Scalibor Tick Collars

[dougal]

I am looking at changing over from preventic collars to scalibor. The no smell option is very attractive, however wonder how effective they are. I found a vet site that implied they may not work if dogs are bathed more frequently that fornightly. Does anybody have any feedback on their effectiveness? Would rather put up with the smell than run the risk of a paralysis tick.

[aliwake]

We've been using one for about a year and a half and haven't seen a single tick. Our boy doesn't get bathed super regularly though. He does swim weekly at times.

[jemappelle]

I'm using them but did find a tick on a dog last year. I'm sure I read somewhere that it doesn't stop the tick attaching but kills it when it does.

The "no smell" is great!

[Ranga]

Apparently the Scalibor collar takes two to three weeks to be effective. Keep that in mind if you change over :)

I've been using preventic this year and so far so good

[DeltaCharlie]

We use scalibor collars on all ours, they don't get bathed although they do swim regularly :)

[sheena]

We use scalibor collars on all ours, they don't get bathed although they do swim regularly :)

Do you take it off to swim, and then put it back on a wet dog ? & does it take a while to become effective again. My guys swim daily, so I would have to be on & off with the collar, or can you leave it on, apart from it being no good for aquatic life, which I don't have in my pool :laugh:

[aliwake]

Most of our swims are spontaneous, so it's usually still on. Take it off for baths though, and usually wait til he's dry to put it back on. For pool swimming I'd just leave it on :)

[DeltaCharlie]

Ours swim in the ocean or bay, so we take it off and put it straight on as soon as we get back to the car (so dogs are still wet). If they splash around in the duck pond or kiddy pool at home we leave them on, they are supposed to be fine with getting wet (just not good for aquatic life).

The big advantage to the scalibor collars is that they are not as dangerous if injested. Fuze has managed to eat 2 of hers somehow, and the worst that has happened is a slightly runny poo that night (only chewed them, didn't swallow anything substantial that we can tell). When we asked about it we were told that the side effects seem to be much less with them than with the preventic (which can make a dog quite ill apparently).

[sheena]

Ours swim in the ocean or bay, so we take it off and put it straight on as soon as we get back to the car (so dogs are still wet). If they splash around in the duck pond or kiddy pool at home we leave them on, they are supposed to be fine with getting wet (just not good for aquatic life).

The big advantage to the scalibor collars is that they are not as dangerous if injested. Fuze has managed to eat 2 of hers somehow, and the worst that has happened is a slightly runny poo that night (only chewed them, didn't swallow anything substantial that we can tell). When we asked about it we were told that the side effects seem to be much less with them than with the preventic (which can make a dog quite ill apparently).

So if the dogs were wearing them swimming a few times a week, how often would you change to a new collar to remain protected from ticks.?

[DeltaCharlie]

I wouldn't feel comfortable answering as I don't know the science. We have still been changing every 3 months but this is our first year living in a tick area. Maybe contact caliber? They will be able I advise you better :)

[aliwake]

We have still been doing every 3 months too.

Apparently it is still effective against other ticks for 6 months, but the effectiveness for paralysis ticks is only proven for 3months.

[nowstarin]

Tick collars and swimming or washing,

The active ingredients of tick collars are a residue (powder) that disseminates throughout the coat. They are distributed by movement of the dog.

They actives are washed out of the coat whenever swimming or bathing takes place and leaves your dog UNPROTECTED until the actives have a chance to redistribute and disseminate throughout again.

This process takes 24 hours for Killtix, 48 hours for Preventic and 1 - 3 weeks for scalibor.

The collars themselves can get wet but the pores clog slightly and until they dry out they can't distribute the active powders.

You should take the collar off and tap it on a solid bench to assist to clear the clogging.

If you swim or wash your dog regularly, then a tick collar is not for you.

Use a topical treatment for water fast protection. You can use both a topical and a collar for better effectiveness and if your are cost saving, use a topical monthly (rather than fortnightly) concurrently with a collar. The collar will cover the gap period which is where the efficacy of the topical starts to drop for paralysis ticks.

Collar efficacy drops after 5 weeks too. Hence their claim to work UP TO 6 weeks ect.

Collars have an age restriction and are not suited to puppies or to households with toddlers that may ingest or lick the collar.

Hope this helps

[Ranga]

Tick collars and swimming or washing,

The active ingredients of tick collars are a residue (powder) that disseminates throughout the coat. They are distributed by movement of the dog.

They actives are washed out of the coat whenever swimming or bathing takes place and leaves your dog UNPROTECTED until the actives have a chance to redistribute and disseminate throughout again.

This process takes 24 hours for Killtix, 48 hours for Preventic and 1 - 3 weeks for scalibor.

