Brown/cattle Or Bush Ticks On Dogs , Need Some Help Please

[Christina77]

I discovered heaps of ticks on my Cattle dog ( about 25 now) , luckily they are not Paralysis ticks but tiny dark brown ticks ( about sesame seed size) most likely cattle ticks as she was near cattle 3 days ago.

She is always treated with Frontline Plus but was due for a new dose early next week so at the end of the dosage cycle but I put a treatment on her last night at about 5pm .

I've had to wash her this morning as we found more and using the hose to seperate her fur you can see them better and spend hours checking her fur but were still finding some here and there. Some have fallen off onto her bedding so it's been a day long saga with making sure her bedding is clean.

She's fine and her usual starving self and a bit fed up with all the fussing but I'm wondering if the new dose of Frontline I put on yesterday would have worked enough over 12 or so hours to continue protection ?

Also now I'm wondering how Frontline actually works , seeing there are ticks on her that have attached do they die when they bite ? Is that how Frontline works ?

OH thinks I'm over reacting She's had them once before but they were bigger and we were able to find them easier

Edited June 2, 2012 by Christina77

[Guest donatella]

I think for tick protection with frontline application is every 2 weeks not 4, so might not be the best cover for you in a high tick area (very costly every 2 weeks to apply!)

[BC Crazy]

To help prevent tick's Frontline must be applied every 2 weeks & to be honest I don't find it very effective. Advantix has worked miles better for us but again must be applied every 2 weeks. I apply it every 3 weeks in winter

as ticks aren't quite so prevalent when the temp. drops :) You have to remove them off her if possible they don't just die.

[Mystiqview]

To help prevent tick's Frontline must be applied every 2 weeks & to be honest I don't find it very effective. Advantix has worked miles better for us but again must be applied every 2 weeks. I apply it every 3 weeks in winter

as ticks aren't quite so prevalent when the temp. drops :) You have to remove them off her if possible they don't just die.

Please do not rely on this. I live in Samford in Brisbane. We have ticks here 365 days a year. I am still getting ticks off my dogs. They are worse in the summer months, but we have not had a cold enough winter in previous years to REALLY knock them back. Also the rain and warm days do not help.

Please do not get fooled by paralysis ticks and bush ticks. Paralysis ticks will very quickly get to your dog, but all ticks cause paralysis . You can also find that the more times they expose themselves to ticks, the quicker or sooner they can succomb.

We have had ticks that bad this year here, that even we are starting to take longer to heal, and feel woosy quicker. We are only pulling off nymphs.

We are now spraying the dog yards in insecticide to try to knock them down. (especially as I have 5 week old puppies here and you cannot use anything stronger than Fidos tick rinse in a sprayer.)

Frontline/Advantix both need to put on every two weeks. If your dog swims a lot or gets wet a lot, it will lessen the effectiveness of the products. Same with tick collars. All these products rely on the product going through the coat/skin. They also should be placed on the dog when they are completely dry. Read the information in the packet for how long they require as I forget the actual time frames.

The best preventative is regular checks. I am lucky enough still to have a good stock of Proban still on hand as this product is now off the market.

[BC Crazy]

I can only comment on the area in which I live & ticks are more prevalent over the summer months but they are still around in winter that is why I apply Advatnix every 3 weeks & not monthly. I never apply monthly cause

we are never tick free here. I check both of mine at least daily. If you use a Preventic collar they work O.K. I have heard though I have never been able to use them because both of mine swim daily & the collar are ineffective

once they are wet. You can't wash your dog for 48 hours after you apply Frontline/Advantix either & as Mystiqview said they are absorbed through the skin so make sure when you apply them that you part the hair first & put onto

the skin & if you have a large dog I usually dot some on top of shoulders & some a bit further along their back but not too far along as you don't want them to be able to lick it :)

[Mystiqview]

Advantix is also supposed to be applied every two weeks for ticks. (as per leaflet).

Advantix/Frontline also lose effectiveness if your dog swims regularly or has regular baths. So please, if they do, please keep this in mind as you could be wasting money on a product that will get washed out.

Each area is different, however in the past years, we have not seen a real decline in the winter months here as we have not had that really old cold winter. The best suggestion I can give, is to talk to your local vet surgeries. They can tell you how bad ticks are in your area. I would give a couple a ring for a wider sampling.

Where I am, my local vet is still getting up to 5-6 tick cases a day. Even on my dogs being on proban, I am puling one or two ticks off them a day. At the moment, they are no bigger than a pin head.

BC Crazy; was not having a go with you. I was only responding to your comment where you said they are not so prevelant in winter. Unfortunately while this used to be the case, we are finding here that while they still drop off, they are still a real cause for concern and complacency should not be done when checking your dogs.

It was directed at any else who is reading this thread, to please still be vigilent.

[BC Crazy]

We are very luck with ticks here with them then cause 'touch wood' they aren't nearly as bad as you poor guys have them up there then. The only time either of mine have had a tick was when we went to QLD on a four day trip.

Stella got one small one on her nose but that was it all last summer. You are still getting them now, wow, how awful for you. I HATE them with a passion. The vet told me to put Advantix on every 3 weeks over winter but that is

"here". And god YES everybody please still be vigilent like Mystiqview said. Go over your dogs everyday too !! :)