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.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

Cheryl, A couple of years ago, I switched to NexGard for Wally and Charlotte. We have had serious issues with ticks here outside of Boston and on Cape Cod, and I must say that NexGard has been tremendously effective. The other day, though, with Wally's help in alerting me, I found a gigantic bumble bee stuck in his fur. I don't think that it stung him, but he was certainly distressed about its presence on his body. Yikes!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Yikes!  Poor Wally, I don't blame him, that's nasty.  I just took two more ticks off Finn after our walk this am. One dead, one alive.  We're up to 14 now in the last week.  Most dead or nearly so. I'm so grossed out FInn was barking at a deer down in the woods last night and I can't say out loud  what I was thinking :( Cape Cod is a lot like here.  Lots of wooded areas and water. I have a call in to the vet to ask about NexGard.  Poor baby.  Thankful again that he is white so they're pretty easy to spot.  I know he's getting them outside because the cat stays in and she hasn't had one!  In past years, the ticks are mostly a problem in May/June but by mid-July they are mostly gone.  Guess it depends on the weather. Thanks for the info.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Would I be over reacting if I just decided to keep Annabelle in the house all summer? Between the ticks and skeeters, I have no desire to be out there. We had a fairly mild winter, so all things bug are going to be bad.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

LOL  Annabelle might think so !

[Moe]

I had no luck with Frontline or Advantix. The seresto collar worked pretty good. I'm currently trying Bravecto which is a 3mo chewable. My pup was vaccinated against lyme but got it anyway. Last year she got Canine Ehrlichiosis. Ticks are the bane of my existence. I used to love hiking with the dogs. Now I stick to the roads. It really makes me sad. I have found a great tick key for removing the ticks. It is cheap and works great. 

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I'm so sorry about your girl.  Finn gets a lyme vaccine too.  We live on a partially wooded property, with fields and meadows surrounding us and there are a lot of deer. I once thought they were charming and if they ate a daylily here or there (and all my flowers) I just replaced them. Now there are too many and I'm beginning to see how destructive they are to the woodland plus the ticks they bring. We like to hike too but sticking to paved paths.  Thanks for the info about the tick keys. Have never seen them.

[Amy and Annabelle]

I have never seen the tick keys either, I put in my Amazon cart. We live in the country on 3 acres surrounded by woods. We have about 3/4 of an acre fenced off for Annabelle to run around in. I don't let her out of the fenced area because that is where all the deer go. I figure if there are any ticks around it would be in the unfenced area. After last year with Annabelle getting 3 ticks after a hike in a heavily wooded area, no more hiking for us. It is just not worth the aggravation of ticks. Annabelle gets a lyme vax as well. She is getting hers tomorrow. She is also getting her annual heart worm test, so she won't be a happy camper tomorrow.

[Moe]

The tick key works great. It is much less stressful than using a tweezers. I've never had the tick come apart with the key. It is so easy to use. 

[Stacy]

So, after agonizing over tick control I chose the seresto collar. Then today I found a tick on Katie. Ugh. We haven't been in the woods since Sunday so I assume the little bugger has been on her since then - though I suppose it could have come from the back yard. It wasn't engorged, but it was still moving it's little legs so it was alive. I of course freaked out and called my vet who said they were recommending bravecto this year. I ran out there and picked up 2 pills because they said they were good for 3 months. But reading the packaging on the back it says it only protects against ticks for 8 weeks. I'm going to have to call the vet to find out if I should redose after 2 months. They said I should just take the seresto collar off because it's a waste of money. I was more concerned about over-medicating, but it's interesting to know that they don't think it works.

Also, in case anyone wondered, I asked twice if it was safe to give in addition to Sentinel and they said it was, just to give them a day apart and both with a meal. 

I paid $50/pill for the Bravecto. I would have paid whatever they wanted to keep the ticks off of her! But I am wondering if that seems high/low/standard pricing for anyone else who is using this product. 

Ticks are gross!

Edited to add - on further reading it says that it protects against black legged ticks, american dog tick, and brown dog ticks for 12 weeks and lone star ticks for 8 weeks. I have no idea what kind of ticks we have here! I'm going to have to google this thing. 

I also asked about the lyme vaccine. They said they had it but didn't think I needed it because I guess in this area we don't see lyme disease? I asked them if they were sure, and they said yes. I really do trust my vet. They're not out to just sell me more stuff, so we didn't get it. Did I mention I hate ticks???

[Amy and Annabelle]

I hate ticks to. It is probably a great price for 3 months. Annabelle is on NexGard and it is $18 for one pill for 1 month.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

There is a coupon on the Nexguard site for a free trial one. I got a couple free at the Vet's today. If you haven't already used it you might be able to use it now.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Thanks, I will give it try.