Do You Have To Put The Anti-tick Stuff On The Back Of The Neck?

[Jennt]

So Charlie had a serious run in with a tick last summer (full shavedown and serious vet bill) and now the weather has been wet and warm and I'm worried they'll get him again. The last time the tick was on his butt and from reading and listening to other tick stories that seems to be the most common area where they're found.

Charlie, being a llasa bichon cross is very very hairy and I really don't think that when I'm putting the tick stuff on the back of his neck it really spreads right down to the rear end effectively. So, is there any reason why I can't put it on his back closer down to his rear end instead of the back of his neck?

regards Jenn

[Diva]

I have large dogs and if I have to use a spot on I split it between the withers, the middle of the back and between the hip bones.

[sheree_e4]

Best idea is to keep him clipped short .... no longer than a #7 that way if he gets a tick its much easier to find (this means all over not just his body,his face and ears clipped short too) .... No tick protection is 100% effective you need to check him every day.

Also maybe switch to frontline spray - you will need to wet him all over with it ,pay attention to his face and feet aswell ...must be covered EVERYWHERE better to have too much than not enough and it lasts 3 weeks for paralysis ticks.

Also most ticks are found FORWARD of the front legs but this does not mean they will not attach elsewhere.

[Danois]

Isn't the reason you apply spot ons at the back of the neck/ shoulder area so that they cannot lick it?

Applying it in a different area is not going to change the effect of it.

[Diva]

Mine wouldn't lick it if I paid them, lol. Applying at a couple of places on a large dog helps with the coverage. I have had a few vets tell me that and it was the instruction on the one I used earlier this year too.

I've usually heard that the front end of the dog was the most likely place for ticks though.

Edited November 14, 2010 by Diva

[fuzzy82]

I was under the impression that it gets absorbed into the bloodstream, because that's how it kills worms as well (unless you use Frontline which doesn't treat worms). I would imagine that's also how it kills fleas and ticks, because they drink the blood.

When I used to find ticks on my cats, they were usually on the neck, head and chin. Very rarely would I find one anywhere else, but the point of the treatment isn't to put it where you find ticks, because like I said it gets absorbed.

Which makes sense, because the animal can get wet/have a bath and the treatment will still work, if it was allowed to dry before the animal got wet.

[mita]

I have large dogs and if I have to use a spot on I split it between the withers, the middle of the back and between the hip bones.

When I read these instructions for putting the anti-tick/flea stuff on big dogs, it gave me the idea of putting it in two places on my small dogs.

On/half on neck near between shoulders & the other half further down closer to the rear end. But I have to be careful with this second spot....tibbies are lithe with their long backs & can twist around and lick the stuff if placed too far south!

[Diva]

I was under the impression that it gets absorbed into the bloodstream, because that's how it kills worms as well (unless you use Frontline which doesn't treat worms). I would imagine that's also how it kills fleas and ticks, because they drink the blood.

I don't think Advantix kills worms either and that's the one I use if I am travelling to a tick area. The product info says it 'spreads over the skin'. It also claims to repel ticks, as well as killing those that bite. So I assume it depends on which product used.

[mita]

Yes, to the above. I use Advantix. For worms, my tibs get Interceptor.

[dancinbcs]

All these products get into the lymph system and spread through the skin that way. The only reason to split the dose on big dogs is to give it two places to be absorbed due to the larger quantity. They should all be put on the neck or back where the dog cannot reach to lick or chew, so definitely not past the middle of the back.

[halfthewords]

Both my long-coated dogs are kept clipped shot to a #10 during spring/summer. Carl had a paralysis tick in January 09 and the experience was so awful that I take every precaution. They wear tick collars all year round, I apply Advantix during warm months, they are bathed in permoxin/tick repellent shampoo and I check them over every day.

[poodlefan]

You definitely want to put it where the dog can't lick it.

I recall a South Coast vet telling me that 80% of tick he finds are forward of the shoulders.

[Tilly]

All the ticks my dogs have ever had have been on the face and collar area because he always seems to have his nose on the ground sniffing ... :D

Maybe look at using something like permoxin which can be sprayed on as required. I usually spray the dogs before we go out into a tick area etc and again when we get home.

[sandgrubber]

Ditto others warning not to put the stuff where it can be licked. Also watch out for dogs that lick one another. I recently had a girl go into horrid fits from licking a spot-on flea/tick med of her grandpuppy. It might well have killed her if I hadn't contacted a cluey vet, who said, 'hose her down, soap it out, pronto. The reaction stopped immediately when she was hosed down.

[Odin-Genie]

I put Advantix on three spots (between the shoulder blades, middle of the back and just above the tail). That's what the vet advised. My dogs never lick it so that's not a problem.

[nabs]

Our old Dane just recently got out of the vets after a week being treated for a tick bite. Never had a tick here before. I now use Advantix, Permoxin spray and tick collars plus daily checks on all dogs big and small. I put the Advantix on the back of the withers for the bigger dogs take it down the spine a bit further to use up all the liquid

[Clyde]

I put Advantix on three spots (between the shoulder blades, middle of the back and just above the tail). That's what the vet advised.

This is exactly what the resp. suggest when using top spots. I do this with large dogs too, but smaller dogs I just place it in the one spot.