jenkshipley Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Hi Folks, My young Border Collie, Fever, recently had a grand mal seizure. We are still in the rule out possible causes process. In the meantime, Spring has arrived and I have a big tick problem in my area (Bucks County, PA) and a pool that my dogs swim in daily from April through October. I have a high tick population on my property and none of the preventatives that I have previously tried on the dogs have lasted the acceptable length between applications. I have dog ticks, for example, one week after Frontline Plus application. My veterinarian now does not want any chemical based preventative applied to Fever or to my other dogs who share bedding and house space. This year I have had deer ticks for the first time and I am now planning to spray the yard with insecticide to control the ticks and avoid tick diseases. The dogs will be removed from the house for 24 hours. If anyone has a dog who has suffered from seizures and has a safe tick preventative suggestion that has been effective for them in a highly tick dens area as an alternative, please respond to this post. Thank you! Jen Shipley Flute AAD, AX, OAJ, OAC, OGC, NAJ - semi-retired ADCH Enna TM - Silver, SACH, GCH, SCH, JCH, RCH, MX, MXJ - rescued champion Fever - SG, SR Kasi EAC,EGC,EJC, OA,OAJ - (1992-2007) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Jen, Can you have farm fowls on your property? Everybody I know who has guinea hens says they eat tons of ticks. Not a quick fix, but not pesticides. Hope you get some other input. Ruth You might google diatomaceous earth (DE) + tick control and see what comes up. I've used DE for a long time for indoor fleas and swear by it. R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenkshipley Posted April 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 [ Can you have farm fowls on your property? Everybody I know who has guinea hens says they eat tons of ticks. Not a quick fix, but not pesticides. I don't think my neighbors would appreciate a flock of guineas although I wish I could get away with it! You might google diatomaceous earth (DE) + tick control and see what comes up. I've used DE for a long time for indoor fleas and swear by it. Thanks, I'll check it out. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Sevin is very safe - it doesn't even have a residual effect on bees or fish when used in the vegetable garden. But it's highly effective against ticks. I've turned to it in desperation because I've run out of options here for fleas and have a highly flea-sensitive dog. I have poultry in the yard so I don't need anything out there. The dogs wear collars with carbaryl. That totally kept them flea and tick free at the height of the season last fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenkshipley Posted April 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 Sevin is very safe - it doesn't even have a residual effect on bees or fish when used in the vegetable garden. But it's highly effective against ticks. I've turned to it in desperation because I've run out of options here for fleas and have a highly flea-sensitive dog. I have poultry in the yard so I don't need anything out there. The dogs wear collars with carbaryl. That totally kept them flea and tick free at the height of the season last fall. Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 I've had good luck mixing a leave in coat condition like GloCoat in a quart bottle and adding citronella, neem, and lavender essentail oils to it. Usually about 15 drops of each. Guinea fowl are fanatasic for ticks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belleview Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Jen- Just curious- how old is your dog? Lori Cunningham Milton, PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenkshipley Posted April 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 Jen- Just curious- how old is your dog? Lori Cunningham Milton, PA She is 3 1/2 had a grand mal seizure on 3/16. She also has IBD. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenkshipley Posted April 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 I've had good luck mixing a leave in coat condition like GloCoat in a quart bottle and adding citronella, neem, and lavender essentail oils to it. Usually about 15 drops of each. Guinea fowl are fanatasic for ticks. I am fairly certain the my 55+ community neighbors would be very horrified by guinea fowl, who I know from past experience working at a farm during the summers fly all over creation. I use Natural Defense Spray for when I leave the property but it is useless during the months when the dogs swim daily. I wonder if your concoction would last longer on the dogs when they are wet every day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 I know at one time that people were recommending dilute sprays of dish detergent out in the yard as the detergent would act as a dessicant, but it would probably kill beneficial insects as well. Of course, so would products like Sevin. The University of Rhode Island's Tick Resource Center has some information on how to spray a yard (perimeter only)--scroll down toward the bottom of the page. I think most people still find extensive searching through the fur and removal by hand to be the most effective tick