[CN: Ticks]
It was not cold enough for long enough here this winter
it was not cold enough for long enough
I don't think we've really had a tick problem in the yard before
But this year Mikey has carried one in on his fluff at least once a week for the past month
He's on a preventive course of medication but those drugs aren't suitable for the humans in the house
And of course there's the body horror factor
Mom in particular is viscerally disturbed by ticks, so when I spotted one crawling towards me on the bedding this morning I knew I needed to strip the whole bed and check the dog and myself
Mikey didn't like being checked, it frightened him and he tried to fight me. /face in hands
yargh!
Which he knew he shouldn't do
So when I plopped him on the ground so I could strip the bed
He was convinced it was a Consequence
aw buddy.
Now he's back on the bed and the GOOD mom and dad smells are gone and he's depressed
Just lying there. Resignedly.
And I've got the creepy crawlies despite my own check
oh ew D:
And also at least five loads of laundry to do
Fucking fuck fucking ongoing climate disaster barreling down on us fucking TICKS that aren't being CULLED by the WINTER
transilience - I feel so bad for him! He hates being nitpicked by anyone, especially anyone not Mom and it's in no way his fault!
And now his high concentration comfort smells are not here
our cats also get ticks but I don't think I've had one in my bed before
transilience also clearly I need to work harder at making that kind of touch ok
Frigging maltese LOYALTY ONLY TO ONE (1) HOOMIN. MY HOOMIN. SPECIFICALLY. Tendencies. I get why that was a useful thing to select for, and most social animals can get like that but
I can't actually vanish under the drift ice for an hour or so
but darn if it doesn't sound good right now
DRIFT ICE WOULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM
mistakesweremade: IT WOULD SWEEP IT AWAY MERCILESSLY
...Mikey let me check him for ticks once
Politely if not happily, holding still
But the second time he ran away from me and hid under the bed
Hellooooooooo incipient stress headache
Got him! Checked him!
...he took a treat and hid under the bed again
...and he's out again
What a weird animal
Agh, my worst fear.
anothersadsong - :< I am sorry!
OK I can't check him every time, he's hiding every time he thinks he might get checked and he's too smart/silly - right now he's decided he gets checked before he goes on the bed, so he's hiding under the bed in hopes I'll forget - but *what if he makes the connection to outside? That would be really bad
/face in hands
Welp. I should probably talk to Mom.
Haha, no worries. I also would not like getting checked for ticks so I understand his reticence to be found.
NO he says. Who said you could touch MY TAIL???
Mom had strategies!
Honestly this makes me glad I had a half-Beagle. Toby's beagle half said everything was okay as long as whoever was doing things brought food to share. You have food? You are Toby's new bestest bud.
Beagles are absolutely fantastic that way. I love their sniffy little noses and their massively social brains