[Patricia A]

Just saw this last night on News 11 NYC. Horrible to watch. Her vet said nothing to her about possible side effects of these meds. I always wondered why people wold not even think twice about giving their pet these oral pesticides.
https://pix11.com/2019/07/22/side-effects-risk-of-some-flea-and-tick-medications/

[anonymous]

Talk to your vet, all effective medications including flea/tick preventives have potential side effects.

I watched a dog die from Lyme disease caused by a tick bite. Not diagnosed in time, spent $$ trying to keep that dog comfortable for two years. The dog went into kidney failure (incompatible with life).

I’ll take the possibility of side effects from flea/tick preventives over that nightmare any day.

[Patricia A]

Well I rather be safe and not walk my dog in areas known to have ticks . I stay away from wooded areas and tall grass.They are given a full check each time they even go out in my backyard. Her vet didn’t even mention side effects. Side effects from thes meds are a lot worse then itching from fleas . Would YOU take a monthly medication to prevent lyme disease with possible neurological side effects that cannot be cured???????

[anonymous]

http://www.vetstreet.com/care/lyme-disease-in-dogs excerpt below
Lyme disease is one of a number of frustratingly common tick-borne diseases that are regarded by both veterinarians and human physicians as stubborn, insidious, and just plain problematic in a number of ways.
An infection caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium, Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick and can affect many species, including dogs and humans.
Ticks of the Ixodes species (called deer ticks) are known to transmit Lyme disease when they attach to a host and feed. Because the tick must be attached for at least 50 hours to transmit Lyme disease, frequent inspection for ticks (and quick removal) can reduce the risk of disease transmission.
Lyme disease is more common in certain areas of the United States, including the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest.

[Mia F]

What are good alternatives? I know there’s a vaccine for lyme, but what about other tick illnesses?

[GSDsForever]

Lyme is just one disease ticks spread. You really do not want your dog to have Ehrlichia either. Some cases can present serious symptoms, be challenging for a vet to diagnose and treat. This is particularly true when it is not known that the dog was exposed to a tick or when.

Mia, I am not aware of other vaccines for this. But I don’t know that I would use one either.

Good alternatives depend upon the area of the country you live in, what exposure and risk your dog faces.

Where I live, for both ticks and fleas, avoidance works well. Regular physical inspection head to toe of a dog’s body by an owner, regular grooming, is helpful for many health concerns.

[anonymous]

The Seresto collar is tolerated well by most dogs.

Beware of homeopathic vets pushing “natural” remedies that are ineffective and a waste of money.

Discuss with your vet what would be best for your pet.

[anonymous]

About a decade or so ago, I was using topical flea/tick preventives (less than the vet recommended) plus “natural” stuff that did nothing.
I ended up with 3 dogs testing positive for Lyme. Two remained asymptomatic and lived long lives and passed from unrelated causes.
One suffered greatly from kidney damage and neurological damage caused by this disease, she required frequent lab work and vet visits, this dog required medications, prescription food and subq fluids daily for 2 years until I could no longer keep her comfortable (uremia).
All received lots of antibiotics when first diagnosed, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Never want to go through this again
Homeopathic vets are dangerous in my opinion. I will never listen to one again.

[Author]

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