Tick Terror

These little things are just disgusting. They are really a problem in South Florida, and definately the terror of the dog park. I keep checking Booker for ticks, but I have been looking for big ones, the kind that I used to pull out of my dog Flagon, when we lived in Paris. They got to be the size of a watermelon seed.

Actually, we used to stick watermelon seeds on our skin and scream "TICK" ... that's the size of the ticks I am accustomed to.

Here, in south Florida, the ticks - the male ones - are tiny, like a speck of black pepper. Now this presents a real challenge, because I need readers just to see the computer screen. Imagine trying to find a miniscule, insidious tick when you can't see black block letters on a white screen, right in front of your face. Now I have to refine my search, buy the strongest magnifiers, and check for tiny little terrors. I need to stock up on alcohol, hone the tweezers, get a flea/tick collar and make this a daily ritual. I do not want these things in my house. It makes my skin crawl just thinking about them.

Booker is on K9Advantix as prescribed by our vet. But he has had some suspicious bumps. And he continues to scratch, like only a hound dog can scratch. I don't have a problem pulling them out, but I have to find them first. I really am buying stronger readers.