Deer ticks in October? What's the usual season? Question about meds.

[lindrusso]

I have found 3 deer ticks on Bailey in the last week or so. While I'm not an alarmist, I do want to make sure that he's protected. I looked it up on the internet and one site said the season is April-July. Uh, it's October - almost November!

His last treatment was in July, which I figured could be his last since that would take us through August for ticks and about now for fleas.

Our last vet would have us apply flea/tick meds every month during tick season (since the tick part only lasts a month) and then every 3 months the remainder of the time for the fleas - and then nothing during the winter months (Nov. - March).

Do I really have to apply this stuff every month all year round just in case? That seems like overkill. What do you all do?

Better make some phone calls today, we don't have a vet yet! I definitely want to give him at least one more treatment since I know for sure the little critters are still out there. How are they surviving? We've had enough frosts and freezes though it has been warm the past day or two..........

ETA: Two of the ticks I found on Bailey did not imbed. However, one did bite and was pretty well engorged.

[linsleyd]

Alysha, I think it's because of the hits of warm weather we've been having. We had a party on Saturday and our friends golden was covered in ticks. I put some of our flea and tick stuff on her so the ticks were sure not to imbed. My dogs were in the kennel so I haven't noticed any on them. I generally keep them on the flea and tick until there is a frost and it stays cold. Last winter, though, they had it every month since it was so warm and I walked them frequently through the Valley Forge State Park and it's covered in deer there.

If you want I can give you our vet's number in Selinsgrove and see if they have any recommendations up your way?

[wallycat]

I'm glad you asked because we last applied flea meds to the cats at the end of September....and I found 2 fleas in the last week; of course, I and the cats get bit.
This week things seem oK, but we had that stupid 66 degree day :mad: :mad:

I don't know. I hate using those nasty drugs on the babies but i also don't like getting bit :(

Curious what others are doing too.

[mcgeiger]

If you are finding ticks, treat. Sadly I can't help with how long the tick season is in PA (CO's is very short/non-exsistent). I don't know the spread of Lyme's on the east cost (maybe beckms will stop in), but you may want to talk to your vet about the vaccine. We don't rec. it here, because it has more reactions than other vaccines, and ticks are rare, and Lyme's even rarer. Signs of lyme's in dogs are similar to people--joint pain, lameness, fever, fatigue, an irritation/inflammation where the tick was...

Treating for ticks/fleas isn't all bad...some of the available drugs also kill roundworms, hookworms, etc (which 4-5% of adult dogs have at any given time, as the worms life cycle is only 3 weeks...) (selemectin/revolution does fleas, heartworm, earmites, some body mites, and at least one genus of ticks) ;)

Hope this is the kind of info you are looking for..if not let me know.

[lindrusso]

If you want I can give you our vet's number in Selinsgrove and see if they have any recommendations up your way?

Thanks Linsley. I do have a couple of recommendations from the kennel you recommended and from some neighbors with dogs. I think I'll try the vet who is closest this time since it's an easy thing to take care of and then go from there. :)

I'll also ask if there's anything I should do since he defintely was bit. If nothing else, I'll be very alert of any signs of illness.

I don't usually get too concerned over these things, but I'm not well-read on deer ticks and I have no idea what percentage of the population is believed to carry Lyme Disease or what the chances are of infection if you are bit by an infected tick. Questions to ask the vet..........

[lindrusso]

Hope this is the kind of info you are looking for..if not let me know.

Thanks.

I was mostly wondering what different vets recommend for frequency of flea/tick application. I know some vets recommend doing it year round, but I don't want to do that unless it really seems necessary.

But yes, he'll definitely be getting at least one more treatment and if the weather stays mild, maybe more.

I know where he gets them too - he's taken to bounding into the tall weeds and brush at the end of our property. I'll just have to check him over every time he comes in. I hadn't been paying much attention before now because I thought we'd had enough cold weather to get rid of them.

