Reminder re Ticks and tapeworms

[captpierre]

‘‘Tis the season again. Ticks are waking up after being dormant in the cold. 4C and warmer and they are active and feeding. They are more active in spring and fall than in summer heat. 

Protect yourselves and remember to do a tick check at the end of the day if you’ve been in the woods or tall grass. You won’t feel a tick bite or a tick that’s feeding on you. They stay attached for 5-7 days. You need to see it and pull it off carefully by the head immediately against you skin. If you get it off early when it’s small the chance of getting Lyme disease is much reduced. 

Dogs should go on preventative medications now. Till about Christmas.  

On another note, there is a new canine tapeworm emerging in Ontario. Biologists are finding it in about 25% of wolves and coyotes. If your dog picks it up he will not likely get sick but will expose you to the tapeworm eggs. These microscopic eggs, if consumed accidentally, can cause serious health problems in people.  Im putting my patients on a new monthly dewormer that gets these and other worms. To protect the dog and the family. Called Interceptor Plus. 

Talk to your vet. 

Cheers, Peter

[Big Cliff]

Good reminder! ?

[dave524]

We just did our girls' first monthly doses for the summer , 2 nights ago. 

Edited April 11, 2019 by dave524

[BillM]

Nasty little buggers.

[Headhunter]

I am in a bit of a tough spot as my dog has sever reactions to any kind of pest control meds.

HH

[captpierre]

3 minutes ago, Headhunter said:

I am in a bit of a tough spot as my dog has sever reactions to any kind of pest control meds.

HH

Have you tried the oral meds? Bravecto, Nexguard or Simperica?

[Headhunter]

I have a really hard time giving him anything as some things are harder on him then others.

That said, i also have a very difficult time poisoning my dog. All that stuff is not something I would give a human, so I am not likely to give it to my dog.

The reality is, that he is almost entirely an inside dog. He was a "rescue" and spent the first four years of his life before us, living in a downtown Toronto condo.

On a side note... our vet wanted us to give him heart worm pills. To my mind, just another form of poison! I asked him when was the last time he or any vet in the province had seen an example of heart worm infection... no answer!

HH

[wkrp]

The absolute worst worm your dog and you can get is the Vet Worm. It gets into your pockets and eats all your cash and inflicts huge costs on your charge cards and your dog gets sicker.

[chris.brock]

on a serious note,

I know a couple people (not dogs) with lyme disease. It's a terrible, debilitating thing,

and as guys like us who like to be outdoors, we are more at risk

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by chris.brock

[Fisherman]

7 hours ago, captpierre said:

Have you tried the oral meds? Bravecto, Nexguard or Simperica?

You might want to think twice about simperica. https://www.facebook.com/2baaaaa/videos/10161601277870173/?t=27

[dave524]

19 minutes ago, chris.brock said:

on a serious note,

I know a couple people (not dogs) with lyme disease. It's a terrible, debilitating thing,

and as guys like us who like to be outdoors, we are more at risk

 

It's crazy, my dogs get a shot to prevent Lyme but it is not approved for humans. 

 

[chris.brock]

1 hour ago, dave524 said:

It's crazy, my dogs get a shot to prevent Lyme but it is not approved for humans. 

 

I smell some bull crap

Edited April 11, 2019 by chris.brock

[dave524]

25 minutes ago, chris.brock said:

I smell some bull crap

Looks like it was approved at one time for humans and then recalled after side effects surfaced

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/5/7/17314716/lyme-disease-vaccine-history-effectiveness

[captpierre]

On 4/11/2019 at 8:46 AM, captpierre said:

‘‘Tis the season again. Ticks are waking up after being dormant in the cold. 4C and warmer and they are active and feeding. They are more active in spring and fall than in summer heat. 

Protect yourselves and remember to do a tick check at the end of the day if you’ve been in the woods or tall grass. You won’t feel a tick bite or a tick that’s feeding on you. They stay attached for 5-7 days. You need to see it and pull it off carefully by the head immediately against you skin. If you get it off early when it’s small the chance of getting Lyme disease is much reduced. 

Dogs should go on preventative medications now. Till about Christmas.  

On another note, there is a new canine tapeworm emerging in Ontario. Biologists are finding it in about 25% of wolves and coyotes. If your dog picks it up he will not likely get sick but will expose you to the tapeworm eggs. These microscopic eggs, if consumed accidentally, can cause serious health problems in people.  Im putting my patients on a new monthly dewormer that gets these and other worms. To protect the dog and the family. Called Interceptor Plus. 

Talk to your vet. 

Cheers, Peter

 

Found this on CBC this morning 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/tapeworm-southern-ontario-1.5093511

[Fisherman]

On 4/11/2019 at 8:18 PM, dave524 said:

Looks like it was approved at one time for humans and then recalled after side effects surfaced

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/5/7/17314716/lyme-disease-vaccine-history-effectiveness

About as many side effects as placebos.

[dave524]

43 minutes ago, Fisherman said:

About as many side effects as placebos.

Yes , a very enlightening article. I bet anyone who had Lyme would have gladly risked the side effects if it would have saved them that experience. 

[lew]

1 hour ago, dave524 said:

 I bet anyone who had Lyme would have gladly risked the side effects if it would have saved them that experience. 

A recently deceased friend of mine suffered  from Lyme Disease for 40 years and  the pain in his knees and ankles was almost unbearable some days. He sometimes took meds to kill the pain but that made him so sick he couldn't get out of bed. He said the joint pain wasn't as bad as what the meds did to him so most days he just put up with it. 

Joints were so bad he had to wear braces on both lower legs just to he could walk.

Terrible disease !!

[Mike Pike]

A great reminder Capt.  Like Lew, I had a friend with Lyme Disease and am aware of the suffering.

The tick threat has really made me be less carefree when I'm out fishing.  I love carp fishing and the banks I visit are very 'ticky' areas.  Sitting around on a camping chair in my shorts waiting for a bite was the order of the day, but no more.  Now I always wear long pants tucked into my hiking boots and yes, I do a tick check when I get home, as you suggest Capt.