Deer Tick

[Ponylove]

Hi all! First time horse owner here... last night my husband and I noticed a large lump on Max’s neck. Low and behold a big fat engorged deer tick. The tick was dead.. We worm Max with Ivermectin every 2 months. Just last week he was due to be wormed.. I am wondering if the ivermectin killed the tick? I’m very concerned about lime disease so we will be contacting our vet. Has anyone here had similar experiences? I am very worried about our poor boy Max. I uploaded a picture of the tick i believe is a deer tick.

 

[Cayuse]

I have had the same thing happen (dead tick after worming) with the ivermectin. I'm not sure if it was a coincidence or not!
Odds are that your little guy will be OK. Just keep an eye out for any changes in his attitude. I had a pony with Lyme and her symptoms were intermittent lameness, weight loss, and lethargy.
Not to freak you out, but there is another tick born illness that is common in horses and it is called Anaplasmosis. The symptoms vary but usually include swollen legs and a VERY high temp. I just thought I would mention it as I have had two different ponies come down with it and if you live in tick country its good to know about it.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I think it depends on where you live. In Oklahoma, Lyme disease is not common.
I am seeing quite a few ticks on my boys this November. I had to take them out of their large pasture, which has tall grass, and confine them to a mowed area. The deer are thick around here; I'm sure they are all loaded with ticks. I'm glad it is hunting season right now. I think the bag limit should be raised.
I've found dead ones on my horses before, but I can't remember if it was after using ivermectin, but I remember wondering why that blood sucker was dead.
A question to ask my vet.