Thursday, June 16, 2011

Chance and the Ticks

Chance did a great job posing for me amongst the daisies.

Chance in the daisys

I even managed to catch him before he went for a dip in his pool.  It is a good thing I like the smell of a wet dog. 

Last week Chance was not feeling like himself.  He struggled to get up the stairs one morning, he would be stiff and limpy when I came home from work..he would hobble over to greet me and his normal finicky eating was really finicky..cooked vegetables seemed to be the only thing that would entice him to eat.

Far Guy and I discussed it, we both figured that he had some kind of Tick Disease.  We called the Vet and she agreed so we picked up 30 days of antibiotics..this time he is on Amoxicillin.

This week he is much better..he was much better after being on the antibiotics for a few days.  He takes his big old horse pill covered in peanut butter every morning and night.

The ticks usually calm down some in July, August and September.  We bought some special spray to spray at the edge of the woods that will kill ticks.  Far Guy checks Chance many times a day for ticks, and he has Frontline and even an extra dose of Frontline Spray if we notice that he has picked up a few more ticks than normal.  I do not know what else we can do.

I am thankful that there is an antibiotic treatment for the tick diseases. I am thankful that Chance takes the medication like a trooper and I am thankful that Chance is getting better:)

27 comments:

Judy said...

Okay Chance...it's time to notice when these little tick guys get on you and tell someone...or stay out of the woods...I know, that's not fun at all...I guess you just need to be happy that someone cares about you so much that they take such good care of you...

Country Gal said...

We hope that Chance gets better fast and gets back to his old self! Miggy also is good at taking medication especially if it has peanutbutter on it ! Miggy sends Chance doggie kisses !

linda m said...

Get well soon Chance. I am glad you are such a good boy and take your medicine and I am also glad that Far Guy checks you all the time for those nasty ticks.

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

This is a cute pic of Chance. So glad that he got better...

Intense Guy said...

It would be a shame to shave down that beautiful coat you have Chance to see if reducing it would help find the ticks.

I'm glad you are feeling better Chance. Aren't those BIG pills murder to swallo?

DJan said...

Yikes! Ticks on dogs are not fun, and especially when it makes them sick. Glad you found out what was wrong and he's feeling better. I don't know what else you can do that you are not already doing...

Connie Peterson said...

Ticks are scary! I was just informed just exactly how tiny those awful deer ticks are and how hard they are to find on a person, much less a dog! I hope it wasn't a deer tick, but I guess the cure is the same .. antibiotics! Good luck in healing, Chance!

Rita said...

I can sure understand your concern about the ticks and so thankful like you are that there is treatment. I just love the pictures you put up of him. If I had room for him to run I'd have a dog just like Chance.

Changes in the wind said...

I hate ticks...take good care of Chance as I know you will.

Karen said...

Speedy recovery Chance!
Ticks...not much of an issue here, thank goodness!

Laura said...

I hate ticks and they seem to be especially bad this year. We take all the precautions and still find ticks on both dogs and sometimes my husband (he quite often works in wooded, weedy, fields) and occasionally on me. UGH!

Lanny said...

oh Chance! Do get all better soon and totally back to your typical cheerful crazy ball chasing self! Ticks are nasty where you live, they're nasty here too but very very seldom seen and then only rarely do they make a dog sick.

Anonymous said...

We all are concerned about ticks getting on Chance, and glad that Far Guy is so good about checking dear Chance several times a day, and that there is an antibiotic that takes care of the situation. Please keep us posted on how Chance is doing. Thanks. We love that dog.

Shirley H. said...

We all are concerned about Chance picking up ticks and so glad that Far Guy checks him several times a day for ticks. Also very glad that there is an anti biotic to take care of the situation. Please keep us posted on how Chance is doing. We love that dog.

LindaG said...

Really glad to hear that Chance is getting better.
Our cat is not so good taking her medicine.

Do you spray anything in particular for the ticks? Just curious.

Tami Weingartner said...

I didn't know there was Frontline spray. I use the Frontline Plus and do a nightly tick check. But the spray I didn't know about.

lisa said...

I am so glad that Chance is doing better! Ticks are one nasty critter! That shot of him you did is so good!

Becca's Dirt said...

I'm so glad Chance is getting better. Gotta keep a check for ticks. They have been bad this year at my place. Worse than I've seen them in a long time. I check Buddy every time we come inside.

Anonymous said...

So thankful Chance is better and that he's good about his meds. You and Far Guy are great to be diligent about the ticks. Love to you all!

Emma Rose said...

Poor Chance. I can't even imagine how scary that is. We don't really have tick's here, thank goodness. I hope he is all better soon. Maybe he should come to Oregon and live with me at the castle! I will trade Mister Higgins for him OK?

LOL :)

Kisses,
Emma Rose

Gail said...

I know ticks don't like garlic.

I am so glad Chance is okay.

Lynda said...

Praise God that Chance is responding to the antibiotics. It is so scary what a little bug can do to animals and people. Hopefully that medicine isn't messing up Chance's stomach. I am so glad you all were attentive to his behavior.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Linda G, We used Scotts Ortho Home Defense Max to spray the perimeter of our lawn..it is supposed to kill ticks but is safe around pets.

Tami W..hey! Good to see you! Yes I got a Frontline Spray from the Vet that we spray on a gloved hand and then work into Chances fur at the top of his head and on his chest..that seems to be an area that the Frontline that we put on once a month doesn't quite handle. I wish that there was some alternative to chemicals..but so far I haven't found anything that works. I saw some dogs the other day just covered in ticks.:(

Linda said...

I'm glad Chance is feeling better too and he's a trooper about chowing down on "horse" sized pills.

L. D. said...

One feels so helpless when an animal gets sick. I am glad you knew what it was and that the medicine is making him feel better. It is tough to have a long haired dog as you never know what is going to get into the fur and the creatures that bite are bad.
Take care Chance and get better.

Anonymous said...

The ticks are out in force here to. We use X Spot and it really does keep them away.

So glad Chance is feeling better.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I am so glad he is doing better. I know how you love your little dog and to have them sick is just horrible. I'm glad he is better.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com