33 Ticks: Combatting ticks
Description
This article is from the Fleas, Ticks, and Your Pet FAQ, by tittle@zmall.com (Cindy Tittle Moore) with numerous contributions by others.
33 Ticks: Combatting ticks
If you have heavy infestations of ticks in your area, spraying your
backyard against ticks may be a good idea, especially if your pet is
indoor/outdoors.
If you have a dog, a new product called Preventic appears to be highly
effective. It is a tick collar that kills ticks shortly after they
attach to your dog. The active agent is Amitraz, which prevents
attachment and kills but does not affect fleas. Amitraz is not an
insecticide (flea killer) but an "arachnicide" (8-legged bug killer -
ticks and spiders are in the same class.) The collar works best if it
is kept dry. Rain is OK, but swimming is out as exposure to water
reduces its effectiveness. Removing the collar is apparently
non-trivial. You don't need a prescription, although the only place
you might find it is at the vet's or in a mail-order catalogue.
Twenty-four hours after putting it on, your dog is protected from
ticks. Many people have written about how effective it was for their
dog. It is NOT recommended for cats, however, and some dogs appear to
have individual sensitivity to it. If your dog becomes lethargic or
irritable, remove the collar. NOTE THAT THE COLLAR IS TOXIC -- if your
pet eats any part of the Preventic collar, take him in to the vet
immediately. Symptoms include vomiting, white gums and unsteadiness.
There is an antidote for it, called Yobine.
There is a product, called Tiguvon (chemical composition) that is a
systemic, administered monthly. Its drawbacks seem to be that it is
expensive and that the tick needs to fully engorge itself to be
poisoned by the systemic.
Ticks don't typically infest houses, unless you have a pet that had an
overlooked tick that dropped off and hatched its eggs. In the
Northeast US and other temperate climates the tick Rhipicephalus
sanguineus is almost exclusively limited to domestic habitats,
particularly kennels. Becasue the entire life cycle occurs inside,
control strategies become similar to that of controlling fleas. You
will have to spray your house in this case as ticks hatch an
unbelievable number of eggs. Your local hardware store can give you
tips on what is best to spray with. You are not too likely to find
"natural" or low-toxic sprays for ticks. On the other hand, one
spraying is likely all you need to clear them out of your house. They
are not tenacious the way fleas are.
Common recommendations for reducing ticks in your backyard are to keep
the weeds or grass well-mowed. There are commercial sprays effective
against ticks. If you live in tick-infested areas, always examine your
dog (and yourself!) after being outside. Control vermin around your
house and discourage deer and other wild or feral animals from your
property, as they are often vectors for ticks (as well as a slew of
other nasties).
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