Argh!! My husband has just been diagnosed with Lyme disease after a week or two of feeling crappy with a fever and headache and a rash on his thigh. I originally thought the rash was due to an ingrown hair or something, and the flu is going around here. Hopefully we have caught it in the early stages and are able to totally clear the bacteria.

I HATE using topical tick formulas on the animals. Anyone have other suggestions? I did frontline the dogs and the cat (who I can't keep out of our bed), but dread the thought of using frontline during the whole flea and tick season to keep everyone safe. Love any feedback!

Tracy

I have read that the tick needs a full day (minimum) to actually transmit the disease, and that two full days is more likely.

This would mean that thorough examinations every day would be a big step.

Thanks Connie! It's easy to examine the American bulldog due to his short hair. It's another story when it comes to the Black Lab and the cat. Those deer ticks are the size of a pin head in the nymph stage, and they are soooo hard to see! I don't know another way to protect the animals (and prevent them from bringing ticks into the house) without using a topical tick medicine.

Maybe ticks tend to go to the same body area? (I have no idea; I was just thinking that maybe there are certain areas to examine most carefully.)

I didn't know they were so small!

I do use the topical stuff seasonally.

There are natural repellents, but each one (so far) has a big drawback. Essential oils can't be used around cats, and also burn the skin of some individual dogs. Some should not be ingested, and dogs do lick at them. Garlic is often suggested, but it's a member of the allium family, and in the amount that would repel ticks it would be an amount that could be dangerous to dogs (to whom the allium family is potentially toxic). Garlic flavor treats, etc., have very little garlic powder or garlic salt in them, BTW; it's real (fresh) garlic that's most dangerous at the repellent level. (Onions are much worse.)

As far as cats go, they should not ingest any of the allium family at all.

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/Medicine/Toxicology-Brief-iAlliumi-species-poisoning-in-dog/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/174478

We have to remember that it's not just large one-time doses that can cause serious problems; it's also very small doses repeated over time.

I guess topical chemicals are the only choice to keep my family safe. I wish Lyme wasn't such a huge problem in the northeast. It is a really bad year for that disease around here. Thanks again!

 Quote: Tracy R Touzjian

Argh!! My husband has just been diagnosed with Lyme disease after a week or two of feeling crappy with a fever and headache and a rash on his thigh. I HATE using topical tick formulas on the animals. Anyone have other suggestions?

Tracy,

We need to get rid of the husbands....maybe they are bringing ticks into our beloved pets

My husband too, was diagnosed with Lyme in March. The symptoms began in December (who thinks Lyme in 400 ft of snow) By the time he was diagnosed, his kidneys were effected, he had lost a great deal of weight; and was in agony from hip pain. After a heavy and long course of antibiotics he is almost as good as new; unfortunately the hips will probably always be an issue.

Thor was also diagnosed with Lyme 7 years ago, I was using the topical from April-November only. Thor presented in February. I am in the Boston area, my home is at the foot of the Blue Hills which is a state park, part of the Appalachian trail and deer infested (hunting has been outlawed,(Thanks PETA) and no natural enemies, if you don't count cars on the highway)

As much as I dislike the topical treatments; I feel the risk of the disease is greater than the risk of the topical. I'm not sure there is a right answer. I did stop using the topical this winter when we had 2 feet of snow on the ground for three months and my husband ended up with the disease.....though he was working in Philly so I'm not sure he picked up a tick from Thor....he was only home one night a week.

I wish a full recovery to your husband and I'm hoping there is some less toxic way to deal with the ticks but unfortunately for me anything other than the topicals has not worked.

Tracy,
I'm sorry you and yours has to deal with this. There are people in my part of the world that still struggling with the disease no matter the medication.
Hopefully you'll be more fortunate.

I detest the topical repellents. But I use them, like you I live in an area that the disease is rampant and the deer are part of the normal landscape. So as much as I hate them, I use those vile insecticides on my dog. And that doesn't always work as designed.
For myself as well as my S.O., it has long been a night time ritual to check bodily for ticks before lights out.

I wish good luck to you and yours, sorry you have to go through it.

I've heard of people using guinea fowl as a tick eater with fairly decent success.

The only other non toxic tick killer is destroying their environment. Aka brush and tall weeds.

At my parent's home where we have lots of brush we bi annually bring in a herd of goats and a few donkeys to clean out brush that ticks like to hang out in down to grass level which we then mow or burn as needed.

We also *strongly* discourage wildlife from bedding down in the yard. Paintball guns work just as well on raccoons, possum, and deer as they do on teenagers. (disclaimer) please follow the laws of your area lol

I'm really sorry to hear this and hope your husband feels like his 'ol self very soon. Ticks have been horrible in our neck of the woods this year too.

Tracy, sorry to hear about your husband. If, I may ask, how long will his course of antibiotics run?