Ick it's a tick. Seriously. In all of my adult life i have never seen one - either on a dog or in person. I've lived in Montana 6yrs now and never encountered one.
That all changed last night.
I was loving on Shadow - my corgi/springer spaniel mix doggie and felt a bump. I pulled back some furr and there was this brown thing. It didn't even register at first. Then i let out a little screeech and did what any sane person would do...
I grabbed my cellphone and called my hubby.
Oh, not what you expected? Like i said. No experience with ticks. I got great text advice from my sister (google it) and DeRell tells me i should do the match thing. After some serious google research and varying opinions on the best method - i opted for Vaseline to "smother it" and deprive it of oxygen thus causing it to back out. I'm not sure if it backed all the way out (and apparently it is bad to leave it in there) but i thought so. Afterall, I've never seen the head. So with tweezers in hand i turned it 360 and pulled it out promtly flushing it down the toilet. I would have taken a picture - but honestly it was all i could do just to do "the procedure".
I also flushed the toilet TWO times after the critter went down.
JUST INCASE.
I didn't want it to come alive and attach itself to my rear on a subsequent trip to the restroom. I kept picturing that. Not pretty.
Shadow was no worse for wear. I promptly cleaned it with Rubbing Alchohol. That is supposed to kill it too, so i figured it there was any bits of it left in there i would be covered, plus it won't get infected.
My other dog waited patiently outside the bathroom door. For his turn? I think he thought something special was going on in the closed bathroom...like a treat just for Shadow...and he was missing out on the action. When i opened the door (tweezers still in hand) i think he changed his mind. He hightailed it down the hall as fast as he could.
Which by the way, is hilarious to watch dogs on wood (ok....laminate) floors try to get up and go. It's like a cartoon or something!
I would be happy if NEVER AGAIN IN MY ADULT LIFE i have to set my eyes on one of these!! I even did a full body inspection on the other dog (and cat) to make sure there wasn't any more.
For inquiring minds, i actually had to look it up because there are ALOT of species of ticks. It is a Female Deer Tick incase you need to know. I was loving the fact that we see deer EVERY DAY out here, until now. Those varmits carry these things around? Again. Ick!
Oh, and by the way -- this IS NOT an April Fools Joke - as it just donned on me that it is in fact April Fools Day. Oh how i wish it was. Enjoy.
1 comment:
OMG a tick! Yucky!!
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