|
|
Post by jenarby on Jun 4, 2009 20:38:16 GMT -5
Ticks are one of the few things that REALLY creep me out. It seems that this year is much worse than any other that I've been living here. I brought Lego in today to replace a missing shoe and noticed a chunk of mane hanging off of him. Closer examination showed a bunch of that nasty yellow gook left from a tick (I assume it is tick poo leftovers). When I got him inside I hosed his muddiness off and looked closer. Mr. Tick had thankfully already left the building but in his place was a silver dollar sized wound right in Lego's crest about 4 inches behind his cribbing collar. It was raw and sore looking and he DEFINITELY didn't want me to touch it. There was a spot right in the middle that was deeper but there was no sign of the tick. It felt hard and thick. I would guess it bothered him and it rubbed until it was gone? He's been outside on 24/7 turn out with Tipping for the last 10 days. So he has not come in for grooming or to be ridden because he was having his time off for the knee. I feel horrible to find this because I'm normally right on top of things like this.
So I cleaned it and doused it with rubbing alcohol. I have never had anything like this happen before so I'm not real sure what I should do. I figured just keeping it clean would allow the air to dry it up....but now I'm worrying about it getting infected.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
|
|
|
|
Post by Goalie on Jun 5, 2009 7:07:43 GMT -5
Eagle had a big old tick right under his forelock a couple of days ago and it fell off right in front of me. EWWWW is right. Right now I have Eagles forelock braided so air can get to the spot and put alcohol on it too. I was calling my vet for another reason and asked about it getting infeted, he said to keep up with the alcohol and just watch it. It should dry up in a couple of days. Hope that helps you some jen.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deb on Jun 5, 2009 8:21:59 GMT -5
Another place to check for ticks is on the dock of the tail. Separate the tail into sections at /on the dock at the roots of the tail hair. Have found many a tick there.
|
|
|
|
Post by niaru on Jun 5, 2009 8:27:45 GMT -5
I hate ticks. Some horses get big reactions after tick bites. I've had horses with those yellow-gunk-"leftovers" in the mane, I just picked any scabs off, cleaned it well and let it heal, no further problems.
I use Bite Free fly spray, it really works well at repelling AND killing ticks.
This is one instance where I am actually happy Charm is turned out in a "dry" paddock. I haven't found any tick on her yet, knock on wood!
|
|
|
|
Post by NancyL on Jun 5, 2009 8:43:58 GMT -5
Whatever keeps it dry and the flys off. I might use a little spray furazone myself.
|
|
|
|
Post by Smay on Jun 5, 2009 10:29:40 GMT -5
Yah, the oozing and infection are results of the tick's bite and Lego's allergic reaction. Tick is long gone. Sometimes you can find the whole crest AND dock of a horse oozing, bumpy, raw and horrible due to that reaction. He'll heal up fast and in the meantime, get some of that Freedom Spot-on oil, and ( keeping it away from his raw area) dot that along his crest, letting it soak down to the skin, and down the dock of the tail. The oil spreads down the hairs coating it and it totally repels ticks from climbing up to their favorite spots. You can also dot some on their knees and hocks so it travels down their lower legs... I call the stuff "Tick Oil" because it works so well to keep ticks off them.
|
|
|
|
Post by guiltygirl on Jun 5, 2009 11:23:01 GMT -5
Where I am located and ride Leo there are many ticks-I must looking like a monkey defleaing my baby when I get back from a trail ride. He usually has 5-10 ticks anytime I take him out. They do usually leave a nasty bump and sometimes the ozzy pus if they have been o there awile-I actually had one on the back of my neck and even after removed it itched for three weeks and still isnt healed. I believe they cause sever itching and inflammation. But dock of tail is where mostly they congregate as well as under legs near sheath. I guess it is disgusting but I've gotten used to it.
|
|
|
|
Post by RacetrackRejects on Jun 5, 2009 11:41:45 GMT -5
My guys get them between their jowels. I just clean it off and put Corona or something similar on it.
Basco had one on his sheath once and used to get them quite often on the underside of the soft skin between the hind leg and the tummy.
|
|
|
|
Post by jenarby on Jun 5, 2009 21:10:12 GMT -5
Smay, where do you get that stuff? Any tack shop?
He seems like he feels a little better today. The wound was light pink rather than bloody today. He is such a priss and doesn't let me mess with owies. So I think I'll just keep spilling the alcohol on him to dry it up. I'll look into the spot treatment though. Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Post by CC on Jun 8, 2009 14:28:35 GMT -5
Yes, Smay, where do you get that stuff?
Jen, I've found that my horses also get quite sore from tick bites and don't want the spot to be touched. Once it starts to clear up, they are not as reactive. And it sometimes takes weeks for the lump to finally go away. I do regular tick checks but do miss a few as evidenced by treating 2 horses for Lyme so far in the last 2 years.
|
|
|
|
Post by Smay on Jun 8, 2009 15:17:22 GMT -5
Oh Guys, that stuff is in every tack shop or Tractor Supply or even pet stores...it's the "spot on" treatments for fleas, ticks, gnats, whatever and it comes in the little tubes? You've seen it! If you look at the formula, you'll see that Bio Spot for dogs, and Freedom Spot-on for horses, and all of the brands are the same formulation... just a concentrated Pyrethrin- like 45%, repellent in an oil base and you sqeeze drops of it on their crest and tail. It really works for tick repelling! It doesn't help the tick allergy after they've been bitten, but it prevents those SOBs from latching on in the first place. Weird thing for me this year though is that I haven't seen a single tick and I've inspected everyone numerous times. So I haven't put any on.
|
|
|
|
Post by CC on Jun 8, 2009 16:45:28 GMT -5
Thanks!
I've just never looked for it for horses. We use it on the foxhounds and a cat version on our barn cats. So I'll look for the horse stuff now!
|
|
|
|
Post by hfhopper on Jun 8, 2009 22:20:21 GMT -5
I second the Freedom Spot-on. I used it last year for Riley when the ticks were bad here. It was a life saver! But you know what, I haven't seen any ticks on my boys this year either. Everyone else at the barn is finding them like crazy, especially in the mane/crest area. I'm beginning to think that roaching both boys' manes was an excellent idea!
|
|
|
|
Post by jenarby on Jun 8, 2009 22:43:14 GMT -5
Thanks Smay! I've seen the products but didn't know if there was one that was better than the other. I'm definitely going to pick some up. I can't stand the nasty little things!
|
|
|
|
Post by Smay on Jun 9, 2009 7:25:03 GMT -5
OK, well you guys made me feel guilty about ticks this year since I haven't seen any, I was lazy about applying any repellents so last night I put Freedom Spot-On on all four of mine. Thanks for the reminder! Still haven't seen any ticks. But my paddocks are really short this year due to lack of rain... so no tall grasses or weeds for ticks to hijack.
|
|
