Code2High wrote: Cat I think if that's what it takes and you're able to minimize it, that's a good plan. I'm certainly not advocating letting them run around covered in those nasty ticks! I'm just finding my experience with the girls kind of interesting. Of course, you could try BARF on your lot and see if anything changes. Just as an experiment, I promise they'd enjoy it. Then you could work on Walter.......
One day you'll have to 'splain me the difference between "rural" and "sticks."
............
I tried to supplement Loppy & Petey with raw for a little while, here are the problems I had with it.
It grosses me out.
Petey won't touch raw chicken (in any form).
It grosses me out.
Both dogs puked on more than one occasion after feeding them a raw beef mix.
It grosses me out.
I teased Walter about the BARF diet while we were together in Arkansas. I think it grosses him out, too... if not, I know it would his wife.
Rural = close enough to town to shop
Sticks = not
Glad to clear that up for you!
Cat
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Code2High wrote: Ticks on me, no ticks on dogs. Fpresto, if you've got another thee-roy, I'd love to hear it.
Actually I do have another three-roy as you put it. I see you live in CA. If you lived on the East Coast in an area as I do where Lyme Disease is crippling people and dogs you might reconsider. Additionally heartworm is a major killer here. Would you suggest that I not give my dog heartworm treatment?
Personally I feel that it is up to each pet owner to get as much information as possible, weigh the risks and then make an informed decision based on their circumstances. For those interested here is a good link to Lyme disease in dogs LYME What is interesting is that most dogs go from completely healthy to completely lame in just a few days and most of their owners swore they never saw a tick on the animal. Of course the tick is about the size as the head of a pin and is usually missed in a visual inspection.
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I hope this finds your pooches on the mend! My vet won't prescribe the product for my dog because (according to his receptionist) he says it is harmful for a cat to be around a dog that has had it applied. I use Frontline plus, but am concerned because it does nothing for those terrible ticks.
Thanks all for the replies. I did not intend to incite a riot! lol...
Dr Doug, I am pretty certain they did not ingest the treatment. But, I wouldn't bet my life on it either. Thanks for your calm assurance.
We winter in AZ where there aren't any fleas or ticks, so they've been off the stuff for 6 months, so I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be much "build up" of it. But, what do I know? However, we are in an area now where I am worried about the fleas and ticks. So, once we get them well, I may have to try the "test" and I may try the other tricks of splitting the recommended tube size between them.
Code2High wrote: Ticks on me, no ticks on dogs. Fpresto, if you've got another thee-roy, I'd love to hear it.
Actually I do have another three-roy as you put it. I see you live in CA. If you lived on the East Coast in an area as I do where Lyme Disease is crippling people and dogs you might reconsider. Additionally heartworm is a major killer here. Would you suggest that I not give my dog heartworm treatment?
Personally I feel that it is up to each pet owner to get as much information as possible, weigh the risks and then make an informed decision based on their circumstances. For those interested here is a good link to Lyme disease in dogs LYME What is interesting is that most dogs go from completely healthy to completely lame in just a few days and most of their owners swore they never saw a tick on the animal. Of course the tick is about the size as the head of a pin and is usually missed in a visual inspection.
I'm not talking about other theories of whether to treat or not to treat. I'm talking about another explanation as to why my dogs remained tick free when I was covered in them. I am familiar with the size of the ticks you're talking about, since those were in evidence along with plenty of larger ones. Still have not found any on the dogs, attached, unattached, engorged or not.
As I said earlier, if they are a problem, then something is needed to keep them off the animal. I'd consider something like Frontline a better solution than a lot of the sprays and dips that used to be used. I've used Frontline in the past, probably have some in a cupboard at home right now, would use it again if needed, and I consider it the lesser of many evils when pests are at issue. I just find it rather interesting that I and other humans I was with were attacked by ticks, and my big shiny juicy dogs were ignored. This included times when I was covered in herbal repellent and my human companion was covered in chemical repellent. Still, ticks on humans, no ticks on dogs. This in addition to the fact that we live in an area where both ticks and fleas are common, and never see any on them at home.
Its just interesting.
susan
What I want to know is, when are they going to start selling Comfort Zone for HUMANS????? 'Cause some days...
"I will admit, as always, that I split one tube of the appropriate type (weight range) between all three of our dogs and do the same with the cats. I apply it every 40 to 45 days in the spring through fall without a problem."
The use of medicine not in accordance with the prescribed dosage can be dangerous or ineffective, for both animals and humans.
A lower dose of a topical solution dangerous? How so? Since I've been doing it this way for over four years in the big middle of Texas and Oklahoma (flea & tick country deluxe) with good results it's hardly ineffective either. Thanks for your concern John but it works for us the way I described.
I realize that the flea collar releases a small amount of insecticide over a period of time, but I had to find something that worked to keep the fleas off of her. Regardless of what I did, one flea would cause her to scratch and pull her hair out - she is so allergic to them. She would dig at the site until it was bleeding. A flea collar seems to work without having to use something that is applied to her body (full doze all at once). I know it may not be the best solution for everyone, but for the moment it is working for us and she is doing well. We almost lost this dog over Labor Day last year because of fleas, so what is the better solution
1 - put a flea collar on her
2 - give her a bath every single day (she's a long haired American Eskimo) - you can't brush out all of the fleas. The tar shampoo works to repel pests but I don't want to give her really frequent baths
3 - give her Frontline that has to be applied every 30 days(which incidently has reports on the internet that ingredients may build up in the animals system) . I tried it last year and she was constantly scratching and pulling her hair out and I was always finding fleas on her.
4 - Spray the areas where she goes with an insecticide (not really an option because I would have to spray our yard, the campground site, inlaws yard, and my parents yard). I would have to keep her inside for other places and the other dog would still bring in the fleas. Also not environmentally friendly.
5 - use flea spray or powder on her. This is a breed of dog that grooms itself like a cat does - so she would then be ingesting the insecticide. Not really an option.
The flea collar with an occasional coal tar bath seems to be the combination that works for her. A single flea bite could potentially set off a relapse of the AIHA that might kill her, so if a flea collar keeps the fleas off - then I will use one.
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agteacher wrote: ....The flea collar with an occasional coal tar bath seems to be the combination that works for her....
You seemed to have answered your own question for your particular circumstance.
I will say, however, that your #3 possibility is the one we have employed for over 12 years, starting with Missy and continuing on now with Gretchen. All I can say is we live in an area full of ticks and fleas, and I have not seen even one flea or tick on either dog when using Frontline+. I am not lying about that. You put a little on their shoulder area, a little on their belly, and the rest on their back close to the base of the tail.
As an aside, we do not apply the Frontline+ during the cold, winter months, usually Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb.
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Code2High wrote: ...Of course, you could try BARF on your lot and see if anything changes. Just as an experiment, I promise they'd enjoy it. Then you could work on Walter.....
Did somebody say BARF??!!
Don't tell me it's that time of the year again already!!
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Since I've been doing it this way for over four years in the big middle of Texas and Oklahoma (flea & tick country deluxe) with good results it's hardly ineffective either. Thanks for your concern John but it works for us the way I described. 
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