Ticks, ticks, and more ticks. Why so many?

[LaylaM]

I live in the North Bay and ticks are everywhere but, especially, in the regional parks and areas with tall grasses where they love to hang out. When we first moved out here we had no idea how bad they were so we didn't medicate. Both our dogs got ravaged and we had to get them removed at the vet. Scared the heck out of us. Thankfully, no lyme infections...

We now use Bravecto (vet prescription) and have zero problems. OP, maybe you need to get something stronger for your dog.

[Scorpion3510]

Originally Posted by LaylaM

I live in the North Bay and ticks are everywhere but, especially, in the regional parks and areas with tall grasses where they love to hang out. When we first moved out here we had no idea how bad they were so we didn't medicate. Both our dogs got ravaged and we had to get them removed at the vet. Scared the heck out of us. Thankfully, no lyme infections...

We now use Bravecto (vet prescription) and have zero problems. OP, maybe you need to get something stronger for your dog.

He's on a prescription prevention. If a tick bites him, they will die shortly thereafter. It still doesn't stop them from trying and me witnessing a ton of them crawling on his head after a hike.


My question was more on the "why" there are so many ticks in this area rather than what to do about it. It's just unusual to see so many at once. I've lived MANY different places all over this country and haven't encountered this many ticks at once.

[Matadora]

Originally Posted by Scorpion3510

My question was more on the "why" there are so many ticks in this area rather than what to do about it. It's just unusual to see so many at once. I've lived MANY different places all over this country and haven't encountered this many ticks at once.

I answered why with links back in post #5.

Here's another link with an infectious disease expert stating the same thing my links stated.

Why according to Charles Chiu, MD, PhD:

There are several potential reasons why rates have increased in California and nationwide. One is globalization. People travel extensively, and for instance, someone could get infected while on the East Coast and come back with Lyme disease.

Another reason is climate change, in that the geographic range of the tick vector, which is the Ixodes or black-legged tick, has expanded westward from the northeast United States as well as southward year after year. For ticks to be maintained in nature, they need to have what we call an animal reservoir, essentially a mammal such as a squirrel or rodent that can harbor Borrelia burgdorferi – the bacterium in the tick that causes Lyme disease. Therefore, expansion of the animal reservoir is also another reason for increasing Lyme disease rates. On the East Coast, the reservoir is the white-footed mouse. In California, the Western gray squirrel harbors the bacterium. Lizards, while not a reservoir for Borrelia burgdorferi, are common hosts for the black-legged tick in California so increase the risk of infections to humans by maintaining the tick population in the wild.

Lyme Disease is On the Rise – An Expert Explains Why

[LaylaM]

Originally Posted by Scorpion3510

He's on a prescription prevention. If a tick bites him, they will die shortly thereafter. It still doesn't stop them from trying and me witnessing a ton of them crawling on his head after a hike.


My question was more on the "why" there are so many ticks in this area rather than what to do about it. It's just unusual to see so many at once. I've lived MANY different places all over this country and haven't encountered this many ticks at once.

Well, the answer to the 'why' is not going to keep those ticks off your dog's head (and biting him) so I thought you may want to look into better solutions rather than simply discussing hypotheses...

We hike with our dogs almost every day. No ticks on their heads or elsewhere - and certainly no bites. It's a known fact that lots of the tick meds out there are not very effective anymore so thought you may want to try a different solution to the problem....

[Scorpion3510]

Originally Posted by LaylaM

Well, the answer to the 'why' is not going to keep those ticks off your dog's head (and biting him) so I thought you may want to look into better solutions rather than simply discussing hypotheses...

We hike with our dogs almost every day. No ticks on their heads or elsewhere - and certainly no bites. It's a known fact that lots of the tick meds out there are not very effective anymore so thought you may want to try a different solution to the problem....

I appreciate it, didn't mean to come off as ungrateful or hostile for the advice.