Tick Problem

[Vanprarm]

Anyone with experience or advice would be great. My bulldog and I have lived in Georgia for a little over two years now and have never had a problem with ticks but starting about three weeks ago they are suddenly everywhere. I've pulled three off of him in the last week and have found them crawling on myself. He's mainly indoors as I live in an apartment complex so until recently he wasn't using any tick preventive meds. I have since used the topical walmart brand hartz ultra guard flea and tick drops on him (used before and no adverse reactions) so I'm hoping that will help but I am definitely looking for a good shampoo for ticks and his sensitive skin that I can get from the grocery or petsmart/petco. I am a teacher and on a very right budget so please keep in mind but as a girl originally from the Midwest, I am kind of freaking out

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi Rebecca, we use Revolution between June and November, it covers heart worm, fleas, and ticks.

Spring will be here soon and the ticks will soon be showing
their heads. Here is a good way to get them off you, your
children, or your pets. Give it a try.


Please forward to anyone with children... or hunters or dogs,
or anyone who even steps outside in summer!!


A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough
to share -- And it really works!


========


"I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best
way to remove a tick. This is great, because it works in
those places where it's some times difficult to get to with
tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark
hair, etc."


"Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick
with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few
seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be
stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This
technique has worked every time I've used it (and that
was frequently, and it's much less traumatic for the
patient and easier for me."


"Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this
would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's
wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her
back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used
this method and immediately called me back to say,
"It worked!"

 

[My Otis]

I would try what Monica uses or Frontline, I use this on my dogs it does not cause any problems. I do not want to scare you, but I used hartz on my mixed terrer several years ago and he almost died, he was shaking and having a hard time breathing. I bathed him quickly and Thank Goodness he got ok. I called the Vet and he said I washed it off in time, or he would have died. I do not use any Hartz products. Please be careful with Hartz products.

 

[msericathatcher]

I don't use one- since having bentley we have tried 5 different brands and every single one made him loose his hair (to the point where people would ask us what was wrong with him or make that I'm judging you cause you don't take care of him face) or have a serious reaction to it.

I have read somewhere that giving them apple cider vinegar helps with flea control.

 

[msericathatcher]

I called the Vet and he said I washed it off in time, or he would have died.

A lot of people don't actually know this! It opens up their pores allowing the chemicals to soak in them. So darn scary. The main ingredient in frontline and most flea/tick products mixed with benedryl can cause seizures too (when just placed on)

 

[Vanprarm]

Yea I have since researched hartz and will definitely be staying away from that again. I'm trying to choose between advantix and frontline for next month but I'm also really hoping to find a good shampoo and I just left petsmart and didn't like the choices they had. I currently have a gentle flea/tick oatmeal shampoo at home but haven't used it in a while because he has a grain allergy and someone told me not to use it because of that.

 

[Manydogs]

Food grade diatomeceous earth will kill fleas and ticks. He won't hurt your dog, even if he eats it. That is what I use. It seems like people don't like to use it because it makes your dog look dusty, and they don't like that. I sprinkle it on their beds, and on them, in the house. I have tile and wood floors, so they look "powdery" for a few days, I don't care because then it get in the cracks, too. If anyone came (very rarely) and it was powdery-they don't like it-oh well! I also sprinkle the reg. diatomeceous earth around outside. If you have bad allergies, or if your dog has breathing problems-it might not be good. It is heavy "dust" it doesn't float around. Just saying this is what I use, and it works. No chemicals. [MENTION=9455]Vanprarm[/MENTION]

 

[2BullyMama]

There are natrual alternatives.... a thread here somewhere, will try to find and post back