First Tick and Flea...It Must be Spring!

[Bonny]

Both on the 15 year old barfy boy cat. It's started early this year; normally I wouldn't expect to be applying Frontline until the end of April.

We do have a lot of deer; last count the herd was up to 18. And yes, we have Lyme Disease in my county although it's still relatively rare...something like 3% of ticks carry the disease. Fortunately the tick I pulled off wasn't firmly attached.

Yuck I hate those things!

When is it flea and tick season in your neck of the woods?

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Only blacklegged ticks carry & spread Lyme disease.

The best way for you to prevent your cat (or any human) from contacting Lyme, is to take precautions. Keep your cat indoors. (As a cat-lover & owner, I haven't had an "outdoor" cat since I was a kid - for their protection).

Humans should be fully clothed (and wearing a hat) - long pants and shirt when walking in the woods or tall grass during tick season.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/lyme-disease-myths-facts_n_3287872.html

[Deleted]

Mar 26, 2014 22:36:33 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Both on the 15 year old barfy boy cat. It's started early this year; normally I wouldn't expect to be applying Frontline until the end of April.

We do have a lot of deer; last count the herd was up to 18. And yes, we have Lyme Disease in my county although it's still relatively rare...something like 3% of ticks carry the disease. Fortunately the tick I pulled off wasn't firmly attached.

Yuck I hate those things!

When is it flea and tick season in your neck of the woods?

you should be applying flea and tick preventative year round, same with heartwork preventative, as you never know when one will show up.  there is also a vaccine for Lyme

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Our puppy had his first dose of the Lyme vaccine last week and we are applying Sentinel each month (although I admit to reservations to using all these chemicals on living things, but I digress).

Our neighbor has an organic tick spray business and DH asked him Saturday for a quote to spray our yard.  I don't honestly know how effective it is, but it is worth a shot if the price is reasonable.  

My real worry is the rail trail and conservation areas we already regularly walk the dog on.  All we can do is be vigilant and check him -- and our house -- regularly.  (Last summer I caught 2 ticks walking across my kitchen floor.   )

[steph08]

We are in PA, so it seems like it is always flea and tick season. Usually we get a reprieve from November - March, but I just found a tick on one of our beagles last week. And while we live near the woods, there are no trees in our yard.

We use heartworm and tick/flea meds from about April-October.

Heartworm is only active in mosquitoes when the temperatures have been above a certain point for an extended period of time. This usually only happens June-August here in PA. But the last two years my vet has told me that he has seen a substantially increased number of heartworm cases, so we start meds early and go late.

"Simply put, it must stay above 60 degrees for 30 consecutive days AND nights for the larvae to progress to stage L3 and be passed through the mouthparts of a mosquito to a host animal. If the temperature dips below 57F the maturation is retarded and cannot continue."

"The University of Pennsylvania vet school (in a study funded by Merial) found: “Development in the mosquito is temperature dependent, requiring approximately two weeks of temperature at or above 27C (80F). Below a threshold temperature of 14C (57F), development cannot occur, and the cycle will be halted. As a result, transmission is limited to warm months, and duration of the transmission season varies geographically.” Knight and Lok agree: “In regions where average daily temperatures remain at or below about 62˚F (17˚ C) from late fall to early spring, insufficient heat accumulates to allow maturation of infective larvae in the intermediate host [the mosquito], precluding transmission of the parasite.” The Washington State University vet school reports that laboratory studies show that maturation of the worms requires “the equivalent of a steady 24-hour daily temperature in excess of 64°F (18°C) for approximately one month.” In other words, it has to be warm day AND night or development is retarded even if the average temperature is sufficiently warm. They add, that at 80° F, “10 to 14 days are required for development of microfilariae to the infective stage.” Jerold Theis, DVM, PhD, says, “If the mean monthly temperature is only a few degrees above 14 degrees centigrade [57 degrees F] it can take so many days for infective larvae to develop that the likelihood of the female mosquito living that long is remote.”"

