# Tick



## SerenityFL

Ok, so, I'm up in Maine now and I've already found I have to deal with something I've never had a problem with before.

Ticks.

I had just signed off to try to go back to sleep now that it's getting light out and the hoodlums were lying on their new doggie beds, looking up at me. I went over to Sakari, first, rolled her over to rub her belly and noticed good news and bad news.

The good news is, in the week we've been here, her hair where she was shaved for spaying is FINALLY growing in! Hurray. Guess it was just too hot in Miami.

The bad news is, I found a tick there. A fricken tick! How DARE that tick touch my dog! I pulled it off and proceeded to drown it.

I started checking her more....kinda hard with all the dark fur so I have a three part question:

1) How do you get through all that fur to find other ticks? They are tiny and dark.

2) How do you prevent ticks on dogs? I know there are collars but aren't those harsh chemicals or is that my only choice?

3) Lyme disease happens up here with ticks. They say to look for rashes, like a target or bullseye. I found a tiny rash on her hind leg, it's a circle...is that it or is that something else? Do dog's get Lyme disease? What do I look for as far as symptoms?

Yesterday I started "weeding" some of the garden containers in the yard, (squares boxed in with wooden posts), because I'm trying to cut down on the high grass which I read ticks love to lie in wait for unsuspecting humans and animals. But there's a lot more to go. Need to borrow a weed eater from someone since lawn guy apparently doesn't do all that. 

Never had an issue with ticks before. We're here a week and already there's a tick touching my dog and sucking her blood? That ticks me off and I will take my revenge on the entire tick population. Just need some help as to how.


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## SilverBeat

I use apple cider vinegar. I used to give it to Wallaby in his water but a.) I wanted to make sure he got the right dose every day and b.) I noticed he wasn't drinking as much water, the more I added to it.

So what I do, is I grab a baby food jar, throw a half capful or so in there, and pour blood in and freeze it. In a pinch I have also just kinda poured it over his food and he ate it that way, but with the hot weather I prefer to give him the bloodsicles.

I found two ticks on Wallaby in March, before I gave him anything for ticks. Since ACV, I check him daily and haven't found a one.

I just do the best I can checking my dark fuzzy dog's fur. I get really thorough with the usual places [back of the neck and ears] and everything else I just try my best and make sure to check every day. Although both times I found ticks I wasn't looking for them, just giving a scratching.

Dogs can get Lyme, there's a vaccine for it but it's not all that effective [something like 70-80%]. In order to get Lyme, though, the tick has to be attached for no less than 48 hours. A lot of people I know get their dogs screened for it every year or every 6 months. I will probably do that at the end of the season.


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## Nani

if you are really infested I would look into frontline plus. It kills ticks and fleas and lice. Thanks silverbeat, I forgot about acv. Something I've used off and on for myself and pets for years.  A note about acv, it must be raw apple cider vinegar and will say "with the mother" on the bottle.


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## Lisa_j

I have been dusting mine with the DE before and after walks in the woods. I really think it is effective. I found a tick on Freedom a few days after a hike and it was dead and kinda dried up. As far as the "rash" goes, any time my dogs have had a tick, they have that red ring for a few days regardless of the type of tick.


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## SilverBeat

Nani is right, You have to use raw acv with the mother. Thank you for mentioning that. Bragg's is the most popular brand but there are others.


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## SerenityFL

So the ACV repels the ticks? Does that really work...I mean, percentage wise, is there some estimate? Like 90% 80%???

What is DE?

Is there a tick comb or something like that? 

Do ticks fall off if I bathe them?

Do they go more for bare parts of skin or look for thick fur? This tick was found on her private area where the fur is just now, at long last, months and months later, finally growing in...which I can only attribute to not being in scorching hot weather anymore.

The ring was on her hind leg...near her private area but not where I found the tick. Does this mean, with the ring, that the tick is still there?

How harsh are the collars? I mean, which is worse, Lyme disease because of deer ticks or a chemical? 

I'm so hesitant to use the drops on the back of the neck after my cat Serenity had a bad reaction to that once...I stopped using that and went to Fleabusters...which is great for getting rid of fleas, all time best product ever on the planet; totally natural, totally works. But, it doesn't cover ticks. So I'm at a loss as, again, I've never had a problem with ticks. Not with these two even in the Glades and not with my dog I had in Seattle.


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## jiml

reactions to the drops are rare but do occur. Dogs are somewhat resistant to lyme (cats more-so) but can get it and if not detected/treated can get pretty bad.

DE is diatomaceous earth. its microscopically sharp and tears insects exo-skeleton. Use food grade and try not yo make a cloud (at thevery least some forms can cause silicosis if breathed in)


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## Tobi

We find them DAILY here on us and the dog, we just pull them off and cut the head off to ensure it's dead. Tobi is white so it is much easier to spot 9/10 times we find them still crawling around trying to find a good place to dig in and we just grab em then... DE is a powder that has such fine crystals they break the carapace of the insects and cause them to dry out. there are alot of places you can go for more info on the different grades they have, the most popular is food grade but use caution when applying it you don't want to be breathing it.