[BucknellAlum]

I just found a regular (not deer) tick on our dog. The same day I put the Frontline on him! My vet recommends treating almost all year round, once a month. My dog is black so I doubt I would see a deer tick; I only found this one because it was so big I felt it while I was petting him.

I haven't done the Lyme vaccine as the vet was hesitant, felt there were pros and cons to it. I didn't want to do something with potential bad side effects unless they were outweighed by a great up side.

The vet said to watch for loss of appetite, limping or other painful joint indications, or any other personality changes.

[mcgeiger]

Depending on where you are and the individual dog (like those with flea hypersensitivity) applications are usually 3 weeks-6 weeks apart with the usual being 4 weeks. I know the "official" word is year round parasite prevention (heartworm, roundworms, fleas), but I don't know what is reasonable in PA :o

Lyme's is the biggest concern from ticks (though ehrlichia and a few others can also be transmitted). Lyme's REQUIRES 24 hours of attachment, others dont't need much time. None of the tick-borne diseases are good. Here we don't worry much if a tick is found, but east coasts vets may(????) treat preventativley (I really don't know); so I'd just ask them if they treat or watch for signs. FWIW--The first line treatment for diagnosed cases for most of these diseases is an antibiotic (doxycycline) that is not expensive at all.

[lindrusso]

Lyme's REQUIRES 24 hours of attachment, others dont't need much time.

This tick was pretty engorged - I'm not sure how long they need to feed to get engorged. The other two were just crawling on him, so no worry there.

I've never seen a deer tick before, but these were MUCH smaller than a regular tick, so I'm assuming that's what they were.

Bailey has sooo much hair that if they embed, they are hard to find. The tiny deer tick wasn't even all that big after it was engorged, but much bigger than the unengorged ticks. It was attached to the side of his face where the fur is much shorter and was still pretty hard to see!

I usually feel around with my hands - it's the only way I feel like I can really find anything through all that fur!

[sab1976]

We just found a tick on our Pug the other day. My husband doesn't think it was a deer tick but it was embedded and engorged which worries me. We also stopped the Front Line in August.

I guess we're going to have to continue giving it to them through the Fall now.

[HRJ]

Don't want to alarm anybody, and I'm certainly not qualified to give any advice about pet meds or anything like that ... (hope beckms does stop by... )

But, just wanted to say that my boss was diagnosed two weeks ago with Lyme disease. She lives in rural neighborhood and walks her dog twice a day through the woods, so they assume that's how she got it.

So, make sure to check for ticks/bites/etc on yourself as well as your animals. At least here in Mass., the ticks are still active in October.

Helene

[LakeMartinGal]

In Alabama, we give flea/tick protection year-round, as well as heartworm protection. Since my Bailey, also a golden, was prone to ticks and infections, we did the same in Ohio...

[gertdog]

Our vet recently changed her recommendation from treating from thaw to frost each year, to treating year round b/c Lyme disease has become so prevalent in dogs around here. I hate applying the flea meds too but I guess better that than Lyme disease.

[slknight]

But, just wanted to say that my boss was diagnosed two weeks ago with Lyme disease. She lives in rural neighborhood and walks her dog twice a day through the woods, so they assume that's how she got it.

So, make sure to check for ticks/bites/etc on yourself as well as your animals. At least here in Mass., the ticks are still active in October.


My nephew, who lives in Weston, was just diagnosed a few weeks ago as well.

We've been pulling ticks off the dog every day recently. I don't know if they are regular ones or deer ticks, but since I often see deer around our house, deer ticks are certainly in the area. We are terrible about applying Frontline, but honestly, even when we do apply it, I don't notice any difference. :rolleyes:

Lyme disease is endemic around here though, so our vet recommends the vaccine. Our dog just received the booster last week.

[mcgeiger]

Frontline or Frontline Plus--I don't think regular frontline does ticks??
FWIW Revolution is another option for fleas/ticks...