Friends Upset Over Tick Situation – Are we really in the wrong?

[Dogowne91]

Hi everyone,
Would really appreciate some honest opinions on something that’s left us a bit stunned.
We just got back from a 2-week holiday and had left our dog with close friends who kindly offered to look after him. They also have two dogs, and they spent loads of time together — running around the house and their big garden, playing, sleeping near each other, out on plenty of walks, the usual.
When we picked up our dog, they told us they’d found 8 ticks in a matter of days — some on our dog and some around the house (sofa, bed, floor) which explained why they had asked if our dog was on tick prevention whilst we were away. We were honest from the beginning: he wasn’t and hasn't been for at least a couple of years. Totally our fault, just hadn’t gotten around to it. We also discovered they have treated him straight away once they discovered he wasn't up to date with it (they spoke with a vet first).
They’re clearly really upset and, honestly, we’re a bit taken aback. We obviously didn’t mean to put anyone at risk and feel bad — but also, we live in the Devon countryside where dogs are running through fields and long grass all the time and if we find ticks, we normally simply remove them from him. Ticks are kind of unavoidable here and the likelihood of Lyme disease is not that bad.
We’re now wondering… did we seriously mess up? Should we have flagged this before leaving him with them? We never thought it would cause this kind of fallout.
Would really appreciate some honest thoughts. Is this as big a deal as they are making it seem?

I'm guessing you don't vaccinate humans either? Vit C is your preferred flu prevention?

Well when I had cats before dogs I knew when there were fleas. I would know. I groom my dogs. I observe. Seriously I think a flea infestation would not be missed.

if you comb with a flea comb you’d know pretty quickly, even if you didn’t comb you’d know eventually as the flea infestation in the house would get out of control. I can confidently say my dog has never had fleas (she’s also white with very short hair which would help to see them). The cats had fleas years ago (before the dog was here), funnily enough I used to use (vet prescribed) flea treatments on the cats. Dh is also a reliable flea detector, he gets bitten really early on.

I cant get over your "lyme disease isnt a big deal" I personally know of 3 people with it and its fucking awful, life changing and life wrecking. I would assume if I was doing you the favour of looking after your pet that everything like this would be up to date and to find that it wasnt would make me equally cross. Sorry but you are very much in the wrong here you really are.

You really should. Fleas, ticks & worms are miserable for dogs, and can seriously impact their health. A flea infestation in your house can be grim, and a real pain to deal with.
I use FIPROtec flea & tick treatment - it's a liquid that you apply to their skin so easily given. Speak to your vet about worming options.

Ok - I haven’t. I live very rural. Tell me how I might have not known? Especially on dogs that have some white coat? That are groomed regularly. I don’t get how I wouldn’t know so happy to learn.

"No. No, they don't.
Responsible owners do their own reasearch and risk assess for each and every individual pet."

No I think this is a fair comment. I did used to take advice from my vets because they are people who I trust but I used to do my own research and decide on what preventative care I gave them as their age and circumstances changed. Tick prevention when they were younger, changed from fipronil to scalibor collars when one had an allergic reaction to the fipronil. Stopped vaccinations when reactivity going to the vet got worse, making the dog ill and putting the vet at risk. I mean why would you not want to do the absolute best for a beloved pet?

Well personally I wouldn’t have a flu vaccine, I’m not old enough to qualify. And yes I had the covid vaccine before you ask. I wouldn’t say I’m anti vaccine, Dd had all of hers as a kid.

But the evidence about dog vaccines is there. Both about how it’s not needed every year and the potential harm. Why would you vaccinate every year when you can have a blood test to show if it’s necessary or not? It’s lazy just to give your dog probably unnecessary chemicals every year rather than do the blood test first. If her blood test showed she needed a booster she’d have one. The blood test costs as much, I’m not doing it to save money. It would cost me more if it turned out she needed the booster.

I'm just surprised when peopleare saying their dogs never get them, I'm not saying it's impossible.

Usually there's flea dirt around the belly if there are some.

My dog also goes to the groomers every 7 weeks, they’d tell me if she had fleas. Never once have they told me she has fleas.

Then that’s even worse. You knowingly deprived them of the chance to make an informed choice - and to choose not to have your dog. “They didn’t ask” is a piss poor excuse. You should have told them very clearly upfront. They were quite right to assume that you treated your dog regularly for ticks and fleas. I mean, who doesn’t? It’s bloody irresponsible not to - and cruel to your dog too. Ticks and fleas can spread disease, quite apart from the discomfort.

Sorry to be blunt and rude, but I’m shocked by your attitude, so no wonder your friend was majorly pissed off. You owe them some money for the treatment, the trouble you caused, and the waste of their time having to go through their whole house looking for parasites your dog brought in.

I have had dogs for around 30 years and they have never had fleas. We never flea treated any of them until we moved here and then it was primarily for the tick prevention not flea prevention. In the course of my professional life, I have brought fleas home 3 times and oh boy I knew it! I am one of those people who are both attractive to biters and react badly when bitten. If my dogs had had fleas, believe me I would have known.

To be honest, I’m surprised myself that I’ve never seen a flea on any dog! But it’s true. The cats were a nightmare!

I had a tick recently and was curious about the symptoms of lyme disease. I've seen the nhs website but it would be interesting to hear form people who are getting treatment. How was it diagnosed and how did you feel health wise at the time and now? I hope your treatment is successful.

Yep, 100% team friends here. Ticks are awful, and so is Lyme disease (having had it myself). It's so easy to set up a recurring delivery of nexguard or bravecto or similar.

i wonder if you’re surprised because it’s something that’s pushed so strongly by vet practices ?

My neighbour is a dog groomer and tells me that it’s rare for her to encounter a pet dog with fleas. I haven’t ever encountered fleas and I don’t know anybody in my social circle who has.

I appreciate that’s just my experience but it makes me wonder just how prevalent fleas are for the average family pet that lives indoors. And if they are not a real risk for most dogs, why are we treating them with noxious substances so frequently ?

Did you reimburse them for the treatment?

Is this a fake post? The replies from OP are shocking to be honest. No responsibility whatsoever, meh attitude. What a shitty friend and dog owner.

until I took the decision to minimise visits to the vet because of my dogs' fear reactivity, I chose to vaccinate and not get the titration test because a fast injection was less stressful for my dog than a blood test. I come from the age when dogs could catch parvovirus and when you have seen a puppy die from it (the whole litter did) then you vaccinate! There are BSAVA research based guidelines for vaccination. Its not just done blindly. There is also emerging evidence that blood test titration testing has its limitations, can't google now as I am going out. https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WSAVA-Vaccination-guidelines-2024.pdf

No, I'm prone to getting bitten (or was when I was younger, I think I'm less tasty these days. Also worked in housing, where void properties often had fleas if there had been pets.

In fairness the source may have been cats as there tended to be both animals around.

The anti treatment folk have to understand that is a niche opinion, so the fact a small number don’t treat means you definitely should’ve disclosed it.

They’re revolting things and rife at the moment. I’d be upset too.

why even make the thread if you are just going to be so defensive and passive aggressive. You don’t even consider that you are in the wrong. you owe a massive apology. Lyme disease is so serious and can lead to life long problems. stop playing it down so much.

Are you for real. I'd be really pissed off with you. You need to be a more responsible dog owner.

I used to work in hospitals and in the community, getting people safely back home. Did you know that fleas at pupal stage are sensitive to vibration and it wakes them FAST. So you walk into a house that has been empty and your footsteps wake them up