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## Nani

With Serenity did you use the frontline specifically for kitties? Don't know if it makes a dif but a thought. As for the collars I think they are very bad and would never use them. I really dislike frontline too but it's the only thing I've found that works. I've heard about DE and I think I might give it a try just a little nervous about the whole cloud thing cause I'm pretty messy.


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## Lisa_j

Nani said:


> With Serenity did you use the frontline specifically for kitties? Don't know if it makes a dif but a thought. As for the collars I think they are very bad and would never use them. I really dislike frontline too but it's the only thing I've found that works. I've heard about DE and I think I might give it a try just a little nervous about the whole cloud thing cause I'm pretty messy.


Honestly, it is really not messy. I believe someone on here recommended putting it into an old sock and then dusting the dogs with it. I dust them outside and the messiest part was getting it into the sock!


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## chowder

I've pulled 5 ticks off of MYSELF just in the last week. We live with constant ticks in NC. The first year I lived here it freaked me out. Now I can wake up in the middle of the night, sleepwalk to the bathroom, pull it off, flush it, and go back to bed without even thinking about it! I actually find more on me then on the dogs. 

We usually spray our yard every year. We just got our spray yesterday (the kind that you attach to a hose) and we're going to do the yard today. Then I'll put the K-9 Advantix on the dogs. It's the only thing I've found that will work here. Frontline doesn't do a thing. I REALLY don't like using any chemicals on the dogs or the yard, but when it gets to the point where you see ticks crawling up the walls inside your house, you become a lot more willing to use whatever it takes. We only have to do the yard once in the spring and then we are set for the year. We just get the spray at Lowes or Home Depot.

As many ticks as I've had on me and the dogs, we have never gotten sick from them so it's just something to be aware of, not paranoid over.


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## chowder

SerenityFL said:


> Is there a tick comb or something like that?
> 
> Do ticks fall off if I bathe them?
> 
> Do they go more for bare parts of skin or look for thick fur?


There are flea and tick combs and I have several of them. They only work on short hair because they are really fine tooth (I could never use it on Rocky) but it works fine on Shade. Ticks will NOT come off in a bath or shower (with you) if they have attached already. They usually like to go for moist, warm, hidden places, so look particularly in between paw pads, under armpits, under back legs, etc. On you they would go for armpits, inside legs, underneath underwear, behind the knees, etc. I have found them on me AFTER a shower, so I usually do a nightly tick check on myself before I go to bed all summer long. 

They are yucky, but not the end of the world.


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## magicre

don't forget ears....

reading this, i thank the universe daily that i live in washington.


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## 1605

chowder said:


> I've pulled 5 ticks off of MYSELF just in the last week. We live with constant ticks in NC. The first year I lived here it freaked me out. Now I can wake up in the middle of the night, sleepwalk to the bathroom, pull it off, flush it, and go back to bed without even thinking about it! I actually find more on me then on the dogs.
> 
> We usually spray our yard every year. We just got our spray yesterday (the kind that you attach to a hose) and we're going to do the yard today. Then I'll put the K-9 Advantix on the dogs. It's the only thing I've found that will work here. Frontline doesn't do a thing. I REALLY don't like using any chemicals on the dogs or the yard, but when it gets to the point where you see ticks crawling up the walls inside your house, you become a lot more willing to use whatever it takes. We only have to do the yard once in the spring and then we are set for the year. We just get the spray at Lowes or Home Depot.
> 
> As many ticks as I've had on me and the dogs, we have never gotten sick from them so it's just something to be aware of, not paranoid over.


K9 Advantix is what we use as well. AAMOF, our dog was up in GA for 2 months with a Trainer. We sent up 2 months worth of heartworm meds along with the same amount of K9 Advantix.

All we kept seeing on FB, etc was reports from them about how bad the ticks were, so obviously we were concerned about our dog. However, even after working him in their fields before brining him home, we only found 1 tick on him & it was dead.

No one likes to use artificial means to keep away harmful insects from people or pets. But I really don't think there's an alternative.


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## swolek

I wish I could rely on natural preventatives but I live in THE worst area in the world for lyme disease. I had it as a kid (wouldn't wish it on anyone...) and my dog got it even though she was vaccinated for lyme. I had no idea Sophie had it until she went in for her annual lyme test. A couple of months before the test I had noticed she was sometimes a little sore after walks and would prefer to lie on the ground instead of jump up on the couch. Since it only happened a few times and only right after walks, I didn't think much of it. That was her only symptom.

I originally used Frontline Plus but it stopped working around here a couple years ago. I was pulling engorged ticks out of Sophie's ears and the dogs even got fleas. I switched to K9 Advantix and haven't had any problems since. I hate putting chemicals on the dogs but the benefits outweigh the risks in this area (and with all of the hiking we do).

...after some hikes I sometimes think I should use K9 Advantix on myself. Haha.


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## SerenityFL

So basically I can use:

Apple Cider Vinegar
DE, that powder, if I can figure out where to get that
K9 Advantix.

