Ticks Have Arrived with a Vengeance!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Anyone have any experience with FrontLine Tritak ( new product) or Certifect? I started Finn back on his seasonal flea and tick regiment -- FrontLine Plus this month.  Even though we live along a wooded area and fields, we never had a serious tick problem until last year. This year is looking worse already.  On Wednesday, I took the first tick of the season off of him.  I brushed and combed him carefully looking for others but found -- nothing.  But since then I have found 7!!! Two were dead.  He's vaccinated against Lyme but not the other diseases ticks carry.  Looks like we may have to go to something stronger.

[Stacy]

I haven't tried either product, sorry. I decided to go with seresto - but now I'm having second thoughts. I spent a few hours in the woods today - but I stayed on the trail! I think ticks should not be allowed on the trail! And I haven't found anything on Katie, but I found one on me!! I hate those creepy crawly disease ridden things. And while I'm sure there are no more on me, my fear is that there is one hiding somewhere in all that hair. I don't know what to do. Get her cut really short? Put parastar on her, or give her one of the oral medications, or assume the seresto is working since I haven't found a tick yet. I am also keeping the idea of never letting her out of the house on the list of possible solutions! I love the outdoors, but I could live without ticks and mosquitos and all the other nasties.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks Stacy. I've found that collars are not as effective as a topical like Frontline Plus but we live in a heavy tick infested area and we love to be outdoors too.  Some people have found FLP to be ineffective as the ticks grow more resistant but so far we've had good luck with it. The idea of never letting Finn out of the house again unless the temps are below freezing has crossed my mind too lol 

[Amy and Annabelle]

That is what I do. There were 3 on Annabelle last summer after a walk in a heavily wooded area. I only found 1 on her at the time. I took her in to the groomer the next day to get her cut short and the groomer found 2 more. So she will be getting her summer cut here pretty soon and the main reason being, it is easier to find ticks.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think the ticks are going to be bad this year here too.  I use Frontline Plus, keep them trimmed pretty short, and go over them after our walks to remove  any ticks. It helps that they're white because I can see them and remove them before they latch on.  I love Spring and Summer....but the ticks are certainly a "downside".

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks  Jane. Yes, it's going to be a long season.   I'm going to have to do the same with more "rigor" after walks.  Grateful that Finn is white because it does make them easier to find.  I keep Finn pretty short but his groomer keeps his head and his legs longer. He looks adorable but where have I found all the ticks except one? -- in the long hair on his head and muzzle.  Poor Finn, he wants his mom back instead of the crazy woman walking around with a bottle of alcohol (not the good kind) and tweezers.  I have one more month of FLP on hand. We'll see how it goes.  I'll talk to the vet about alternatives.  Would like to keep it topical...not oral.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I found two today after their walk...one was already dead and the other was crawling on Guinness.  I hate them!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Ugh!  Hate them too!! 

[Amy and Annabelle]

Last year when I found the ticks on Annabelle she has been on Frontline Plus. I discussed other options with her vet and she said that Frontline had grown resistant here. However the Frontline had come from Costco as I didn't know at the time there was a difference between buying it from your vet versus over the counter. She is on chewable Nexgard now.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks Amy.  Sounds like Nexguard is working for you. We may be having a resistance issue here -- or I may have started too late.  Frontline doesn't keep ticks from biting the dog - it kills them once the dog has been bitten and breaks the lifecycle. But until last year, I rarely found a tick -- maybe 1-2 a season.  I have always bought from the vet.  I have to be careful with anything oral because Finn had a seizure on Ivermectin.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Let me revise that-- Frontline kills fleas and ticks when they come in contact with the dog's coat or skin. Ticks don't have to bite the dog to be killed.

[Gail and Bailey]

The deer ticks in my area are so very very tiny right now that I would never be able to find one on Bailey (even though I keep her hair short and she is white)! I have found two on me so far this spring! They were so tiny I almost missed them on my own skin so I am counting on them dying if they bite my girl, Bailey!! She has been on Nexgard for over a year now. Last summer I found one dead tick on her so I assume the Nexgard is working! I hate ticks more than anything! They are so darn creepy!!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks Gail.  They are pretty small here -- easy to miss.  Lucky I haven't found any on me yet.