Treating for Ticks in Okinawa

[DoctorP]

A member of my family, my Golden Retriever, has been under attack by ticks this year. I know ticks are bad in Okinawa, but we never had a problem until this year. I use Frontline regularly, but today I noticed that he had ticks all over him. And I'm talking 40 or so. Eggs also!

I gave him a bath with the only tick shampoo available to me on base (Courtney) but I am not sold on it's ability. I believe it was a Hartz brand.

What would you use to bathe your dog in after such an infestation?

What would you use to treat your yard and surrounding area?

I suspect that I may also have some that survived, living in the garage. I suspect that I need some type of powder treatment to put down as a barrier to help drive them out of the garage also...what would you suggest for that?


Thanks!

[Tempestuous]

Personally, I would try essential oils.

Rose Geranium or sister oil Palmerosa can be put directly on the dogs collar and the ticks should stay away.

Tea tree oil
Cedar
lemon balm or lemongrass
citronella
eucalyptus
pennyroyal
lavender

are all good insect replants.
Mix the same amount of each oil (10-20 drops) together in a spray bottle and mist the doorways, even a light mist over the dog when they come it, your pants or shoes can also be misted. If they have a particular place they lay you can mist that area.
Go out in the yard and mist the area they are hanging out.

I haven't tried it, but have heard from others that have.

[DoctorP]

Thanks Temp...I will research those options some more. I like going natural as much as possible. I haven't had any flea problems at all, but the ticks were all over him this time. The frontline usually works well, but I can't figure out why they were so bad. I think I was a week late with his treatment, but I think we should have still been good.

[Tempestuous]

I pulled out a book and got a couple more you could look for to use as a blend to mist as well. :D

purification (each brand of therapeutic grade oils have a different name for this blend that is made to purify just about any thing)

peppermint,
melaleuca,
idaho tansy,
rosemary,
pine,
sage,
cedarwood,
orange

Any that you can find could be useful.
If you only got one, I would look towards the Rose Geranium as it is the most helpful for ticks.

You can utilize a blending/carrier oil (to help keep them from irritating the skin) or use distilled water to mix the oils with.

Obviously you will want to keep from spraying the dogs face/head when you spray him.

[themadscientist]

yeah they were crazy this year. Every time my little dog came back from taking his constitutional I had to pick at least three off his paws. My other dog, none. WTF?

[Tempestuous]

Something I read commented that the general health/diet of the dog can make a difference.
A healthier diet can produce smells/oils etc that aren't as attractive to the ticks. I don't know about that necessarily, being you likely feed them both the same.

Maybe a chemical reaction (ph or the like) is different in each dog.

Maybe one is more acidic & the other more alkaline ????

Odd

[themadscientist]

Well one is laid back calm and chubby like Jabba the Hutt, ticks don't like her. The other one is totally opposite, kind of like Jabba's little sidekick.

[P_chan]

I never had a problem with fleas or ticks on my dog. Maybe because I live in an apartment and he uses the balcony as the bathroom. I do take him for walks, but I never had a problem. I just use some hertz gel stuff once a month.

[Tanimaga]

I don't mean to de-rail the thread, but I've been running thru LOTS of Q-tips trying to clean my dogs ears. Anyone know of anything larger than Q-tips, and more precise than a kleenex over my hand? Know of a supplier than sells chopstick sized Q-tips for a huge dog?

[socalheart]

We had a Golden Retriever here when I was a kid. They're beautiful dogs, but tick city. It was so bad, my parents had to check me for ticks too. Have you tried checking at local pet supply stores? Thirty years ago, there wasn't much available to ward off ticks. I'm sure they come a long way since then.

Try this, or buy online:
http://www.sjvnews.com/articles/apr04/tick041404.htm

[Mad Hatter]

peppermint,
melaleuca,
idaho tansy,
rosemary,
pine,
sage,
cedarwood,
orange

Any that you can find could be useful.

to cook a dog:D It may work... but it sounds like your about to have dog for diner:eek:

[happily_married_1206]

You can call housing and have them send out someone from maintenance to set off a bug bomb in your garage...and that will kill them, i did that this summer with a co-workers dog, he brought it to work and we torched the surrounding area... but i wouldnt recommend doing that in base housing, the was just an older building... so...

[Tempestuous]

to cook a dog:D It may work... but it sounds like your about to have dog for diner:eek:

Actually, you combine all those smells and it is rather STINKY!!!!
I use peppermint for headaches and sometimes combine lavender too, talk about smelling odd.
The hubby doesn't have that great of a sniffer, but he smells that stuff. :crying:

[DoctorP]

You can call housing and have them send out someone from maintenance to set off a bug bomb in your garage...and that will kill them, i did that this summer with a co-workers dog, he brought it to work and we torched the surrounding area... but i wouldnt recommend doing that in base housing, the was just an older building... so...

Thanks, but I'm not on base. Never have been, probably never will be. I did treat the yard today though, and I treated our normal walking path.

Temp...I picked up this ready made spray at the pet shop that had tea tree oil, eucalyptus, citronella, and several other things. It does seem to help. Four walks today and only 3 ticks when we came back. I also treated around the garage with seven dust. I'll have to wait a week, then totally clean out the garage. I also dusted all of his bedding with seven dust. I'll let that sit a few days, then wash it and see what happens.

[DoctorP]

I don't mean to de-rail the thread, but I've been running thru LOTS of Q-tips trying to clean my dogs ears. Anyone know of anything larger than Q-tips, and more precise than a kleenex over my hand? Know of a supplier than sells chopstick sized Q-tips for a huge dog?

I have this bottle of ear cleaner that I picked up from the vet (alcohol will do though) and I use regular cotton balls instead of q-tips.

[Tempestuous]

Cool that they had a pre-made bottle at the store with essential oils.
Who knew? :)

What a pain to have to deal with.
Fleas would be worse though.

[Tempestuous]

My dog must be a major princess. Her ears barely collect any gunk.I either use a wash cloth or cotton balls.
Q-tips I worry about gouging her or something. Those sticks aren't all that gentle.