I assume the Advantix works for 30 days at a time like the other stuff? I guess I can try that...see if they handle it well, no bad reactions. If not, I can try the powder thingie and I can do the ACV with any of it. If they'll eat an ACV/blood from meat package popsicle. 

Oh and will it take care of ticks they might already have? What if I haven't found them all...will it destroy them as well?


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## swolek

I think it would kill any ticks already on them, yeah. I know it killed the fleas they had when I first applied it.


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## Tobi

chowder said:


> I've pulled 5 ticks off of MYSELF just in the last week. We live with constant ticks in NC. The first year I lived here it freaked me out. Now I can wake up in the middle of the night, sleepwalk to the bathroom, pull it off, flush it, and go back to bed without even thinking about it! I actually find more on me then on the dogs.
> 
> We usually spray our yard every year. We just got our spray yesterday (the kind that you attach to a hose) and we're going to do the yard today. Then I'll put the K-9 Advantix on the dogs. It's the only thing I've found that will work here. Frontline doesn't do a thing. I REALLY don't like using any chemicals on the dogs or the yard, but when it gets to the point where you see ticks crawling up the walls inside your house, you become a lot more willing to use whatever it takes. We only have to do the yard once in the spring and then we are set for the year. We just get the spray at Lowes or Home Depot.
> 
> As many ticks as I've had on me and the dogs, we have never gotten sick from them so it's just something to be aware of, not paranoid over.


I've never seen a tick in my life until i moved here... the first week i lived here i had one on my chest... i was freaked... TODAY alone, i found 6 on Tobi on his legs, had 2 on me, and i was dogsitting my gf's mom's dog and found 2 on him... I'm really really really thinking of spraying the yard...

I've also found them crawling on me in the middle of the night as well, i just grab a pair of fingernail clippers out of the drawer and cut em in half after i pull it off in the middle of the night!!:wacko:


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## Mollygirl

I grew up on a farm and ticks was just part of life. The animals always had them and we would sometimes find them on us. It was always no big deal back then, just pick them off. We didn't know anything about lyme disease or Rocky mountain tick disease. Now that I have my dogs and cats inside I can't stand them and do worry about it. I check them often. I would like to try the apple cider vinegar but where can you buy it. I live in a small town with only Walmart and dollar stores. I've looked but I don't see any that say "Mother" on it. Do you have to buy it at specialty stores or online. I really don't like buying online if I can get it locally.


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## SilverBeat

SerenityFL said:


> If they'll eat an ACV/blood from meat package popsicle.


I keep old yogurt containers [the big 32 oz kind] full of blood in my freezer. I have three or four in the chest and one in my normal freezer, I add to it whenever I empty a package of meat, and then thaw one and make bloodsicles once every couple of weeks. Some of the blood [like what liver is packed in] is a lot richer than the "blood" that you get out of chicken quarters, so it all evens out. Plus frozen foods are a lot less flavorful so I think that helps mask the taste. I have tried giving it to him thawed and he won't hear of it.


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## Lisa_j

SilverBeat said:


> I keep old yogurt containers [the big 32 oz kind] full of blood in my freezer. I have three or four in the chest and one in my normal freezer, I add to it whenever I empty a package of meat, and then thaw one and make bloodsicles once every couple of weeks. Some of the blood [like what liver is packed in] is a lot richer than the "blood" that you get out of chicken quarters, so it all evens out. Plus frozen foods are a lot less flavorful so I think that helps mask the taste. I have tried giving it to him thawed and he won't hear of it.


I think this is a great idea and in addition to DE I am going to do the ACV as well. I bought the ACV (braggs) at an organic store yesterday and I didnt have enough blood so I pureed some chicken liver. I mixed the liver and ACV together and put it in an ice cube tray. I am anxious to see if they will eat it today! THanks for the tip!


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## 1605

swolek said:


> I wish I could rely on natural preventatives but I live in THE worst area in the world for lyme disease. I had it as a kid (wouldn't wish it on anyone...) and my dog got it even though she was vaccinated for lyme. I had no idea Sophie had it until she went in for her annual lyme test. A couple of months before the test I had noticed she was sometimes a little sore after walks and would prefer to lie on the ground instead of jump up on the couch. Since it only happened a few times and only right after walks, I didn't think much of it. That was her only symptom.
> 
> I originally used Frontline Plus but it stopped working around here a couple years ago. I was pulling engorged ticks out of Sophie's ears and the dogs even got fleas. I switched to K9 Advantix and haven't had any problems since. I hate putting chemicals on the dogs but the benefits outweigh the risks in this area (and with all of the hiking we do).
> 
> ...after some hikes I sometimes think I should use K9 Advantix on myself. Haha.


Besides always wearing long sleeves, having jeans tucked into boots, etc. we use tick/mosquito repellent that contains DEET. I tend to pick the products that contain the highest percentages in non-aerosol pump containers.


