Tick prevention in dogs

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Colin Cameron — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:47:02 GMT

[quote user="Louise Alexander"] I am not aware of any products (from checking the data sheets) that actually 'repel' the ticks and prevent them from attaching, [/quote]

Check the bumph on Advantix as this is part of their claim. Also daily search and use of O tom

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Gina Dungworth — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:56:55 GMT

Definitely not taken in a negative way. Those few of us left like to know we're still useful.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Bob Russell — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:25:26 GMT

'Southampton lot' - good to hear you are still about and functioning!!!!

It was not intended as a negative comment about you in any way - hopefully was not taken that way.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Gina Dungworth — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:57:54 GMT

One of 'the Southampton lot' is sitting across the office from me right now, and the other is working from home today. The old Tech Services number should divert through to them, and yes they are always very helpful in my experience.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Bob Russell — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:49:09 GMT

[quote user="sophia guymer"]

[quote user="Kirsten Simpson"]I'll second the suggestion for Promeris for dogs[/quote]

We have to use what the company tells us to mostly. I have never heard of Promeris

Can it be used on a dog treated with advocate?

[/quote]

Promeris Duo is a Fort Dodge (Pfizer) product - not sure if tech support is still in Southampton or if moved to Pfizer but the Southampton lot have always been very helpful. They would be the ones to discuss use of advocate as well.

If you do start using it warn owners 'big-time' about the smell and warn them that the dog may be very sleepy next day. Sleepiness can be reversed by giving antisedan or equivalents but we suggest owners take advantage of the peace and quiet. If it happens a second time we consider stopping its use but a surprising number of people continue to use it despite this!

We joke that it is great if you have a cold - just sit next to the dog and breath in!!! Owners will love it or hate it - nothing in between!!!

We also warn clients that the eucalyptus may trigger asthma attacks. Put the stuff on outside and leave them for a few hours and the smell is much less.

It all sounds 'scary' but if you follow the 'rules' above clients are 'informed' and most get on fine with it! No ticks!!!

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:13:57 GMT

[quote user="Alex Allen"]

4. Fipronil is not a significant repellent and permethrin containing products licensed for tick repeling have been produced.

[/quote]

I recently had a bit of a dilemma over this issue of whether available products repell as opposed to killing ticks once attached. On the latest export certificate for Australia I was asked to complete, it specifically stated that a product that repelled ticks must be used. As far as I could see, none of the data sheets for products commonly in use in the UK state that their products repell. I was concerned with this as the consequences of refusal of entry to Australia seemed potentially costly so I phoned Merial whose technical support staff assured me that Fipronil did repell. I asked that if the client sued me could I use their statement in my defence and they said yes.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

bob lehner — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:35:58 GMT

[quote user="Claire Pointing"]Deltamethrin is a pyrethroifd which yes, cats can be sensitive to. However - due to the unique technology of the collar, it is perfectly safe for a dog that lives in a house with cats to wear a collar[/quote]

Glad to hear that and would concur - I was living in SW France until quite recently, where ticks were a big problem and piroplasmosis common in dogs. My terrier wore a Scalibor collar and we never found a tick on him in 3 years. He slept snuggled up every night with 3 cats - never saw any sign of any probs with them as a result. Used to worry a bit as he swam in our pond which was full of frogs (no not the human variety) and I wondered if it might harm them... but they continued to breed prolifically.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Mihael Pungartnik — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:49:29 GMT

Hello! I attended a lecture about Lyme disease and the vaccination against it. I've found out, that it doesn't matter if the tick already feeds or not, because supposingly the Borrelia leaves the tick and enters the dog after about 48-72 hours after penetrating the skin. Therefor frontline should be succesfull enough. BUT, bare in mind, the lecture was funded by Merial :) cheers

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

sophia guymer — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:28:32 GMT

[quote user="Kirsten Simpson"]I'll second the suggestion for Promeris for dogs[/quote]

We have to use what the company tells us to mostly. I have never heard of Promeris

Can it be used on a dog treated with advocate?

