Tick identification - I thought others might find this helpful

[Julie and Max]

So I found a tick on Max this morning, of course I'm freaking out. I pulled it off properly but still in a bit of a panic. He is actually going for a lyme test tomorrow so that is a bit of a relief. I did find this page that I found really helpful though, it's not specifically about dogs, but if your dog is in danger of getting a tick on them so are you. 

http://www.tickencounter.org/

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I woke up to a tick crawling on my arm at 4 am. Yikes. We have had several this weekend brought in by the dogs. I hate those bugs, but such is life with dogs. Thanks for the information.

[Julie and Max]

Eww Laurie, they give me the heebie jeebies. We got Max in October of last year so I didn't really deal with this. They are just so gross! I am glad you found it while it was still crawling!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Me, too :) It gives me the willies for hours after I see one.

[F, Calla & Luca]

The test will not tell you anything about this tick or recent one. Even if he were infected it would take a while for the test to become positive.

[Julie and Max]

Yeah F, but I can talk to the vet and let him know he had a tick on him and he can tell me what if anything I should do/watch for, which is really the best I can do. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Yes. That is always good to know.

[Jordan & Daisy]

We found two ticks on our couch this weekend and I found a dead one attached to Daisy's muzzle last week. I hateeeeee them. :(

Should we keep the tick that was attached in case anything ends up being wrong with Daisy? Someone told me they do this but I can't remember who

[F, Calla & Luca]

I just flush them. I think it would be very costly to test the tick and even if the tick carries a disease it doesn't mean it transmitted it especially if your dog is on spot treatment.

[Julie and Max]

Jordan, I don't think it's really worth keeping the tick as it would have to be tested. I was also reading that lyme only comes from the deer tick, so you can identify whether it was a deer tick or what kind of tick using that page I linked. It would probably cost you to have the tick tested for anything I think?

Also sorry Daisy had one on her muzzle and even worse that you found them in the house :(

[Jordan & Daisy]

Yeah I wasn't sure about keeping them but I remember someone mentioning it- it makes sense not to keep them though.  We flush them down too, stupid pains in my butt!

[Mari Bezanson]

Ticks are everywhere in Nova Scotia. Unfortunately you have to learn to deal with these annoying pests pretty fast. Yes, deer ticks are the ones that MAY be a carrier of Lyme. The general rule I have always followed, is to remove the ticks as best you can. Make sure the bite spot heals properly and only if you dog starts to exhibit odd behaviour should you worry (loss of appetite, lethargic etc). Then you investigate further with a vet. I know it is scary the first time you find a tick on your puppy, but it sounds like you did everything right and the chances of contracting Lyme is VERY minimal.

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

YUCK!

Is this normal for so many to find ticks, or will this be a bad year for them?  Last week after our trail walk in the woods, when we got home i started to comb out Yogi .   Didnt find it in the comb, but after the comb I went over him with the Los Pooches brush and found one on the brush.  I'd never seen a tick before, I pulled up the image online and sure enough, it was a tick.  Hope that was the only one. 

Is there a way to prevent them?  I'm a little leary to go back to that woods.