Treatment For Ticks Only (not Fleas)

[Malamum]

In the past we've had both dogs on Frontline Plus which covers for both fleas and ticks.

However Indy has been getting areas where he pulls his fur out and ends up with big bald patches. The vet suggested it may be a flea allergy (even though we have never seen a flea on him) and to try using Comfortis instead of Frontline.

My issue is that Comfortis only covers fleas -not ticks. What can I give him to protect against ticks?

I don't really want to apply the Frontline Plus as well as I don't want to double up on the flea treatment.

[t-time]

With Comfortis being a new product to Australia, I know a lot of vets are PROMOTING its use.....if you don't think it's flea allergy and you honestly have NEVER seen a flea, try switching to Advantix - does fleas and ticks but slightly different formula to the Frontline Plus.

You could try using tick collars in addition to the Comfortis (I think) but if the product you've been using works, then why muck around with a product that doesn't even cover what you need it to??

If you've never seen fleas on your dog and he has had allergic-type areas, it might just be a contact allergy to a plant or something?

[Everythings Shiny]

We have seen plenty of dogs with flea allergys that owners have never seen a flea on, it only takes one flea to set them off. If the comfortis doesn't do the trick, switch back.

Personally, my dog Paige is bad for flea allergies and Comfortis seems to help. Frontline -I never saw a flea, but she was always scratching and pulling hair out. Comfortis kills any fleas so much faster.

I use tick collars when going into tick country with my trio now.

[Malamum]

We have seen plenty of dogs with flea allergys that owners have never seen a flea on, it only takes one flea to set them off. If the comfortis doesn't do the trick, switch back.

This is exactly what our vet said. I'm prepared to give the Comfortis a try and use it for a few months before deciding it doesn't make a difference.

I live in Sydney, near the bush so really want to make sure we cover him for paralysis ticks. Do the collars work for these types of ticks?

[Everythings Shiny]

For me I find they work. The other pro for comfortis is thats its water fast cuz it's ingested rather than a top spot

[Edenblue]

You could use Proban tablets for paralysis ticks....the tablets are given every second day, or Permoxin... You make it up as a spray rinse, then spray the dog all over once a week. These two preventatives are our best sellers with clients who choose not to use frontline for ticks. The feedback we get on the tick collars is not great.

[Everythings Shiny]

Permoxin is a good way to go as well

[Malamum]

Is the Permoxin a spray that you just spritz all over them or is it something they need to be bathed in.

The spray sounds like a good idea but there is no way I could bath my dogs on weekly basis.

[dasha]

I worked for a vet in a very bad tick area in Sydney and we had a lot of people using the Virbac PrevenTick collars. They seemed to help control the ticks very well.

Edited October 27, 2010 by dasha

[Lowenhart]

I worked for a vet in a very bad tick area in Sydney and we had a lot of people using the Virbac PrevenTick collars. They seemed to help control the ticks very well.

The PrevenTic collars are not 100%, we had a dog go down with paralysis tick wearing a 3 week old collar. He had not been washed or swimming or gotten wet in that time.

[sheree_e4]

Can I suggest Frontline SPRAY .... I am a vet nurse and if you spray him every 3 weeks it protects against paralysis ticks aswell as being so much better than the top spot.

I use frontline spray on my flea allergic cat and he has not had any bald patches since swapping over from the top spot to the spray.

Just remember with the spray to cover (wet) the whole dog,feet and face etc. you cannot overdose but if you underdose it won't be very effective against the ticks

I can also say there have been many dogs come into work with severe flea allergy and comfortis works wonders you will not be doing any harm useing top spots with comfortis as they have different active ingredients.

However if it were me id use frontline spray as it adhears to the coat .... while the comfortis is in the bloodstream .

[aussielover]

I would not recommend a tick collar only for a malamute. The tick collars generally proteect the head, neck and chest reasonably well, but often don't penterate to the back part of the dog. On a coated breed like a mal, I would be using proban tablets and a spray on such as frontline or permoxin spray if I was living in or walked my dog in a high tick area.

Comfortis can be used with any of these products, however, as these products also kill fleas (supposedly) I personally wouldn't be using both unless the fleas were proving resitant to frontline and permoxin (advantix).

If you are using a spray on product, you need to cover the dog fairly well and massage the spray into the coat so you can't really use it as a "spritz". I use Frontline spray on a young labrador and applying it does take some time (around 30 mins) to fully cover her so I'm not sur ehow long it would take to do a malamute- probably a while.

With my Aussie shepherd who was longer coated and so harder to tick search, I used Proban and advantix in combination.

We also clipped her for summer as an added precaution, as we nearly lost her to a tick as a pup

[dasha]

Nothing you use is 100% effective.

No matter what combinations you use, you will still need to do a thorough tick search daily if you live in a bad tick area.

When working at vets we had dogs treated every 2 weeks with frontline, lived in a cement run, mown grass all round and still had several trips to vet a year to be still treated with for tick poisoning.

It is what ever combination suits you and your budget. Even if you use everything possible you still may need a trip to vet for treatment anyway.

[Malamum]

Thanks everyone. My main worry is giving to many chemicals with both the Comfortis and the Fontline.

What are the risks in using too many products, as in the Comfortis and Frontline in the pipette (not the spray as he is just to big for the spray, I reckon I'd use a whole bottle every time).

I don't want to have him underprotected for ticks but I don't want to stop the comfortis in case his skin issues are a flea allergy and it helps.

Are the proban tables just for ticks or is a combination flea/tick treatment?

[sheree_e4]

Proban kills both fleas and ticks however if treating for ticks you give it every second day.

The only product I can think of that only kills ticks is a preventic collar and I would not reccomend one.

The last bottle of frontline spray (500ml) I brought sprayed 8 puppies and 1 small dog and 5 med dogs (koolies) and I had a tiny bit left .... I do go through a bottle every 3 weeks ($118) - Just to give you an idea on how long a bottle would last you.

[aussielover]

I would say malamum would use at least half a large frontline spray bottle every treatment. I use a third of the large bottle each time on a labrador, so i am guessing she would need to use alot more.

Proban is also a flea killer.

[lflint]

Hi everyone,

I work for Virbac and I thought I would clarify some of the confusion about tick control for dogs.

Earlier this year, Virbac developed a national disease surveillance program for veterinarians. Just recently we started monitoring tick paralysis cases. In only 1 month of monitoring there are almost 300 cases of tick paralysis in NSW and QLD individually.

As for the control of ticks, NO product is 100% effective against paralysis ticks, that includes the spot-on’s, sprays, collars and oral medications hence why it is so important to check your pets daily. A daily search could save your pets life!

When you are deciding about which product is most appropriate for you, read the label claims and directions for use carefully before selecting the product. Be aware that quite often with flea and tick combination products, the tick control has a shorter duration. For a preventative product against paralysis ticks the most effective products available will state "controls” or "control" of ticks. Be sure to check that the control covers paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) for the best prevention available.