How to Trick a Tick

How to Trick a Tick

 

I recently learned a fabulous new trick from Jessica, a nurse at my hospital.  I was in our treatment room preparing to remove a tick from the base of my dog’s ear.  Lucky dogs, Nellie and Quinn got to tag along with my husband and me on a recent horse camping trip. Quinnie, the more adventurous of the two returned home with a tick.  When nurse Jessica observed me in the treatment room with thumb forceps in hand (my tick removal instrument of choice), she asked, “Would you like me to show you how to spin a tick?”  I’d never heard of such a thing, but I offered forth the mighty Quinn and invited her to demonstrate.

 

Here is what Jessica did.  She placed her index finger on the tick and then rotated her finger counter clockwise in small steady circles.  I liken it to using your index finger to perform light pressure circles on the end of your nose.  Low and behold, within approximately 20 seconds the tick, completely in tact, detached itself from Quinn (my boy thought he was receiving a massage).  After performing this magic, Jessica assured me with utter confidence that it “works every time.”

 

I was thrilled by what I saw.  Not only had this “old dog” learned a new trick, I was delighted by the prospect of employing a tick removal technique that is comfortable for the patient and avoids leaving tick mouthparts behind (a source of chronic irritation for the patient).  The next time you discover a tick on your dog or cat, I encourage you to don a plastic glove (prevents tick-borne infectious diseases from entering your body via a skin crack or abrasion) and try this “spin the tick” method.  Please let me know if it works for you.  By the way, spinning clockwise or counter clockwise should do the trick!

 

 

Quinn (left) and Nellie (right).  Photo by Susannah Kay

 

 

Please visit www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. SPEAKING FOR SPOT is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.

Wishing you and your dog good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Look for us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/speakingforspot

A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross – http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?story Id=102105836

Speaking for Spot on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross

The segment I taped for NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross aired on March 19, 2009 and is now available on the NPR website – http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102105836

Please visit www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. SPEAKING FOR SPOT is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.  

 

Wishing you and your dog good health,

 

Dr. Nancy Kay

Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Look for us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/speakingforspot

Speaking for Spot on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross

The segment I taped for NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross aired on March 19, 2009 and is now available on the NPR website – http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102105836

Please visit www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. SPEAKING FOR SPOT is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.  

 

Wishing you and your dog good health,

 

Dr. Nancy Kay

Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Look for us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/speakingforspot

Speaking for Spot on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross

The segment I taped for NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross aired on March 19, 2009 and is now available on the NPR website – http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102105836

Please visit www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. SPEAKING FOR SPOT is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.  

 

Wishing you and your dog good health,

 

Dr. Nancy Kay

Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Look for us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/speakingforspot

Magic!

Magic was an incredibly smart and affectionate Rottweiler mix lovingly cared for by Matt, Shannon and their two children.  Her final years were a challenge because of diabetes and blindness.  When the quality of Magic’s life dramatically diminished and there was no hope for improvement, Matt and Shannon opted for euthanasia. Magic passed away peacefully at my hospital while lying on her favorite blue and white checkered blanket, surrounded by her doting human family members. 

 

That was just a few months ago.  When I’ve spoken with Matt and Shannon since, it has been clear that Magic’s absence has created a huge void. They and their children are all experiencing and working through their grief a little bit differently. Not surprisingly they’ve had some debates about when to consider adopting another dog.  The kids are clearly ready- Matt and Shannon haven’t been so sure, that is until they received my email about two abandoned Rottweiler mamas and their 15 mixed breed puppies (see previous blog posts at http://www.speakingforspot.com), The photos that accompanied my description of the dogs were utterly compelling to them. Not only did the appearance of the mother remind them of their Magic, the blanket she and her pups were lying on happened to be the exact same blue and white checkered blanket they’d left at my hospital with their beloved girl (keep in mind, we have literally hundreds of blankets to choose from in our hospital)!

 

Needless to say, a quick family conference determined that a puppy visit was in order.  Now Matt, Shannon, and their kids have only a few more weeks to wait before Charlie- a plump little female with German Shepherd type markings- becomes part of their family.   What a lucky puppy!

 

Some refer to such interesting life events as synchronicity.  Deepak Chopra would likely refer to this story as a “divine coincidence.”  I prefer to think of it as Magic!

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Please visit www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. SPEAKING FOR SPOT is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.  

 

Wishing you and your dog good health,

 

Dr. Nancy Kay

Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Look for us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/speakingforspot

 

Mia, Candy, and Fifteen Puppies

It has now been two weeks since two pregnant Rottweilers were abandoned at my hospital (read Victims Come in All Sizes at Spot’s blog: speakingforspot.wordpress.com).  My blog post about these two girls generated so much interest about their welfare, I feel the need to provide an update.

 

Within days of having their lives turned upside down, one of the Rottweilers (now named Mia) gave birth to ten plump, vigorous, hungry puppies- six girls and four boys.  She and her pups are receiving foster care and living the good life with Jill (one of our hospital receptionists) and her family. Jill tells me that this has been an incredible and wonderful experience for her family.  They have fallen in love with Mia (they may have trouble letting her go) and watching the puppies change day by day has been extraordinary.  Mia is the “model mom,” nurturing her pups and welcoming the companionship of her new human family. The pups have just opened their eyes and are quickly developing different personalities.  Some are calm and unobtrusive while others have become pushy, persistently demanding their mama’s attention and pushing others out of the way to get it.  The pups are named (at least temporarily) Abby, Bandit, Charli, Delilah, Ember, Freda, Giovani, Hans, Ivan, and Juno.  A few look like Rottweilers- the others clearly have mixed breed markings.  To date, six of Mia’s pups are spoken for.

 

Candy and her puppies have found a safe haven with Rottweiler maven, Linda.  Like so many others who tirelessly invest their time and money into dog rescue work, Linda opens her home and heart to Rottweilers (or Rottweiler mixed breeds) who have experienced misfortune.  Linda reports that, in the course of adapting to so many changes, Candy’s somewhat timid demeanor is giving way to a more animated, tail-wagging personality. Like Mia, Candy is also a wonderful mother.  To date, none of her pups are spoken for.  There are three boys and two girls.

 

I continue to ponder what life must have been like for Mia and Candy before I met them and why the person who cared for them felt the need to make such a drastic life-changing decision.  What I do know is that, from here on out, life is bound to be wonderful for these two gorgeous mothers and their fifteen babies.  If you have interest in adopting a Rottweiler mix pup (they’ll be ready to leave the nest in approximately 5 weeks), please contact me at dr.kay@speakingforspot.com.

 

 

Please visit www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. SPEAKING FOR SPOT is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.

Wishing you and your dog good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay

Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Look for us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/speakingforspot