It is also important to remember that tick attachment time is the key factor in determining whether or not you or your pet will contract lyme disease from a tick bite. www.aldf.com/pdf/postersmall.pdf

[CarolinaKat]

Mar 26, 2014 22:47:06 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

Only blacklegged ticks carry & spread Lyme disease.

The best way for you to prevent your cat (or any human) from contacting Lyme, is to take precautions. Keep your cat indoors. (As a cat-lover & owner, I haven't had an "outdoor" cat since I was a kid - for their protection).

Humans should be fully clothed (and wearing a hat) - long pants and shirt when walking in the woods or tall grass during tick season.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/lyme-disease-myths-facts_n_3287872.html

Is that a deer tick? That's the carrier here and what managed to give both my mother and uncle Lyme disease.

[steph08]

Mar 27, 2014 8:59:17 GMT -5 CarolinaKat said:

Mar 26, 2014 22:47:06 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

Only blacklegged ticks carry & spread Lyme disease.

The best way for you to prevent your cat (or any human) from contacting Lyme, is to take precautions. Keep your cat indoors. (As a cat-lover & owner, I haven't had an "outdoor" cat since I was a kid - for their protection).

Humans should be fully clothed (and wearing a hat) - long pants and shirt when walking in the woods or tall grass during tick season.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/lyme-disease-myths-facts_n_3287872.html

Is that a deer tick? That's the carrier here and what managed to give both my mother and uncle Lyme disease.

Yes, only deer ticks (aka blacklegged ticks) carry Lyme.

[Deleted]

Mar 27, 2014 8:36:59 GMT -5 steph08 said:

We are in PA, so it seems like it is always flea and tick season. Usually we get a reprieve from November - March, but I just found a tick on one of our beagles last week. And while we live near the woods, there are no trees in our yard.

We use heartworm and tick/flea meds from about April-October.

Heartworm is only active in mosquitoes when the temperatures have been above a certain point for an extended period of time. This usually only happens June-August here in PA. But the last two years my vet has told me that he has seen a substantially increased number of heartworm cases, so we start meds early and go late.

"Simply put, it must stay above 60 degrees for 30 consecutive days AND nights for the larvae to progress to stage L3 and be passed through the mouthparts of a mosquito to a host animal. If the temperature dips below 57F the maturation is retarded and cannot continue."

"The University of Pennsylvania vet school (in a study funded by Merial) found: “Development in the mosquito is temperature dependent, requiring approximately two weeks of temperature at or above 27C (80F). Below a threshold temperature of 14C (57F), development cannot occur, and the cycle will be halted. As a result, transmission is limited to warm months, and duration of the transmission season varies geographically.” Knight and Lok agree: “In regions where average daily temperatures remain at or below about 62˚F (17˚ C) from late fall to early spring, insufficient heat accumulates to allow maturation of infective larvae in the intermediate host [the mosquito], precluding transmission of the parasite.” The Washington State University vet school reports that laboratory studies show that maturation of the worms requires “the equivalent of a steady 24-hour daily temperature in excess of 64°F (18°C) for approximately one month.” In other words, it has to be warm day AND night or development is retarded even if the average temperature is sufficiently warm. They add, that at 80° F, “10 to 14 days are required for development of microfilariae to the infective stage.” Jerold Theis, DVM, PhD, says, “If the mean monthly temperature is only a few degrees above 14 degrees centigrade [57 degrees F] it can take so many days for infective larvae to develop that the likelihood of the female mosquito living that long is remote.”"

It is also important to remember that tick attachment time is the key factor in determining whether or not you or your pet will contract lyme disease from a tick bite. www.aldf.com/pdf/postersmall.pdf

why don't you use them year round?  I think the cost of year round use is way better than the potential cost of treatment - especially for heartworms, regarless of any study.

