At 04:17:46 on 01.09.10, wrote:
Hello. Well spring is officially here in Australia (yay!)and so are the tics (boo). Just started noticing that both the horse and goat have numerous very small soft grey tics on their muzzles. The tics are quite mobile and when squashed exude dark blood. They appear to be baby cattle tics? and look different (slightly smaller and a rounder shape) to the dark brown hard shelled tics which are also showing themselves in abundance but seemingly on less accessible parts of the body rather than the face. The round grey tics come away more easily than the flat brown ones, which are 'stuck' into the skin and require careful manual removal before dispatch. When Sienna came to me (in mid summer) she was a bag of bones infested with clumps of huge, swollen, grey cattle tics. It took 3 full months to eradicate them and treat the resultant skin infections. I don't want them back!!! Question 1 - are these different stages/sex/type of the same tic? Question 2 - does anybody know a less labour intensive method of controlling tics on horses (and goats)? Any and all suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Jac

At 03:29:15 on 24.09.10, kibby wrote:
Sorry i don't have much advice but i think the grey ones you are seeing are probably kangaroo ticks and the browns cattle..

At 04:10:14 on 24.09.10, Part Arab wrote:
Thanks kibby that makes sense...our paddock had a herd of cows in it a few months before Sienna arrived and we live amongst dairy and beef farmers, although we don't have much direct contact with them. We currently have kangaroos and wallabies galore sharing the pasture (and in the adjacent national forest) with Hope and Sienna and they often come up to and into the house yard to feed at night. Thankfully the grey tics are easier to spot in our routine grooming and much easier to remove...and don't seem to lead to skin problems around the removal spot either so things are looking up in that department. Do you have any problem with tics where you are? Do you remove manually? Jac

At 12:09:01 on 24.09.10, kibby wrote:
I haven't seen a tick on my horses ever.. But we used to get both those on the dogs.. I think its just a matter of monitoring and removing. but someone else may have some good advice.. Good luck..

At 12:18:35 on 25.09.10, Part Arab wrote:
I might try the "Outside the Box" group for some natural treatments for skin conditions. Anyway, things are looking up - only found 3 tics today and they were all fairly small and came off easily. Sienna is losing loads of hair as well as getting a comprehensive grooming each day so perhaps conditions are less favorable for tics now. Oh and we got Hope a tic collar made especially for calves and goats which seems to be working well. Thanks for your comments. Jac