[Possum]

We have found a large tick just above the eye of one of our geese. He seems quite lethargic and may be having difficulty seeing out of the affected eye.


I have been able to remove the body of the tick with tweezers but not the mouth parts. There seems to be masses of very small ones in the surrounding feathers. He will not tolerate me pulling them off. I have smothered them in Vaseline as I know there is a theory that it suffocates them.


Has anyone else had a similar experience, and what else should I be doing?

[Fleecewife]

For a couple of pounds you can get from the chemist a special tool for removing ticks properly, including the mouthparts. Also available online.  Left in they will cause infection and an abscess.  Because the ticks are close to the eye, you would risk damaging it were you to use some of the old tricks like surgical spirit which sometimes make them reverse out, or touching with a cigarette end which should have the same effect.  The special tool is by far the best thing to use, and you should also carry one in your own first aid kit for ticks on people.
You would need to wrap him in a giant bath towel, like you would wrap a cat for giving worm pills, with his feet, wings and neck controlled, preferably with a helper.

[Anke]

tbh, if this goose is still growing (and not for immediate eating I mean) I would just go to the vets with her and get them to either inject an ivermectin or use spot-on or similar. You won't know where else there may be loads of them. And also check out others...

[Possum]

Update - I was able to remove the three smaller ticks this morning, so maybe the Vaseline really did suffocate them. There was a small area of inflamed skin but otherwise the goose seemed much more comfortable.


I phone the poultry vet for advice. She said no immediate need for antibiotics unless inflammation got worse. Advised twice daily cleaning with salt water. Also said that if the head had been left in, the tick can re-grow! A bit of careful observation needed..........