Beware tick Bourne Diseases in dogs.

[robertholmes]

Babesia Canis in dogs.
If you are taking your pet on the continent please be aware of the disease Babesia Canis.

In January this year my Flatcoated retriever caught this in southern France.

It is a parasite caused by infected ticks.

I took her to the vet for her flea and worm treatment on the way home and the French vet spent an awfully long time examining her but did not say anything to me. (She must have already been showing signs of this illness). Two days after we returned she was visibly very ill. I took her to my vet who diagnosed Babesia canis. She had pneumonia, heart worm, lung worm, enlarged spleen, kidney damage, liver damage and anaemia. We very nearly lost her. She is a very healthy seven year old and my vet said if she had not have been she would have died.

After a month of touch and go and over a £1000.00 worth of treatment (thank goodness for insurance) She is back to her old self.

So please make sure you treat your animals regularly for fleas and ticks and inspect them daily removing any ticks immediately and speak to your vet before you go for the latest and best prevention measures

Chris

 

[JohnGriffiths]

I don't think you know how prevalent ticks are in France until you have been with a dog. I don't think I had even seen one but on recent trips we have picked off up to ten mobile ticks per dog on returning from a walk plus the occasional one that had took root. And this is after having treated them against ticks just a week before! They look just like black money spiders whilst on the move then change to a small purple grape as they attach and grow.
We have been lucky up to now but it is something that is a constant worry over there. We have been told Advantix is the treatment of choice, others you can buy without prescription do not offer the same protection. Don't do what we did on our first holiday and go without treatment.

 

[Oldgirl]

We live in South West France for most of the year with our 3 dogs. The recognised treatment here is generally Frontline Combo to kill off ticks that attach, coupled with a spray Frontline to stop the ticks getting hold in the first place. We also tend to bath our dogs more frequently than we would at home with an insecticidal shampoo. French dogs do have some resistance to the diseases carried but our British ones are very vulnerable. Another problem caused by ticks is Lime Disease. If you find your dog's urine turns bright orange that is a sure sign they have contracted the bacteria and will need veterinary treatment a s a p. As John Griffiths has said, ticks are so common in South West France in the woodland areas particularly it is essential to take precautionary measures for your dog.

 

[robertholmes]

Advantix was one of the treatments my vet used for Holly. I also took a supply with me when we went in June. My vet recommended that I ask the French Vet to administer this on our return home but they would not as she said it was only a treatment for fleas and did not comply with DEFRAs guidelines. On the t.v. over there they were advertising a collar called Scarabour but I could not find one (looked in the supermarkets, chemists and asked the vet but they hadn't got one)
Chris

 

[hilary_374322063]

We used one of these collars for our dogs when we travelled abroad. The collar is called a Scalibor collar & only available through your vet. They quite happily order one for you as they don't stock them over here.
Hope this helps.
Hilary

 

[anotherDavid]

I dont own a dog myself but did see what ticks can do last year in France. A german lady arrived on site from Portugal where her Alsation had picked up a tick born disease. The dog was looking very poorly and in fact died that night (in spite of have been seen by a vet in Portugal).
I think dog lovers should take notice of the advice given here
David