# Bugs on my Puppy!!!



## aly6677 (Sep 1, 2009)

We just got a puppy yesterday. He is an Alaskan Malmute, and Golden retriver mixed. We bought Flea and tick shampoo just to be safe and gave him a bath. Well today I noticed him scratching some. Not a whole lot just every now and then. When I looked in his fur, I saw nothing. No bugs, black spots, nothing. About an hour or so later Iwas scratching his belly and I noticed about 5 small redish brownish bugs about the size of a little ant. I grabbed a couple, but the others ran off into his fur. I do not think these are fleas at all. They are not black or small like fleas are. My mom saw them and said the same, that they are not fleas, but she is not sure what they are. I would like to have this taken care of! Please help me someone!!!!!

Alyson


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## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

Hmm... ticks maybe?


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## pittsabowawa (Jul 26, 2009)

sounds like ticks to me. you want to find them and pick them off with tweezers to make sure you get the head (which digs into the skin) Many flea shampoos dont work for ticks (or fleas for that matter) the best thing you can do is get K9 advantix and start putting it on him monthly. Unless you buy from a groomer or vet I don't know of a commercial flea and tick shampoo that works well and many can give your dog skin irritations. If you use a regular shampoo and go over your dog with a flea comb (i know it will be harder bc im sure your pup has thick fur) it will really help to pick out the fleas.


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## aly6677 (Sep 1, 2009)

Thanks for the advice. I will take him to the vet to see what she says! I hope I rid this problem soon! Do ticks jump from animals? I have a kitten here also!!!


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

no ticks do not jump. they are slow crawling bugs but they can fall off and climb onto another host


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## pittsabowawa (Jul 26, 2009)

aly6677 said:


> Thanks for the advice. I will take him to the vet to see what she says! I hope I rid this problem soon! Do ticks jump from animals? I have a kitten here also!!!


not that i know of.. they tend to just dig in and be happy where they are... however if he scratches a tick off then the tick could get on you or the kitten but ticks can't jump from one animal or the other.. they usually come off trees or other plants when the animal passes them.. not by jumping.


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## aly6677 (Sep 1, 2009)

I am being told by my husband, mom, and neighbor that I am freaking out over nothing. I never had a puppy befor. I dont know. I am scared, I dont want Arrow (my pup) to be in pain, or anything. Also I do not want a house full of bugs!!! Am I freaking out over nothing? Or is this serious??


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

Keechak said:


> no ticks do not jump. they are slow crawling bugs but they can fall off and climb onto another host


The ones around here jump pretty good.


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## pittsabowawa (Jul 26, 2009)

aly6677 said:


> I am being told by my husband, mom, and neighbor that I am freaking out over nothing. I never had a puppy befor. I dont know. I am scared, I dont want Arrow (my pup) to be in pain, or anything. Also I do not want a house full of bugs!!! Am I freaking out over nothing? Or is this serious??


all new owners have a slight tendency to freak out.. however bugs like ticks and fleas can cause serious problems so imo its better to be overly cautious than not.


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## aly6677 (Sep 1, 2009)

Thanks so much for all the advice. I am sure I am exagerating a little bit, but I already love him so much! I really like this site, by the way! I think I will be visiting very often!! Very nice people on here!!!


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

Marsh Muppet said:


> The ones around here jump pretty good.


 magical jumping ticks.. what species do you guys have? I've nevr heard of ticks being able to jump before


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

Keechak said:


> magical jumping ticks.. what species do you guys have? I've nevr heard of ticks being able to jump before


I live in the deer tick (and poison ivy) capital of the world, so maybe our ticks are evolutionarily advanced, due to the intense competition for mammal juice. I never thought they could jump, but I have had them land on me while standing on pavement, a few feet from the tall grass. There were no overhanging trees from which they could have dropped down. Nobody could have been more surprised than I was.


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