TICKS!!

[Sabrina & Savannah]

I am trying to get ahead of the ticks this season.  I live in rural north GA and have already found a small tick on Savannah's head this past weekend.

Here is what I have tried so far that didn't work...and on thing that did that I don't know what it is

Didn't Work:

Trifexis...it didn't work and I don't want her to take it because of the issues that other pet owners have had.

Frontline...does not work effectively on a longer haired dog. 

The white collar from the vet...it worked for about 2 weeks pretty good.  I found less ticks than without it, I tried it twice.  I would go broke buying them every two weeks!

What did work!! 

I did have her groomed at a place other than my regular groomer, she either used a dip or a shampoo that worked GREAT for about 2-3 weeks.  I would love it if someone knew what she used.   She won't tell me and my regular groomer does not know either.  I won't use this lady again because Savannah does not like her.  The second time I went Savannah wanted to get back in the car.  She does not do this at my regular groomer, so something happened at this groomer that has put Savannah off and dogs usually "know". 

Any ideas on what that groomer may have used that worked so well?  I would gladly shampoo her every couple weeks if that is what it takes to keep the ticks away.  I often pull 10 off of her every other day in the summer....UGH!!!

[Leigh & Allie]

I need to follow this. Allie used to be on Triflexis, but I want to switch now.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Trifexis is NOT for ticks.

[Pam Thomas]

Number one, I would not go, back to a groomer that would not tell me what she used on my pup.  Forget the "secret formula", that's not professional. I used trifexis before and never had a problem.

[Brittney & Cally]

Agreed!

[Sabrina & Savannah]

Don't worry....I am NOT going back to that groomer.  Savannah had some kind of bad experience there.  She NEVER wants to leave somewhere.  She is too friendly and outgoing. 

I think she wouldn't tell me because she knows that I have a regular groomer/kennel that I dearly love and would not change for anything.  Why reveal her techniques?  I have been going to the same place for 25 years.  I just used this other groomer because mine was on vacation and we were going camping near water and had to have a cut!!  Not again no matter what the circumstances.

[Stacy, Bruno, Molly and Gracie]

We have used Vectra 3D which we get at the vet and we have been flea and tick free for 2 years. Neither of my pups have had any adverse reaction to the topical.

[Gail and Bailey]

We live in the woods and there are lots of deer around.  I use Frontline Plus on Bailey and it seems to work well.  The only ticks we have found on her were dead!  As a matter of fact I had just started reading your discussion here and she was standing next to me and I was petting her and felt a suspicious bump.  I investigated the area and found a tick that had been feeding on her but it was dead!!  Thank goodness!!  I carefully removed it and I am keeping it just in case there is a problem. I am grateful that I was reading about ticks when I found this little lump because my mind instantly thought TICK!!

My point is that Frontline Plus seems to work to kill the ticks.  It does not prevent them from getting on a dog but I certainly like that it kills the tick if it bites the dog!!

Trifexis is not effective for ticks.

I used a tick collar on my past dog and he had a terrible reaction within hours of putting it on.  He was disoriented and almost staggering.  I looked the chemical up and those were some of the dangerous possible side affects of the chemical.  I took the collar off immediately and he got better but it was very scary so I have no use for tick collars!!  I would rather have to remove a dead tick than go through that again.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Trifexis probably didn't work, because it is NOT for ticks. Only for flea and heartworm.

http://www.trifexis.com

[Ginny Nightingale]

I like Advantix and it works well for me--my three dogs have never had a tick on them! I find that Frontline Plus is not effective here in the Northeast US--we have all given up on it. I have just put it on a dog that is here raising her pups thug since it has been approved for nursing dogs and Advantix has not. I found two ticks on the momma dog this week, so I had to do something--I will see if it works.

Some of my neighbors use the SERESTO collars but I have no idea how effective they are--the dog wears them for 8-9 months.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Well, the collars do work, but we definitely don't like handling them.  We used to put them on when we were walking in a tick infested area, and remove them when we got home.  They were kept in ziplock bags and we used gloves when handling them.  Too much for me.  I definitely would not leave them on dogs for months at a time, and I don't want them in my bed.  The Frontline is bad enough.  We use gloves when we put that on also.

[Phoebe Schwartz]

You mentioned that you tried Frontline, so I just want you to know that there are 2 types of products:

Frontline Top Spot and Frontline Plus

These are 2 different products. Frontline Top Spot will only kill and repel the ticks and fleas, while Frontline Plus aims to kills flea's larva, and also killls / repels ticks & fleas. Its way better at handling an infestation. 

Top Spot should be good for a while, as long as you are not dealing with an infestation.

[Ginny Nightingale]

I have had no luck with Frontline plus but I know people in the other parts of the country have been OK with it.