The collars themselves can get wet but the pores clog slightly and until they dry out they can't distribute the active powders.

You should take the collar off and tap it on a solid bench to assist to clear the clogging.

If you swim or wash your dog regularly, then a tick collar is not for you.

Use a topical treatment for water fast protection. You can use both a topical and a collar for better effectiveness and if your are cost saving, use a topical monthly (rather than fortnightly) concurrently with a collar. The collar will cover the gap period which is where the efficacy of the topical starts to drop for paralysis ticks.

Collar efficacy drops after 5 weeks too. Hence their claim to work UP TO 6 weeks ect.

Collars have an age restriction and are not suited to puppies or to households with toddlers that may ingest or lick the collar.

Hope this helps

Good post

[sheena]

Tick collars and swimming or washing,

The active ingredients of tick collars are a residue (powder) that disseminates throughout the coat. They are distributed by movement of the dog.

They actives are washed out of the coat whenever swimming or bathing takes place and leaves your dog UNPROTECTED until the actives have a chance to redistribute and disseminate throughout again.

This process takes 24 hours for Killtix, 48 hours for Preventic and 1 - 3 weeks for scalibor.

The collars themselves can get wet but the pores clog slightly and until they dry out they can't distribute the active powders.

You should take the collar off and tap it on a solid bench to assist to clear the clogging.

If you swim or wash your dog regularly, then a tick collar is not for you.

Use a topical treatment for water fast protection. You can use both a topical and a collar for better effectiveness and if your are cost saving, use a topical monthly (rather than fortnightly) concurrently with a collar. The collar will cover the gap period which is where the efficacy of the topical starts to drop for paralysis ticks.

Collar efficacy drops after 5 weeks too. Hence their claim to work UP TO 6 weeks ect.

Collars have an age restriction and are not suited to puppies or to households with toddlers that may ingest or lick the collar.

Hope this helps

So in effect, what you are saying is that if your dog swims with or without the scalibor collar, then the dog is unprotected for 1 to 3 weeks ?? Then how do all the above posters claim that their dogs are protected ...I am very confused

[aliwake]

My understanding is that the dissemination is different with scalibor, more like a spot on. So once you've built up the initial protection (2 weeks), you can still bath and swim etc without it reducing the protection.

[DeltaCharlie]

Yes, the scalibor collars work differently, more like advantix, which is why it takes 2 weeks to be covered in the first place. Scalibor collars are also supposed to be safe from 8-weeks of age. Boost is nearly 10 weeks and will have one put on in the near future. She has advantix on at the moment (which I was a little concerned about on such a young pup) and there have been no issues.

[aliwake]

We used it from 8 weeks. I suspect it made hima little itchy at that age, so would probably wait a bit longer next time. He's had no lasting issues though.

[sheena]

How easy are they to take on & off ?? What do you do while you are waiting the 2 - 3 weeks for the collar to take effect?? Can you use them with Advantix for this period ??? Sorry about all the questions :)

[aliwake]

Easy to take on and off. They just have a buckle you thread the end through.

We weren't really going out and about during that first 2 weeks, so not sure. I guess you'd just need to be extra careful with your checks. Not sure about using it with advantix either, but I suspect it would be ok.

[nowstarin]

That's correct. If your dog swims or is bathed regularly then a tick collar is not suitable for continued protection.

Scalibor settles ONTO the lipid payer not into.

Topicals permeate INTO the lipid layer and offer much higher efficacy

The mode of action is quite different.

Also ticks need to attach to get a dose. (Scalibor)

Scalibor is not suitable to dogs that swim often either and those that are using it and not having an issue have been very very lucky.

Also it takes 2-3 weeks to disseminate throughout.

Preventic takes 48 hours

kiltix takes 24 hours.

There is no repellency offered by collars also.

The claim for paralysis ticks for all collars states "effective for UP TO x weeks"

Be very vigilant with your dogs. Ticks are at an extreme level at the moment in areas never before affected, and in numbers never seen like this.

Also remember TickS are an arachnid. So behave like spiders and are not seasonal.

Kiltix Tick collars are safe to use with topicals.

Preventic have not been assessed for contraindications but have been used by many outside of testings with no known reactions,

Scalibor has been tested with fipronil (frontline) and has no known reactions.

Current recommendations for high tick risk areas is topical fortnightly and collar 6 weekly concurrently

Efficacy - (efficiency) scalibor 90%

Preventic 52- 87%

kiltix 92%

Advantix 98% with 90%repellency and 100% tick mortality (only one that repels and kills)

Frontline 68-85%

Edited November 15, 2014 by nowstarin