The Tick Scare: Mika, Mae Rim and a Quiet Evening

Mika is a black and white Border Collie who is always working. In the morning she herds the chickens next door, then the motorbikes in our lane in Mae Rim, and then, if nothing else is available, my slippers. We train every day, and she waits for the first command like a student waiting for the school bell. So when she did not come to the door one evening, I knew immediately that something was wrong.

She was lying on the cool tiles with her head down. She did not touch dinner, and her ears did not move when I said her name. I felt her ears and neck and found that she was warm. Then I looked more carefully along her coat, and behind her ear I found a small grey round thing, a tick, already fat. And then another one on her belly.

I am from Germany, and in Chiang Mai I learned quickly that ticks are a serious matter. I did not panic. I took her to the clinic the next morning, with the ticks in a small bag so the vet could see them. After an examination and a blood test, the vet explained that dogs here can catch diseases from ticks, and that early treatment matters a lot. She started a course of medication and told me to bring Mika back for follow-up tests. I was not allowed to give anything on my own. I will not describe the details because every dog is different and the vet decides.

For ten days Mika was quiet, and a quiet Border Collie is the strangest thing on earth. I kept her indoors, gave her plenty of water and small meals, and sat with her in the evenings. I will never forget the first time she picked up a slipper again and carried it around like a trophy. The next test results were good, and the vet said she had recovered well.

Now we have a strict tick routine: regular preventive treatment chosen with our vet, a full body check after every walk, especially ears, armpits and between the toes, and short grass in the garden. The chickens next door are very sad that the herding is back. Mika is not. If your dog suddenly becomes tired and loses appetite in tick season, please do not wait.