Bonniebank Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 (edited) I've lived in the Shire for years and although we've had a tick problem when out bushwalking, I haven't had a problem on my own property..........until now. The tick problem in the general area has increased over the years and where once we had a tick "season" we now get them all year round. Lately I have been removing many more ticks from my dogs. I conducted an experiment and kept the dogs at home for a few days. The result was that the majority of the ticks are being picked up in my own garden! Today was pretty typical lately when I removed 4 ticks from one Sheltie, one from another and one from a Collie (and I haven't finished checking them yet). We're on a large bush block (approx 1/3 acre) but the flora hasn't changed. It has always been a bush block. So.........anyone any ideas as to why the sudden problem? We have always had possums which my vet says probably host ticks. ETA: anyone else in the Shire having the same problem on their property? Edited March 8, 2008 by Bonniebank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonniebank Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share Posted March 9, 2008 bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticpaw Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 We are very watchful re ticks. Do you have a pond or water on your property? I found when I did a certain walk with my dogs the tick problem increased. Needless to say I don't do that walk anymore. There was a water hole they loved to jump in. The tick season I have been told is more about the hot weather coinciding with the rain and humidity. Apparently they thrive in these condiotions. Do you have longish grass in your yard? If you do I would mow it. The other thing are they the paralysis ticks? Touch wood we have not had a problem the last two years, though we do use a tick preventive. I hope it works out these small creatures can bring a strong healthy dog down very quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny123 Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 We've had ticks in the yard year round for about 7 - 8 years now. My poor OH (who is becoming quite allergic to them) picks them by just doing the gardening. Apart from possums, bandicoots also carry them. With all of the 1080 baiting going on for foxes, bandicoot numbers are now on the increase. We wake up some mornings and our yard looks like there's been polo match overnight with all the divets in the lawn from bandicoots feeding on grubs and spiders. We now use Proban tablets for the dogs, it seems to be the only successful treatment here (in Bundeena). We've tried everything else without success and almost lost a very large dog (67kgs) to a tick (in winter) when were were using Frontline. I think the ticks become immune to certain preventatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 I was wondering about all the South Sydney tick posts popping up. I was living in Yowie Bay for a stint and my dogs would come all over The Shire with me without a problem or even an inkling that ticks were an issue. This was about 5-6 yrs back. Have they always been around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 My poor OH (who is becoming quite allergic to them) picks them by just doing the gardening. My step Dad is the same. He has just recovered from Tick Fever which really whacked him in bed for about a month... one tick too many apparently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonniebank Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share Posted March 9, 2008 Do you have a pond or water on your property?Do you have longish grass in your yard? If you do I would mow it. The other thing are they the paralysis ticks? Touch wood we have not had a problem the last two years, though we do use a tick preventive. I hope it works out these small creatures can bring a strong healthy dog down very quickly. Hiya mysticpaw, No pond or water since the foxes killed the last of the ducks. :D No long grass and in fact precious little grass at all thanks to the doggies The block is trees, low growing shrubs, bulbs in Spring and a few other flowering perenials. Mind you, I've been like a mad woman the last few days ripping out plants left right and centre! If I even come close to losing one of my dogs I'll pave everything in sight! :p Yep. Definitely Ixodes Holocyclus (retired vet nurse :p ). I use Proban every second day and hopefully, any I miss when I go over them will die before doing too much damage but it still worries me because they inject a small amt of poison before the Proban kills them. We've had ticks in the yard year round for about 7 - 8 years now. My poor OH (who is becoming quite allergic to them) picks them by just doing the gardening. Apart from possums, bandicoots also carry them. With all of the 1080 baiting going on for foxes, bandicoot numbers are now on the increase. We wake up some mornings and our yard looks like there's been polo match overnight with all the divets in the lawn from bandicoots feeding on grubs and spiders.We now use Proban tablets for the dogs, it seems to be the only successful treatment here (in Bundeena). We've tried everything else without success and almost lost a very large dog (67kgs) to a tick (in winter) when were were using Frontline. I think the ticks become immune to certain preventatives. Hiya benny123, I've suspected that some of the ticks came from our garden for a while now but with such an increase lately, I tested it out and didn't take them anywhere for a few days. Yep I knew bandicoots are hosts but I don't find any holes so my vet said it's probably the possums. We've had a lot of development going on around us and previous bushland is now blocks of flats so we now are plagued by possums on our block as there's precious little other places nearby they can go. Ditto re the Frontline in Winter! One of mine was hospitalised. Not only had I been administering it fortnightly but had only administered it 2 days prior. I was wondering about all the South Sydney tick posts popping up. I was living in Yowie Bay for a stint and my dogs would come all over The Shire with me without a problem or even an inkling that ticks were an issue. This was about 5-6 yrs back. Have they always been around? Hiya Clyde, They've been in the shire for as long as I've lived here and that's about 32 years. It might depend on where you go. I can recall some of our obedience club members picking up ticks from the bush around the edge of the ovals where we train and that's at least 15 yrs ago. Thanks all. I guess there isn't much more I can do other than continue giving them Proban, checking over them daily and ripping out low growing plants. Our place is up for sale and when sold we're moving to acreage. The main stipulation I made when we were deciding where to go was NOT A TICK AREA! :D We're going to Boorowa (halfway between Yass and Young) and it's too cold there for ticks (thank you lord ). Mind you, guess I'll have snakes to deal with then :D . There's always something out to get our dogs hey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonniebank Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share Posted March 9, 2008 I haven't had time to read it yet but just found this site on the net. I'll have a good read tomorrow. I was searching for any insecticide (that is SAFE FOR ANIMALS) that can be used in gardens. http://www.tickalert.org.au/envictrl.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagsalot Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 I haven't found any ticks on Riley for about 3 or 4 years now. We went throught a period about that long ago where everytime he walked inside you could just see ticks crawling on him. I moved early December - my previous place backed onto the bush, the new place doesn't, however we have alot of possums around which could be carrying ticks. Little buggers those ticks are. Ive been a bit slack with checking Riley over for ticks lately, so this thread will give me a good kick up the butt and stop me from being lazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonniebank Posted March 10, 2008 Author Share Posted March 10, 2008 I haven't found any ticks on Riley for about 3 or 4 years now. We went throught a period about that long ago where everytime he walked inside you could just see ticks crawling on him. I moved early December - my previous place backed onto the bush, the new place doesn't, however we have alot of possums around which could be carrying ticks. Little buggers those ticks are. Ive been a bit slack with checking Riley over for ticks lately, so this thread will give me a good kick up the butt and stop me from being lazy. Hiya Wagsalot Is Riley long legs on tick prevention? You should be ok if he is and you are checking him but it's so easy for me to miss the odd one or ten on Shelties and Collies. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 A local pesticide company recommends planting Lavendar Bush. I'm going to give it a shot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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