So many ticks- what to do?

skittledoo

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#1
Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that there seem to be a LOT more ticks right now than usual? I was just outside with Bamm letting him pee. We didn't go through any tall grass whatsover... he just peed real fast and then we went inside.

I just found 4 ticks on him and 6 on me from being outside in that short of a time. RIDICULOUS! A couple were dog ticks and the rest were deer ticks.

I usually only use diatemaceous earth for flea and tick control with my dogs. The last time I used frontline I ended up with a pretty bad flea problem for one thing and my dogs lick each other as dogs tend to do so I am so cautious about what I put on them for fear of the other dogs ingesting something they shouldn't.

I'm worried that the diatemaceous earth may not end up being strong enough if they are going to be really bad this year. I'm also planning to do a LOT more hiking this year so I need to be on top of potential ticks.

Any advice on stuff I can try on the dogs that would be effective? Prefer not to use the monthly posions as I call them.... if I can avoid them. Also... any advice on what I can put on myself when we are out and about to avoid me from getting ticks as well?

I can't stop itching myself right now because ticks. I'm worried the dogs may have some more ticks on them that I can't find so I just dusted them off with D.E.
 

Beanie

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#2
Without any good, long freezes this year, we are doomed for another bad flea and tick season unfortunately. =/

I haven't found anything to work except the monthly poisons. I do use a natural spray as well, and I think it helps, but it doesn't totally eliminate the issue. Even the Frontline doesn't keep them from picking stuff up - it just kills everything they bring back. =/ Last year the boys brought fleas back from a hike in the woods... but luckily the Frontline took care of everything and we avoided any kind of infestation. Yuck.
 

GoingNowhere

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#4
I spray Boo's legs with a mix of garlic powder and water before we go on hikes in an area that I know to be infested. Granted, it makes her smell like an Italian dinner!

ETA - I should still mention that that's on top of the chemical flea and tick preventative that she gets - not a standalone thing.
 

skittledoo

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#6
I spray Boo's legs with a mix of garlic powder and water before we go on hikes in an area that I know to be infested. Granted, it makes her smell like an Italian dinner!
haha sounds tasty.... we gotta see you guys again sometime in the nearish future. I'm going to be planning another Chaz dog swimming get together hopefully soon now that the weather is starting to warm up. Let me know when you guys might be able to make it and I can try to plan a meetup around that.
 

JacksonsMom

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#7
Honestly, any 'natural' type stuff is not strong enough for ticks around here IMO.

We use K9 Advantix but only sparingly. I find that it tends to last us about 2-3 months anyway even though it's not supposed to. Frontline does nothing anymore - if anything, it seems to attract ticks whenever I've put it on him!

I'm not too worried about putting a chemical on his back once every 2 months and only for about 6 months out of the year. So that's only 3 applications approx per year. And they've always proven to be pretty safe. It's not one of my biggest concerns.

Last year, I put k9 advantix on him in June and then by the end of summer, realized I hadn't ever put anymore on! And I think I only found one tick over the whole summer. Maybe last summer was a fluke or something, but yeah, I basically will put some on him if I see more than one tick.
 

GoingNowhere

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haha sounds tasty.... we gotta see you guys again sometime in the nearish future. I'm going to be planning another Chaz dog swimming get together hopefully soon now that the weather is starting to warm up. Let me know when you guys might be able to make it and I can try to plan a meetup around that.
That would be fun! I won't be around NoVA until summer and then I'll probably be in and out of the area, but if any meetups happen in June (or maybe July?) I would definitely try to be there! :) It would be fun to maybe meet some other NoVA chazzers as well - there's so many!
 

noludoru

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#9
Honestly, any 'natural' type stuff is not strong enough for ticks around here IMO.
RG oil is something I've had success with from DE all the way down to southern VA. If you apply a few drops to the collar, or better yet, a diluted spray, you don't see a single tick on walks where you should have been covered. I put drops on pants and sneakers and all over his harness.

I live not too far from my old house in Manassas. If your mom is cool with it I could definitely swing by there and pick it up sometime soon.
Gotcha! She would be. I'll talk to her about it. Do you still have her #? It's the cats' medicine cabinet. I realized I wouldn't need it in CO.
 

skittledoo

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#10
Honestly, any 'natural' type stuff is not strong enough for ticks around here IMO.

We use K9 Advantix but only sparingly. I find that it tends to last us about 2-3 months anyway even though it's not supposed to. Frontline does nothing anymore - if anything, it seems to attract ticks whenever I've put it on him!

I'm not too worried about putting a chemical on his back once every 2 months and only for about 6 months out of the year. So that's only 3 applications approx per year. And they've always proven to be pretty safe. It's not one of my biggest concerns.