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Robert Wilson — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:51:12 GMT

We use Prac-Tic and it seems to work well.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Kirsten Simpson — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 04:20:09 GMT

I'll second the suggestion for Promeris for dogs. Have had a talk on it and been shown videos and apparently the components totally repel ticks and has a fast knockdown of attached ticks.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Claire Pointing — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:12:36 GMT

I am the technical Vet for Scalibor protectorband so thought it would be useful to clear up a few points.

Scalibor is licensed to control infestation with ticks for 5-6months. It contains deltamethrin - a very effective ectoparasiticide. Once the collar is applied it takes 7 days for the deltamethrin to reacdh fully effective levels. The deltamethrin is released from the collar by friction and travels in the lipid layer of the skin - it is not absrobed systemically.

Deltamethrin is a pyrethroifd which yes, cats can be sensitive to. However - due to the unique technology of the collar, it is perfectly safe for a dog that lives in a house with cats to wear a collar. The collar is odourless - so there are no unpleasant smells to contend with.

As has been mentioned before - an occasionbal tick may be seen but it will be killed within that improtant 48 hour window - which therefore reduces the risk of disease transmission.

Feel free to contact our Veterinary Support Group for any furhter information 01908 685685

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

sophia guymer — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:31:42 GMT

[quote user="Catherine Coen"]that it takes >24 hours for tick to transmit disease[/quote]

yes it takes at least 24hr for the Lymes to be activated in the tick, it then has to still be expelled via the ticks 'saliva' (this is why I have been taught, belgian uni, to never put anything on a tick to try to kill it once you found it as it would be more likely to 'get angry and expell its saliva including the dissease') so if you check the dog every day and take every tick out, it should not be a problem.

I used to put frontline spot on on my GSD(in fact I put the 40-60kg on, he weight 38) AND spray his groin area has it was there he used to mainly get the ticks, that together solved the problem (wouldn't advice a client to do so though )

My terrier just got sprayed and that was enough for him.

Not seen any ticks on my current dog, short haired lurcher, on frontline combo spot on.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Bob Russell — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:25:41 GMT

As we are based in the New Forest ticks are a big issue. We have found frontline pretty useless but for reasons best known to pets and ticks Effipro seems to be working a bit better so has become our temporary product of choice for cats. We have found flea numbers very low this year so it will be interesting to see how it fares in a 'big' flea year.

We have used Practic off-license in some cats with success but one cat did get nervous symptoms so we are not putting further cats on it.

Dogs - Practic as first line but it is not 100%. Second line of attack is Promeris Duo - brilliant at flea and tick control - will not see a single one during treatment but smells strong so some owners do not like it and a fair number of dogs are quite sleepy next day.

If dog and owner can cope with it you will not have a single complaint about ticks!

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Alex Allen — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:49:32 GMT

Hi Louise,

I am a tech advisor who works for Virbac who market Effipro Spot on and Spray - fipronil based products. There are a few things which need to be clarified:

1. Spray is always superior to spot on when it comes to ticks - the spot on fipronils work via sebaceous secretions whereas the sprays work by coating the fur and skin. Therefore with sprays the ticks are exposed to fipronil as soon as they land on the animal. Fipronil kills ticks by contact primarily.

2. Cats are notoriously difficult to treat against ticks with spot ons lasting 2wks (as stated on product licences) and sprays up to 4wks (Dogs are 4wks with spot ons and sprays). Our experimental data showed efficacy in cats up to 3wks but lab testing has its limitations - see next point...

3. To get a licence for tick treatment a product must achieve at least 90% efficacy by 48hrs post attachment - this is due to the nature of ticks. The 48hrs time frame has been set due to disease transmission usually occuring after 48hrs of feeding. (flea preps need to achieve >95% within 24hrs). We have recently published / presented data on tick control in both cats and dogs which are available upon request but as an example we tested 24 dogs infected with Rhipicephalus ticks and then treated with Effipro, Frontline (postive control) or nothing (negative control). Dogs were infested 48hrs after treatment and then weekly for 5 weeks. Both Effipro and Frontline sprays achieved >90% efficacy for the 5wks.