[steph08]

Mar 27, 2014 9:09:27 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Mar 27, 2014 8:36:59 GMT -5 steph08 said:

We are in PA, so it seems like it is always flea and tick season. Usually we get a reprieve from November - March, but I just found a tick on one of our beagles last week. And while we live near the woods, there are no trees in our yard.

We use heartworm and tick/flea meds from about April-October.

Heartworm is only active in mosquitoes when the temperatures have been above a certain point for an extended period of time. This usually only happens June-August here in PA. But the last two years my vet has told me that he has seen a substantially increased number of heartworm cases, so we start meds early and go late.

"Simply put, it must stay above 60 degrees for 30 consecutive days AND nights for the larvae to progress to stage L3 and be passed through the mouthparts of a mosquito to a host animal. If the temperature dips below 57F the maturation is retarded and cannot continue."

"The University of Pennsylvania vet school (in a study funded by Merial) found: “Development in the mosquito is temperature dependent, requiring approximately two weeks of temperature at or above 27C (80F). Below a threshold temperature of 14C (57F), development cannot occur, and the cycle will be halted. As a result, transmission is limited to warm months, and duration of the transmission season varies geographically.” Knight and Lok agree: “In regions where average daily temperatures remain at or below about 62˚F (17˚ C) from late fall to early spring, insufficient heat accumulates to allow maturation of infective larvae in the intermediate host [the mosquito], precluding transmission of the parasite.” The Washington State University vet school reports that laboratory studies show that maturation of the worms requires “the equivalent of a steady 24-hour daily temperature in excess of 64°F (18°C) for approximately one month.” In other words, it has to be warm day AND night or development is retarded even if the average temperature is sufficiently warm. They add, that at 80° F, “10 to 14 days are required for development of microfilariae to the infective stage.” Jerold Theis, DVM, PhD, says, “If the mean monthly temperature is only a few degrees above 14 degrees centigrade [57 degrees F] it can take so many days for infective larvae to develop that the likelihood of the female mosquito living that long is remote.”"

It is also important to remember that tick attachment time is the key factor in determining whether or not you or your pet will contract lyme disease from a tick bite. www.aldf.com/pdf/postersmall.pdf

why don't you use them year round?  I think the cost of year round use is way better than the potential cost of treatment - especially for heartworms, regarless of any study.

Because I don't see the need to, based on the research that I have done and posted in the response that you quoted. I don't want to overload my dogs on the preventatives. When I put Frontline on my dogs, if I get some on my skin, it starts to tingle/feel strange within seconds. I don't think my dogs need those chemicals all the time. It isn't because of the cost of the meds, it's because I want to give their systems a break.

[Bonny]

Mar 26, 2014 22:47:06 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

Only blacklegged ticks carry & spread Lyme disease.

The best way for you to prevent your cat (or any human) from contacting Lyme, is to take precautions. Keep your cat indoors. (As a cat-lover & owner, I haven't had an "outdoor" cat since I was a kid - for their protection).

Humans should be fully clothed (and wearing a hat) - long pants and shirt when walking in the woods or tall grass during tick season.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/lyme-disease-myths-facts_n_3287872.html

I would not have a shred of furniture left (including wood!) if the cats couldn't go out during the day.

When we go away for more than a day or two I have to check all my shoes because the girl cat literally gets pissy and leaves me presents!

They are both rescues and that's just part of the risk we've agree to take. Our compromise is that they are in at sunset and out at dawn. They tag up several times during the day. The barfy boy is generally always close by often just following the path of the sun on our decks. But those damn deer will even climb up the decks to eat my plants! Nothing is sacred! 

[CarolinaKat]

Mar 27, 2014 9:53:29 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Mar 26, 2014 22:47:06 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

Only blacklegged ticks carry & spread Lyme disease.

The best way for you to prevent your cat (or any human) from contacting Lyme, is to take precautions. Keep your cat indoors. (As a cat-lover & owner, I haven't had an "outdoor" cat since I was a kid - for their protection).

