Ticks in Devon

[GillandMike]

We've just come back from a month touring the New Forest and Devon. While I was aware of a Tick problem in Devon I wasn't prepared for the extent of it. We and the dogs went for a very nice walk on the the sea cliffs near Sidmouth and through some woodland and found that the dogs were covered in ticks. It was like a swarm of ants on one of the dogs. I've never seen anything like it before. We picked off the moving ticks (about 30 odd) and unscrewed the attached ones (about 12)and rushed to vets to get to get some Frontline to kill off any hidden ones (of which there were several it turned out later) The vet said that its a big problem in Devon and getting worse every year and particularly with the added problem of Lymes disease. The only places that were tick free it seemed were the beaches which don't always allow dogs. Every day we picked off a large number of ticks off the dogs and carefully checked them and ourselves for any that had managed to attach themselves. It quite put me off Devon. Has anyone else experienced the same problem?

Gill

 

[Angela_5076436]

Dunno about Devon - but our vet insisted that our mutt was treated for ticks all year round

 

[RiaandJames_374303418]

When looking after my mothers dogs we had the same problem despite them being treated regularly.

A vet advised us to smear vaseline on any ticks that attach theselves to the dog, that way they die and come away with less chance of leaving any part of the tick in the dog.

James

 

[trucker]

We live in Tiverton Devon and the dog has never had a tick or flee hear. He did get a few when in France last year but not in Devon

He has his frontline every month and I find it works very well

Kevin H

 

[trucker]

We live in Tiverton Devon and the dog has never had a tick or flee hear. He did get a few when in France last year but not in Devon

He has his frontline every month and I find it works very well

Kevin H

 

[RichardS1]

Its not just Devon, ticks are now a major problem up hear in the north. The problem seems to have escalated since the practice of dipping sheep stopped. As Kevin says Frontline works well but you have to use it monthly to kill any ticks that get on the dog.

 

[GillandMike]

Its interesting you should mention about the non dipping of sheep Richard. Thats what the vet said in Devon. Also deer have their own species of tick (orange ones) which are the ones that can carry Lymes I think.

Which bit of the north do you mean. We are off to the Yorkshire Dales next month. We used to live there about 15 years ago and had no problems at all with ticks. I never used Frontline on my dogs as there seemed to be no problem with fleas either until I moved back south?!!!? The only tick I had ever seen prior to the Devon experience was in the Lake District and that was only one of the little blighters.

One of the reasons I noticed all the ticks in Devon is that the dogs are blond Golden Retrievers and the black spider like ticks showed up very easily. On a darker dog it will probably be easy to miss them until they have eaten their fill so to speak

 

[RichardS1]

We live on the edge of the north yorkshire moors and the working dogs do pick up ticks off the moors, our own lab does not seem to be bothered to much locally. However last year up in the Cairngorms our dog picked up a number of ticks during a weeks stay.

 

[NorfolkMike]

Living as we do, on the edge of the Thetford Forest. Ticks and Fleas can be a major problem but as already stated the modern treatments do work very well. We tend to use frontline and re-do every 6 weeks over a 6-7 month period and that keeps the lab totaly free. It spends at least one hour running free in the woods every day and so is very exposed. If you can find a non-vetenary supply of frontline or simmilar you can save quite a lot. Vets and dentists seem to have adopted a similar charging programme.

ttfn

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Living as we do, on the edge of the Thetford Forest. Ticks and Fleas can be a major problem but as already stated the modern treatments do work very well. We tend to use frontline and re-do every 6 weeks over a 6-7 month period and that keeps the lab totaly free. It spends at least one hour running free in the woods every day and so is very exposed. If you can find a non-vetenary supply of frontline or simmilar you can save quite a lot. Vets and dentists seem to have adopted a similar charging programme.

ttfn

Just a query Mike ... why would a dentist use frontline and don't say cos he's got a dog, it's a serious question .. hehheh!

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

At Low Manesty last year we were told of a tick infestation. There were a lot of sheep wandering about just outside the site where people walked their dogs down to the lake.

 

[NorfolkMike]

Just a query Mike ... why would a dentist use frontline and don't say cos he's got a dog, it's a serious question .. hehheh!

Have you not heard of rip off Britian, and how it is lead by the Professions.

 

[Roy_5121668]

A friend of ours has just come back from a long-weekend caravanning at Porlock. Their young springer was covered in ticks and is now seriously ill with Lymes.This despite being Front-lined. all the ticks were dead but the damage had been done.

TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY not just for dogs but for yourself!!!

 

[coljac]

My daughter says she buys frontline from Tesco. Is this the same as the frontline issued by a vet?? Col

 

[AnnM1]

I am given to understand that there are TWO Frontline available. One can be purchased over the counter, but the oter has to be prescribed by the Vet. We use the prescription Frontline for our little Cairn.

 

[GillandMike]

Just logged on after a few days away and read Roys comment about the springer with lymes disease. What are the dogs symtoms. Both my dogs are fine, bur we did spend an awful lot of time picking ticks off the dogs before they had bitten them.

As to Frontline, the vets prescription type (and more expensive) can be bought off the internet a little cheaper.

Gill

 

[Roy_5121668]

Dog became lethargic, shivering. You could call it flu-like symptoms if it was a human.

Best advice is if your dog is unusually quiet after a visit to the country, see your vet.

Some very useful information here:

http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/index.htm

 

[Anthony_374242616]

went to devon last year and dont know about ticks but we got invaded by ants we even brought them home in our van the place seems to be totally infested (devon i mean)