4. Fipronil is not a significant repellent and permethrin containing products licensed for tick repeling have been produced.

So in summary - spray is best BUT ticks can still attach but should die within 2 days, regular checking is advised if dogs/cats are venturing into areas of high tick infestation. Daily inspection is recommended with removal of ticks if found to help reduce the granuloma reactions. The level of challenge is an important consideration that should be explained to owners especially at this time of year. The prolonged mild weather this year has certainly helped these acarids. NB I have also received some calls relating to Harvest Mites being noted earlier than usual and in larger numbers.

Any more questions call our tech services on 01359 243 243

Alex

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Bethan Cosgrove — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:01:40 GMT

From personal use (that's the dog not me!) and client feedback I don't rate fipronil as an effective weapon in the fight against ticks. I have recommended and also used Advantix with much greater success. I realise that doesn't help you Louise with your client's dog that reacted adversely to Advantix. However my Uncle who lives with his long haired Lurcher in the heart of the tick infested moors of North Wales, has been known to remove >6-10 ticks per day from his dog! This has been reduced substantially after using Advantix during the tick season. He definitely rates it as a product and now only removes the occasional tick (rather unscientific data I realise!). I think it's repellent action is quite effective. I added this smiley just because I liked it! I'm sure we all have these moments!

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Noweia — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:44:48 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]My understanding was a tick will feed for a few days to a week. Never come across one being on for 6 weeks before. I suspect it was picked up later.

Brought in on another animal? Picked up once you had it home? From your clothes?[/quote]

Mine too. But he had no contact with other animals, the tick was two big and the reaction too great around the tail to suggest anything less than an attachment of a week (he wasn't outside for the first month after I got him home anyway) and I doubt I had any on my clothes, we don't see the animals bringing them in.

I do wonder if it was killed by the chemical but remained attached.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:35:24 GMT

[quote user="Laura Henderson"]Playing with him the seoncd ngiht home I discovered a huge tick on his tail which had clearly been there the whole time he had been in![/quote]

My understanding was a tick will feed for a few days to a week. Never come across one being on for 6 weeks before. I suspect it was picked up later.

Brought in on another animal? Picked up once you had it home? From your clothes?

[quote user="Julian Earl"]We regularly see dogs and cats that have ticks on, some live, some dead (the ticks that is) despite having had FLC on a couple of weeks or more previously. I get the impression that it does not last as well as claimed against ticks. Anyone else find the same?[/quote]

The data sheet for FL combo states "Elimination of ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor variabilis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus). The product has a persistent acaricidal efficacy for up to 2 weeks against ticks (based on experimental data)."

It goes on to say "There may be an attachment of single ticks."

My understanding was after a few days ticks may attach and they will be quickly killed, but only for 2 weeks.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Noweia — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:51:57 GMT

Yes. My cat was a CP cat that came in with a huge wound to work. We use FL on admission. 6 weeks after being in I decided to keep him and took him home. Playing with him the seoncd ngiht home I discovered a huge tick on his tail which had clearly been there the whole time he had been in!

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Julian Earl — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:37:52 GMT

We regularly see dogs and cats that have ticks on, some live, some dead (the ticks that is) despite having had FLC on a couple of weeks or more previously. I get the impression that it does not last as well as claimed against ticks. Anyone else find the same?

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Catherine Coen — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:19:52 GMT

I think I heard at CPD recently that it takes >24 hours for tick to transmit disease, so should advise O's to check dogs for ticks once every 24 hours and remove any within this time to limit spread of disease.

Re: Tick prevention in dogs

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 22:22:53 GMT

[quote user="Louise Alexander"]She has 2 cats, which rules out 'Scalibor' collars.[/quote]

Why does it? I have just read the data sheet, there is no specific contraindication.

I have people use the collars who have cats in the same household as a dog and no reported problems.

Stop worrying and whack one on.