What is Everyone Using for Tick Protection?

[LindaMC]

Well the ticks are out in full force here in Western MA and I'm ate my wits end trying to keep my girls protected.  I took Tess for her annual Heartworm test and she tested positive for Anaplasmosis.    She tested negative last year so she had to have contracted it within the year.  So much for Frontline.  She is not showing any symptoms at all but to be safe, the vet put her on Minocycline 100mg, 8 pills a day for 10 days.  After that she'll have a CBC comprehensive blood test.  She also wants to put her on Bravecto 12 months of the year.  Bravecto is new and it's a chewable that lasts for 3 months.  I hate giving her tick medication all year round but I can't take the chance of her getting bitten again and contracting Lyme or Ehrilichiosis.  Have I mentioned how much I hate ticks?

 

So now Maisie goes in for her test next month and I'm beside myself with worry that she may have it too; although right now she's healthy as a horse.

 

I just ordered some Palo Santo Oil and will be using that on both of them also.  Two of my friends have started using it and they've said that they have found only a couple of ticks on their dogs, rather than the boat load they usually find after taking them out on the trails.  Apparently, the ticks will falls off after a short period of time.  I have been using a holistic spray but I like the sound of this oil a lot better.  Now the experts are warning people about a potentially deadly tick born disease called Powassan.

 

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/04/15/deadly-tick-borne-virus-popping-up-in-northeast/21172695/

 

So I'm wondering of those that live in parts of the country where ticks are high, what are you using on your dogs?

Edited April 18, 2015 by LindaMC

[_whits_]

I live in Virginia, where apparently 1 in 5 dogs in my county who are tested test positive for Lyme disease. You can get a Lyme vaccine - which is what I do yearly as a second line of defense for any suckers that make it through the Frontline Plus I use. Addie also gets Frontline Plus year-round (unless it gets cold enough to freeze everything entirely for more than a month). 

 

If Frontline isn't working, could it be that a tick just made it through, or you were reaching the end of the effectiveness of the dose (I give Frontline every 30 days here in Virginia)? Addie got her first tick on the day I was scheduled to give her next dose of Frontline. All it takes is one tick to infect. I don't know anything about Bravecto. I do know that two vets in two different states that I have spoken to have explicitly told me they believe Advantix causes serious side effects and they won't give it to their patients. 

 

​I know there are folks on this forum who have differing views on vaccinations and pesticides, but I've spoken to numerous trained veterinarians, and I've looked at the predominance of ticks in Virginia, and the rates of Lyme disease, and I believe that any risks of side effects from the treatments I give Addie are far less dangerous than the symptoms of Lyme disease and other flea and tick-borne illnesses she is very likely to catch here in Virginia. When we lived in Colorado that calculation was entirely different, and Addie didn't receive any sort of tick or lyme prevention. 

 

​Good luck figuring out the best prevention for Maisie and Tess.

[Hillscreek]

Frontline didn't do the job for us here in Northern Central PA. Switched to K9Advantix11 some years ago with another dog and never saw another tick. Had not heard of a dog having side effects from this. Taking any medication has risks of course.

Many deer here and I don't want to risk Angus getting sick. I have him tested annually and also for heartworm which I medicate for. I do this during the wam months - April to October.

Like whits says treatment may depend on where you live.

Bravecto is a new chewable tablet which I'm thinking I might try this year.

http://us.bravovets.com/

Angus is scheduled for tests next week.

[LindaMC]

It's hard, I do not like using any pesticides either, but, in order to keep my girls safe, unfortunately I must use some type of tick preventative and out of all that I've read about, Bravecto doesn't appear to be to bad.  I would never use Trifexis, too much negativity surrounding that drug.  I have elected to not do the Lyme disease on my girls or any other vaccines other than the rabies shot.  I try to use mostly holistic items and I'm hoping that the Palo Santo Oil will work well.

 

Living in the Northeast and dealing with the drastically cold winters we've been having, I haven't been using flea/tick preventative or heartworm medication  on my girls from late November until the beginning of April and May when they both get tested.  Now that Tess has been infected, I must make sure that she is safe year round.  Maisie doesn't go out to preservation areas, trails, mountains or rivers like Tess does, she stays mostly in the yard and I take her for walks every day.  I'm careful not to let my girls around leaves, tall grass and shrubs as best I can.

 

As for whether or not I believe a tick got through the Frontline Plus, absolutely.  I have used Frontline Plus on my dogs for years and never had a problem.  I'm still on the fence regarding Bravecto, I like waiting a while before trying something new, however; with money so tight lately and Bravecto costing less in the long run, I'm thinking about trying it.  

 

I too agree with Whits....treatment definitely depends on where you live.

 

Good luck Hillcreek with Angus' test next week!

[Hillscreek]

Here's more info on Bravecto

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/Products/ApprovedAnimalDrugProducts/FOIADrugSummaries/UCM399075.pdf

 

I'll be checking with my vet to see what she thinks.

 

Topical meds are absorbed into the system trough the skin. No doubt some dogs maybe more sensitive to any medication. It's hard to tell when generally our info tends to be on the problems vets see which possibly might be few compared to thousands who are just fine.

