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Yikes. I've been in this house for five years and no sign of fleas or ticks. This morning the dog came in with a tick crawling around on him.
So, fellow dog owners, what do you recommend for flea and tick control? Is there anything over the counter that works? How about Ivermecin, does that kill ticks? Not that I won't buy whatever the dogs need, but it will cost me almost $500 just to take three dogs into the vet for no other reason than to get a prescription for tick meds. I'll do it if I have to, but would prefer not.
Doggone it, my skin is crawling ever since I saw that tick. It feels like creepy things are crawling all over me. I really hate ticks.
We've used Vectra 3D in the past and although we were not in very tick-y places, it worked well for ticks & fleas. Our current dog writhed on the floor the first time I applied it. She was a pretty feral little rescue puppy at the time (though not too young for us to apply the Vectra 3D), so maybe it just "felt funny," but our previous dogs had not reacted like that, so I discontinued use immediate. She is fine with Frontline Plus (another topical) and by and large it works well.
I can't keep all the feedback straight about tick collars and Bravecto. I hear ominous warnings, but I don't know if those cases are outliers, or something to worry about. Last I heard, our vet was still recommending Bravecto. If safe, it certainly is convenient.
We also vaccinate our dog for Lyme disease and that gives me an extra sense of protection. I have found embedded ticks in her (too late), and so far, knock on wood, she has not gotten sick (and it's been nearly a year since the first time that happened). So, I think that the vaccine has helped. We get her boosted annually. (I hear they're working on one for humans, which I would welcome.)
Yikes. I've been in this house for five years and no sign of fleas or ticks. This morning the dog came in with a tick crawling around on him.
So, fellow dog owners, what do you recommend for flea and tick control? Is there anything over the counter that works? How about Ivermecin, does that kill ticks? Not that I won't buy whatever the dogs need, but it will cost me almost $500 just to take three dogs into the vet for no other reason than to get a prescription for tick meds. I'll do it if I have to, but would prefer not.
Doggone it, my skin is crawling ever since I saw that tick. It feels like creepy things are crawling all over me. I really hate ticks.
Friends have had good luck with Seresto flea collars. I don't think it would work very well for you because you have multiple dogs and a puppy. I went away from them after the puppy chewed through the older dogs flea collar when they were roughousing, and there went any cost saving over the oral product. Also, be careful where you source your Seresto collar from. Don't buy on Amazon, buy from reputable retailers or Vet offices as counterfeits abound. I learned that when I a) saw a tick on my dog while he had his seresto on and b) did research and found my wife bought the collars on Amazon from what turned out to be a rather suspect seller. You know what they say, if a deal sounds to good to be true, it is, even on black Friday.
I've also used the Frontline products. These are sealed, single dose topicals. You snip the cap off and apply it over the shoulder blades. They work. The downside is that there is a time period of about a day where the dog looks like you put hair gel on her shoulder blades (more noticeable on long hair dogs) and it does have a smell (though it doesn't last long at all.)
I use Nexguard, and have used Bravecto. They work well. I have a lot of ticks wear I'm at and my wife will have to check me but never seen one on the dog using these products. At least to order online, they require an rX.
RE the vet; my Vet sells flea and tick, by the box or by the pill. They don't require a special visit if your dog is a patient at the practice. So, if you go in for annual visits/vaccinations, they may very well sell you the meds.
It's a banner year, here; caught me off guard. I use K-9 Advantix. It's supposedly more effective than Frontline, though less safe. But I've never had any problems with it. It costs about $10 per serving and should last for at least a month. It's an over-the-counter topical.
Watch out for Seresto, I used to use it until news a year or so ago about dogs dying.
Still a lot of news about it and trying to recall it.
I've read those. While concerning, I'd be (generally) more concerned about fleas and ticks. The collars have been sold for over a decade with more than 30 Million dogs wearing them.
Make no mistake; any topical medication or collar contains poison designed to kill fleas and ticks. There is some level of risk inherent.
We've used Vectra 3D in the past and although we were not in very tick-y places, it worked well for ticks & fleas. Our current dog writhed on the floor the first time I applied it. She was a pretty feral little rescue puppy at the time (though not too young for us to apply the Vectra 3D), so maybe it just "felt funny," but our previous dogs had not reacted like that, so I discontinued use immediate. She is fine with Frontline Plus (another topical) and by and large it works well.
I can't keep all the feedback straight about tick collars and Bravecto. I hear ominous warnings, but I don't know if those cases are outliers, or something to worry about. Last I heard, our vet was still recommending Bravecto. If safe, it certainly is convenient.
We also vaccinate our dog for Lyme disease and that gives me an extra sense of protection. I have found embedded ticks in her (too late), and so far, knock on wood, she has not gotten sick (and it's been nearly a year since the first time that happened). So, I think that the vaccine has helped. We get her boosted annually. (I hear they're working on one for humans, which I would welcome.)
Good luck! (Ugh!)
Ticks carry other transmittable illnesses outside of Lyme. My male contracted anaplasmosis and it nearly killed him, the poor guy was sick for WEEKS and the tick was on him for less than 6 hours before we found it.
Our new puppy was Lyme vaccinated and before the booster was due we pulled a tick off of her. She then tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme- she may or may not develop LD in her life now. So, even the LD vaccination isn't 100%.
Ticks carry other transmittable illnesses outside of Lyme. My male contracted anaplasmosis and it nearly killed him, the poor guy was sick for WEEKS and the tick was on him for less than 6 hours before we found it.
Our new puppy was Lyme vaccinated and before the booster was due we pulled a tick off of her. She then tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme- she may or may not develop LD in her life now. So, even the LD vaccination isn't 100%.
It's a banner year, here; caught me off guard. I use K-9 Advantix. It's supposedly more effective than Frontline, though less safe. But I've never had any problems with it. It costs about $10 per serving and should last for at least a month. It's an over-the-counter topical.
I have to rethink this. The K-9 Advantix doesn't seem to be effective this year. Have the fleas evolved? I hate to resort to those pills after what I read about them, although they eat pesticides now with the heartworm chews. When I was a kid my family used flea collars in the summers but I've read some awful things about those, too.
I'm going to try the witch hazel-aloe-cedarwood-lemon oil topical mixture. Anyone have any luck with that stuff?
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