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 call reverse.

They seem to think ticks are like fleas? Ticks won't infest their house or breed in their carpets, they've totally gone overboard with the ridiculous performative cleaning, the ticks would have just died anyway.

Obviously it's not ideal but tbh they don't know that the ticks even came from your dog. They're being way OTT.

Mind you we live in rural Ticksville, I've had to remove them from my DC before we even had a dog and we keep a tick removal tool in the car and house! So maybe I'm just less freaked out by them than people who encounter them less often.

Also, we don't use spot on for the environmental reasons mentioned above. Our dog is treated with an oral tablet instead which seems to mostly do the trick though she does still get the odd tick. It's really no big deal though!

@Dogowne91 Ticks are kind of unavoidable here

Yet, despite that, you can’t be fucked to tick treat your dog? Wow.

Let me guess, he was a Covid lockdown dog, the first dog you’ve owned…

This may be my misunderstanding, but I thought that tick treatment kills the tick if they do bite, but doesn’t prevent them jumping onto the dog’s fur? I’ve also got a retriever and live in tick central - we’re always up to date on his treatment but invariably after a walk or a potter in the garden (especially when the grass hasn’t been mowed) we’ll find one. It’s not unusual for us to take 3 or 4 a day off him.

Are their dogs dark coloured? With a golden ticks are very easy to spot as they’re so pale so they could have missed ones on their dogs.

Why don't you regularly treat your dog for fleas, worms and ticks?

Oh god the drama! It's just a tick. Life involves insects. Trust me, we don't want to live in a world without them.

I am interested in this what were his symptoms and how was he diagnosed?

It shouldn't be up to THEM to ask-YOU should-if a responsible dog owner-treat your dog every month (or whatever frequency the meds you choose requires). How can you NOT know about the dangers of ticks for both human and animal health?

My friend once asked me to look after her two puppies for two weeks - no problem, I’m an experienced dog owner. One of the puppies it turns out was on heat, bled everywhere, a nightmare to walk, her puppy brother had to be kept away, and we had to go out and buy period knickers for dogs, which was a nightmare. I was cross with her.

Agree about the spot on treatments - we've stopped using this too, for environmental reasons and also because I can't imagine it's very good for the dogs and us as owners.

I think this is very irresponsible of you! You've just been letting your dog that has no tick or flea prevention wonder around everywhere and inside people's houses. If you were the reason ticks got inside my house I would end the friendship or at least need to take some space.

They assumed that because most responsible dog owners treat their dogs.

Why have you never done it? Are you intending to now?

I would be so furious I wouldn't want to be your friend any more!

You can get chewable tablets that last three months for dogs. It doesn't have to be a spot-on treatment.

A regular flea, wormer and tick treatment is surely basic pet ownership - I would assume any reasonable dog owner would do this and it wouldn't cross my mind to check. I would be seriously pissed off if a dog I was caring for in my home hadn't been treated so completely understand their reaction. I too would have spent similar time cleaning & treating my home if I found them so you at least owe them a big apology and a bunch of flowers plus offer to reimburse any expenses they incurred sorting your dog or their home.

Loving your dog is not just about cuddles and feeding! It's about providing proper healthcare for them too.

It would be interesting to know if these ticks they found were alive on your animals, dead (having fallen off their treated animals) or alive, engorged and fallen off your untreated animals because it makes a difference.

If they were dead, it means they have jumped onto their treated animals and died as a result and your critter is out of the frame.

I think your dog needs a better owner tbh. You’re not being responsible at all. Poor thing must be riddled and you don’t seem to give a fuck, nor about your friends.

’level of drama’. I bet they wish they hadn’t bothered helping you.

You have caused them-responsible dog owners-a huge amount of work and hassle. No wonder they are furious.

Drama 😂😂 Let OP bring her tick, flea, worm ridden dog round to your house, see how you feel then. Just remember, she won’t pay your cleaning or vets bills coz she doesn’t give a fuck. Mind, sounds like you don’t either 🤷‍♀️

I think the anger they are feeling is at least half based on your under reaction. You have dismissed the trouble they have gone to and minimised all the cleaning etc.

You seem to be looking for support for your view that they are being dramatic. You haven't mentioned a heartfelt apology with a gift and cash reimbursement.

I'd dump you as friends.

Ewwww and this is why dogs shouldn’t be allowed in cafes. Your dog almost certainly has worms if you don’t do a regular treatment 🪱 are gross and different parasites can cause horrible diseases in people have a quick google of round worm.
But I’m wondering if this is a reverse too, because your reaction doesn’t seem real….you should be apologising profusely, and definitely make sure you pay for the tick prevention meds, they’re not cheap, especially for a larger dog like a goldie.
also have a quick google of the pathogens ticks carry, they’re really are horrible little blood suckers! Then again I’m not mad keen on most arachnids, particularly ticks 🕷️!

If they didn’t have ticks before, and have never suffered from ticks, then I can see why it wouldn’t be an issue for you

But that’s not the case, as OP says the dog does usually get ticks and they just ‘pick them off’. So the dog does get ticks, they just can’t be bothered to prevent this and would prefer the dog took its chances😳. Not exactly pet owners of the year even though they ‘care for them in every other way’, which is highly doubtful if they can’t even bother with something this simple.

It’s also poor form to use the argument ‘but they didn’t ask so we didn’t lie’. The poor people probably assumed they were normal pet owners who do the bare basics.

Your responses are really odd OP. It's like refusing to get car insurance because you've never had an accident. A worm/flea treatment is a minimum; I've moved in to a tick area and now do the monthly Canitrio. It's not cool to refuse to mitigate risk.