Ticks In A Boarding Kennel

[sandgrubber]

A friend who is running a boarding kennel has gotten a few complaints from people claiming that their dogs had ticks when they came home from boarding. The contract says owners are responsible for flea and tick protection . . . there's enough wildlife in the area, not to mention other boarders, that it's difficult to prevent occasional appearance of ticks. (No paralysis ticks . . . probably just ordinary brown dog ticks). The pesticides used to get rid of ticks seem pretty nasty (like carcinogenic). Someone told my friend that keeping the area well watered (expensive and at odds with water conservation regulations) would keep ticks away. I suggested buying a good tick protection substance and offering a dose to incoming dogs for just over wholesale price, and if the cusomer opts out, making them sign a waiver.

Curious about whether and to what extent dog owners hold kennels responsible for flea and tick problems, and how they would respond to the option of take the treatment or sign a waiver when they showed up at a boarding kennel.

Edited March 13, 2011 by sandgrubber

[pipsqueak]

I'm in NSW and the kennel we use is in a known paralysis(sp) tick area. Boarding agreement states ALL dogs must be treated with a tick prevention prior to boarding. You can either provide it yourself, or kennel will provide for you (much more expensive). Also, if dogs board for more than 2 weeks, tick prevention must be reapplied.

[Fordogs]

Ticks are one thing that boarding kennels can do nothing about : they can be carried in by birds, other dogs arriving at the kennels, on clothing or any wild life that passes through the risk potential is always there.

If I owned a boarding kennel in a tick prone area every owner would be asked to sign a contract that says that the dog has been treated with a reliable product 24 - 48 hours prior to arrival and a waver to say that if the dog required treatment whilst boarding they would be responsible.

[Tilly]

We use the Fido Fre-Itch rinse on our dogs (hydrobath) which has a 3 day tick protection and then spread the water out over the areas the dogs lay in ... maybe giving dogs a bath on entry or exit with something similar might help ...

If the ticks are in the area then there isn't really too much you can do to stop them ... but if you let owners know and make tick protection part of entry conditions (like vaccinations)

[Clyde]

Someone told my friend that keeping the area well watered (expensive and at odds with water conservation regulations) would keep ticks away. .

I can't see why this would be the case when ticks thrive in moist, coastal areas. My garden was always well watered but I still got ticks. You can plant certain plants which attract birds which eat ticks, although it seems kind of silly to be attracting ticks to begin with! I had my garden professionally landscaped in order to avoid ticks and I still got ticks!

I agree with the above posters about insisting on prevention and waivers. Try searching for kennel web sites in the Duffys Forest/Terrey Hills area to see what they say about ticks.

eta: Marendale says this:

4. What sort of flea protection?

For dogs Frontline or Advantix must be applied every 14 days. We can supply a single dose if necessary. Sorry no tick collars.

For cats Frontline must be applied every 14 days.

Ticks collars would be good but I guess a pain if the dogs have play time etc

Edited March 14, 2011 by Clyde

[goldchow]

Although we now pick & choose who we take into the boarding kennels its always under the proviso that all dogs must by freshly hydrobathed with a good quality tick prevention treatment with successive treatments if in for more than a couple of weeks. We've never had a problem with ticks of any sort and we are in a supposed tick free zone however with a number of my own double coated dogs, the last thing I want is to run the risk of ticks of any sort being brought in, by other dogs anyway. Collars of any sort on dogs in the kennels can be a hazard, we remove them until its time to go home.

I don't follow the keeping everything soaked either, I'd have thought this would create a ripe environment for paralysis tick and other nasties like cane toads.

Edited March 14, 2011 by goldchow

[PAX]

Friend with a boarding kennel in QLD always tick dips all dogs on admission, uses preventive tick collars on all dogs.

Edited March 14, 2011 by PAX

[Mystiqview]

Personally I think it is a duel responsibility.

It is up to the owner to make sure their pets are up to date with everything.

If the kennel in question is known to have a problem with ticks (in particular) then it is up to them to provide a safe environment for their boarders. Especially if the dog is going to be there for a length of time. Say for example your dog is going to be boarded over two weeks (normal expiry for any top spot tick medication). Then I would expect (possibly for a fee for at least for the product) the kennel to administer a dose according to specified packet rules.

I know of one boarding kennel that used to "dip" every dog that came in. This was because they were in high paralysis tick area.

As for tick collars. I am a bit dubious about them. I know of one dog in particular, had a paralysis tick under the collar. The collar was used as per packet instructions and was well within normal operating conditions for length of time on dog etc. When you hear that, it makes you wonder.