Tick invasion

[NorTracNY]

I have had outdoor dogs and cats for about 15 years. I've probably taken off 10 ticks at most in those years. I've taken off over a dozen in the last week! They get monthly tick medicine and yesterday morning they all got another round of it. The previous dose was only 2 weeks ago. Sure enough, later yesterday we found 3 on one of the cats.

What is going on? I'm not use to ticks, especially this late in the year. What should I be doing/looking for?

 

[dmccarty]

Is "tick medicine" something like Advantage or Frontline? If so, we have had problems with these over the last few years. Seems like either the ticks have developed immunity and/or the formulation is not consistent since we still find ticks on the dog. However, this stuff does not work until the ticks bit the dog. I think the wifey has stopped using this stuff and just does tick inspections on the dog several times a day.

The lifecycle of the ticks involves deer and mice. So some methods I have seen have to been to treat deer with Permethrin at bait stations. Others have done the same thing for mice with PVC tubes, Permethrin soaked cotton balls and bait. The idea is for the mice to find the bait and get a dose of Permethrin while feeding and/or taking the cotton ball back to their nest which will get dozing them.

Other people spray the yard but that just won't work for us.

It is a nasty problem that is for sure and I really thing the tick explosion is from the increase in the deer population and forest fire suppression.

Good Luck,
Dan

 

[toppop52]

I had that problem when we built on this property 5 years ago, I started spreading diatomaceous earth every March or April, no ticks, no fleas.

 

[dmccarty]

I had that problem when we built on this property 5 years ago, I started spreading diatomaceous earth every March or April, no ticks, no fleas.

Hmmm. I will mention this to the wifey.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[NorTracNY]

We used Hartz Plus for treating. We have battled a rat problem recently and thought that might have been the source, but from what I've seen online, it looks like rats are bigger carriers of fleas than ticks.

We have always had a huge deer population in my area. If anything I think they are going down in numbers. Forest fires are non existant in NY. I know of a field fire that happened once...

 

[toppop52]

That was our problem, we had dozens of deer that fawned in our thicket.

 

[Mendonsy]

I think the weather is at least part of the reason why the ticks are still around. We have had some frosts, but not anything down into the low 20's yet so it hasn't been cold enough to kill off this year's tick crop.

 

[newbury]

<snip>
The lifecycle of the ticks involves deer and mice. So some methods I have seen have to been to treat deer with Permethrin at bait stations. Others have done the same thing for mice with PVC tubes, Permethrin soaked cotton balls and bait. The idea is for the mice to find the bait and get a dose of Permethrin while feeding and/or taking the cotton ball back to their nest which will get dozing them. <snip>

Or instead of PVC tubes use toilet paper tubes. A lot cheaper and biodegradeable. But remember Permethrin is toxic to cats.

Permethrin is a commonly used insecticide that is safe around many animals, but is highly toxic to cats. Permethrin belongs to a family of chemicals commonly used as insecticides. The chemical is found in some dog flea treatments and shampoos, and also in certain household products such as fly sprays and ant powders.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm outside and in the timber almost every day. Have a dog companion. I treated him early last Spring. Normally I pick tics off myself daily during Summer. I only had one this year. Dog has had none. Oddly low tic population here this Summer.

 

[rekees4300]

What is going on? I'm not use to ticks, especially this late in the year. What should I be doing/looking for?

We use Frontline for Wood Ticks but it seems to have little effect on the Deer Ticks which have exploded in recent years. Have found them year around, even January! Some will scoff but I think Climate Change is a factor.