Undereye Ticks on Duck - W/ PICS

[Lizzy456]

When I let the ducks out this morning I noticed something weird about one of their eyes. Turns out she has clusters of ticks around her eyes. I have had this happen before, but there were only a few that I was able to pick off with my fingers. From most of the posts I see on ducks and ticks, they should not even have this problem. My ducks have access to a large kiddie pool that is big enough for them to swim in, and they have a shallow 'birdbath'-like container that they splash and preen in.

(Photo quality is not as good as I wanted, but yes those are all ticks under her eye.)

Right now the ticks are too small for me to get with my fingers, and I'm nervous about using tweezers so near her eyes. The other eye is pretty bad too:

I'm at a loss of how to handle this, and I'm afraid if they stay there too long she could get an infection. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[casportpony]

Are they ticks or stick tight fleas? And where do you live?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I would consider using something like Ivermectin pour on or maybe a permethrin product..

But I see ya got casportpony's attention... she will direct you well.

 

[Lizzy456]

Are they ticks or stick tight fleas? And where do you live?

They are definitely ticks, I managed to remove a couple and there's no doubt. I live in central Florida, near Tampa.

 

[casportpony]

I would consider using something like Ivermectin pour on or maybe a permethrin product..

But I see ya got casportpony's attention... she will direct you well.

I've had a couple with stick tight fleas that I've experimented on. Ivermectin doesn't treat stick tight fleas, but 0.5% permethrin does.

When 0.5% permethrin spray is applied directly to the affected areas the fleas die almost immediately, and in the next 2-3 days most fall off. Those that don't fall off can be scraped off with a fingernail.

Spray should be applied to other areas of the body too, like under wings, vent and the back.

 

[casportpony]

They are definitely ticks, I managed to remove a couple and there's no doubt. I live in central Florida, near Tampa.

Try the permethrin and see how that works.

 

[Miss Lydia]

She'll have to rub the Permethrin on these around the eye right? probably wouldn't be a good idea to use the spray?

 

[Lizzy456]

Try the permethrin and see how that works.

Thank you for replying. Since it's a spray, will it be harmful if it gets in her eye? If not, could you maybe recommend somewhere good to buy it from?

 

[casportpony]

She'll have to rub the Permethrin on these around the eye right? probably wouldn't be a good idea to use the spray?

The powder didn't work when I tried it, so now I apply the spray directly to the affected areas around the eyes using a small syring or q-tip.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is how I use to treat my dogs always something small like q tip or cotton around the face area.