Ticks of the Trade

The Common Horse Tick

Welcome back everyone!

I'm sorry I haven't blogged in so long. As many of my followers know, I am a college student, and I have been very busy with school, work, and free lance work! All good news!

Today, let's talk about ticks of the trade!

As many of you know from first hand experience, ticks were extremely bad this year. If there's one thing I can't stand more than a deer fly, it's a practically microscopic blood sucker.

Different horses react differently to tick bites. Some have little to show for a bite, and the insect often goes unnoticed. Others will start to itch the location of the bite, giving a signal to the bipeds in their lives that something is amiss. Then there are those like my mare.

When Lucky gets a tick, she swells up in an hour or less, completely hiding the tick that is attached to her with a hard knot. While some would expect this degree of swelling to cause pain, the truth is, she will scratch her skin off in minutes if she gets the chance. In this sort of a situation, there are two huge concerns. 1) Get the tick off. 2) Heal the wound she has created.

1) GET THE TICK OFF!

While this may seem like a simple task, it isn't. When a horse's body decides it is going to encompass an attack, it makes removing it very difficult. And most importantly, DON'T FORGET THE HEAD. While you may feel confident that you have hold of the ticks body, you have to be cautious when pulling. Especially when a high degree of swelling is involved, it is not uncommon for you to pull and get the body, and leave the head attached. When this happens, the infectious suckers are still deep in the horse's hide. My personal treatment for this crazy situation is a drawing salve, known as Ichthammol. This substance smells like motor oil and grease, but IT WORKS!!!! And, helpful fact, it can be used on humans too. This ointment will pull out infection, and small objects. SO, next time you have a splinter, rub a little on, and be amazed. I caution people when using this in tick season, because it is usually hot. When the jar heats up in the sun, the result is a gooey mess, so wear gloves.

2) HEAL THE WOUND!

Now that you have used Ichthammol to draw out the beginning of any infection and the tick, it's time to kick into healing overdrive. Even when ticks bite in random areas, like the tail, it can cause enough discomfort to not only irritate your horse, but also to ruin your ride. Let's use the tail example shall we? I use this because it is typically one of the worst damages Lucky does to herself as a result of a tick infestation. The average situation involves a swollen area all along her vulva, oozing yellow infected puss, and scrapes where she has worn away her hair and often, her skin. This wound releases a lot of heat, and is a pain to treat. The biggest issue is keeping it treated without making it itch more. This can prove difficult, and every horse is different. Lucky's care includes a mixture of Furazone, Ichthammol, and Bag Balm. If possible, you will want to wash the tail and buttocks regions, because having these ointments smeared all over creates quite the mess.

Lastly, keep an eye on your horse. Even though ticks are common, you never know when one bite may trigger a more serious reaction. There is controversial evidence supporting both sides of the horse Lyme disease argument. Some scientists claim horses can't get the illness from ticks, and other stand firm that it is a concern. One thing is for sure, they can become very ill with

equine piroplasmosis, which affects the red blood cells.

As we draw close to fall, a different wave of ticks will arise, and you will find yourself out in the field, searching your horses over for pesky insects. Stock up on the ointments you need so when the ticks of the trade strike, you'll be ready and armed!