finding ticks in all that fur? also foxtails?

[Bug]

i live in an area with many ticks. my good friends dog got lyme disease while using one of the topical once a month tick products and my veterinarian says he doesn't think any of the topical products work very good and he doesn't recommend them.

 

so 1) what are the best ways of searching through all that hair for ticks? and 2) what ways do people here use to prevent ticks?

 

and then we are also entering foxtail season. my veterinarian said there is a foxtail cut i could ask a groomer to do. he said it looks a little funny but makes finding the foxtails much easier. i can't find any images online of anything called a foxtail cut.  as much as i love all the fluffy fuzzyness i am pondering a very short cut for the summer just to make life easier and also safer.

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

One of my dogs [and I have a lot of dogs] got a foxtail seed in his toe. I have foxtail everywhere in my area. Mostly I find it in their coats if it's anywhere. It can't seem to get thru the coat, so I have my dogs very short early spring, and by the time sun, bugs and foxtails are around they have a bit longer coat again.

My boy's toe was swollen, looked infected and was very painful. He couldn't even eat. I found the sore on his toe while grooming, which is the first thing I do if they are in any stress. I saw what looked like the end of a sliver, so I got tweezers and pulled it out. It turned out to be a foxtail seed. I hear from my vet that I was lucky to find it and he was a really good boy to let me deal with it. Usually this has to be done at the vet under a light anesethic. Bless our gentle doodles.

[Bug]

that is what my friend uses and her dog still got lyme disease so i am a bit wary of it. but also the veterinarian here doesn't think it is very effective in our area and especially does not recommend any of the topical treatments for families with young children and cats (the ones for dogs have chemicals in them that can harm felines).

[Jeanne, Tura and Dolly]

We are a Guardian family for one of our doods and the breeder said No Frontline!  So we use "Mad About Organics" Flea and Tick skin treatment.  It has lots of herbals in it and so far so good....

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

My question is...what are the Vets recommending since they all seem to be saying that the topicals don't work?  Or do they even know?

[Bug]

my vet said that collars work better but that they are toxic also. he said a new one is coming out that is safer and less toxic and lasts longer. he also recommends avoiding areas with ticks if possible. i asked about lyme disease and he did not mention the vaccine for it he did say they have medicine they give dogs if they get it and it is much milder for dogs than humans and less serious.

 

i may seek out a second opinion to what he said. i like him he is nice and he is only 3 blocks from my home which is really nice and means i can take zeb for walks to the vet and give here treats in the waiting room then walk her home on a regular basis so that she thinks going to the vet is one of the greatest things ever. but maybe his advice is not the best i am not sure. i do know my good friends dog got lyme disease with the topical stuff.

 

oh also i asked about not wearing the collar 24/7 and he said that what some families do is put it on before going for a hike and then leave it on for 24 hours after getting home and keep it in a zip lock bag the rest of the time. i am seriously considering this as an option. we go hiking once a week at most and the rest of the time we are in places with less risk of ticks.

[Annie Starlight Dancer Hovis]

Here is a picture of a fox cut that i found on google images. It is on a pomeranian.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am not sure this is possible on a doodle.  I think if you want to go short look at some of our member photos who have doods they keep short. Caitlin and Albus comes to my mind for a handsome dood with a short coat.