Tick identification and advice, please (Icky PIC warning!)

16 years ago

I've never had a tick experience before. I've never SEEN a tick before. I didn't even know we had them around here.

Our cats, Gilbert and Sullivan, are indoor cats. The thing is, they don't know that. They're fast and sneaky, and occasionally they scurry out the door when they get a chance. Sullivan is a bit of a chicken and sticks in our yard. He's always back within a few minutes. When Gilbert gets out, though, he is usually gone for a day or two before he returns.

About two weeks ago, I first noticed this thing on Gilbert's shoulder. I inspected it closely and in my naivete I thought it was a skin tag! I looked it up online and found that yes, cats can have skin tags. I decided to leave it alone and keep an eye on it in case it was a skin cancer or something. I've checked on it several times since then. It looked like a shell-less sunflower seed sticking out of his skin.

Today when I checked on it, I was inspecting the base - it looked to be attached by a very tiny thread _ I wondered if it would just pick off. Well when I gave it a gentle pick with my fingernail, I saw legs start to wiggle! Ug! Ick! Ew! I flipped out and called Claude at work for advice. I don't know why I didn't see the legs before - I have looked very closely several times, and moved it around gently, but saw no wiggly legs.

I looked up ticks online and sure enough, found one that looked just like this thing. I gathered my courage (yes, I'm a wuss) and used tweezers, like I read I should do, and pulled it straight out and plunked it in a cup of rubbing alcohol. I cleaned the site on Gilbert's skin thorougly and inspected it before putting an antibiotic ointment on it. I couldn't see any tick bits left behind.

This little guy looks quite decapitated though, doesn't he? I took pictures so I could get a better look at it to be sure. What should I do now? I'd like to avoid a trip to the vet if possible ($85 just for the consulation!), but of course I'll bring him in if it's necessary. From everything I've read, ticks don't usually stay on an animal as long as this one did.

I'll appreciate any advice, and does anyone have any idea what type of tick it is?

Thanks!

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Comments (8)

Mystical Manns
16 years ago
It is a headless tick, that's for sure!

Keep an eye on the spot, and if you notice any swelling or discoloration of the skin, then take him in. Otherwise, he should be ok. I couldn't afford to take our furkids in every time they get a tick. We use Frontline on our dogs, which kills the ticks, but not until after they've bitten the dogs.

If you've never run into a tick before, your area may not be prone to Lyme disease. That's the main concern at this point.
Jasdip
16 years ago
Hi Nicole,
A girl was on tv recently showing viewers how to check for ticks in their dogs' ears. She has a Golden Retr. and she parted his hair in his ears and used tweezers and pulled it straight out and squished it in a kleenex.

I wouldn't have thought of cats getting them either!

You are a brave girl indeed!
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nodakgal
16 years ago
Looks like a dog tick, but I am not too up on ticks!

My DB had a black lab years ago and he would come in with ticks that you couldn't seee til they were big as sunflower seeds! (or bigger) Very gross!

I'd do what Stoney suggests. Or maybe call the vet and see if there is something you can put on the spot to get the head out. Its more than likely in there yet. Sometimes they fester up and then it will come out. I **think** peroxide draws things out? Don't know for sure though.

Here is a link that might be useful: ticks
lydia1959
16 years ago
I'd just keep an eye on the bite area. I think Nicole got all of the tick, the icky bloody stuff is part of kitty. :-(

My dog gets ticks every year, so I get a chance to pull off plenty. Sometimes they do get pretty engorged, I let DH take those off.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tick with his head
FlamingO in AR
16 years ago
Our cats get ticks all the time, except when it's really cold like this. We use Frontline on them but it won't kill the tick until it bites the cat. Or dog. I find ticks like these on the pets and on the floor or the blankets where they lie down. Usually when they're this engorged, you can almost tickle them off, it's rare to have to pull it, but regardless, it's really not a huge deal. Lydia could be correct, I've found little chunks of dog or cat in the mouth of the tick before, too. But if the tick head is still in your cat, it will probably either fester a bit and work itself out or scab over and then come out when the scab comes off. I've never had to take a pet into the vet for a tick bite, Nicole. Just clean the wound, put on some triple-antibiotic and watch it.

I'm glad you live in a place where this is rare. Here, it's an every day thing, either on the beasts or on us.
nicole_ont
Original Author
16 years ago
Oh blech yeah.... Seems like he still had his head afterall. I went and got my surgical tools (tweezers and q-tips), plucked him out of the alcohol and gave him a bath. I yanked the little chunk of Gilbert out of his mouth, and on close inspection, it looks like there's still an itty bitty head there.

So that's good news.

SHUDDER
sylviatexas1
16 years ago
yes, that's a big gray dog tick.

As Flamingo says, just clean it, maybe put some hydrogen peroxide on it, put a topical antibiotic on it, & watch it.

Their real danger is physical rather than bacteriological or viral:
in warmer regions, they used to reach epidemic populations when weather conditions were favorable;
then they could infest a dog so badly that the dog would become anemic & could die.

I haven't seen a tick epidemic in over 25 years:
fireants eat ticks.
sue36
16 years ago
Now I have the itchies! My cats don't get them because they don't get out, but DH does get them on him. I have found the best way to remove them is to get good tweezers and light a match. Let the match burn until the wood is red (use a wood match, not a cardboard one) and then blow it out. Working quickly, hold the hot end of the match near the tick (with your left hand) and squeeze and *gently* pull the tick with the tweezers in your right hand (assuming you are right handed). The heat from the match will make the tick back out just enough so you can pull it out intact. This works like a charm (learned after a few infections from tick heads). With a cat you will obviously have to have someone hold the cat and the fur aside. I would wet the fur in that area also.

I would clean the spot and watch it to make sure it doesn't get red, take him to the vet if it does.

Nasty little beasts (the tick, not the cat!).

Tick identification and advice, please (Icky PIC warning!)

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Tick identification and advice, please (Icky PIC warning!)

Comments (8)

Mystical Manns

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