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We found this weird thing on my dog What is it Help2007-11-25 2:50:11

I was petting my dog and I felt a bump. At first I thought that it was just a piece of matted fur so i squeezed it for a second and checked to see if I could untangle it but I couldn't. So I looked closer and I saw this weird thing like just a little smaller than a dime and it was tan colored. There was black stuff leaking out of it. We got all of it off. It did NOT look like a tic - but it might be one I don't know. But then when we took it off there was a huge cut and black stuff ALL OVER where the bug had been. We are taking him to the vet ASAP but we are scared for him and worried about him. We DO give him K9 Advantix and he was not overdue for it. I have no idea what it is. Is he going to be ok? I am REALLY worried. We live right around the base of a mountain but it isn't really woody at all. There are a few trees in our backyard but nothing especially wooded or unusual.

Answers:

It sounds like a tick. Ticks are usually a brownish color before they are engorged with blood, the black stuff you saw might have been blood, it turns a darker color when it comes in contact with air. The fact that you live at the base of a mountain makes me think even more that this could have been a tick. Is your dog protected against Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? These are two diseases that are transmitted to dogs from ticks and both can be really bad for your dog. Symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs may be different in each and every dog. That鈥檚 why each dog owner has to be knowledgeable about and on the lookout for a range of symptoms of Lyme disease that may include limping, usually one of its front legs, fever as high as 105 degrees, fatigue, appetite loss, and signs of discomfort or pain. There are two stages of Rocky Mountain spotted fever: Subclinical and acute. In the subclinical stage, dogs are infected, but do not show outward signs of the disease though they may have laboratory test abnormalities. These dogs may recover quickly. In the acute stage, dogs have a loss of appetite, fever, pain in the muscles and joints, swollen lymph nodes, and edema (fluid accumulation) in the face and legs. Some animals develop pneumonia or heart arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden death. Most dogs have neurological signs (dizziness, depression, stupor, seizures) and these can sometimes become very severe. These signs appear 2 to 14 days after the tick bite. The dogs may have slight anemia, a low number of platelets (platelets help blood to clot), and increased liver enzymes, as measured by a blood chemistry panel. Some dogs develop ulcerations of the mucous membranes and extremities. Since you are taking your dog to the vet save the part of the bug or whatever in a ziploc bag to show your vet. Also try and keep the cut clean and free of hair to prevent infection. Its really hard to tell for sure if its a tick or not without a picture, but I hope this helps.

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think it might be a tick

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It is very possible that it is a tick. Please keep what you cut off to take and show the vet.