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## Kofismom

Mollygirl said:


> I grew up on a farm and ticks was just part of life. The animals always had them and we would sometimes find them on us. It was always no big deal back then, just pick them off. We didn't know anything about lyme disease or Rocky mountain tick disease. Now that I have my dogs and cats inside I can't stand them and do worry about it. I check them often. I would like to try the apple cider vinegar but where can you buy it. I live in a small town with only Walmart and dollar stores. I've looked but I don't see any that say "Mother" on it. Do you have to buy it at specialty stores or online. I really don't like buying online if I can get it locally.


Do you have a health food store in your town?
Braggs is a good brand, but I have used others. Just make sure it says raw/unfiltered. It looks cloudy. Wal-Mart probably carries one.


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## stajbs

Oh Gosh, you have my sympathies. In all the years we've had sibes I have had one bout of fleas and the rare tick. Advantix dealt with the flea outbreak, and I would use it once or twice a summer many years ago, especially if we were going to be hiking or going to an event in a heavily wooded area. The PA Sled Dog Club had events all over PA and I used to treat them before we went on these trips. I hated using the chemicals. 

This year I have personally been heebed out by all the ticks I am finding on myself and am almost obssessing going over our dogs these past few weeks. That is a challenge with siberians and all their coat. It has just never been such a serious problem as it has been this year in our area. A few weeks ago I tried ACV, the Braggs version and my girl just will not drink her water or eat with the ACV. I can't have her doing this because she is the one of our siberians who is a totally soft dog/mush brain/very sensitive to any stress in the house etc. She stopped eating for days when we lost two senior sibes in 2009 in one month.

Last year I tried DE also, but it dried out their coats terribly, maybe I overdid it?? Not sure. So this year I ordered a new product to try and wondered if anyone had any experience with it. I purchased Sentry's Natural Defense a natural flea and tick squeeze on for dogs and pups.(their words on the box, lol) It does say some cats have issues with it. After reading tons of reviews on it good and bad I went ahead and ordered one pack with 3 sqeeze tubes which are applied in the same manner as K9 Advantix. This product contains: 3% peppermint oil, 4.5%cinnamon oil and lemon grass oil, and 5% clove and thyme oil. The other two listed ingredients are Vanillin and Isopropyl Myristate at 78%...thus all adding up to 100% of the ingredients. The complaints I read about dogs, involved people who were sensitive to the smell of the oils, and some folks said it made their dogs coats oily where applied and that it can stain a white coat. I figure I can survive these two issues and as far as staining my guys are not white where it would be applied. 

Not trying to hijack this thread, just saw it, and coincidentally am having the same problems and wondered if anyone had tried this product. I was all ready to apply it this morning when I saw this thread, smacked myself on the forehead and said, geez, ask these folks too before doing anything. Any input as always appreciated.


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## chowder

SubMariner said:


> Besides always wearing long sleeves, having jeans tucked into boots, etc. we use tick/mosquito repellent that contains DEET. I tend to pick the products that contain the highest percentages in non-aerosol pump containers.


If I wore long sleeves, jeans, and boots to work out in the yard I would probably die of heat stroke (and a migraine) long before I got eaten alive by the ticks! I know they say that is what you are suppose to do, but when it's already 95 degrees outside with 90% humidity, I wear shorts and flip flops to garden and walk the dogs. I guess I'll have to start using the insect spray on myself. I have a bunch of cans of it, I just keep forgetting to use it until I am already outside. 

We sprayed the yard yesterday and the dogs got their spring dose of Advantix (Rocky pouted the whole day long) so we'll see how long we can go before I see another tick.


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## Lisa_j

I use the Sentry's Natural Defense as well! I have the spray and use it at camp. Last year we also used the squeeze drops and I still have some left. We did end up with fleas in Aug so I had to treat with advantage, but only once! This year I have already started with the DE on the dogs and in the yard, I picked up the ACV yesterday and made frozen liver treats with (by the way, they ate them this am without a problem) and will cont with the Sentrys Natural defense spray as well. Crossing my fingers!


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## naturalfeddogs

We use k9advantix on ours. We are in the great deep south of east central alabama, and never see a tick. It works better than anything we have tried in the past.


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## Lisa_j

naturalfeddogs said:


> We use k9advantix on ours. We are in the great deep south of east central alabama, and never see a tick. It works better than anything we have tried in the past.


I use to use K9advantix but we did still find ticks. I even called Johnson & Johnson and they said the tick can still stick prior to death. I am trying really had to avoid putting and poisons on my dog since learning this.


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## naturalfeddogs

Lisa_j said:


> I use to use K9advantix but we did still find ticks. I even called Johnson & Johnson and they said the tick can still stick prior to death. I am trying really had to avoid putting and poisons on my dog since learning this.


Wow! I've never found any on ours. I wish I could find a more natural way of preventing them, but so far no real luck here.


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## SerenityFL

Well, I went out and got the Advantix today and put it on them. They only had the 6 month pack so that's three months for the hoodlums, each. I figure by that time, it should be getting close to "winter" when all the insects freeze to death and die...hahahahahhhahahahahaa! 

