Ticks

After taking Harry for a walk in the rain this morning I went to rub him down with a towel and found a tick on his back leg. Phoned the Vet and they are putting a tick removal tool and some advantix ready for a friend to pick up for me later. Thing is I have now read up on Advantix (a bayer product) online and its frightened me with the side effects some people have described their dogs experiencing, mostly neurological.

Anyone used advantix please? Anyone got advice about ticks please?

Thanks. Harry has been through enough the last few weeks and I don't want to inflict anything else on him.

Lizzie

I agree with Steve, speak to the vet about your concerns and see what he's got to say about it?

I believe Frontline is a little less strong, perhaps you could try that? I have to use it as it is also safe for the cats.

if scruffy (my lurcher) gets ticks on her from walking through the feilds we just use a tick hook remover thing, infact my dad has used it on his self, its a piece of plastic in the shape of two hooks, bought from our vet, you just have to make sure you dont leave the head in the animal (or human) when twisting and removing with tool.

The following actually works - a friend has used this method with 100% success!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-a-tick/

Caryll wrote:The following actually works - a friend has used this method with 100% success!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-a-tick/

^ thats pretty much what the tool i use does just in one quick turn.

http://www.pawsability.co.uk/shop/tickremoval.htm

Yes, but the toll has been known to leave the head in (although not very often) - this way, aparently, never does!

Have to say that I've not used it as I've never found a tick on any of my dogs (thank god!).

Just to let you know that I used the little tool I bought from the Vets and managed to remove the tick from Harry's leg quite easily and it came out completely and still alive Harry is left with a little pimple which I presume will go away soon.

Thanks for the links, both very interesting, and the tool was the one I had. This is only the second tick I have ever found on my staffies in 40 years and I hope its the last! Still not sure I want to use the Advantix until I speak with the Vet further as its quite a strong chemical.

By the way Haddy - we live in lovely Somerset too!

Lizzie

I use the green plastic removal tool which you slide and twist around the tick's head. I also use advocate once every 5 weeks ish, this is meant to discourage ticks but doesn't always work 100%. I wouldnt think you need to use anything like advantix, I would just get the tool the vets r trying to sell u more than you need.

Just out of interest where in somerset are you? We are in Bath and recently I have had a few ticks on my girls which is usually extremely rare around here. The last month between them they have had 3!

That strange Lc as I'm not very far from you (about l5 minutes) in Chew Valley. I shop in Bath!

Lizzie

I use Revolution on Kuta, it covers heart worm and all other pests and parasites. He has NEVER had a tick, flea or any other annoying critters and we live in Nth Queensland were ticks are everywhere. If you can get it over there, I highly recommend it.