Last year, I put k9 advantix on him in June and then by the end of summer, realized I hadn't ever put anymore on! And I think I only found one tick over the whole summer. Maybe last summer was a fluke or something, but yeah, I basically will put some on him if I see more than one tick.
ya I just worry so much about them licking each other and ingesting it which is the biggest reason I don't use any of that stuff. It was one thing when I just had Bamm... but having three dogs I do worry even though they probably would be fine. btw... off topic... you still free Friday to possibly go hiking? I still have to double check if I can come up your way Sunday for that walk you were talking about.

That would be fun! I won't be around NoVA until summer and then I'll probably be in and out of the area, but if any meetups happen in June (or maybe July?) I would definitely try to be there! :) It would be fun to maybe meet some other NoVA chazzers as well - there's so many!
Awesome. We will definitely make it work. I know Caliterp teaches so she probably will have the summer free (aside from agility, etc). Jacksonsmom probably would be able to come. Sweet depending on her schedule. Redhotdobe might be a yes as well... so we could definitely get a little group together... was thinking shirlington dog park again since they seemed to really enjoy it there last time. Maybe bring a picnic and picnic somewhere afterwards?

RG oil is something I've had success with from DE all the way down to southern VA. If you apply a few drops to the collar, or better yet, a diluted spray, you don't see a single tick on walks where you should have been covered. I put drops on pants and sneakers and all over his harness.



Gotcha! She would be. I'll talk to her about it. Do you still have her #? It's the cats' medicine cabinet. I realized I wouldn't need it in CO.
Awesome. I definitely want to try it out. I don't have her number anymore since it was in my old phone that died and wouldn't charge anymore. Could you PM her number to me and just let her know that I'll be contacting her soon? I tend to be out that way fairly often these days so I could definitely drop by and pick it up.
 

JacksonsMom

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#11
RG oil is something I've had success with from DE all the way down to southern VA. If you apply a few drops to the collar, or better yet, a diluted spray, you don't see a single tick on walks where you should have been covered. I put drops on pants and sneakers and all over his harness.



Gotcha! She would be. I'll talk to her about it. Do you still have her #? It's the cats' medicine cabinet. I realized I wouldn't need it in CO.
Sounds like good stuff! I'd definitely be willing to try it out.
 

Lyzelle

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#12
Oh god ticks. Living in Montana, I forgot these things existed. :yikes: But I know they are rampant down here. Fleas, too.

I'll be making a list of all the things mentioned here. :p Thankfully I haven't seen too much yet, but we haven't really been out and about, either.
 

SaraB

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#14
I use vectra and a natural spray by Saide & Mitz. With just vectra alone, we would still bring back 1-2 dozen ticks per dog after a hike. With the spray, I might find a couple but nothing like when we go without it.

I hate ticks so much.
 
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#15
ticks were CRAZY here this year. Started late Feb/early March and never let up. My mom picked up a serresto (sp?) collar and that seems to be doing the trick. I was using a cider vinegar/ cedar oil/ lavender oil spray on him, but he HATED it.
 

Dizzy

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#16
Ticks are my nemesis. I despise parasites. Ticks make me gag. God forbid I ever find one on ME, I think I'd set fire to myself!!!!!!

Or have a panic attack minimum lol. Uuuuuuurgh.
 

Fran101

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#17
I poison the sh!t out of those little bastards and I don't feel bad about it.
This.
I use natural when I can.. Merlin gets sprayed with apple cider vinegar & lavender essential oil every day and most of the time, it works very well! (and he always smells awesome) the ACV makes the fur/coat acidic (not pleasant for fleas and tickets) and the lavender repels.

but when we are going somewhere nature-y or the ticks/fleas are very bad, I just give him k9 advantix. I am less worried about an adverse reaction from him then I am about creepy crawly things on him/me/my apartment. A bit selfish but I have a serious fear of those things!
 
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#18
We use K9 Advantix here about 6-7 months out of the year. I would prefer not to...but the ticks are just too bad. I had one dog get a tick disease, become paralyzed suddenly and fall into a swimming pool. :yikes: I have one good human friend with lyme and honestly, it's becoming quite widespread and devastating, even though a lot of doctors aren't even aware it's in Georgia.

I went with my hubby to the hunting property once and I had sprayed my boots and overall with deet. Back at the truck, I felt something creepy and crawly, and there was a tick....coming up my leg. And another one. And another one. THIRTY-SIX TICKS LATER I knew we had an issue! :eek:

Hubby came back and I informed him that despite his deet....he was covered in ticks. He laughed and said,"Oh, no I"m not"

I picked 75 ticks off his naked body that night. Imagine a naked man, spread-eagle and me holding a magnifying glass and tweezers 2 inches away from his bare bollocks. :ninja: Yeah, I'm still a little traumatized.

K-9 Advantix for us. Frontline quit working and we switched brands. (for the dogs, not hubby, LOL! ) :D
 
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#20
I had someone tell me the only way to kill them is with alcohol. I'm still trying to find the balancing act between "enough to repel" and "Not fit for polite company"
 

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