Do You Use Tick/flea Prevention

[VJB]

I've just come back from school where a conversation took place re tick and flea prevention. Some people only use it for the summer months, others all year round. I've been putting it on Heidi every month regardless. What are others doing?

[wagsalot]

I use it all year round

Edited to add - this is for ticks.

Edited May 21, 2010 by wagsalot

[W Sibs]

Well, after finding out that my area is a high risk tick area recently. My 2 will be going on tick prevention all year round now. Especially that i have 2 small breed dogs too.

[megan_]

Given I don't live in a paralysis tick area, I don't treat for fleas and ticks at all and have never had a problem. I'll give them the chemicals if they need them, but not otherwise.

[persephone]

No ticks here- and flea activity is minimal in winter- so only when needed.

[labsrule]

Up until a couple of years ago, I used to use the monthly treatments regularly, but have made a concerted effort to reduce the chemicals I expose my dogs to. I haven't used any on my 8mth old pup yet as we don't have a flea or tick problem in my area and my older boys were last treated over 18mths ago when they had to go into Kennels. IMHO, unless you live in a tick area or area where fleas are a problem or you have a dog that has a flea allergy, then I don't believe dogs should be given flea/tick treatments on a regular basis.

[Shaar]

I just don't like the idea of smothering my dog in chemicals on the off chance they might pick up a flea.

I've never seen a tick here, and the only time my guys have had fleas was when me moved house and the new place was infested with the little buggers.

2 monthly treatments and a good spray of the house and they haven't returned.

[nickojoy]

No ticks here, only use flea treatment when my boy has been exposed to fleas from dogs at training or at someone's house. Usually only in the warmer months.

[Guest belgian.blue]

Are there ticks in Melbourne/Victoria?

[GardenofEden]

No ticks here so therefore no prevention necessary. As for fleas, I presume that if I were to take dogs for a walk to the park they would probably collect some fleas but we live on acreages and they exercise themselves and play fetch so therefore no need for a walk in the park and we were lucky enough to purchase a property that did not have a flea infestation in the first place and I thank my lucky stars for that

Edited May 21, 2010 by GardenofEden

[~*Shell*~]

Zero is yet to get fleas so I've stopped giving him flea prevention unless it's in the summer months when he has advantix every couple of weeks. He also wears a tick collar during this time.

[megan_]

Are there ticks in Melbourne/Victoria?

Not the paralysis variety

[Jetty]

Jet gets sentinel every month without fail. He never gets treated for ticks. We are never in areas that are of high risk.

[Agility Dogs]

Jet gets sentinel every month without fail. He never gets treated for ticks. We are never in areas that are of high risk.

Hmmmmmmm.........not so sure about that. Just be careful. My family dog when we were kids was treated twice for ticks. Mum and Dad live at Rochedale.

ETA - my two are on tick preventative from April through until the end of September and are checked every day.

Edited May 21, 2010 by Agility Dogs

[wuffles]

No flea or tick prevention here, unless we are going on holidays to the coast.

[pie]

Nope, don't use either, we don't have paralysis ticks here and normal ticks aren't a big deal to me, my current dogs have never had a tick anyway and the eldest one only had fleas once, we treated them then and he hasn't had any since. Younger one has never had a flea.

Both are very short coated and I can see fleas etc easily.

[noisymina]

Seldom use flea products here. About once a year I get a flea collar for the cat (to hang the bell on)

Occasionally (about twice in 30 years) I have seen a flea on the cat or dog - so then I get a flea collar for the dog too.

The bedding is washed regularly and we have no carpets (that they are allowed on).

The concrete path is swept or hosed (if we have the water) most weeks.

No ticks here. Not that they catch at least. I do believe that healthy animals are unlikely to bring ticks in anyway. (From past experinece).

I have heard some say that they bulid immunity. Either way, the Poodle I adopted a long time ago got 5 in the first two weeks - then none at all after that.