Curious for the dog owners in the forum. Are you having a terrible year with ticks? The last 8 years living in New England, I've found maybe 20 ticks on my dogs. Today alone, I found 61 ticks on my two dogs after walking through the woods. I've found over a hundred since it warmed up a few weeks ago. The vet told me she's never seen anything like it. MANY dogs very sick.
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That is horrific though, better check for them on yourself and loved ones too if they are that bad.Ohio Fanatic likes this. -
Yes, its been a bad year. Not so much for my dog, who wears a collar and gets meds, but for my kids especially. Not dozens thankfully, but multiple ones every single time that we go outside at our house. We usually pick a few off a week in the warmer half of the year, but its that many every day this time around.
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Living by the beach in a densely populated area I don't see many but there is a dog park not to far away that I'll have to keep an eye on. One way to make it easier to spot ticks is cutting the dogs fur short as that will help keep the dog cooler during summer and make it easier to spot the creepy crawlers. Just reading this though made me check my dog now.
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Haven't seen much of an increase here. Keep an eye out though, I read that this disease is going around. Much worse than lyme.
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NexGard. They're pills. Do the treatment for the week, and you'll never see another tick latched onto your dog.
Regarding the area, just keep chickens around the yard. -
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My old boss got Lyme disease from a tick while cleaning out his shed.
If I were pulling ticks of my kids every time they went outside, I'd spray the yard rather than risk Lyme disease.... as well as avoid the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever that comes with it (which my boss said was absolutely excruciating). -
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Its always a situation in the warmest months, but this year its been especially bad. Some attribute it to a winter that was both mild and wet. I found one inside my house the other day that was about half an inch in diameter and grey it was so bloated. I figure that it came off the dog. -
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With us and the kids, it hurts when they bite, and we feel them and get rid of them quickly. So, they of course don't bloat up. -
Also, when ticks are in their "nymph" stage they are the most dangerous because you really can't see or feel them. They are literally about 1mm wide and tough to spot. That's why clothes are not the most important factor when it comes to avoiding ticks. DEET also works well.
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Although, a good deterrence, which I initially was hesitant to suggest and what we used in the Marines....pantyhose. lol.....I know it sounds funny, but once you pull a tick off of your taint pantyhose doesn't seem so bad. hahaOhio Fanatic likes this. -
We've been using a stick that rubs on and is supposed to ward them off the last few weeks. I haven't had to pull as many off of my kids, but its not full proof. In about an hour outside after dinner last night, I pulled at least three of them off of my legs. Got them before they bit me, thankfully. Like I said, where I live its just been such a wet year, the vegetation is very thick, and its often humid, even when its not too hot out. They're just breeding like crazy.
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Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member
Most other flea treatments are neuro toxins that your dog has to absorb into their bloodstream and only effects insects that actually bite your dog. The cedar repels and kills on contact, no biting required. If you can get cedar in their bedding that helps too.
Warning, it's a bit strong smelling but it's cedar smell. so not so bad. It also come in a handy spray that you can use too.Last edited: Jul 8, 2017Ohio Fanatic likes this.