Sheep/deer tics

I was reading some of the posts about "dangerous" compost and someone had posted about ticks. I live in the countryside surrounded by sheep and deer are around at times.

Until last winter my cat didn't get many (sheep ticks) on her and my horses were not affected at all. However after a hundinger of a winter the number of sheep ticks has increased and I daily have to pick up to 5 deer ticks off each horse so looks like the ticks enjoyed the very hard winter...strange. My vet assures me that the chances of the horses getting Lymes is very small. I ws just wondering if it is just here that the tick population has increased or have others noticed it too. So much for me thinking the feezing weather would polish off these damn things!

 

I can't answer your question Silu but I found the easiest way to remove tics was to dab them with a bit of methylated spirit (from the chemist) and they just fall off.

 

I understand from friends who have dogs that sheep ticks are a big problem here with dogs. The recommended treatment is Frontline Combo but everybody seems to have their favourite .. Advantix or whatever.

Fortunately my cats are not affected living in the orchards and they are regularly done with Frontline Combo .. actually out now ready to do in the coming days.

We don't have the freezing weather to kill them off. :(

 

Yes Alice that works as does whisky! Never seem to have the purple stuff to hand but whisky on the other hand....!

 

Pop into the chemist Silu and get a bottle of the purple stuff.
Keep the wee Goldies for yourself :D

 

There's been a very significant increase in deer/sheep ticks in Scotland over the last few years. We're not bothered by them at home but spend a fair bit of time out in the wilds and our fisherman son also spends a bit of time wading through the heather en-route to camping by highland lochs.
We now carry tick tweezers in our first aid kits. Luckily we've escaped being preyed on, but son always seems to end up with at least one attached to one part or other of his anatomy.
Can't comment on treatment for domestic animals, but for humans the treatment is as recommended here >
http://www.anapsid.org/lyme/removingticks.html