Flea and tick prevention for dogs?

[boostmg]

We got our dog a Seresto collar, someone had told us frontline gave his dogs cancer, i looked up the Seresto collar and did see an article stating a small percentage of animals were harmed.

i just wanted to see if anyone has any data around which flea and tick prevention you have used with your dogs and any issues

ticks are a problem where i live

 

[Have tractor did travel]

When we used the collars, we found the strength of the insecticide diminished toward the rear of the dog. We switched to using Bravecto, with which we have been very happy.
Ticks are a big problem here in Northern Virginia, as well. Parts of Pennsylvania are only 60 miles from here, so we may well have exactly the same problems (and solutions).

 

[Jstpssng]

I never had much luck with Frontline; possibly because my dog is in the water at least every other day in the summer months. It worked for a couple of weeks, but you can only apply it once per month.
I also have never used a flea collar, for safety among other reasons as I don’t need something to catch while out in the woods.
Ruger gets Bravecto... a pill which he takes every 12 weeks.

12-Week Flea & Tick Protection For Dogs & Cats | BRAVECTO®

Protect your pet with a tasty chew or topical solution.

us.bravecto.com

Since he started it about 9 years ago I have never found a tick on him; whereas previously it wasn’t uncommon to pick 30 or more from him every night, depending on what part of the state we were working.

Granted, I don’t like that he is eating this poison or whatever the active ingredient is. He had Lyme’s when I got him, so I feel that the pill is the lesser of the two evils.

edit:I type slow, and see that the poster above me also suggested Bravecto.

 

[ljjhouser]

We use Nexgard. Give her one a month. She thinks they are a treat. Just eats the little chunk. No fleas or ticks. If there are ever any, they are already dead and no flea eggs in the house. Anything else (including collars) there were still some fleas and then eggs became the problem. Many years ago, when we were gone two or three weeks, we came home to starving fleas that were hatched. As you walked on the carpet, some would jump up from the carpet. Had to spray everything. Also used Frontline for years. I felt like it was toxic, but don't know. Still had fleas with Frontline.

 

[kcflhrc]

We use Nexgard. Give her one a month. She thinks they are a treat. Just eats the little chunk. No fleas or ticks. If there are ever any, they are already dead and no flea eggs in the house. Anything else (including collars) there were still some fleas and then eggs became the problem. Many years ago, when we were gone two or three weeks, we came home to starving fleas that were hatched. As you walked on the carpet, some would jump up from the carpet. Had to spray everything. Also used Frontline for years. I felt like it was toxic, but don't know. Still had fleas with Frontline.

Yep, same here. Hate collars and the dog thinks it's a treat. Vet recommended so that's good enough for me

 

[oosik]

I've used NexGard with great success. Collars of any kind are not a good idea out here. Dog can get caught up in old barbed wire and lost to coyotes.

 

[fishdrivel]

We got our dog a Seresto collar, someone had told us frontline gave his dogs cancer, i looked up the Seresto collar and did see an article stating a small percentage of animals were harmed.

i just wanted to see if anyone has any data around which flea and tick prevention you have used with your dogs and any issues

ticks are a problem where i live

I used Ivermectin. No ticks!

 

[GregbkH]

I use Frontline on my dogs. 8 years for one, 4 years for the other. They hardly ever see water. I've had very good luck as I live out in the sticks/tick country.

 

[notaz3]

I've used Advantage for many years with dogs, cats and ferrets. Never had an issue with fleas or ticks.

Vet recommended NexGuard so we are trying it out on current dog.

 

[NorTracNY]

Bravecto works well for us. One dog considers it a treat, the other takes some work. No ticks since switching.

 

[EddieWalker]

We had a dog suffer from tick paralysis. It's when a pregnant brown tick attaches to a dog that has an issue with its immune system. First day he seemed clumsy. Second day he kept falling down, or tripping when he played. Third day he couldn't get up.

We took him to the vet and found one tick. Vet gave him anti bodies and steroids. He didnt get any worse, but recovery took over a year.

If we had waited another day, his lungs would have been next to shut down. When we posted what happened to him on FB, we learned that 3 friends lost their dogs to this. It's a lot more common then we realized. Sadly, most people dont realize its life threatening, or what's happening.

The bite from the tick causes the lining of the nerves to dissolve. It's like MS. But it progresses from the exterior muscles to the internal ones in just a few days. Once it affects the lungs, which is usually the first organ affected, there is no way to save the dog.

We now use Nexgard on all our dogs. There is a concern that it might lead to heart issues, but that's remote and the ticks are everywhere.

 

[ljjhouser]

We had a dog suffer from tick paralysis. It's when a pregnant brown tick attaches to a dog that has an issue with its immune system. First day he seemed clumsy. Second day he kept falling down, or tripping when he played. Third day he couldn't get up.

We took him to the vet and found one tick. Vet gave him anti bodies and steroids. He didnt get any worse, but recovery took over a year.

If we had waited another day, his lungs would have been next to shut down. When we posted what happened to him on FB, we learned that 3 friends lost their dogs to this. It's a lot more common then we realized. Sadly, most people dont realize its life threatening, or what's happening.

The bite from the tick causes the lining of the nerves to dissolve. It's like MS. But it progresses from the exterior muscles to the internal ones in just a few days. Once it affects the lungs, which is usually the first organ affected, there is no way to save the dog.

We now use Nexgard on all our dogs. There is a concern that it might lead to heart issues, but that's remote and the ticks are everywhere.

That is terrible. And good to know - Thanks for the info. We live in the woods and ticks have always been a concern before we changed to Nexgard. It is somewhat expensive, but cheaper with a year supply and rebate and 2 free months. BUT is sure is worth it. Thanks for the post, Good info.

 

[fitter1]

Got rid of dog.... tics gone

 

[ArlyA]

Got rid of dog.... tics gone

If people leave the tic infested area, are you still bothered by them? We use trio on our mutts.

 

[fitter1]

I was only joking, I love dogs grew up with them and so did my kids but even with the flee and tic collars the dogs would bring them into the house. I would love to have another lab and shepherd mix some day but not now.

 

[tallyho8]

Get a flea-proof dog.

Sounds humorous and I don't know where you would get one today but I got a flea-proof Bluetick at a coonhunt in Pine Bluff Arkansas in 1982. He was from Michigan. His skin had a natural oily residue and was so tough and thick that you could barely get a syringe needle through it.

I had him and 3 generations of his descendants for over 20 years and never saw a flea on any of them. I had other unrelated hounds too at the same time with flea problems. I never heard of anyone else with a dog like that.

 

[Busby Yzz]

I have two dogs and we inspect them every day, no exceptions. I dropped cedar chips here and there in the garden so that minimize the flea invasion. If they already have fleas, I make an apple cider vinegar homemade spray to get rid of them.