But, that also gives me time to figure out a more natural alternative. I'm going to try the ACV...damn, I had some of that before I moved, too. Oh well. If they don't, I can still use the ACV for household chores. But, these two eat pretty much anything. If Shasta will eat other dog poo, surely he'll eat an ACV/blood popsicle.

I would be VERY interested to hear how the Sentry's works...so those of you who have it, please, let us all know. I want something natural. I hate chemicals on my animals.

Didn't find any DE today...but am wondering about that whole "dried coat" business. Anyone else have that problem or was it user error? (Something I'd probably do, as well...totally coat them in it.)

Now I just need some spray for the yard to keep out the ticks, fleas, flies, mosquitoes and those nasty things with 8 legs. They've been coming in to the house and no, I don't play that. They need to die. Birds and frogs can eat the bugs. No need for 8 legged freaks!


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## Lisa_j

SerenityFL said:


> Well, I went out and got the Advantix today and put it on them. They only had the 6 month pack so that's three months for the hoodlums, each. I figure by that time, it should be getting close to "winter" when all the insects freeze to death and die...hahahahahhhahahahahaa!
> 
> But, that also gives me time to figure out a more natural alternative. I'm going to try the ACV...damn, I had some of that before I moved, too. Oh well. If they don't, I can still use the ACV for household chores. But, these two eat pretty much anything. If Shasta will eat other dog poo, surely he'll eat an ACV/blood popsicle.
> 
> I would be VERY interested to hear how the Sentry's works...so those of you who have it, please, let us all know. I want something natural. I hate chemicals on my animals.
> 
> Didn't find any DE today...but am wondering about that whole "dried coat" business. Anyone else have that problem or was it user error? (Something I'd probably do, as well...totally coat them in it.)
> 
> Now I just need some spray for the yard to keep out the ticks, fleas, flies, mosquitoes and those nasty things with 8 legs. They've been coming in to the house and no, I don't play that. They need to die. Birds and frogs can eat the bugs. No need for 8 legged freaks!


Welll, as I said mine did get fleas by Aug with the Sentry BUT....I only had to treat them once at the end of the season and used Advantage. I think it was last yr that I did the Advantix early in the season like April and they had a few ticks, that is when I called J&J and they told me they can still stick for a day or so. They say it deters them but are unsure if they can get disease or not!!! The DE does seem to dry the coat. I dusted my guys again yesterday. To me it is worth it if it works. I will only use it during summer months anyhow. I have not treated my yard yet with it but plan on it as well as treating the camp I just wonder how often it needs treated when using DE. Anyone know?

ETS- That is is hell of a lot of money paying for Advantix for 8 dogs, not knowing if they can still contract disease with it on!


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## magicre

don't they sell DE at health food stores?

i know they sell it at pool supply stores, because we used it to clean our pool when i lived on the east coast...but that's not the same is it?


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## chowder

SerenityFL said:


> Well, I went out and got the Advantix today and put it on them. They only had the 6 month pack so that's three months for the hoodlums, each. I figure by that time, it should be getting close to "winter" when all the insects freeze to death and die...hahahahahhhahahahahaa!
> 
> Now I just need some spray for the yard to keep out the ticks, fleas, flies, mosquitoes and those nasty things with 8 legs. They've been coming in to the house and no, I don't play that. They need to die. Birds and frogs can eat the bugs. No need for 8 legged freaks!


Last year I only had to use the Advantix ONCE on each dog, and I sprayed the yard once. It seems like (here at least) if you catch them in the spring and get them early, you don't have that big a problem with ticks the rest of the summer. And I NEVER have a flea problem, unlike my neighbors who can get really bad fleas infestations. I think the key is to get the yard and dogs done before they both get too overwhelmed with bugs. 

I hesitate to use the DE on my dogs because 1. I have asthma and figure I'd probably breathe in half of it and kill myself! and 2. Rocky is a real 'licker' and grooms himself all the time. I'm not sure how it is if the dog licks it off of himself. Maybe it's not harmful if ingested. I don't know enough about it. I just feel safer with the once a year Advantix, although even that upsets him and he pouts all day when I put it on. I don't think he likes the smell of it. 

My mother in law swears that they used to get rid of all fleas and ticks by covering the perimeter of the yard with tobacco stalks. I don't know if this works or not, or where you would even get them, but it's suppose to be a natural alternative for the yard.


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## Lisa_j

DE is SAFE if injested!! The beauty of it all! It is safe for everyone as long as you don't snort it! LOL. It can be given to the dogs as a natural de-wormer. Awesome stuff!


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## 3Musketeers

The only thing I'd worry about DE (got some 4 days ago and forgot to update my thread, hurrah) is that your dogs are black, and DE is white. Also, don't wear black clothes while applying it ;P.
You'll probably have ghost dogs for a few hours, but I'll add to that it does stop itching, after the second day or so.

On another note, I recently discovered some people buy praying mantis eggs to hatch in their yard for bug infestations, the downside? They'll eat your hummingbirds and everything else they can catch too.

P.S: I've used the "Sentry's Natural Defense" Spray, but it just smells really strong. Like Christmas, except the smell lingers in the house and on the dogs for a whole friggin day, tried diluting it in water too... still smelled like christmas for another day.


