Taking The Dogs To Sydney

[jesomil]

I am driving up to Sydney next week and staying in a really bad tick and flea area for a week. Last Christmas I took one dog up there and used Frontline and it appeared to do nothing, my dog still got lots of fleas. The local vets said that Frontline is not so effective in that area these days.

Mum frontlines her dog every month but she still has heaps of fleas. Mums dog also got a paralysis tick from the backyard last year and was very sick.

My dogs have never been treated with any chemicals and never had fleas as we are obviously not in a bad area and there are no ticks down here.

What do people recommend to be the best safeguard against fleas and especially ticks in Sydney? I am interested in the most effective spot on treatment but also anything natural that will deter the little nasties.

I am really worried about ticks. I used to live in Sydney with no probs but it seems to be so much worse these days.

Thanks for any ideas.

[leopuppy04]

I've heard eucalyptus oil keeps them at bay, but I've never had to *try* it ;).

I'd assume you just dilute it in the water you wash the dogs in?!

[Poodle wrangler]

I'm in a high tick area and use Advantix fortnightly through the warmer months- monthly it does fleas and mozzies, too.

A tick collar is a cheaper option.

Try pricelesspets.com.au.

They say most ticks are found forward of the dog's collar.

I check my dogs regularly, also.

Good info here: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=121109

Eucalyptus is natural, but also very harsh- you can use it to get those sticky labels etc. off CDs.

I wouldn't suggest using it on dogs, even diluted.

If you're worried, go the pharmaceutical grade stuff IMO.

eta: I'm pretty sure the spot-ons are best applied >48 hours after a bath (something to do with the oils in the skin and distribution of the drug?).

Dogs can still get wet later on.

Edited December 19, 2007 by Poodle wrangler

[Rysup]

I would go Advantix rather than Frontline, as your vet is correct, it does not work in Sydney anymore.

[Vickie]

I don't think anything beats regular checking. I use Frontline on mine but it's no guarantee.

We have only had one issue (but have found lots of ticks on them over the years). I was going to an extremely bad tick area a few years ago. I frontlined as usual & also purchased a tick collar & put it on the day we left home. By the time we had driven 7 hours, Zeus was suffering symptoms, panting, coughing, loss of voice, paralysis of back legs. When I took him to the vet we couldn't find a tick. The vet was unsure if what we were seeing was a tick which had since dropped off or a reaction to the preventic collar, since he said it can produce a similar set of reactions. We never found a tick & he was unwilling to give medication in case it was a reaction to the collar. Zeus was fine in a week, but I had to rest him for 6 weeks to recover.

So my suggestion is if you are going to try something new to do it before you get to the tick area to make sure there will be no reaction & any symptoms shown would in fact be tick related.

Edited December 19, 2007 by Vickie

[Cavandra]

Frontline hasnt been working for years. Advantix works, but even though it says it works for fleas for 4 weeks it only lasts 3 weeks.

[Vickie]

Frontline has been working for me Cavandra. I regularly find ticks on (but not in) my dogs when we go to the farm.

[DeltaCharlie]

I use frontline and have never found any fleas or ticks on any of my dogs and we regularly go bush and with training 5 days a week they are in contact with heaps of dogs. My sister uses that red stuff from the supermarket and she has never found any on her dogs either. I was also using revolution for a bit with no issues. I haven't tried advantix as it is lethal to cats and I rather like having my cat around

Most of the people I know around here use frontline and they have no problems with it. Maybe frontline has only stopped being effective in certain areas of Sydney. In western sydney it seems to be fine.

[jesomil]

Thanks everyone

I think i might buy advantix and check them everyday.