What Is Worse? Ticks or Prevention?

[ChancetheGSD]

I've never had to put chemicals on my dogs before. They've never had any flea or tick problems so there was no reason to add poison to their skin each month.

Well, now I'm living out in the country with my grandparents and I swear ticks are everywhere. I find them on ME at least once or twice a week and I find a LOT more on Chance since he's outside most the day. I pull them off him every night!! A typical amount in 1 night would be about 10. Last night I pulled off *24 ticks*!!!

Doesn't it take a while for them to inject anything into your pet? So if they're only on a couple hours before they've gotten a good meal (ie. they're not engorged), it shouldn't be as bad as if they were left on to suck the blood out of him correct? He's not anemic or anything, his gums and things are nice and pink.

But because there are SO many I'm considering Advantix or something to kill them. But I'm worried about it making him sick. :/ And don't they need to still latch on anyways in order to die therefore disease could STILL be transferred?

I've never dealt with this problem and before I came here I know Chance was free of tick diseases but now I'm worried he could pick something up. So I was just wondering what would be best? Just keep pulling them off each night or putting chemical killers on him to get rid of them?

[Uniballer]

Originally Posted by ChancetheGSD

Last night I pulled off *24 ticks*!!!

That is a lot of ticks.

Doesn't it take a while for them to inject anything into your pet?

Yes, but the experts and knowledgeable consumers disagree about how long it takes. The medical experts who claim 36 hours minimum for Lyme disease transmission are clearly out of their minds. Ehrlichia may actually be a more immediate threat to dogs than Lyme.

But because there are SO many I'm considering Advantix or something to kill them. But I'm worried about it making him sick. :/ And don't they need to still latch on anyways in order to die therefore disease could STILL be transferred?

Nothing is perfect. Reports from Bayer indicate that Advantix II can repel and/or kill ticks before they attach. Unfortunately, you must handle the product and your dog carefully because the product can cause "substantial but temporary eye injury" to humans. I.e. don't pet your dog before it has been absorbed.

We all have to weigh the risks (and yuck factor) and do the best we can. I put K9 Advantix (II) on my dog ever since I found an engorged female deer tick on his face a few years ago.

[lisgje]

I use k-9 advantix as well. They can get so many diseases and or parasites from fleas (tape worms especially from fleas) and ticks that it is well worth investing in the preventative. Ticks can travel and you don't want to wake up and find one on yourself that your dog brought in. I have used Advantage and Advantix on three different dogs and four cats (feline version of course, LOL) and they never had an adverse reaction. Be sure to wash your hands after applying to your dog.

[Rerun]

I find the preventative to be much better than the parasites. Would you want 24 ticks crawling on you, sucking your blood, even if they weren't transmitting anything?

I've never had a single problem with flea/tick preventative. Yes some have problems, but look at things as a WHOLE. How many people apply spot-on's in this world vs the amount of problems?

[ChancetheGSD]

But my point is that most of the chemical things you put on your pets DON'T work UNTIL the tick has bitten them. Therefore, my dog is still going to be crawled on and eaten by them only now he'll be sporting chemicals that can harm to mine, his and my grandparents health.

I get that millions of people use them on their animals but millions of people also vaccinate their dogs every 6-12 months which I have never, nor will I ever do. It's not until later down the road the dog gets cancer from it or has a bad reaction. THAT is what bothers me about it. Though of course there is also that first time risk involved since I -don't- know how he will react to it.

And my dogs don't and have never had fleas so I'm not worried about protecting against those. Just the ticks are a problem atm. And even if I didn't have a dog, being where we are at, we people would still be bringing them inside and being bitten by them. It comes with living in the woods.

Now, the Advantix II sounds good if it actually does repel them or kill them without them having to bite. Of course, then you have to wonder what you're putting on your dog that is that powerful. Thankfully it shouldn't be more than a 2-3 month thing tops before I move out but I'm incredibly paranoid about putting stuff on my dogs. I'll see what I can find online about it. Thanks for the suggestion!

Also, which product isn't suppose to be used in a house with cats? Anyone know? Cause I want to try and avoid that so that when I move out I don't have to worry about anything on my dog harming/killing the two kittens I'm getting.

[JakodaCD OA]

living in "Lyme" CT , I would say the ticks are worse than the preventative

I had a male pass away , yeah he was no spring chicken, but had complications caused by chronic erhlichia

My 3 dogs ALWAYS come up postiive for anaplasmosis, Masi is only 3 and has been positive since I started testing her,,the two aussies have been positive for 4-5 years.

None are clinical, but I still treat every year with doxy. I do not use the spot on stuff, I also do not like putting chemicals in their systems..I just got Vets Best Flea & Tick Spray so am going to try that because I do see a fair amount of ticks on them a different times.

The thing is, the ticks that cause Tick Disease, you will most likely never find on the dog, they are so 'minute', unless they are around the eye area, you most likely will never see them

[Stosh]

I'm with Jakoda- having had a pup with ehrlichia, a life threatening tick borne disease, I say the preventative is worth any risk. There's a tag that repels fleas, ticks, etc that you hang from the collar but I'm guessing you're going to need a topical preventative, especially with all the pines in that area.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by ChancetheGSD

Therefore, my dog is still going to be crawled on and eaten by them only now he'll be sporting chemicals that can harm to mine, his and my grandparents health.

So why did you ask?

[onyx'girl]

I would opt for repellents, as in essential oil spray or garlic instead of a spot on that only kills the tick after it has already invaded the body. There are holistic methods, I go that route instead of putting more chemicals on or in my dogs.

[JakodaCD OA]

I'm thinking of trying these as well www.shootag.com altho I'm not sold on it