control method (unfortunately). J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenkshipley Posted April 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 I know at one time that people were recommending dilute sprays of dish detergent out in the yard as the detergent would act as a dessicant, but it would probably kill beneficial insects as well. Of course, so would products like Sevin. The University of Rhode Island's Tick Resource Center has some information on how to spray a yard (perimeter only)--scroll down toward the bottom of the page. I think most people still find extensive searching through the fur and removal by hand to be the most effective tick control method (unfortunately). J. Thanks for the link. I would risk checking for ticks if it was just dog ticks but tick diseases are too darn dangerous to risk deer ticks. Someone else told me Dawn detergent. I guess that might be less toxic then insecticide. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackeyesue Posted April 10, 2009 Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 I don't post much, read every day. Theres a product called Internal Powder from Earth Animal for fleas and ticks. All natural, holistic. I just started using it about a month ago. My sister lives in Florida and had a bad tick problem a few years back. This was suggested to her by a friend and now she swears by it. Hasn't had a flea or tick problem in years. I can't say as it has worked for me yet, since the weather in NE PA hasn't really warmed up yet. But it is an alternative. You mix it in with your dogs food. My border collie loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenkshipley Posted April 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 I don't post much, read every day. Theres a product called Internal Powder from Earth Animal for fleas and ticks. All natural, holistic. I just started using it about a month ago. My sister lives in Florida and had a bad tick problem a few years back. This was suggested to her by a friend and now she swears by it. Hasn't had a flea or tick problem in years. I can't say as it has worked for me yet, since the weather in NE PA hasn't really warmed up yet. But it is an alternative. You mix it in with your dogs food. My border collie loves it. Thank you! I will check it out. I have had deer ticks every time it was not frozen throughout the winter, despite being coated with Natural Defense, I pulled a deer tick off of Fever and a baby dog tick off of one of my other Border Collies yesterday. UGH!!!! I'll look into it. Best, Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted April 10, 2009 Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 Yesterday I had confirmation that the collars are working. We trailed sheep up through a brand-new cut in the woods to a pasture at the back of the property and back again. When we got back I checked Ted and Gus carefully. Ted had one dead tick on him (Preventic collar) and Gus had three dead or dying ticks on him (carbaryl - ie, Sevin - collar). I had two attached and two more on my clothes, in spite of having sprayed myself with Off before heading out (bleah). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Someone else told me Dawn detergent. I guess that might be less toxic then insecticide. Jen We use Dawn for very young puppies and kittens at the shelter who come in with fleas and ticks (or just really need a good bath). Seems to work really well for them, and has the approval of the shelter vet. I think we are going to pick up some Sevin next time we are at the store. Using monthly Advantix just means that we only find 4-5 ticks on my poor rough-coated D rather than 10+ after an hour or so outside. Our play area is heavily infested with ticks, and is perfect tick habitat. Thankfully, we haven't found any deer ticks or I would be more concerned. Used a tick collar for a while, but the smell is just terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenkshipley Posted April 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 I've had good luck mixing a leave in coat condition like GloCoat in a quart bottle and adding citronella, neem, and lavender essentail oils to it. Usually about 15 drops of each. Guinea fowl are fanatasic for ticks. Hey Wendy, Where do you get your oils? Thanks! Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 healthfood store. Get the neem as a tincture so it's easier to use. The oil is very thick. It normally works well for us, but in TN/Kentucky this past week we were innundated by fleas and seed ticks. I used the Advantix for the first time in over a year for that, plus a CapStar. Poor dogs said THANK YOU...they were scratching their brains out. Hey Wendy,Where do you get your oils? Thanks! Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenkshipley Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 healthfood store. Get the neem as a tincture so it's easier to use. The oil is very thick. It normally works well for us, but in TN/Kentucky this past week we were innundated by fleas and seed ticks. I used the Advantix for the first time in over a year for that, plus a CapStar. Poor dogs said THANK YOU...they were scratching their brains out. Thanks! I wish I had the luxury of once in awhile chemical based treatment but no can do. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.