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## JoeynZoey

ok I didn't read all of the replies, so I apologize if I missed anything I am going to ask or concern over. 

This is the first year I am also having to deal with ticks for zoey and myself. I have pulled off a few from our trip to a distinctive beach/and path area. 
Let me note I also give her ACV on a daily basis and it is doing a wonderful job for keeping flees off but these ticks are not affected by the ACV apparently. 

Since zoey is white and short coated it's very easily visible when a tick decided to evily come in contact with her, but is there any other preferably natural approaches towards preventing ticks to host onto your dog?

Since I live in a city I find the couple of times we had any tick problems was when we went towards our country paths and by the beach grass paths. I have yet to see a problem here in town. Thanks in advance.


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## stajbs

Magicre,
I did get my DE at a health food/supply type store. You have to be careful because there is human grade and then there is the separate type for pools as you mention. Definitely do not want the pool stuff for the dogs, but I forget specifically why, although common sense would indicate the human grade being safe. With the DE my red/white sibe who is more a copper and white looked like a creme sicle for a day and my black and white looked more gray and white for a day but no biggie there, it passed. Stuff did work because it penetrates the outer layer of the insects on the dog. I may yet go back to DE, dry coat is not the worst thing in the world when it comes to health and safety for the furries, just saw this Natural Defense and thought why not give it a try, but of course I had to ask here first. lol So later today my house is gonna smell like Christmas huh? I'll tell hubby to suck it up.


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## SerenityFL

stajbs said:


> Magicre,
> I did get my DE at a health food/supply type store. You have to be careful because there is human grade and then there is the separate type for pools as you mention. Definitely do not want the pool stuff for the dogs, but I forget specifically why, although common sense would indicate the human grade being safe. With the DE my red/white sibe who is more a copper and white looked like a creme sicle for a day and my black and white looked more gray and white for a day but no biggie there, it passed. Stuff did work because it penetrates the outer layer of the insects on the dog. I may yet go back to DE, dry coat is not the worst thing in the world when it comes to health and safety for the furries, just saw this Natural Defense and thought why not give it a try, but of course I had to ask here first. lol So later today my house is gonna smell like Christmas huh? I'll tell hubby to suck it up.


I went on to Amazon to look up DE and they have a very precise warning about not getting the pool grade DE because it can be fatal if swallowed. Absolutely, if you are going to use this, get human grade. You can use it for all kinds of things, I have been reading, not just for tick repellent. On Amazon, you can get a 50 lb bag for $25. Not bad. I'm still deciding if I'm going to use this because again, I don't know about the drying out the coat thing and as was just mentioned, my dogs are black, the powder is white...so, still deciding.

Although, house smelling like Christmas sounds like a good thing.


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## BrownieM

I had a poodle that got Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and his health went downhill from there. Ticks scare me because of Lyme and other diseases, so I do use Frontline Plus every 5-6 weeks between April and November. I don't use it at all between November and March.


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## stajbs

Well my house smells like a Christmas tree, or Chai Tea, not sure which, sort of a combo. I think the dogs were disgusted with me this afternoon. Course that's my human interpretation of the looks I got after using the Natural Defense. Since I was already obsessing about the fles and ticks I will continue to do so just to keep an eye on things. Serenity, did you find the spray to just be more comfortable to use or did you use both the oil applied down the back and the spray?

HUbby says the house smells like potpourrie(sp?), there are definitely worse smells. The spray I used before was Eqyss Marigold, and was good for gnats, flies and mosquitos but not very effective for fleas and ticks so we'll see how this goes. The dogs are funny right now because the air is on and fans are running but they are lying upwind from the fans instead of directly in the fan breeze, they must find the odor pretty strong.


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## 1605

chowder said:


> If I wore long sleeves, jeans, and boots to work out in the yard I would probably die of heat stroke (and a migraine) long before I got eaten alive by the ticks! I know they say that is what you are suppose to do, but when it's already 95 degrees outside with 90% humidity, I wear shorts and flip flops to garden and walk the dogs. I guess I'll have to start using the insect spray on myself. I have a bunch of cans of it, I just keep forgetting to use it until I am already outside.


In case you didn't notice, I live in FL where the daytime temps have been well into the 90s for weeks and 90% humidity is the norm.

Needless to say, we make it habit not to be out working the dog except in the early morning or late evening. If we are out afield, I tend to wear the lightest long sleeved white cotton shirt I have to help offset the heat in addition to the spray.

Winters are usually a bit better, but unless it's unseasonably cold, we sometimes still have to use the topicals on the dog.


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## SerenityFL

stajbs said:


> Well my house smells like a Christmas tree, or Chai Tea, not sure which, sort of a combo. I think the dogs were disgusted with me this afternoon. Course that's my human interpretation of the looks I got after using the Natural Defense. Since I was already obsessing about the fles and ticks I will continue to do so just to keep an eye on things. Serenity, did you find the spray to just be more comfortable to use or did you use both the oil applied down the back and the spray?
> 
> HUbby says the house smells like potpourrie(sp?), there are definitely worse smells. The spray I used before was Eqyss Marigold, and was good for gnats, flies and mosquitos but not very effective for fleas and ticks so we'll see how this goes. The dogs are funny right now because the air is on and fans are running but they are lying upwind from the fans instead of directly in the fan breeze, they must find the odor pretty strong.


