Vaccination Or Topical

[DustysMom]

None of our dogs has had any Lyme preventative since we moved from the East Coast to Arizona and we've had no problems. We will be spending the summer in Park City, Utah and I know we have to do something. Not sure which way to go with Maggie (the gh) or Rainey (the bichon). Vaccination or topical i.e., Frontline?

 

Thoughts?

[GeorgeofNE]

Frontline doesn't prevent Lyme disease. Frontline doesn't even repel ticks. It will kill ticks within 24 hours of the tick attaching to your dog, but if Lyme is a problem in Park City (I didn't realize they had it out west at all) you might CONSIDER the vaccine, but there is some debate as to it's efficacy. I give it to my dog because my family lives on Nantucket, a major hotbed of tick borne diseases.

[BauersMom]

If you are going to be anywhere with ticks, I would use a topical at a minimum. Lyme is only one of the many tick-borne diseases.

[JJNg]

I'd also consider a tick collar, like Preventic. None of the topicals effectively repel ticks, but the collar seems to work better.

[Guest Mom2Shiloh]

In Exeter, RI, I live in one of the worst places in the world for ticks, seriously. I've got recurrent Lyme with spin-offs and my husband died of a tick-borne disease (Babesia). I'm not sure that the Lyme disease vax has been improved that much since the old days, when it was practically useless. I'd want to know that it was both more effective than it used to be, and also safe.

 

It would be good, if there are ticks in the area, to try to find out the prevalent tick-borne diseases they've been found to be carrying in that region . . . there are different symptoms to watch out for. I'm inclined to use herbal repellents and check all my dogs carefully several times a day during tick season (which is long around here). If you get them off quickly enough, they can't spread any diseases.

[GeorgeofNE]

Herbal repellents don't work.

 

The tick collars absolutely do--if your dog can tolerate them. My last dog (a mix) could not.

[Batmom]

Herbal repellents don't work.

 

 

Ditto that. I can't imagine relying on herbals for tick control in a heavy-tick area.

 

You certainly want to use Frontline and/or a Preventic collar. If the area has a lot of Lyme disease and your dog doesn't have antibodies already, I'd think you'd want the vaccine as well. There is a newer vaccine (Nobivac) that provides better Lyme protection than the old ones.

 

 

[Guest june]

In Exeter, RI, I live in one of the worst places in the world for ticks, seriously. I've got recurrent Lyme with spin-offs and my husband died of a tick-borne disease (Babesia). I'm not sure that the Lyme disease vax has been improved that much since the old days, when it was practically useless. I'd want to know that it was both more effective than it used to be, and also safe.

 

It would be good, if there are ticks in the area, to try to find out the prevalent tick-borne diseases they've been found to be carrying in that region . . . there are different symptoms to watch out for. I'm inclined to use herbal repellents and check all my dogs carefully several times a day during tick season (which is long around here). If you get them off quickly enough, they can't spread any diseases.

 

Sorry to hear about your husband. Tick spread diseases are not particular who or what they attack.

june

[Guest Swifthounds]

I'd also consider a tick collar, like Preventic. None of the topicals effectively repel ticks, but the collar seems to work better.

 

Advantix does, but you may not want to consider that, especially if you have cats. Preventic is a good option, though again, can be an issue if you have cats. Frontline doesn't kill anything very fast - not tick and not fleas. It's better than nothing at keeping an animal pest free, just not TBD free.

 

 

Herbal repellents don't work. The tick collars absolutely do--if your dog can tolerate them. My last dog (a mix) could not.

 

I have to laugh every time I read this, given that pyrethrins are still the most commonly used insecticide/neurotoxin used for pest infestations in areas where people and animals are present.

 

Many of the non-topical, not neurotoxin sprays and repellants are pretty effective, and many of them can be used in conjunction with topicals or Preventic without issue. If the goal is convenience you might be tempted to skip them, but not if the goal is actually to prevent tick infestations and TBD.

 

I wouldn't waste the time, money, or immune function on the Lyme vaccine. The original was only 70% effective at best, and was linked to increases in incidence of Lyme. Three very large vet practices in this state originally promoted the vaccine because of the high deer tick and Lyme incidence, but in tracking those who got the vaccine vs. those who didn't, there was a much higher incidence of Lyme positive dogs in the group that chose vaccination - multiple. There is evidence in the literature that an increase in Lyme incidence was seen in vaccinated dogs. The newer one is supposedly better, but vaccines for bacterial diseases are more less effective across the board than vaccines for viruses, and require more frequent administration of the vaccine because of low DOI.

 

I would spend the money on biannual HW/TBD Snap tests instead and treat if necessary.

[kudzu]

The far the best we've used was Advantix however I have concerns about using it. A couple dogs had reactions & we have cats. So now I use Frontline spray when we are staying near home & add Preventic collars when on trips. Also checking your dogs carefully as you come back inside can help catch ticks before attaching themselves. I've had two Greys with tick diseases, my BF had Lyme disease, my dad had Ehrlichiosis, a friend's dog plus my critter sitter had RMSF & both nearly died. We take the possibility of TBDs quite seriously around here.