Tick medicine

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
I was wondering what the best options are for tick treatment of dogs. I think the most well known one is frontline, and there are also some collars that kill ticks. It seems like my dog gets one or two ticks a year. She got Lyme's last year, but it was detected and treated early. Also for those in the upper midwest, what months do you apply it? For reference I'm in MN. Thank you in advance.
 
Seresto collars for years. Never had an attached tick and never worried about fleas. Do not purchase aftermarket from overseas.
 
I use Frontline, no tick collar. I have a cabin in northern MN where I grouse hunt with my dogs and they will get a decent amount of ticks on them throughout the year but they attach and die immediately. My dogs rarely get ticks on them in pheasant country.

As to the months, I apply it every month except January/February and sometimes March if it's a real cold March.
 
I use the topical stuff too like Frontline, K9 Advantix, or other off label brand. Just make sure it has the active ingredients on the back. I apply it from April - October.

The pill like Bravecto is an easy way to do it, but bear in mind the tick actually has to bite the dog for it to work. Your dog could be covered in ticks but if none of them bite, its not effective. I don't want ticks on my dog at all, whether or not they are biting. And I certainly don't want the dog bringing ticks into the house either.
 
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I've used Frontline for as long as I can remember. At least 20-30 years. Never had a tick attach to a dog. I generally use from April to October.
 
I'd maybe switch to Bravecto after time. When I read the info on it, it says that it's most effective at the beginning and the effectiveness wanes over time. That worries me some because if I give my dog Bravecto in say September, then come November when ticks are still out, the effectiveness is waning some.
 
My vet recommended I keep him on bravecto year round (and I don’t buy my bravecto from the vet, either).
I have a gsp, so a quick brushing before he goes in the house is real easy.
No ticks.
 
I used to use Frontline plus and now have gone to their newest version Frontline Shield for Dogs. Supposedly better at preventing Ticks and fleas from attaching than Frontline Plus??
 
Whatever you use, be aware that the warm weather in parts of pheasant country has ticks out now. We were in NW Kansas for 3 weeks in November/December and found ticks on the dogs and ourselves almost every day. Not a pleasant thing to find, but be aware and act accordingly. A local WalMart had Frontline so that is what we used as we had never had this issue before.
 
I use seresto collars, they work well just expensive. I tend to switch them out after 3 months as my dogs are in the water daily, and I think they get weaker as they are exposed to water.
 
Reports from a friend who moved up just south of lake superior. The stories are like a horror movie. With a collar, the dog still has to be wire-combed after each outing, pulling out as many as 50 ticks--both deer and brown.

I don't visit, even though they have a great place. Just not worth it for me.
 
There were some reported issues with Seresto collars causing illness and death in dogs. We quit using them for that reason and because they are not rated as effective against fleas. There used to be a similar collar that had both flea and tick prevention in its composition. Can't remember the brand name but it disappeared from the market. We are back to a topical such as Frontline, which I don't really like, but the alternatives are not good.
 
We use Bravecto except for the winter months when there is snow on the ground. Spring and fall seem to be the worst seasons for ticks in the northeast. I try to limit use of the medicine during winter unless we are having a real mild winter. This indeed is poison that we are introducing into our hunting partners bloodstream so I must say there is a level of guilt that I feel that goes along with keeping the dog safe and healthy.
 
ditch-chicken said:
We use Bravecto except for the winter months when there is snow on the ground. Spring and fall seem to be the worst seasons for ticks in the northeast. I try to limit use of the medicine during winter unless we are having a real mild winter. This indeed is poison that we are introducing into our hunting partners bloodstream so I must say there is a level of guilt that I feel that goes along with keeping the dog safe and healthy.
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I totally agree. I use frontline when it's below freezing. I make my own tic spray with permethrin and have thought about spraying it on them. Poison them from the inside or outside?
 
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