I'm not sure what spray you are talking about? I got the K9Advantix, it's that stuff you put in drops down their backs. We'll see how well it works...coincidentally, every time I start thinking about ticks I start itching all over. 

Anyway, the backyard spray kind of stuff, I have to find something that I'm allowed to use and doesn't bother the neighbors since we all share the yard. Plus, it depends on how expensive it all is.

I'm just having faith in this Advantix...hopefully it works because as Brownie said, Lyme disease is not something I want my dogs or myself to suffer through. The incidences of tick infestation is bad this year, according to the locals and the incidence of Lyme Disease is rising in the North East, every year. I do find that something to worry about and I say, "Why chance it?"


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## KC23

I think the Sentry Natural Defense is way too strong--especially when it's on multiple dogs. I tried the topical and the spray--won't use either again. The topical will stain your dog if it has white fur. The spray was more tolerable used in the final rinse of a bath. 

I'm not recommending anything by Sentry. I bought Sentry Pro XFC before when I only had the one dog. My dog was running all over and not acting like himself. I put him in the tub and washed him off, then applied some Desitin to his red, irritated skin. If you're going to use a topical, get a good one. 

I used Avon Skin-So-Soft (original scent) last year. You only need a very small amount in a spray bottle w/water. I spritzed it on my dogs and myself before walks. I also gave my dogs some garlic (powder or fresh) in their food on a regular basis. When I make a batch of ground beef or ground turkey/organ blend for the dogs, I've been adding a little ACV to it. 

Check out this link for more natural ways to repel fleas, ticks and mosquitoes: Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Fleas


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## magicre

BrownieM said:


> I had a poodle that got Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and his health went downhill from there. Ticks scare me because of Lyme and other diseases, so I do use Frontline Plus every 5-6 weeks between April and November. I don't use it at all between November and March.


i feel for you.

our malia got rocky mountain spotted fever....we didn't put it together until she started staggering....took her to the emergency vet and her adrenaline kicked so she looked 'fine'..and i said, did you ever just KNOW something was wrong..and sure enough...we were living in georgia at the time...the vet said that only 1 in 35000 dogs ever got rocky mountain disease....so of course malia had to get it. luckily she was young....

i despise ticks...of any kind. i will live in washington state on the western side of the mountains forever because there are so few buggies.


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## Ania's Mommy

magicre said:


> i despise ticks...of any kind. i will live in washington state on the western side of the mountains forever because there are so few buggies.


Careful, Re. Ania has had a several ticks on her. One time, my husband and I found, like, five ticks crawling all over her. Teeny tiny baby ones. I think she must have walked right through a recently hatched nest (is that how ticks work?) and they got all over her. Luckily, we found all but one before they attached themselves. This was very early last spring. I pulled another one off of her a couple months ago. Right above her eye on her little FACE!! :sad:

But I'll agree with you that the instances are MUCH fewer than other parts of the country. When I was growing up on a farm in northern ID, I can remember sitting around pulling ticks off the dogs as a pastime. For some reason, I'm much more squeamish now than I was when I was a kid... 

We have used Frontline and Advantix on Ania with great results for each (both tick instances happened so early in the year that we hadn't started treatments yet:frusty.

I'm interested in the DE for our property though. We have some monster ant hills that I'd like to douse in DE. Think that'll work? If you're not putting it ON your dog, do you still need the food grade stuff? Where does one buy non-food grade DE?


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## SerenityFL

Ania, I would still get food grade because food grade will still take care of those critters, (and be careful, it can kill bees, I have been reading...so if you don't mind bees pollinating any flowers in your garden, don't sprinkle it on the plants but put it at the base), but if your dogs like to eat things like grass and weeds and whatever, they could ingest some of that non food grade. So, to be safe, I'd still use food grade.


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## magicre

Ania's Mommy said:


> Careful, Re. Ania has had a several ticks on her. One time, my husband and I found, like, five ticks crawling all over her. Teeny tiny baby ones. I think she must have walked right through a recently hatched nest (is that how ticks work?) and they got all over her. Luckily, we found all but one before they attached themselves. This was very early last spring. I pulled another one off of her a couple months ago. Right above her eye on her little FACE!! :sad:
> 
> But I'll agree with you that the instances are MUCH fewer than other parts of the country. When I was growing up on a farm in northern ID, I can remember sitting around pulling ticks off the dogs as a pastime. For some reason, I'm much more squeamish now than I was when I was a kid...
> 
> We have used Frontline and Advantix on Ania with great results for each (both tick instances happened so early in the year that we hadn't started treatments yet:frusty.
> 
> I'm interested in the DE for our property though. We have some monster ant hills that I'd like to douse in DE. Think that'll work? If you're not putting it ON your dog, do you still need the food grade stuff? Where does one buy non-food grade DE?


