Silly question but how would you check for ticks on a black lab?? There have been reports of Lyme disease in our local area. I wouldn't know where to start! Such a big black surface area to work with!!! Thanks xx
Re: Ticks Charlie got a few ticks last year, he is brown not black but they were very easy to spot. They tended to be on areas not so thickly covered with hair (his face, armpit, bum). But even when they were in other areas, I felt them easily enough. In the end, I applied advocate - just once - and he didn't get another tick for the rest of the season.
Re: Ticks It is surprisingly easy.. Usually rubbing your hands over your dog's coat, particularly underbelly area you feel a little bump. O'Tom Tick Twister highly recommend. I have 3. One clean one for humans
Re: Ticks Yup easier to feel than see. Black dog is hard, white spaniel is worse! I swear he was a bear in a previous life, I've never seen such a dense coat!
Re: Ticks Thank you. I'll give it a try Bob was licking his bum a bit earlier on - will get OH to check that bit lol!!!
Re: Ticks The important thing is not to squeeze or scratch at any ticks. No traditional tweezers. The plastic tick twisters are good. Feel through his fur from back to front (against the direction of the fur) down to the skin. Especially check between his toes, under arms and everywhere on his head.
Re: Ticks Thank you. Good advice. He's been licking his bum a lot so I've just put on some surgical gloves and had a feel. Nothing there. Will give him a proper once over tomorrow How often should you check? Lou xx
Re: Ticks Definitely after being in long grass or woods, or where you know there are deer around. We tend to be more "Tick Aware" than religiously check on a specific basis. If you find one, though, then do a thorough check.
Re: Ticks If I treat with Advantix monthly, do I still need to check for ticks daily or should they be completely deterred?
Re: Ticks [quote author=snowbunny link=topic=10833.msg161458#msg161458 date=1430944938] If I treat with Advantix monthly, do I still need to check for ticks daily or should they be completely deterred? [/quote] According to the information sheet, ticks can still attach but will die quickly. I have never found a tick on Charlie when he has been treated with Advantix though. Based only on my experience, a monthly application is too often - Charlie needs a lot less than that to stay tick free. Depends on how determined and numerous your ticks are though...but my vet told me to treat once and reapply if he got another tick. One application lasted the whole season.
Re: Ticks Ah, our vet advises every month in the summer because of all the scabby sheep and goats around, plus the hunting dogs that come up from France and Spain are generally riddled. I'm paranoid about them and have five tick twisters!!!
Re: Ticks On the east coast in Australia the ticks can kill dogs (of course they can...) and Advantix needs to be applied fortnightly. If ticks are a feature in your area (assuming it's not the east coast of Australia) I'd go for monthly until the tick season is over. If ticks are not really present or rarely found in your area then I personally wouldn't use anything. I live inland in Australia and we don't have the deadly ticks and Lyme disease is not a risk either, so we don't use anything. If we travel to the coast we apply Advantix 2 days ahead and check for ticks daily until a few days after we come home. So it depends entirely on the risk from ticks in your area.
Re: Ticks My sister from Australia was visiting over the weekend, and she was PARANOID about the ticks!!! I use Bravecto (we do get ticks, and they can carry meningitis and lyme disease), and am a complete convert. I give it twice a year, and just check Poppy over regularly, especially if she has been in long grass or in cover. So, to be honest - very often ;D Regarding ticks and black labs - my old boy was black, and I got very good at spotting the ticks before they attached. They look sort of reddish against a black lab coat. It's not as easy as spotting them on a yellow lab, but you kind of get attuned to it.
Re: Ticks [quote author=snowbunny link=topic=10833.msg161466#msg161466 date=1430945625] Ah, our vet advises every month in the summer because of all the scabby sheep and goats around, plus the hunting dogs that come up from France and Spain are generally riddled. I'm paranoid about them and have five tick twisters!!! [/quote] My vet here in rural France advises use of Advantix every month, summer or winter as depending upon the weather the ticks can be appearing into the winter months.
I was horrified to find two on Millie and one on Sam this morning despite using advantix not too long ago . Have just been to the Vets and got Bravecto as recommended , glad to see it works for you Karen ( well, for Poppy !) , a tablet is so much easier too
Yes, agree that tablets are much easier! The ticks have to make contact with the dog to be affected by the Advantix. I've found ticks after using Advantix but they were dead. Were the ones you'd found dead, Kate?
No, they were well alive , managed to get them out with the little tool thing, but they were still wriggling , horrible little blighters .
I use Bravecto and had great results all of last summer, but the odd tick will still attach but dies quickly. I found one just under Alice's eye this morning but it was dead.
I'll be relieved when they cut our local verges and reduce the risk of ticks for Juno. At the moment she is nearly disappearing in the long grass and wild daisies. Haven't found any ticks so far (crosses fingers and toes for extra luck) but it's only the start of the main tick season .
That's good to know Heidrun , lots of our walks and training sessions are in woods and forests, so ticks are to be expected really , nasty things
