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Ticks are just the icing..
Imagine this: A hairy white dog that's getting shaved because of the summer heat. Suddenly, dozens of ticks start falling on your legs along with freshly shaved fur. You initially believe it's just dirt -- really, how can you have so many tiny ticks? A look closer at the legs and you notice chunks of brown, assuming it's dirt, you start to shave that off too. You realize, in horror, there are two huge nests of baby ticks. Over three dozen are attached to each leg, sucking off the blood. You flip the dog on the back and shave it bald, only to find her stomach and chest red, irritated, and once again covered in ticks.<br><br>Disturbing, isn't it? Well that's how my Eskie's day is going.<br><br>I've given the dog a kennel dip in Happy Jacks. I plan to get some spray bottles from work later and reuse the dip water as a spray. I then plan to bathe the dog again soon with some flea & tick body wash. In probably two weeks I'll have her sprayed down with Frontline and then have her get the Advantix two weeks later.<br><br>Now this dog doesn't belong to me -- she belongs to my parents; I just take care of her as much as I can. About a month ago I noticed she was getting fuzzy in one eye and she's now blind in it. I've noticed in the last week that her respiration/heart rate is ridiculously high compared to my dog (it's at least 3x faster). Now I find out she's been infested with ticks for obviously a long while. <br><br>When I told my mom that her dog needed a tick dip NOW, my father sighed and said they'd pick it up eventually. They had other errands today, apparently more important than their dog. I guess taking a look at flooring tile is vital to survival. He thinks animal care is overrated and that I was exaggerating the severity. I wasn't willing to let her sit miserably for another couple of days, so I hurried my butt up to Tractor Supply and bought a horse trough + kennel dip. Thankfully I didn't have to call out of work again to care for their dog, but I definitely cut it close.<br><br>It bothers me to no end that the dog they 'love so much' gets treated like she's trash. I love this dog like crazy and I literally cry when I think of her getting this type of treatment. Last summer she severely injured her spine and rather than taking her to a vet, I had to treat her at home as best I could. I actually had to HIDE her inside the house because my dad doesn't allow dogs inside. She still walks funny because of that injury. She's blind in an eye but they won't spare the extra cash to get it looked at. This poor girl is going to be 11 years old in September, and there has only been one instance of her going to a vet because of an injury. One out of at least half a dozen injuries in the last two years alone, who knows how many injuries before then.<br><br>It's so unbelievably frustrating! >< If I try to tell my mother that she needs to care for her dog, it starts some giant argument because I'm "harping" on the subject. Calling AC isn't an option because their dog is human/animal aggressive and would be PTS immediately. I'll be moving across the country on the 28th and I'll be gone for 4 months.. I can only hope she'll survive while I'm gone. 
<br><br>I don't really want/need advice. There's really nothing I can do, at least not now. I love this dog more than anything else in the world. I can't rant to family because they're like my parents in their thoughts.. I just need to get this out to someone before I go insane.
<br><br>I don't really want/need advice. There's really nothing I can do, at least not now. I love this dog more than anything else in the world. I can't rant to family because they're like my parents in their thoughts.. I just need to get this out to someone before I go insane. 
On an indefinite hiatus.
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