Tick Picking

[F, Calla & Luca]

Despite monthly applications of Frontline, I have picked about 5 ticks, small, active, crawling ones, from my dogs fur since yesterday. Somehow, here in NJ I find this is often the worst time of year for ticks. This is despite the fact that no deer can actually come on my property in the area where the dogs roam. So I wondering again, if anyone has found a more effective product. I guess I mean one that actually repels ticks, not only kills them after they've attached.  I may try the Ceadarcid again even though I don't like the smell..

[Kyoko]

I was wondering that myself... I found A ( Thank God) tick on Charlie's head. It was small but gross. I built up my courage and picked it, and flushed down the tiolet!!! Eeeeeek!!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Yup, I use the toilet solution. After a while you get less squeamish.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

We are heading up to San Jose, CA for T-Day and that is where Gracie Doodle got her ticks on her ears and snout. It was our first experience ever with ticks and we didn't find them for over a week when they were really engorged!! I went on-line and researched tick preventative options and the best I could come up with other than Frontline Plus is a tick collar that is made by Virbac Animal Health called Preventic Tick Collar for Dogs. Says it kills and detaches ticks for 3 months. I ordered a bunch of them on-line just to keep for when I want to go into tick country! I haven't tried them out yet but I am planning on using the Frontline Plus and the tick collar. Question...how do you go about finding ticks on a Doodle? I have been told that when they first get on the dog they are very tiny and hard to see. Can be just a speck. With their thick hair how would you ever find them until they are engorged? And when you find them not yet attached, how do you remove them? Are they hard to catch like fleas or sluggish? I know they don't hop or fly so I am guessing once you find them you could pick them off??? But how do you see them?

[F, Calla & Luca]

They vary from really tiny, about poppy seed size and on up. But with light colored doodles they show up as very dark, symmetrical dot. If you look you'll see them moving. and when you look very closely they are waving all those little legs around --ugh. I usually spot them one and then ruffle the hair looking for more. you get brazen after a while. I just pick them off the hair with my fingers, dump them in the toilet and wash up. they are not hard to catch, they're slow moving little critters. Obviously I miss some because I've found engorged ones, but rarely.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

thanks F...sounds like lots of fun. I will make sure to pack my "Head Lights" so I can see up close!!!! ha ha (In case you are wondering, it is a set of flashlight bulbs that you wear around your forehead so you can be hands free when you need light)

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We use K9 Advantix. I found it effective and my dogs do not seem to get sick like so many have complained about with Frontline. There is a post on here today ( just a few down ) with yet another member with a sick doodle after a Frontline Application. No way in doodsville will I use Frontline after the complaints I have seen on DK in the past two years. Other members are also saying it is NOT as effective as it once was.

Happy Picking

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Here is the other current post about Frontline, a sick doodle, and its ineffectiveness.

Frontline Seizure

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Is K9 Advantix applied like Frontline or is it a pill?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Applies just like Frontline.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Thanks

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

thanks again

[F, Calla & Luca]

I saw that but I haven't had a problem. but I think it may be more effective. I don't think Frontline ever claimed that it would keep the ticks off. just kill them after they feast. The last engorged tick I found was dead--yay.