Puppy Flea Problem

[Papillon Kisses]

11 minutes ago, Boronia said:

The ticks were found dogs locally all through last winter ZM; I live in the Redlands area.

I give Nexguard (now) as it's less fussy than Advantix, I was putting on Advantix all through last winter and had still found a tick Penny and Mac, so be super-vigilant

I was going to say something to that effect. Vets are finding that the traditional 'tick season' is lengthening...

[Kazm]

Yes I do realise tick season seems like it is getting to be just about all year round. I am super vigilant. My little girls are very much lap dogs and we are always feeling and checking plus being schnauzers I keep them trimmed ( their bodies at least, gotta have the proper schnauzer trim) . So their coats are fairly short which makes checking easier. My neighbours dog, a Westie, got done pretty badly a few years back. He survived but I'm not going to let it happen to mine if I can help it. 

[PANDI-GIRL]

Can ticks hide in short grass, or do they only live in bushy areas ?

I feel PANDI all over every day, and she is mostly inside  but we go out for walks & the grass is quite high up her legs

[Kazm]

Yes it doesn't make any diff. Ticks can live in short grass and walking in the long grass she could get them. My opinion is the tablet forms of treatment are better than the liquid. 

[Boronia]

I realise that there are health concerns with some owners about treating dogs with tick and flea preventative but do weigh up the benefits of treatment; if your dog does get a tick it may well die and will cost you an excess of $500 at your vets.

Have a good think on what you are doing and logically find scientific answers to your concerns rather than bandy around the words 'chemicals in the body', it smacks of the anti-vax lobby and is an emotional reason rather than a logical reason.

I feel that if the dog does have an excellent diet it can cope with the treatments very well, especially Qld dogs which are more likely to get paralysis ticks, which do kill.

Too many dogs die of tick poisoning, there are preventatives and owners really need to become less 'precious'

Here is an article by Richard Malik, University of Sydney, he writes 'Perhaps 10,000 dogs are affected each year, with a mortality of approximately 5 per cent. That means 500 dogs will die every year, with the remainder undergoing discomfort and suffering'.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-29/preventing-tick-deaths-in-dogs-and-cats/7788346

 

[Alibi]

Very good points Boronia.  But I think there can sometimes be some blanket statements like if your in qld you need to treat for ticks but it's important to look at exactly where the dog lives and is exercised and understanding where ticks like to live.  Your average dog that lives in the suburbs and is walked around the streets is at such a low risk of ever even seeing a tick.  

[Papillon Kisses]

The incidence certainly increases when in at-risk areas, but dogs most definitely pick up ticks in Sydney suburbia.

[Boronia]

There are bandicoots, possums and birds in the suburbs of Brisbane, all can carry ticks, if bandicoots come into your yard they will be carrying ticks along with them.

[Alibi]

Not saying there is no risk but the risk can be very limited depending on where you live and lifestyle, my dog lives in a townhouse surrounded by lots of other townhouses with hardly any trees, I can certainly say our tiny patch of yard has never seen a bandicoot, I am yet too spot or hear a possum and unfortunately the cats that live around us seem to make sure the bird life stays away.  Also no product is 100% anyway so daily checking is still needed.

[Boronia]

Fair enough Alibi, I see what you mean; I would also be hesitant in giving my dogs tick treatment if they lived in an area similar to yours.

My dog-walk/dog sniffin' and exploring area consists of tall grass/trees/swamp/bandicoots/curlews so I am vigilant in giving them their treatments.

[fluff1234]

there are a lot of dogs having issues with these tablet flea and tick, we have cautiously stopped it for now, they are all over FB and have huge groups of dogs dying and becoming ill or having seizures and blaming these medications. They are currently trying to get then banned.

[Maddy]

On 3/17/2017 at 0:29 PM, Blastoise said:

I won't use any meds, just take shower for my dog if I find fleas.

You realise that just washing the dog won't control fleas? 

 

I no longer treat for ticks (as we've never seen a single one in 10 years, our dogs are 95% inside, outside time is either in our own yard or on leash and walking on pavement) and heartworm is not present down here so below is what I now use, in rotation:

Advocate and Drontal

Revolution and Milbemax
That covers fleas, worms and a few other things. We've never had any problems with fleas, despite taking in some very infested dogs.

 

We treat regularly, avoid places like dog parks (which are good places to pick up a number of parasites) and a couple of times a year, I also treat all bedding (with Permoxin) and all coats/collars/other things that could harbour adult fleas/larvae/eggs.