Ticks

[Beth Lord]

Hi, all, 

I'd be interested to know if any of you have an anti-tick strategy you'd recommend?  ;-)  I say "strategy" because we're just coming off a bad experience w/ one of the spot-on treatments and I'm looking for a less-toxic, more integrated approach to the ticks.  Right now, I'm experimenting w/ a couple of different herbal-type products that you rub in the coat, coupled with an apple-cider-vinegar/garlic sort of supplement...and of course, post-walk tick checks!  I've also started using diatomaceous earth on his bedding, too. So far I think it's working...but hey, I'd appreciate any useful tips y'all have (especially you, Dixie!)  :-)  The ticks are bad here in MO, especially since last winter was so mild.

I used Certifect on Alfie at the vet's recommendation (since it's such a bad tick year here).  I will never, ever do that again!!  Please be warned that Certifect is a potentially dangerous product.  I have since learned that some dogs have died after being treated with it...obviously, some dogs do great, but it's too much of a risk, I feel.  Alfie became very sick, shaky, drooly, and lethargic.  I feel so lucky he pulled through.  It was about 48 hrs before he was himself again.  I was so concerned that I reported it to the vet, the manufacturer, and even the EPA.  When I pulled out the box to read off the lot numbers on the phone, Alfie ran away and hid!  You can just imagine how that made me feel... :-(    I know your mileage may vary, etc, and I'm not claiming to be a pesticide expert, BUT I know we all love our dogs and I'd hate to see anyone else go through what we did last month!

Okay, to end on a cheerful note I'll add a picture of Alfie on one of our latest hikes...no ticks after this outing, and no Certifect either -- hooray!  ;-)

[Wendy Ward]

I haven't noticed as many ticks this summer in Texas, but I've had a terrible time with fleas.  After several different products, we've been very successful with Comfortis, given once a month.  And then I will give Coco a Capstar when we head back to Dallas after a weekend at the lake house.  This seems to be working well for the past month.  Before that we were ichy scratchy!

Alfie looks so much like my Coco.  I like how short you have his ears cropped!  Great pic!  Looks like a wonderful area to hike.

[Beth Lord]

Thanks, Wendy!  Yes, he does look like Coco...who were Coco's parents?  Alfie's dad is Shadow, and mom, Chessy.  We love hiking...this is at a state park where we explored sinkholes, caves, and natural springs, and went up and down some pretty steep terrain.  Love my Alfie, he's the best buddy ever!!

[Wendy Ward]

Coco is going to have her 5th birthday this month!  I can't believe how the time has flown.  She is the best dog that I've ever had!  Her parents were Mudgie and Ginnie, so she has a bit more of the poodle in her – really long legs.  But an absolutely wonderful temperament.

We love to hike too and always find an adventure when we're at the lake.  Although she's a little afraid of the water.

[Dixie Moore]

Well, you could try fire ants. :) I'm only partly kidding. They kill ticks, and I heard that ticks were practically eradicated in Texas by fire ants. 

I've only recently had problems with ticks, more this year than any other. I use brewers yeast with garlic, and Advantyx II. It would be hard for me to use a product that must be applied daily since I have multiple dogs. I think the supplements that have garlic make the dogs taste bad to fleas and ticks. The DE in his bed is a good idea. It will distribute itself on his body while he sleeps. I've tried apple cider vinegar before. I was adding a little to their water, and then one day I noticed them drinking water from the puddle formed by the air conditioner condensation. Since that defeated the purpose of adding the ACV and maybe wasn't the best place to get their drinking water, I discontinued that practice. 

It's extra hard with a brown dog since the ticks blend in so well, but if I were you I would be diligent with the DE and the supplement with the garlic, and see if you can keep them under control with just those products. Even with the Advantyx I still occasionally find a tick here and there. They usually appear to have just latched on, so I hope that minimizes the potential for Lyme or another anything else they carry.

[Beth Lord]

Thanks, Dixie, I appreciate the input!  Helps me to feel like I'm on the right track.  What you said about fire ants makes sense...I really wondered why the ticks were so crazy bad here compared to TX!  Also, we do have lots of wildlife in our area (bunnies, squirrels, raccoons, deer, etc), so plenty of host animals to spread the little buggers around.  

Right now I'm putting the supplement on a treat and feeding it to him and he gobbles it right down.  Maybe it's b/c I'm using a multi-pronged approach, but I've actually seen fewer ticks since switching away from the Certifect.  So far, so good...we'll see how it goes!  

I just can't express to you what a wonderful dog Alfie is, and how grateful I am to have him!  He is such a part of me, it seems, that I can hardly imagine being without him.  Of course he's smart and funny and cute (that almost goes without saying, lol!), but I think the best part about both Alfie and Dakota has been that intuitive nature, the ability to tune in to their person  and "read" what we need or want.  In Dakota's case, I think that is what helps him to be such a great alert dog...in Alfie's case, it makes him the best companion dog I've had!  Thanks for going the extra mile with your program...these dogs are special!!