Big lump from tick bite!

Petalpoos

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Hi All, wondering if any of you have seen more extreme reactions to a tick? I noticed this evening that there was a large (fist sized) swelling up by my mare's teats. At first I thought it was a fat lump, but realised it was all on one side and the lump felt hard. I felt what I thought was a scab from a fly bite, but on scratching / pulling it off realised it was a tick. My horses have occasionally had ticks on them before, but never with this reaction, so just wondering what is the norm re tick bite reaction? Possibly exacerbated by it being in such a sensitive area?
 

Twohorses

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I live in tick heaven (SE United States), so checking for ticks twice daily is a way of life.

1. Some horses are more sensitive than others to tick bites.

2. I already knew where the tick bite was before you mentioned the location, as the nether areas are extremely sensitive to tick bites on any horse.

3. My Arab once had a hard knot (from a tick bite) way up inside his thigh that was about the size of two walnut shells.

I doctored that lump for ten days and was just about to call the vet, when suddenly it was gone the next morning. When I say doctored, that included lancing the lump and forcing it to drain but that is not something I recommend:)

4. Buy yourself some generic hemorrhoid ointment (NOT cream). Keep the area clean and apply the hemorrhoid ointment 2X/day, carefully noticing the size and consistency of the lump.

If it does not start making progress in going down in size, I would check with your vet, given the area it is in.

Ticks are the bane of all animals existence where I live. We keep every well mowed, and bushhogged which helps. The new neighbor with chickens is what has really helped keep the tick population down:):)

Guineas are GREAT tick controllers but where I live they get gobbled up by coyotes and foxes unless they get rounded up and shut in every night.

Best of luck:)
 

OlderNotWiser

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My gelding has one near his sheath which took almost 3 weeks to fully go down/heal. When he’s bitten elsewhere it’s barely noticeable so I do think the location makes a huge difference.
 

Petalpoos

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I live in tick heaven (SE United States), so checking for ticks twice daily is a way of life.

1. Some horses are more sensitive than others to tick bites.

2. I already knew where the tick bite was before you mentioned the location, as the nether areas are extremely sensitive to tick bites on any horse.

3. My Arab once had a hard knot (from a tick bite) way up inside his thigh that was about the size of two walnut shells.

I doctored that lump for ten days and was just about to call the vet, when suddenly it was gone the next morning. When I say doctored, that included lancing the lump and forcing it to drain but that is not something I recommend:)

4. Buy yourself some generic hemorrhoid ointment (NOT cream). Keep the area clean and apply the hemorrhoid ointment 2X/day, carefully noticing the size and consistency of the lump.

If it does not start making progress in going down in size, I would check with your vet, given the area it is in.

Ticks are the bane of all animals existence where I live. We keep every well mowed, and bushhogged which helps. The new neighbor with chickens is what has really helped keep the tick population down:):)

Guineas are GREAT tick controllers but where I live they get gobbled up by coyotes and foxes unless they get rounded up and shut in every night.

Best of luck:)
Thank you Twohorses, that's very helpful. I shall see what it's like tomorrow and get the cream in! Poor thing, I was thinking vet, but will see what it's like first.
 

Petalpoos

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My gelding has one near his sheath which took almost 3 weeks to fully go down/heal. When he’s bitten elsewhere it’s barely noticeable so I do think the location makes a huge difference.
Yes, I suspect that is the case as previous bites have been on the shoulder or nexk.
 
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