[bradl]

There are some pesky details to work out regarding "patient preservation" but this is what I'd like to use:

 

 

Sorry. I'll give myself a time-out. Now back to serious discussion.

[tlwtheq]

Our vet prescribes Sentinel.  Don't know if that contributed to/fed Olie's recent growth.

It certainly keeps the Critters away.

[hheldorfer]

We have been using Advantix.  Tried Frontline a few years back and I recall both dogs seemed out of sorts for about a week after we applied it.  Haven't had any problems with ticks or fleas despite regular trips to the dog park and walks through the woods.

[Tuesday]

We use Revolution on Murphy.  Always have, he will be 7 in a few weeks.  It's very ticky here in Florida.  He doesn't spend a TON of time outdoors, but we do take him to our farm every now and then, and we check him each time he comes home.  I've only found a few ticks on him over the years.

[LindaMC]

Palo Santo Oil? I looked it up, I don't see how it would be helpful as a deterrent for flea/tick/mosquito.

 

It's an essential oil that supposedly repels ticks.  I've read where ticks do not like the scent of this oil and it's been used to repel ticks and also to remove ticks.  I will let you know once I have tried it myself.  My friend, who is a trainer and also runs a Doggie Adventure business, tried it with good results.  She also uses a topical during the summer months.

 

 

Palo Santo is a an essential oil grown in Ecuador. It’s chemical structure is similar to Frankincense, however it has shown effective against mosquitoes and ticks.  Dilute 5 drops of Palo Santo in 1 Tablespoon of Aloe Vera and apply to the neck, back of the ears and other exposed skin. You can also make your own spray by diluting 20 drops of Palo Santo essential oil in an 8 ounce spray bottle, spray your clothing and skin with this oil to deter ticks, mosquitoes and other flying bugs.  Purifying Blend essential oil is also a good option to spray on clothing and skin to deter these pests.

 

 

http://petmedella.com/natural-ways-to-fight-ticks-on-your-pets/

 

 

http://www.experience-essential-oils.com/tick-repellent-for-dogs.html

Edited April 22, 2015 by LindaMC

[Hillscreek]

Update: Angus checked negative for Heartworm and Lyme disease this morning.   For medication I'm going with Sentinel for heartworm prevention and Bravecto for flea and tick control. 

 

Both vets at the practice I go to and several of the their techs that I talked to use and recommend Bravecto. 

Advice they gave me - be sure to feed with food. The only dog patient they've had with a problem was one who was given Bravecto tablet without food. Had some vomiting and diarrhea.

Further advice. Give Bravecto and Sentinel two weeks apart. Sentinel also needs to be given with food.

 

Been with my vet for more than twenty years with multiple dogs. Have confidence in her good advice and care for me and my dogs.

 

I like the idea of a tablet once every three months instead of messy application every month. 

No doubt some dogs may react. Plenty of dogs have had reactions to Advantix also. 

Tests were done regarding Bravecto's effects on kidney and liver. A similar review to the FDA one I posted was done in Europe where Bravecto is also used. Both seem to indicate no ill effects.

Whether or not there are long term effects will not be known for years yet.

 

I must have reliable protection for my dogs in this area as many deer with those tiny ticks so hard to see in Angus's fur and in summer plenty of mosquitoes. 

 

Any medication may affect any dog.

All medications were once new.

 

I'll update if Angus has any negative reaction.

 

A lot depends on where you live and even in certain localities within a general area. 

Can only say I'm not telling what's best for you and your cairns and cairn buddies - just saying how it is for my experience where I live.

[kjwarnold]

It's been a bad spring here in Missouri. We took the dogs for a hike at the state park and I pulled 10 ticks off them right afterward. That night, I pulled 17 more off them. Yuck! After DH took them for their normal walk down the road and I took even more off them. Now they aren't allowed to venture into any weedy or leafy area, a pain for them since we're surrounded by woods and that's where all the good smells and potty areas are. We use Frontline Plus and it's usually done a good job for us. I'm starting to look for other options now. Can't wait for hot weather now because the tick season will die off.

[arseovrteakettl]

How do you find them? How do you pull them off?

[Hillscreek]

How to find and remove ticks on dogs

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/getting_ticks_off_dog.html

 

Better still give dog protection so he/she won't get bit in the first place. It may only take one bite to make your dog sick.

[Dempsy's Mom]

I am in the same boat with Elsie.  She gets into the tall grasses and the shelterbelts a lot and comes out with ticks.  Her hair is so thick I comb through it with my fingers every time I get a chance.  They are bad this year.  Demps has had a couple, but nothing like Elsie.  Dempsy is not the renegade Elsie is.   Supposed to get into the 80's this weekend.

[kjwarnold]

Its weird, but Kirby doesn't get near the number of ticks as Packy and he's in the grass, weeds and woods probably more than Packy. I guess Packy just tastes better to ticks!

[Hillscreek]

Started Angus on Bravecto this morning. Gave pill with his breakfast. Went for walk 1/2 hour later. Now evening after second meal. He seems fine so far. It is way easier than fiddling with advantix11 which certainly worked well but was messy and difficult for me to apply. 

We'll see how it works for the coming three summer months.