Flea and Tick Preventatives

[Muskeg]

While I think it is not ideal to have to use pesticides on a dog, I will always go that route and use the best stuff out there, which in my experience is Advantix and a Preventix collar. After my dogs and my (personal) experience with debilitating tick illness, I would no longer take any chances with ticks. One of the reasons I live where I do is the absence of ticks and very few/no fleas.

Be careful. If you are not out in the woods with your dogs everyday you may be fine with natural remedies, but I gambled with the "natural" route and lost big time. Using what I've learned, I won't make that mistake again. I will pay what it takes to get the best anti-tick chemicals out there (Advantix II and Prenventix collar).

And I would never hesitate to treat for heartworm year round. That is simply not something I'd risk.

[lorihd@comcast.net]

i really didnt have a problem with ticks when we let our chickens out of the coop, they would eat all the bugs, but now with the foxes around, cant let them out anymore. i use certifect

[gsdlover91]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, a wealth of information, just what I was looking for.

Originally Posted by Carriesue

We check for heart worms yearly but we are not in a high risk zone, in fact I don't think I've ever seen or been bitten by a mosquito since I've lived here for the past 8 years.

I'm going to look into using garlic too since its not a huge issue for us... Probably a lot cheaper and safer!

Lucky you dont have to deal with all the grossness thats on this side of the US, LOL, luckily its VERY cold right now so there are no creepy crawlies.

Originally Posted by JakodaCD OA

My animals haven't had a flea on them in years (knock on wood)

I don't want to put anything on them or in them that I don't have to.

With that, I do live in "tick" country, but his year wasn't bad. I do nightly tick checks and if I'm off to hike in the woods, I've been using a product called Natural Defense, (spray on)..Seems to work of for mine

Thanks! Ill check that out, I think ticks is the only thing I have to worry about here - so maybe that will work if I take him outside to the forest preserve or something.

Originally Posted by MissLilyBean

I use Advantix II and I think it works great. I used to buy it locally, but I just bought a 6 pack from 1-800-PetMeds for $66 (including shipping). I used a coupon code I found on Retail Me Not. You should definitely look there first if you're buying online!

I read something recently about using garlic. (Can't recall where.) There were studies that disproved it's significance. Not sure how valid they were. Thoughts?


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App

Thank you, I will certainly look there first...WAY cheaper than at the vet.

Originally Posted by Lauri & The Gang

The fleas can be bad but I have found that my dogs don't seem bothered by them. I attribute it to their natural diet (raw) and putting the least amount of chemicals IN and ON them as possible.

When I find a tick I pull it off. Trust me, after you pull off your 10th tick you lose that YUCK factor. Heck, Once when I would find a tick crawling on me I picked it off and held it until I was finished watching my movie.

I haven't found anything yet that kills ticks on contact. I tried the Diatomacious Earth. Put a teaspoon in a bottle with several ticks and they were still going strong after a week of crawling around in it.

I place the ticks I find on a piece of tape, fold it over, make sure they are sealed in and toss them in the garbage.

The garlic is supposed to repel fleas and ticks when fed to dogs. Google Springtime Garlic and you will find lots of info about it. And yes, I sprinkle it on their food.

When the ticks got so bad this past summer I ended up using Frontline spray on the dogs. I used it at about 1/10th the dosage they said on the bottle and it worked.

I wonder if I could RENT a monkey if the ticks get bad this year???



I lived in Round Lake Park, my brother lives in Ingleside, I used to train with Cheryl Carter at Candys Canines in downtown Antioch and I sometimes get stuff from the Antioch Packing House on Main St for my dogs.

I'm in the Kenosha area.

Kenosha is only about 30 minutes from me, lol small world, I actually live in Ingleside/Volo!

I am interested in a spray for ticks, Ill have to look for that...I will google the garlic also, thanks for the info about that! Where would a dog acquire fleas any who? (besides from another dog)

haha and...I actually think you CAN rent a monkey ..I saw it on a show once, they rented a chimp, craziest thing ever.

Originally Posted by Muskeg

While I think it is not ideal to have to use pesticides on a dog, I will always go that route and use the best stuff out there, which in my experience is Advantix and a Preventix collar. After my dogs and my (personal) experience with debilitating tick illness, I would no longer take any chances with ticks. One of the reasons I live where I do is the absence of ticks and very few/no fleas.

Be careful. If you are not out in the woods with your dogs everyday you may be fine with natural remedies, but I gambled with the "natural" route and lost big time. Using what I've learned, I won't make that mistake again. I will pay what it takes to get the best anti-tick chemicals out there (Advantix II and Prenventix collar).

And I would never hesitate to treat for heartworm year round. That is simply not something I'd risk.

I use heartguard year round - def not taking any chances with that! I'm thinking I may want to use a spray or something for ticks, but during the warmer months. I dont want my dog getting lyme disease or anything..