distroyed. Father and everyone used to touch em with a fag. that worked ok. I know that there are these tools available but not everyone has one available all of the time and needs must when the devil drives.

[loriusgarrulus]

We have not seen any ticks and we have lots of sheep fields near the house and our woodland is surrounded by sheep fields too. I often comb through the dogs and cats to check.

Although we are using Advantage which is supposed to work on fleas and lice it might be keeping them clear of ticks too.

We must be lucky and our area is fairly clear of ticks at the moment.

[JDog]

There has yet to be a single tick on either of my dogs this year.

 

As for the media reports, a pinch of salt is the usual treatment for the scaremongers.

[scotslad]

I didnt have one to hand and the alcohol soon made it fall off. what makes anyone a so called expert? As long as you dont pull them off and leave the mouth bits behind what does it matter how it is removed and distroyed. Father and everyone used to touch em with a fag. that worked ok. I know that there are these tools available but not everyone has one available all of the time and needs must when the devil drives.

 

Have a read on the LDA or BADA websites, the ticks mouth is not the reason why u do't do many of these old tricks,

 

When u burn, cover in vaseline, alcohol or pull with fingers or badly with tweezers there is a very big chance the tick will spit or spew so if its stomach content back ino ur bloodstream before it lets go.

This is the main way u'll catch Lyme's disease or any other disease of the tick.

 

To be honest ur dog would be better of if u let the tick fall off naturally, than encouraging it to spew into u or dogs blood. Ticks don't actually cause any harm apart from that risk of infection (it is also thought they spew a small ammount back just before they let go) otherwise u'd be better of just leaving them on urself or dog.

Ideally to minimise any infection u want the tick of within 24hrs, but ur far better of waiting a few hours til u have the right tool than just using wot ever u have.

 

 

I'd say the same as normal plenty of ticks about in some places not so many in others, i find some places closer to town along footpaths far worse than many places u'd think would be full of them (bracken banks, heather)

 

Have a read on the LDA or BADA websites, the ticks mouth is not the reason why u do't do many of these old tricks any more.

Remember burning my armpit with a lighter once trying to get a tick off in a hard to reach place,

 

When u burn, cover in vaseline, alcohol or pull with fingers or badly with tweezers there is a very big chance the tick will spit or spew so if its stomach content back ino ur bloodstream before it lets go.

This is the main way u'll catch Lyme's disease or any other disease of the tick.

 

To be honest ur dog would be better of if u let the tick fall off naturally, than encouraging it to spew into u or dogs blood. Ticks don't actually cause any harm apart from that risk of infection (it is also thought they spew a small ammount back just before they let go) otherwise u'd be better of just leaving them on urself or dog.

Ideally to minimise any infection u want the tick of within 24hrs, but ur far better of waiting a few hours til u have the right tool than just using wot ever u have.

 

 

I'd say the same as normal plenty of ticks about in some places not so many in others, i find some places closer to town along footpaths far worse than many places u'd think would be full of them (bracken banks, heather)

[toontastic]

 

 

As for the media reports, a pinch of salt is the usual treatment for the scaremongers.

To be fair they only reported what vets had told the university researchers. It's not as if the media fabricated a story.

[holloway]

This gets reported every year !! probably sponsored by frontline (other brands available)

[holloway]

Its like the free cushins disease test offered to horse owners ,sponsored by guess who ... yep you got it the firm that sells the medication.

[toontastic]

when the spokesman for bristol university was on the radio he did say there are many products available and the best thing to do is speak to your vet. Didn't sound like he was promoting any particular product. Even when Packham was on JV he also said speak to a vet for advice on which products are available.

[Paul1440]

I don't think I'vw removed anymore than last year..like last year, it was becoming a every other day job though. I asked the Vet for a removal tool to try when my Spaniel was having his boosters.

He said that they are better than tweezers but he stil finds the best way is just to pull them off using just fingers as it gives better feel and grip so not to squeeze or pull the head off the tic.

I was a bit surprised as the advice has always been to avoid touching them for fear of infection. Think I'll stick to the tool.

[TONY R]

I have certainly removed more ticks this year than i can ever remember befotre, three on the springer one on the GSP and two on the lab. I am lucky if i get a tick or two every year normaly and the dogs have not been anywhere any different worth mentioning AFAICT.