with great respect, richelle, you guys actually live on land...whereas we lived in suburbs of seattle, with little land. in sixteen years, i've never seen one tick...even when we would go camping at gold bar....

having said that, we did use chemicals on our dogs..advantix, i think...and we sprayed our back yard.....after malia got rocky mountain spotted fever, in all honesty and i admit it here in public, i would have used anything to never go through that again....so we sprayed our yard....when diazanon was still legal we used that..and when the substitute came out, we used that....because our dogs were little, they were yard dogs...and once we sprayed, they didn't even get fleas for the year...so no more need for advantix.....

i know there are fleas and ticks out there.....raw has made a difference, i think.....but we still spray our little postage stamp of a yard we have now...but have not used advantix in the three years we've lived where we live now...

i believe you there are ticks....i choose to live in lala land about it 

we used to buy DE at pool supply outfits for our pool.....you might want to look there...not sure how useful it would be on the land....tho...

those tiny ticks...were they deer ticks?


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## Ania's Mommy

magicre said:


> those tiny ticks...were they deer ticks?


Hell, I don't know. All I was concerned about was that there were nasty, parasitic little mothers all over MY baby sucking the blood from her veins. 

One thing I forgot to mention is that if a tick DOES bite something in our area, that something likely won't catch a disease from it. So, Washington has nicer ticks (not that it makes up for the crappy weather).


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## SerenityFL

By the way, here's something I forgot to ask and I've never had to deal with it either as I've never used the drops on any dog I've had:

Can I still give them a bath? Will the stuff wash off? Do I have to wait a certain amount of time before bathing? I just put it on them Sunday afternoon...but the hoodlums are dirty, dirrrrrrrrty little beasteses right now and are in serious need of a bath. (Which, is probably pointless as they'll bound out in to the yard again later today and roll around in more nastiness...but, still...)

So...bathing?


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## Ania's Mommy

I've always been told that you have to wait 3 days after applying drops in order to bathe them. It gives the gunk time to soak into them. Believe me, the only thing worse than having to shell out the money for Advantix is WASTING the Advantix by washing it off.

I put Advantix on Ania Saturday night. As of yesterday, I could still see that her neck fur was still greasy looking at the application spot. It usually starts looking normal after a few days. Which sucks, because I really wanted to give her a bath yesterday. Now I won't be able to do it until this weekend. You win again, fleas and ticks!


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## SerenityFL

Ania's Mommy said:


> You win again, fleas and ticks!


::snort:: LOL, you sound like me. Ok, I'll wait a couple more days just to be sure. A news update I'm sure the hoodlums will be delighted to hear.


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## magicre

about the DE. that's what i was saying, albeit not very well.....one is for pools. one is for peoples...


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## stajbs

Serenity I think I messed up who the forum member was who used the Natural Defense sorry about that.

Coincidentally, lol, I also am quite heebed out by ticks. The one night I had trouble even going to sleep, kept imagining them crawling all over the place. Finally got a grip on my brain and put it to sleep for the night. It's just that this year I saw like 5 ticks total in less than 2 days, and that's more then I ever recollect seeing on myself or the dogs in all my years. I'm over it now, and the dogs still smell like Chai Tea/Christmas trees. On day two it's more pleasant and less overwhelming smelling.


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## 3Musketeers

stajbs said:


> Serenity I think I messed up who the forum member was who used the Natural Defense sorry about that.
> 
> Coincidentally, lol, I also am quite heebed out by ticks. The one night I had trouble even going to sleep, kept imagining them crawling all over the place. Finally got a grip on my brain and put it to sleep for the night. It's just that this year I saw like 5 ticks total in less than 2 days, and that's more then I ever recollect seeing on myself or the dogs in all my years. I'm over it now, and the dogs still smell like Chai Tea/Christmas trees. On day two it's more pleasant and less overwhelming smelling.


Lol, yep, Christmas tree smell goes away after a few days, but oh boy, wasn't that stuff strong?


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## stajbs

3Musketeers, I'm trying to imagine using full tubes on both dogs and spray. I envision having to leave the dogs alone for a night to run amuck. lol They handled it well, but I do think Blaze was a bit .....disturbed with me. lol Just to try it I split a tube between both dogs first to test the reactions. Blaze also looks like he has a mohawk having a longer denser coat than Silva. If it seems effective I may try the spray maybe instead/or in conjunction with the half tubes...haven't decided. Plus if I have to I will go back to Advantix, just prefer not too. Haven't seen any ticks on them or us for a few days, thank heavens.


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## wags

I use Vectra3D from the vet. Yes its expensive and yes I have heard that some people do not like it. But from my experience and useing it on 4 dogs I do not have a tick problem. Also it has not affected my dogs doing any harm at all. Living in Illinois where the deer are loaded with Lyme disease and we go into woods and areas infested with ticks/fleas / icky bugs, I have to say the dogs come home with no ticks/ fleas/ icky bugs. So I will endorse this product!


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