Ticks are a serious threat to the health
of pets and pet owners. They are hard bodied blood sucking parasites
that generally live outdoors but have been known to infest buildings.
They are known to carry Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever,
Ehrlichiosis, Babesia, Bartonella and other significant health threats.
Usually ticks are found on pets and people that enjoy outdoor activities
or pets that live outdoors in infested yards. Control can be difficult
since ticks can survive for long periods without a blood meal.
At
present, if your home or yard is infested, contacting a professional
exterminator would give you the greatest chances of clearing the problem
for your family. Preventing infestation of your home by preventing your
animal from bringing in the pest is an important step in control.
There
are several products available for tick control on the animal. The most
effective in our practice has been FRONTLINE
TOPSPOT. This is a topically applied product that kills the tick
once it contacts the pet. TOPSPOT is applied periodically to the back of
the pet. This product is effective against several types of ticks and
appears to provide the best prevention against general tick infestation
of pets. It is best to wait 2 - 3 days after a bath before applying the
product and wait for 2-3 days after applying the product to bath
the pet.
Another topical product for tick prevention is REVOLUTION.
This product provide effective protection against one type of tick and
has limited usefulness in preventing infestation in heavy exposure
situations with multiple species of tick. The benefit of REVOLUTION is
that it also prevents fleas and heartworms and is fully absorbed into
the pet's system within two hours.
Many pet owners mistakenly believe
that ADVANTAGE or PROGRAM
prevent ticks. Neither of these products has any effect on ticks.
Another
effective option for tick control on the pet is a collar impregnated
with amitraz. This collar known as the PREVENTIC collar appears to be
effective against all types of ticks. The active ingredient appears to
wash off the pet if bathed yet lasts for several weeks under optimal
conditions. This product cannot be used used on cats. In the face
of a severe infestation where REVOLUTION is being used, the PREVENTIC
collar is an excellent compliment since it is much less expensive than
the other products.
Please leave e-mail messages for
Dr. Washington at metvet@hiwaay.net
if you have
comments or questions.