Humans should be fully clothed (and wearing a hat) - long pants and shirt when walking in the woods or tall grass during tick season.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/lyme-disease-myths-facts_n_3287872.html

I would not have a shred of furniture left (including wood!) if the cats couldn't go out during the day.

When we go away for more than a day or two I have to check all my shoes because the girl cat literally gets pissy and leaves me presents!

They are both rescues and that's just part of the risk we've agree to take. Our compromise is that they are in at sunset and out at dawn. They tag up several times during the day. The barfy boy is generally always close by often just following the path of the sun on our decks. But those damn deer will even climb up the decks to eat my plants! Nothing is sacred! 

I'm convinved that my two girl indoor cats are in-fact cows and not cats. They go outside to graze on the grass then come in and barf. If they stay in, no barf to clean up. My big boy, however would never, ever ever dirty his paws with the icky ground ouside. I can leave the door propped open all day and he will not cross the threshold into the 'dirty world'.

Anyway i try to make sure my girly cats are in at night if they've ecaped.

[bean29]

Seasonal Steph.  That is interesting info about mosquitos carrying heartworm.  In Wis days that don't get below 60 at night only occur from Mid June-August. 

Can dogs/cats get heartworm from any other source?  Like sticking their nose in another animal's SH*t?

I knew my friend told me only spring-summer, but the vet recommended giving it all year.  I started it last month, but would have waited if I had the info you provided.

I need to do the frontline, was waiting to give my dog a bath first.

[Bonny]

Mar 27, 2014 10:04:26 GMT -5 CarolinaKat said:

Mar 27, 2014 9:53:29 GMT -5 Bonny said:

I would not have a shred of furniture left (including wood!) if the cats couldn't go out during the day.

When we go away for more than a day or two I have to check all my shoes because the girl cat literally gets pissy and leaves me presents!

They are both rescues and that's just part of the risk we've agree to take. Our compromise is that they are in at sunset and out at dawn. They tag up several times during the day. The barfy boy is generally always close by often just following the path of the sun on our decks. But those damn deer will even climb up the decks to eat my plants! Nothing is sacred! 

I'm convinved that my two girl indoor cats are in-fact cows and not cats. They go outside to graze on the grass then come in and barf. If they stay in, no barf to clean up. My big boy, however would never, ever ever dirty his paws with the icky ground ouside. I can leave the door propped open all day and he will not cross the threshold into the 'dirty world'.

Anyway i try to make sure my girly cats are in at night if they've ecaped.

LOL, eating grass is one of the reasons he's the barfy boy.

But he also gets VERY excited about his food sometimes and will do a full re-gurge (sorry!) right next to the bowl.

And of course he's the one with the delicate tummy; any kind of spice on human food will get him going, or if he's upset when we go away, et cetera. Good thing he's such a wonderful cat or we'd never forgive him for ruining carpets and furniture!

[steph08]

bean - Nope, they can't get it from any other source, just from mosquitoes. pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/heartworms-in-dogs-facts-and-myths  That's why I think it's kind of silly to do heartworm year-round. I haven't seen a mosquito since maybe November when we had a few unseasonably warm days.

My beagles are horrible about loving the poop of other animals - they get all kinds of fun diseases like coccidia (ok, one beagle get it once from eating bird poop, supposedly). Giardia is another thing that they can get from eating deer poop. But heartworm, nope.

Fleas/ticks are the hard ones, because those suckers sure like to come out any time it warms up. I just found a tick on my one beagle last week. It must have been because we had one day where it was 50 degrees in the midst of the 20 degree days.

[Deleted]

Mar 27, 2014 10:17:48 GMT -5 steph08 said:

bean - Nope, they can't get it from any other source, just from mosquitoes. pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/heartworms-in-dogs-facts-and-myths  That's why I think it's kind of silly to do heartworm year-round. I haven't seen a mosquito since maybe November when we had a few unseasonably warm days.

My beagles are horrible about loving the poop of other animals - they get all kinds of fun diseases like coccidia (ok, one beagle get it once from eating bird poop, supposedly). Giardia is another thing that they can get from eating deer poop. But heartworm, nope.

