[pinkme]

We recently moved to "the country", here in southern VA. We have hay/cow fields behind us and infront of us. Our mini dachshund grew up on a farm in MD and is a tuff little critter, and besides the run in with the gound hog (and the fox, twice), hasn't ever had a problem as a country dog. So no skin problems EVER.
Since we have moved into this house, she has gotten welts over most of her body, that seem to itch like the dickens. We have new carpet, and thought it might be causing the issue. However, they seemed to go away for 2 weeks.

Yesterday, she came inside covered in welts, scratching and has a very swollen ear (lobe). I have found these tiny, pepper corn sized bugs crawling on her, and me. Someone mentoned field ticks? But I have no idea what they are! Would they cause the itchys and how do I treat them? What other causes are there?

[FrenchFrytheEqHorse]

I would take her to the vet.

[Funckyfilly]

Sounds like seed ticks. Some animals are allergic to their saliva. Frontline or Advantix should help. Ask the vet what they recommend.

[LauraKY]

Sound like deer ticks. Keep an eye out for Lyme symptoms and have the vet check her over really well. We had to use Frontline + Preventic collar for ours when we lived in Maryland (backed up to a state park).

Keep your fields mowed short. Ticks like long grass. If you can keep a 3 foot perimeter around your property either bare with round-up or mulched, the ticks won't migrate back in. If you want to spray, Permethrin will last for about 3 weeks.

Good luck. Watch yourself for Lyme symptoms also. There's not always a bullseye rash (at least where you can see it...sometimes on the head, under hair).

[jawa]

I'm in VA as well, and the seed ticks this year have been awful!!

One of my neighbors horses became very allergic to the bites, and then had a reaction to the fly spray, so she had someone spray a nematode on her pastures. I think the tick problem has been resolved, but still having issues with flyspray sensitivity.

Best of luck!

[wildlifer]

Ewie, seed ticks. I HATE them. Is she on Advantage or somesuch? Frontline doesn't do a darn thing, so if you have that, switch. My horse gets an allergic reaction to tick bites like that, nasty pus-y welts.

[spook1]

As someone else said watch yourself for ticks and Lyme. I got bit 2 yrs ago and have Lyme and it..........Sucks! My body hurts !

[pinkme]

Thanks guys! Yeah, she is on interceptor (sp?) and advantix (sp? again), as recommended by the old vet in MD.

They are even smaller than deer ticks, like half their size (yeah, that tiny!). I meant ground pepper, not pepper corns, b/c that's way bigger than these buggers. They have a brownish tint.

We are guilty of having the grass a bit too long, so sounds like we better keep on top of that. Im hesitant to spray the grass b/c I am pregnant, and am afraid it will unavoidably get on the dog, and on to me.

Do they die in water like regular ticks? Will a good scrubbing in the tub (she loves the water, so its not a problem) kill the present ticks (if they are ticks)? When she was itch free she was swimming every day in the lake, now that I think about it!

[Tamara in TN]

I have found these tiny, pepper corn sized bugs crawling on her, and me. Someone mentoned field ticks? But I have no idea what they are! Would they cause the itchys and how do I treat them? What other causes are there?

first get duct tape...heavy grey duct tape and put the sticky side to the ticks...on you and her

next don't set foot outside w/o OFF bug spray on your feet legs

for a quick "field test" drag a white pillow case slowing around you year and see what kind of ticks latch on

get a back spot treatment for the dog as well

Tamara in TN

[ddb]

I've never heard of seed ticks - google is my next stop.

I'll throw out chiggers - if it been dry they can be an issue.

[LauraKY]

Seed ticks are tick nymphs. And they can transmit disease. The entomologists at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland wear boots, socks up over their pants and duct tape wrapped around the sock/pant junction when they are out in the fields during a tick survey. I think I might be keeping the dog out of the field. Tick borne diseases are nothing to mess with, I found out first hand.

If you cut the grass quite short and keep the perimeter sprayed it should help. There is also a tick management system called Max Force Tick System. It is a bait system that applies insecticide to rodents who are interim hosts for ticks. Works very well, but takes about a year to be completely effective.

[wildlifer]

Permethrin is also lethal to ticks, so whatever spray you use, make sure that is in there.

Generally, ticks do not transmit disease until they begin feeding, which is about 24 hours after attachment. Which is why you never want to squeeze a tick or put anything on it once it has already attached, as this will agitate it and squeeze nasty diseases into your bloodstream. Seed ticks can be VERY hard to see on your body though, so be THOROUGH. I'm pretty sensitive to ticks so generally start itching the second they bite, or even just when they are crawling, but they are SNEAKY!

ETA -- You can also get Permanone spray, it works VERY well. But it should never be sprayed on skin, use only on fabrics to create a bug barrier.

[pinkme]

How do I get these ****ers off!? I gave her a good bath last night, the country he-man DH said soak her ear in alchohol let dry and coat with cortizone cream and they would dry up and fall off (yeah right! Didnt work, but I did try it). So it is now 1:30 am and I just have a very sad itchy wiener dog. I called the vet, who cant see her untill later in the week (Friday afternoon) b/c she is a new Pt and needs a long visit, unless we would like a $500 doggy ER fee. HELP!?

[StGermain]

Frontline isn't doing much for fleas anymore (for me, at least), but it is still good for killing ticks. I'd try that.

StG

[LauraKY]

Take the dog to the groomer and get a tick/flea bath. Cheaper than an emergency vet call. Maybe another vet would be more available and reasonable?

And it takes several hours to ticks to drown. Alcohol will kill them, though. Don't squish them!

[MelanieC]

If you Frontline her the ticks should start falling off.

Be sure to check yourself too in all the warm spots -- that's where they like to go. Unfortunate but true.

[pinkme]

Thanks guys! I soaked her ears in Alchohol (it was from mid ear to end of ear), and gave her a scrub down with selsum blue at 2am, and have my mother in MD overnighting her frontline. She is still a bit itchy from the bites but not going nuts like last night.
Poor DH thought I had gone crazy, I mean who washes their dog at 2am? I even, at one point begged him to drive 30min away to a 24/7 walmart to get tick shampoo. He mummbled something and rolled over!