Ticks!! Blech!!

[legalbeagle]

Ugh, I've had to pull off several common dog ticks off my dogs in the last 2 weeks. Worse, after a walk in the woods near here, I came home, examined both dogs and thought it was okay. NOT.
One of my dogs likes to crawl into bed with us at night sometimes. My SO awakened to something crawling on him. He leapt out bed, turned on the lights and saw a tick being eaten by a wolf spider [harmless but scary looking] in our bed!! YUCK!!! We almost couldn't go back to bed, even after changing the sheets.

Both dogs have been on REVOLUTION, the perscription topical med for two months now. It's never been this bad before, and I attribute it to the wetness, as last year the whole Eastern seaboard was in a drought and dry.

Anyone use a "Preventic"collar on their dogs? I'm getting two and putting them on the dogs in addition to the Revolution treatment which works well with fleas but allows ticks to attach and then drop off [dead] due to systemic poison. Blech!

[BostonRott]

I've heard that collars aren't super effective, and that mostly they have their affect up near the head/neck. Also, if you're planning to show the dog, tick collars make "ring around the neck."

Do you give your dogs garlic? Try a freshly chopped clove each day in their food. The theory goes that they emit an odor (that you can't smell) which the ticks/fleas don't like.

I don' t think there's any 100% sure way to keep ALL ticks off. But if you go over the dog daily, you should be ok. I've been told that it takes 48-72hrs from time of attachment for the bacteria which cause Lyme disease to transfer from the tick to the dog.

[Judy Chrusch]

I use Preventic on Czar and it's IMO much better then Frontline . I use to use Frontline but my vet said she wants him to have Preventic Plus and she practices holistic and natural. If you're having that much trouble I'd try it.


Judy

[susanlind]

Last year I used Revolution and a Preventic collar on weekends when we went to the family cabin. Revolution is a drug and it’s not quite as effective on ticks and fleas as pesticides. My veterinarian recommended using Preventic when I was in an area with a high tick population.

I’m using K9Advantix this year. I’ve been reading about permethrin, one of the ingredients in the product. I’m a little concerned about it’s toxicity, so I might switch to something else or go back to using Revolution.

Do you give your dogs garlic? Try a freshly chopped clove each day in their food. The theory goes that they emit an odor (that you can't smell) which the ticks/fleas don't like.

A cautionary note: It’s a myth that garlic is effective in repelling fleas and ticks, and although some might disagree, too much garlic is toxic to dogs. Thiosulphate is the toxic ingredient in garlic, onions and all allium plants (leeks, shallots, etc). Onions are considered more of a danger because the thiosulphate levels are higher.

I speak from experience. A number of years ago, I was into all natural pet care and followed Dr. Pitcairn’s recommendations. I fed my previous dog a clove of garlic every day. I did that for fifteen months until he developed hemolytic anemia. The anemia disappeared when I stopped giving him garlic.

[tugger5000]

Permethrin is extremely toxic to cats. Do not use it on your dog if you have cats in the house under any circumstances.

There are also some reports of dogs being affected by permethrin as well, but the instances are low. That being said, I still wouldn't use permethrins (chemical or natural) on our pets. Do a search on this website for Biospot. It's been discussed here previously and the threads have some good links.

We use Frontline and have never had a problem.

[susanlind]

There are also some reports of dogs being affected by permethrin as well, but the instances are low. That being said, I still wouldn't use permethrins (chemical or natural) on our pets.

I don't have cats and my dog isn't near any cats. So far my dog hasn't had any problems, but yes, I have been doing some research and I have concerns. I think I will switch to something else next month. Thanks.

[legalbeagle]

I've now spoken to Revolution and they have advised me to use a Preventic-Plus collar on the dogs for the attachment of ticks. Yes, they admitted that Revolution is a very good product at preventing INFESTATION of fleas, mites, etc., but ticks will attach and perhaps NOT detach [or die] quickly enough to prevent the transmission of Lymes and other tick borne illnesses.

In this situation, because of my dog's lifestyle [lots of daily hikes in heavy woods and places with lots of leaf debris [tick haven]], I'm going to use the Preventic-Plus collars.

I second Susanlind in the mythology of garlic to prevent parasites. I do wonder how that myth ever got started. :( Garlic is toxic for dogs and I'd rather use something that actually works [chemicals] than allow my pets to become infected with possibly fatal illnesses which cause them to suffer [and will empty my bank account to treat while still losing the dog].

I've been using tick collars for years and various dog people I know use other methods or no method to actively prevent parasites. Interestingly, all our dogs die of either cancer or they live as long as Methusela. It seems to me that very little can be done to actually prevent our poor pups of dying early or of cancer, so I'd rather worry about what I can prevent today, ticks and parasites, than what I doubt I can ever prevent [cancer] in the unknown future.

Cathi M.

[Judy Chrusch]

Isn't that the collar I recommended for you;) ? I suggest you use the best darn preventative out their if you go hiking alot and the area you live in his high in ticks.

Good choice Cathi for your lifestyle:D .


Judy

[Judi W]

I would strongly recommend that when someone finds a tick on their dog, that it be plucked off immediately and dropped in a container of alcohol. Delay simply gives the little sucker time to have sex, feed and drop off to have its babies. Not exactly what you want to happen.

[Grendl]

I used a Preventic collar 8-9 years ago when we used to camp along the SC coast in the winter. The ticks were rampant, and the collar worked quite well.

[BostonRott]

As to garlic toxicity in dogs, like all things, moderation is the key. Here is a study looking at the toxic levels of garlic in dogs:

Am J Vet Res 2000 Nov;61(11):1446-50


Hematologic changes associated with the appearance of eccentrocytes after intragastric administration of garlic extract to dogs.

Lee KW, Yamato O, Tajima M, Kuraoka M, Omae S, Maede Y.

Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

In this study, dogs were given the equivalent of 5 g whole garlic per kg of body weight, for 7 days. At that level, yes, problems were seen.

To put this in a more realistic light, a whole bulb of garlic, slightly smaller than my palm weighs 60g (yes Cathi, I have a scale, and weighed it). To induce the toxic levels seen in the above study, you'd need to feed 3 such bulbs per day to an 80lb dog, or 4 bulbs to a 110 lb dog.

I don't know anyone who uses garlic in such excess. As you've pointed out before, a little common sense. ;)

As to the benefits and uses of garlic, do a Google search, you'll find plenty of info.

[BostonRott]

Here's interesting info on Premethrin, the active ingredient in K9 Advantix, Bio Spot and a few others:

http://www.elversonpuzzle.com/biospot.html

[pfoley]

My dogs never get ticks when they are on the medication. I have been just using the Hartz flea tick mosquito drops that you get at the pet store.
I use one bottle once a month one time from the base of his neck to his tail on the skin. None of my dogs have had ticks at all or fleas and I walk in the woods and along fields. My back yard is backed up to a forest. I did see one on my dog's face a month ago, so I gave her the Hartiz flea and tick drops and it fell off and have not seen one since. I bet she does not get a flea or a tick all summer. I live in MA.

[BostonRott]

Go to the article at the above link, and then click on the link in that article, that relates to a study on tick/flea products. You may want to rethink the use of Hartz products which contain organophosphates. It's spelled out via the link.

[pfoley]

Very interesting, thank you.
My dog has never had any sort of reaction to this medication, but just to play it safe I guess I will go back to Front line.