Fleas/ticks are the hard ones, because those suckers sure like to come out any time it warms up. I just found a tick on my one beagle last week. It must have been because we had one day where it was 50 degrees in the midst of the 20 degree days.

so if fleas and ticks like to come out any time it warms up, wouldn't it be prudent to use preventative year round since you never know when you'll get an unseasonably warm day?

[steph08]

Mar 27, 2014 10:42:51 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Mar 27, 2014 10:17:48 GMT -5 steph08 said:

bean - Nope, they can't get it from any other source, just from mosquitoes. pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/heartworms-in-dogs-facts-and-myths  That's why I think it's kind of silly to do heartworm year-round. I haven't seen a mosquito since maybe November when we had a few unseasonably warm days.

My beagles are horrible about loving the poop of other animals - they get all kinds of fun diseases like coccidia (ok, one beagle get it once from eating bird poop, supposedly). Giardia is another thing that they can get from eating deer poop. But heartworm, nope.

Fleas/ticks are the hard ones, because those suckers sure like to come out any time it warms up. I just found a tick on my one beagle last week. It must have been because we had one day where it was 50 degrees in the midst of the 20 degree days.

so if fleas and ticks like to come out any time it warms up, wouldn't it be prudent to use preventative year round since you never know when you'll get an unseasonably warm day?

No, I'll take the risk of one day of warm weather during months of freezing cold. I check my dogs for ticks all the time. And they have never had fleas.

Preventatives don't keep ticks off your dog - they will still get on your dog and can bite them, they just die from the 'poison' basically that is in Frontline, etc.

Plus, if you looked at the chart I linked to (www.aldf.com/pdf/postersmall.pdf), you would see that ticks have to be attached for over 2 days before they can really spread lyme disease. By that time, you can definitely feel them any time you pet your dog. You can feel them before they attach and swell up, but I also have three dogs with short hair, so it's easy.

Lyme Disease is transmitted from ticks attaching, sucking your or your dog's blood, and then regurgitating it back into your/your dog's bloodstream. That is a fairly long process.  Just because you have a tick on you or a tick that attached to you doesn't mean you're going to get it.

Just personal experience - I've had multiple ticks on me over the years. I've only found one that attached. No Lyme. My DH has had tons of ticks on him - last summer/fall was brutal and he is in the woods a lot. He has had several attach. No Lyme. My dogs have had them attach, when and when they haven't had Frontline in the past 30 days. No Lyme. My MIL's dog gets Frontline every month. She got Lyme.

Edit to Add - I live in a rural area with wildlife and we are outside a lot. If your dog mainly stays in a backyard or just goes for walks down your city blocks, etc., I would not anticipate you seeing nearly as many ticks as I do.

[violagirl]

Well I suppose I can be thankful for the 7 foot snow drift in front of my house for ONE thing - definitely no ticks or fleas or mosquitoes around. 

[goldensam]

We use Heartguard and K9 Advantix year round on our two goldens and any foster goldens that come through our house. We are in the Houston area, which means it's always flea/tick/mosquito season, but I would do it anywhere we lived. Especially heartworm preventative. It's not worth the risk to me.

[muttleynfelix]

No fleas or ticks yet here. But we did have a tornado watch, so I guess that is a sure sign that spring is here.  I'm not ready for storm season. 

[Deleted]

Our winter has been too damn long and last year we only had four months without snow.  Yesterday, my 3 year old was genuinely confused when I mentioned that it wouldn't be long before I'd be out mowing lawn.  Both the term "lawn" and the concept of mowing were foreign to him.  Then this morning older son and I were headed outside, me to the barn and him to the bus stop and he freaked out at "that weird noise". 

It was a song bird. 

[sarcasticgirl]

I was being pelted with rain, ice AND snow this morning as i walked to the EL.

apparently... it is ALL of the seasons here in chicago.