Ticks

[horsestache1]

Whats the easiest way to get the blighter off my horses

[lilacben]

go to your vet and get a tool they sell to get them off. it is like a two prong stick which you slide up either side of the tick and rotate it round and round, the whole of it will come off. Don't try any other way as yoy may leave the head in which will cause an infection. Brenda

[wii man]

Since humans can get diseases from ticks, it is best not to remove the tick with your bare fingers. Use either tweezers or a tick removal instrument.

To safely remove a tick:

Try using an alcohol swab, which may irritate the tick and cause it to loosen its grip.
Grab the tick with the tweezers where the mouth enters the skin. Do not grab it by its body.
With a slow steady pull, remove the whole tick without twisting it as you pull.
Deposit the tick in alcohol to kill it.
Clean the area with a disinfectant and apply an antibiotic.
Wash your hands thoroughly.
Swelling and skin irritation may occur after the tick is removed. This is a reaction to the toxic saliva of the tick, not due to the head remaining in the wound (which rarely happens if you grasp the head of the tick during removal).

[wii man]

sorry if mine is wrong i copied it from the internet. joe age 12

[horsestache1]

Thanks all, will get the tick removing device from the vets.

The best way I've found of removing the bugg*rs is to hold with tweezers and burn their bum with a cigarette. the heat makes them release their hold. It works great, but I've recently given up smoking and cant get anywhere near a smoke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[wii man]

use something else with a hot end then like a match or birthday candlel. the latter if you are desperate

[Goofy]

we use meths on the little blighters - and wait a while before removing. Sometimes 2 doses and they basically fall off with a bit of help from tweezers.

[genius2006]

get a big lump of vaseline an dollop it on the tick, it then suffocates an pull it out harm free, swing a bit of the old antiseptic on, an ya horse is as good as new

[flitz@blitz]

Spray Front-line on the tick, it will drop off in a while.