Ticks - are they worse this year

Inexile · 17-07-2013 8:51pm #1

I use Advantix a spot on treatment for ticks each year and have found in the past that it was great and provided protection for about 4 - 6 weeks.

This year I sprayed my new dog with a frontline spray but found a tick about two days later on her. I then got more Advantix but it has only lasted about 3 weeks and now she is picking up ticks again.

I only have the dog about three months and she wasnt in great shape when I got her, bit thin (back hip bones and ribs has little covering) and had a few bald spots. The dog has improved and now looks a lot more respectable.

Im wondering if either the ticks are more of a problem with her due to a possible low immune system or is it just with the hot weather the ticks are having a bumper summer or what.

Any ideas re alternative treatments would be welcomed.

RubyGirl · 17-07-2013 9:01pm

Well you can sing that, I have 4 dog's to be pulling them off. All done with frontline and only lasted about 2 weeks.

Inexile · 17-07-2013 9:37pm

I have three but its the smallest which is bothering me most. She is a bit bigger than a ckc so when she goes into long grass her entire body is a target. The others arent too bad just an occasion tick. One of them is a greyhound so there are no long hairs to hitch a ride on!

I just dont want to be dosing her in chemicals - no problem using them but think it I would be at double dosage with her this year.

FoxyVixen · 18-07-2013 4:01pm

What counties are you guys in?

I only ask because I've two outdoor dogs with plenty of livestock around and have only pulled two ticks off one of them all year round. They get checked daily as they enjoy their grooming/massage sessions :rolleyes:

boomerang · 18-07-2013 4:38pm

Remember that the spot-on treatments for ticks are NOT a preventative or repellent.

If you have treated your dog with a spot-on, they will still pick up ticks. But when the ticks take a blood meal, they ingest the chemical, weaken/die and fall off within 12-24 hours.

But ticks fall off anyways within five to fourteen days, once they have taken a blood meal. They don't live on the dog. I treated my guys with fipronil for the first time in years this summer as I was having to remove a lot of ticks and I also saw nymphs in the coat that could easily be missed. It's a safeguard for any ticks I mightn't spot. But the best thing to do is keep them out of heather or long grass and if you do spot a tick, remove it immediately, ideally with one of these:

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/dog-accessories-dog-ticks-c-628_821

I wouldn't be waiting for the spot-on to take effect. That's your second line of defence. As soon as the tick attaches its mouthparts to your pet, it is potentially transmitting some pretty nasty TBDs (tick borne diseases - ie Lyme Disease, which is prevalent in the south-west now. And we have Babesiosis, too. It's called Red Water in cattle and I've seen numerous cases of it in Clare.)

So removing the tick asap is the best policy.

http://www.esccapuk.org.uk/professionals/ectoparasites/ticks/Ticks%20Pet%20Owner%20Info%20Sheet.pdf

RubyGirl · 18-07-2013 8:18pm

FoxyVixen wrote: »

What counties are you guys in?

I only ask because I've two outdoor dogs with plenty of livestock around and have only pulled two ticks off one of them all year round. They get checked daily as they enjoy their grooming/massage sessions :rolleyes:

Galway. I would pull them off as soon as I see them, even my kids are on the watch. I can't but not walk them in the forest, long grass area's unfortunately.

CookieMonster.x · 21-07-2013 1:34am

Sorry to hijack this thread, I was wondering where you get the tick spot on? I have a large golden retriever with a huge coat so it's not easy to spot every tick. I checked in the vets but they didn't have anything. Any suggestions?

Rightwing · 21-07-2013 1:39am

CookieMonster.x wrote: »

Sorry to hijack this thread, I was wondering where you get the tick spot on? I have a large golden retriever with a huge coat so it's not easy to spot every tick. I checked in the vets but they didn't have anything. Any suggestions?

I think city dogs are safe. My dog has never got a tick, but a few friends in the country have got them in rivers.

CookieMonster.x · 21-07-2013 1:45am

Rightwing wrote: »

I think city dogs are safe. My dog has never got a tick, but a few friends in the country have got them in rivers.

We walk our dog in a forest beside a river so he is quite susceptible to them. Which are the best brands?

boomerang · 21-07-2013 2:17am

CookieMonster, I'm really surprised your vet couldn't recommend anything!

Most of the spot-ons used to treat fleas will also treat ticks - it's just a matter of checking the packaging. Brands include:

Frontline
Effipro
Eliminall
Stronghold
Advantage

Hope that helps!

PS There is also a new flea/tick collar on the market called Seresto which if memory serves lasts right through tick season - i.e. seven or eight months. I see some vets are beginning to stock it.

Inexile · 21-07-2013 6:55am

New collar sounds interesting . Will keep an eye out for it.

Rightwing · 21-07-2013 10:55am

CookieMonster.x wrote: »

We walk our dog in a forest beside a river so he is quite susceptible to them. Which are the best brands?

Keep an eye out regularly yourself. The odd trip to the sea is good too.

CookieMonster.x · 21-07-2013 11:27am

The vet wasn't actually there, we were just buying food and flea and worm stuff. I've never come across tick stuff. I don't go to my local vet (after being treated badly!) so I'm not sure where to look, would the only place to buy it be on the Internet? Is it worth buying? I'll have my parents tormented with more money for our dog :P

DBB · 21-07-2013 12:20pm

Rightwing wrote: »

I think city dogs are safe. My dog has never got a tick, but a few friends in the country have got them in rivers.

Ticks don't live in rivers! Nor are they particularly associated with riverbanks or damp areas. The worst place around here for ticks happens to be at the top of a hill! They're more likely to be encountered in the countryside because they feed on cattle, sheep, deer and other wild mammals, horses etc. They're more likely to be found where these animals are, especially in long grass, bracken etc.

Miss Lockhart · 21-07-2013 3:24pm

Inundated with ticks here in Lucan.

boomerang · 21-07-2013 7:14pm

CookieMonster.x wrote: »

The vet wasn't actually there, we were just buying food and flea and worm stuff. I've never come across tick stuff. I don't go to my local vet (after being treated badly!) so I'm not sure where to look, would the only place to buy it be on the Internet? Is it worth buying? I'll have my parents tormented with more money for our dog :P

Gotcha. Well you wouldn't normally buy a tick product all on its own, so you'd ask for a flea and tick product. Bear in mind though - can't say this often enough - that a flea/tick spot-on won't prevent your pet from getting these critters! They are not a repellent! So if you put a spot-on on your dog and it picks up a flea or tick, it does NOT mean the product is not working and you should put something else on the dog as well!

The spot-ons that just treat fleas and ticks are the cheapest so if you already worm your dog regularly and he doesn't have any other critters to worry about, go for a product containing fipronil.

I get my non-prescription wormers etc. on www.vetuk.co.uk. It works out cheaper for me because the shipping charge is a flat €10 and I'm usually buying a few bags of dog food at the same time.

boomerang

ETA: What flea product did you buy? It probably treats ticks as well.

Ticks - are they worse this year

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