Do ticks swim?

dusty&lulusmom · 04-26-2008, 07:29 PM

I have previously posted my problem with numerous ticks. My two dogs are on monthly medicine and a collar. Here is what I have noticed...both dogs walk at the state park with me on the same route. Along the way we stop at the streams...both dogs walk to the edge of water...one dog jumps right in, the other dog does not go swimming. The dog that goes swimming is coming home with an average of 10 ticks. The other dog may have one tick. I am starting to think that the ticks are coming from the water.Maybe they are falling off the trees into the water and then my dog is like a tick magnet. Any thoughts on this? If this is the problem I can resolve it by changing our swimming area to a large lake with few surrounding trees. I will try this to see if there is a difference. Do the ticks possibly prefer one dog over the other? I am also ordering the bug off garlic from Springtime Inc. that was recommended by many from this forum. I really have to get better control over this, they are a terrible nuisance.

Spicy1_VV · 04-26-2008, 07:51 PM

Yes ticks can swim, ever drop em in a toilet, if you don't flush they'll crawl right out. They don't typically swim to their victims or anything like that but I think your idea is right about the trees. They can sense their victims under trees and will drop off to try and land on them. So they could certainly be doing that to your dog who's in the water. Makes sense to me. I had one fall from a tree right onto my shirt and then another on my shoulder. I ran out from under that tree so fast and would never go under it again if I could avoid it.

agility collie mom · 04-26-2008, 08:37 PM

Yes,they do the backstroke, lol. Sorry I couldn't resist!

Malkuth · 04-27-2008, 08:48 AM

If you can stomach this read, I suggest reading it. Know your enemy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick

agility collie mom · 04-27-2008, 09:13 AM

Great article. The ticks are horrible this year. I live is SW Pa and we normally don't have a huge tick problem this early in the season. Just a thought but, I wonder if when your dog is wet the heat from his body is more intense for the ticks to sense.

dusty&lulusmom · 04-27-2008, 10:49 AM

Great article, lots of info. I think it is a great point about the dog being wet and the body temp. I never thought of this. I really have to educate myself and try to get this more under control. Luckily my dog is small and I keep him closely shaven in the summer months. This makes it easy to locate these nasty critters. I don't know if they do the backstroke but sometimes I think they are in a mini canoe just waiting for my dog to jump in.