Tickn' me Off...

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Here you go...

Since I found out we were moving to Long Island, i've been afraid of ticks.  I'm not sure why, but in the back of my mind I would imagine picking a tick out of one of my child's hair and cringing. So, when Mitch was petting our dog, Tuscan, one night and declared he thought he might have felt a tick, I instantly had chills go up my back.  Yuck!

The inspection was on.  When I thought of a tick, I imagined a tiny little black tick.  Instead, we found a big orange thing that resembled a popcorn kernel.  No way that's a tick!  Well, after a quick google search, we realized it was an engorged tick attached to our dog.  Engorged with our dogs blood.  Ewe.  After a few slips with the tweezers, Mitch was able to pull the thing out.  We doused it in rubbing alcohol just to make sure it was dizz-ead.

Now I'm really freakin' out.  I have to watch our dog for signs of Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Fever, and more.  He's been vaccinated for Lyme Disease, and now I wipe him off with a cloth every time he comes in from outside.  So far, he's looking good and acting like our normal pup.

So, if there are any downsides to living here on Long Island its the ticks.  Luckily, there are so many more perks!