As if I wasn't creeped out enough!!! Thanks Red. I would have preferred you called me a moron <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> !

But seriously, I cannot answer you with anything other than a little guess work: I have no idea if this matters but:

1) I never had this happen before 2 weeks ago. Given the size the disgusting little creatures grow to on the dog, I can't imagine they would have gotten past me. OK, the idea of protecting my dog got past me, I'll give you that <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />. But for crap's sake, I pet him every single day. I massage him every day too by the way. He's very spoiled <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> . I can see me missing one or two but eventually I'd find them on him. Secondly, regarding my house, I'm a neat freak, not anal, just neat <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> . So, I vacuum every day because I have hardwood floors throughout the whole house and can't stand the idea of little furballs blowing around!

I have no other pets, my yard is fenced which, generally, keeps the deer and other wildlife out. They go to houses w/out a fence and dog.

Since Saturday, I have checked him every single time he comes inside and he has not had a new, live tick. All the ones I'm finding are engorged and as a result have to be from the other day. And I am combing over him in bright light looking for the things and haven't found any new ones.

Also, Gunnar is an inside dog. I work from home and am able to see where he goes and what he does pretty much 24/7. My yard is mowed every week, no exceptions (as are all the neighbor's lawns in this town). So although I realize they can be in my yard, I'm not finding any every time I walk or play w/him.

Judy,
I also live in New Jersey, and the ticks this spring/summer were dreadful. I apply Frontline starting in around May until October. I applied my last dose approx 2 weeks ago. My girl was a bit over due for the "monthly" dose. We were hiking nearby, she stuck her head in some weeds, and whammo, there was a tick right on her muzzle! I don't think she will need another dose for the season.

I know how grossed out it can be, I thought my house was crawling with them, cause I saw one or two in my house!! I went nuts with the shopvac...no ticks to be had.

In the future, it is worth it to apply spring-fall in our area, esp if you and your dog are out in the wood and or fields that border woods.

Also, be cognizant of Lyme disease that is very prevalent in our area. My husband had it...the bull's eye rash...he was pretty sick, and did not feel well for a very long time!

Take Care!

Linda

Tons of ticks here in Tennessee, especially in the spring is when you see alot more. I give my dogs frontline on the first of every month, year around.

Occaisionally I will see a tick on them and some of them have been dead. I don't like the idea of ticks getting on the dog and feeding until I'm lucky enough to spot it which is why I treat all year.

I would continue to go over the dog daily until I was sure they were all gone and then continue to use the treatment. I don't think the savings are worth ticks on the dog and possibly in my home, not to mention fleas. Just my oppinion.

Hi Glen,

I live in Texas and the ticks have been horrible this year. I've had problems for the first time ever with Frontline plus no longer killing them after 3 weeks, so don't have much advice for you on that, other than make sure you check yourself carefully also. The nymph forms of American and brown dog ticks are tiny little things and easy to miss--the only thing worse than finding one on your dog is finding one on yourself. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I foster for greyhound rescue and the vet we use for them is very knowledgeable about tick diseases (since such a huge number of dogs coming off the tracks down here test positive for at least one of them).

The big 3 you want to get him tested for are Lyme, Erlichia and C. Babesia. It can take up to 6 months for them to show up reliably on the test just like your vet said.
My own pet greyhound was positive for Babesia and got very sick for a while, so it is not something you want to take a chance with: get your dog tested in 6 months.

If he does test positive for one, you might want to contact your local greyhound rescue group and find out which vet they use for the dogs coming off the tracks: the vet I use for my non-greys had never even seen a dog with Babesia before. A vet used to treating racing greyhounds may be a little more capable of dealing with them (especially Erlichia and Babesia) than a regular vet.

Good luck!

Holly, I appreciate the info but I was responding to Judy who has the problem. We have a lot of tics here but I don't have a big problem with my dogs. The frontline seems to be taking care of it pretty well.

Hi Judy...You should be able to use Frontline on an adult dog every 2 weeks for a maximum of 2 months for a particularly bad case of fleas or ticks. Run this by your vet when you see him. Sometimes people have better results using Advantix, but use only if you don't have cats...Advantix is toxic to cats. My own observation, based on what our clients are saying, is that neither product seems to be working very well anymore. As a very gross aside...we pulled a tick off a dog that was the size of a very small grape <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> We kept it alive in a jar for a few days then dumped a whole dose of Frontline on it. The tick didn't die...but it did manage to give birth to hundreds of baby ticks! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> At that point the experiment ended because the "researchers" were freaking out and we sent mama and babies packing.

oops!

I thought you were the OP, I meant to address that to Judy.

Hi Glenn and Holly,

I think Holly was responding to me but just put your name in there my mistake. She referenced comments I had made, so I think she was targeting me. Thanks to both of you. The Frontline Plus comments are good to hear. I guess I picked the right one (over Advantix) maybe.

The illnesses you mentioned Holly are good for me to know. At least now I can tell them what to test for instead of asking them. I'll be putting that on my calendar.

Judy

Judy:
I'd never insinuate you didn't keep a clean house. Being a dog owner and getting a flea/tick infestation in your home isn't an insult (with all the moving and my bride and I did in the military we've had our share of bug battles) not doing anything about it is.

Years ago our dog brought in a load of fleas just when the weather broke for winter in upstate New York. We used "Proban," (who's overdose symptoms mirror nerve agent poisoning) and let her walk around the house attracting fleas. They bit her, got a lethal dose, and the problem was cured in less than a week.

Some shampoos are designed to suffocate the parasite, you can always give them a one-two punch. Use one product, then switch to another so you kill two different ways, follow manufacturer's directions, consult your vet, blah, blah, ad nauseam disclaimer.

When you consider the size of a tick before it starts to become engorged it's very possible for you to miss one. It doesn't mean you're a bad person.

Red,

Maybe you misunderstood. I didn't (and still don't) give a hoot about any comments about my house <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> !! I only described the cleaning portion to help someone help me figure out if they could, in all probability, be in my home! It only stands to reason (and I could be wrong) that the environment would affect a flea/tick/bug's ability to set up shop somewhere. I.E. clean house, no bugs; less than clean house, bug probability goes up.

Absolutely no offense was taken by anything you said. I was, however, completely creeped out by the thought that the SOBs might have some disgusting colony growing here!

Yuck, Red. That's all I have to say!