Fleas and ticks this year?

[SourBrandy]

Is it just me or is anybody else having a big problem with dog fleas and ticks this year. Frontline isn't working but coupled with Paraband collars is just about doing the trick. I am spending a fortune on my two tiny dogs. Does anybody have any idea why this year is so bad??

[fatouche]

I'm using paraband collars only on my two......they're working.

[sophie]

I don't have an answer for you I'm afraid but accoridng to some of the Vets its one of the worst years for a long time for tics.. Like you my 4 little dogs are having both Paraband and other methods to keep them at bay, but at given at long periods between each one of course. The vet said "if you think this is bad" just wait until next year for fleas!! How he could tell I don't know. I do know that shorter dogs tend to have wors tics because the tics mostly live in the grass and in the soil and they have shorter legs!!

[Brighton Dot]

Yes I have noticed the fleas on my dog this year for the first time in her 4 years of life! We are under Lapta Belediye and had them come and spray everywhere as we live close to a small holding with sheep and goats and thought maybe that is why it's so bad. It has definitely helped, frontline and paraband too of course.

[Angiebaby]

We also are having problems, with our Dog, but more so the cats my husband removed 4 ticks from one cat today all around eyes. We are also getting bitten worse than normal.

[mrsgee]

A word of warning to everyone. Please be very careful with ticks. I was bitten over a year ago by a tick, I hadn't realised it at the time. I contracted Lymes Disease, which can on rare occasions be fatal. I have not recovered fully and don't think I ever will. It destroyed nerve endings which have repaired to some degree but it's about as good as I can expect now. I was very lucky, my Doctors and Specialist tell me. If you read up on it, it is a very frightening disease which is only just becoming understood. I felt it worth bringing it to peoples attention as clearly there are lots of ticks here. Not all ticks carry the infection, only about 10%, so I was very unlucky.

[karmels]

This year seems to be the worst year ever for ticks.
Her indoors takes the dog out at around 21.30 for a short walk, and has returned with her blouse covered in the small red ticks.
I have been bitten 6 times this year by ticks and yes I did pull them off myself but the bites takes a long time to heal if you scratch them as I did.
We renewed the Paraband but it does not stop the ticks, so we spray the dog with a mix of white vinegar and water, this stops the ticks fastening on to the dog and over night kills them, must say this tip was given to me by a friend and it works.

[jen]

Mixing equal parts white vinegar and anti bacterial hand soap and using as shampoo also acts as a deterrent, used in conjunction with paraband our dog has never had problem

[waddo]

We walk our two dogs twice a day in the scrub forest behind the house, this land is also used by goats/sheep so we expect tics around here most of the time. I started using the spray on Frontline that I bought from the chemist this year and must say it has proven far better than the small squirty thing that I used in previous years - that's the one you/vet squeeze onto the back of the dog's neck! This stuff just gets sprayed onto the dog then rubbed in all over, lasts for 4 to 6 weeks and the results have been very good.
They both still pick up tics but the tic will not stay on the dog, it just runs around on the fur then jumps off and try's to get away from the waiting hammer (a quick end to a small tic), have even found them on ourselves but again they just run and never settle down.

[mrsgee]

Exactly what I am saying Waddo, these tics do jump onto humans too, so I am just saying to everyone, having had a very bitter experience myself, do be very careful. They can bite you without you even noticing. I was gardening and one must have got into my glove, bitten me, and then when I took the glove off it was gone. The thing to look out for is a small bruise appearing for no reason, then a little boil like lump, followed usually by what they call a bullseye effect of a red ring circling the bite, which you will probably not even realise you have had. Then flu like symptoms, tiredness, lethargy, weight loss and a rash.....mine led to a week in hospital on antibiotics, and a year of being on medication. It caused vasculitis, and I have been under a rheumatoid specialist in the UK, although my doctor here, Dr Silem was brilliant and did all the right things. So all I am saying is, please be aware that Lymes disease is becoming more common, and please be very careful.

[Marions]

Wow. You are so unfortunate. I was talking to a friend who discovered o ne on her posterior - all fat and juicy form her blood, but otherwise no adverse effects. I found one on my dog today in spite of the recent dosage of anti-tic stuff form the vets. My dog wa snot happy and I could not tell why until I found this horrible fat, grey thing! Yuk!

But did not realize how dangerous it could be to humans. One good thing, I od't feel guiltyabout not doing gardening - I can say I am avoiding tics!

Thanks for the info re spray onHeadline. Had not heard of it,l but sounds as though it is worth a try.

[mrsgee]

Well if you google it Marion you will see just how bad it is but not many people are aware of it.

[annanirvanna]

This is copied from a post by our holistic pharmacy - hope it is useful for you:-

Repellent for your pets:

For pets, add 1 cup of water to a spray bottle, followed by 2 cups of distilled white vinegar. Ticks hate the smell and taste of vinegar, and will be easily be repelled by this ingredient alone. Then, add two spoonfuls of vegetable or almond oil, which both contain sulfur (another natural tick repellent).

To make a repellent that will also deter fleas, mix in a few spoonfuls of lemon juice, citrus oil, or peppermint oil, any of which will repel ticks and fleas while also creating a nicely scented repellent. Spray onto the pet's dry coat, staying away from sensitive areas including eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. When outdoors for an extended period, spray this solution on two to three times per day.

For you and your family:

In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1 cup of water. To make a scented solution so you do not smell like bitter vinegar all day, add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Eucalyptus oil is a calm, soothing scent that also works as a tick repellent, while peppermint and citrus oils give off a strong crisp scent that also repel ticks.

After mixing the solution, spray onto clothing, skin, and hair before going outdoors. Reapply every four hours to keep ticks at bay, and examine your skin and hair when back inside to make sure no ticks are on the body.

[Marions]

Reading all this makes me feel that maybe the time has come to move to Lapland. All I have to deal with is frostbite, and not bites from horrible creatures. I just don't know why God made them!

[SourBrandy]

Thanks everybody for useful and informative replies. I thought it was just me and mine as we don't live in an area where there are sheep or goats. Will try the vinegar solution too.

[frontalman]

Thanks Annanirvanna for that and I suppose any leftover will make a wonderful salad dressing!

[annanirvanna]

Ha Ha Frontalman, that's true - waste not want not

[ozankoys]

We have been here 11 years & have never seen so many fleas! Our dogs have Frontiline every 3 weeks, paraband collars & last weekend they were shampooed with anti parasite shampoo that cost me €15 on the other side all to non avail!
Waddo where did you get the spray on Frontline please as that is going to be my next step??
Mrsgee so sorry to hear you contracted Lymes disease I was not sure it was here but you have sadly confirmed it, I wish you all the best in combating this horrible illness.

[mrsgee]

Thank you Ozankoys...it is awful, but sadly yes it is here. Maybe not as much as in other parts of the world but with all the sheep and goats, which I love to see incidentally, wandering so close to homes then people just need to be aware really. Not wishing to scare anyone, but it is best to understand the dangers.