Friday, November 13, 2009

Foul Ticks

Yesterday night John discovered an engorged deer tick on Ike’s neck. The bite location was swollen and there was/is a perfect red circle around it. ARGH!!! Last night I was thinking Lyme disease.


This morning I called the vet. The red circle is more likely an allergic reaction than a sign of Lyme disease. Dog’s do not typically display the red bull’s eye rash that humans do. It’s just odd as Ike has never had a reaction like that and it is so perfect and so red.

This is followed by about a week and a half of Ike acting really weird. He has been running hot and panting a lot, choosing odd locations to rest (like the bathroom – a Buggie location), being super needy, and jumping the 24” baby gate repeatedly (he jumps 12” in competition). All adds up to Ike being odd.

I have a vet appointment on Monday. Ike was treated for Lyme about 5 years ago and hasn’t been treated or tested since. He has muscle-tested positive for an active Lyme infection multiple times and was treated with a nosode.

The vet actually suggested we do a more complete blood panel. I am not really sure what to do. I will at a minimum do a C6 and depending upon the $$ of more extensive tick panels I might do one. Fortunately I have an appointment on Tuesday with my homeopathic vet already scheduled. Dr. F recently changed Ike’s constitutional remedy, so we need to follow-up and see how he is doing.

I am off to Northampton shortly. Bug, Carmen, and I are staying at a friend's house and trialing in South Hadley tomorrow. The trial is at an equestrian center - very convenient since the forecast for tomorrow is rain! I think we are seeing some of Ida.

9 comments:

Sam said...

Hope the bite is no big deal. Poor guy!

Best of luck at your upcoming competition. I always thought running inside an equestrian center must be cool.

Diana said...

Good luck this weekend. I hope Ike feels better soon. Diana

Lindsay said...

Good luck at the trial!

Sara said...

Poor Ike. Ticks are the worst, especially this time of year. I've pulled several off my dogs, and one off myself this year.

Good luck this weekend.

Tiffany said...

Good luck tomorrow! I live right by south hadley!! Is this at Mt Holyoke College?

Holly said...

Good luck this weekend!!!

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

ooh ticks scare me, hope that turns out to be no big deal. GOOD LUCK at your trial.

ann-and-partner said...

I hope Ike is feeling better soon.

Jules said...

Tiffany, Yes, it was at the Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center.

Ike's CVH (homeopathic vet) says the it is a classic cutaneous inflammatory response to any tick bite or similar trauma. Ike has just never responded like that!