Tick Ecology in NJ Pine Barrens?

[PineClark]

We definitely need an effective vaccine for both humans and companion species, but like everything else in applied science there is a risk/benefit decision. I.

Sadly, there was a vaccine out there called Lymerix. But because of some scare of side effect that were later disproven and lack of a market, the manufacturer decided to discontinue it. Oh, and I think some of the scare brought in some lawsuit which didn't help. I think I read that it was 70% effective.

And with the dogs, I used Frontline for years with no problem. When we got a new dog and went to a new Vet, they pushed Advantax. Didn't like the results. Found ticks attached to my dog. So we went back to Frontline and no more ticks.

 

[old jersey girl]

Our vet prefers the topical's, which is what we use. The issue's I have with the oral are should the animal have an adverse reaction there is no way to mitigate it, the meds are in the animals bloodstream, and some reports say they can remain for a much longer time than advertised. Also the animal has to first be bitten by the pest for the oral's to kill the pest; they work on the pest's nervous system, causing it to go 'out of control' and causing its death. Just does not pass the common sense threshold.

Some info from a vet that investigated the oral meds. I have not found any vet reports comparing topical to oral yet.
http://yourpetsneedthis.com/

thanks for that link. I avoid using any new drug (less than a few years usage history) on me or my pets.

Mandated drug testing on humans uses relatively small sample groups where n=smallest number of people the regulations require, often not including older or female individuals.

Testing of animal health products is also minimal. I prefer waiting until a lot of individuals have used anything new for several years. Although some of the new anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen may be more effective than aspirin, humans have been using aspirin for hundreds of years. Originally brewed as willowbark tea. So we know how aspirin effects a large population over time. My regular go-to my routine aches is aspirin, switch to stronger meds as needed.

 

[46er]

Although some of the new anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen may be more effective than aspirin, humans have been using aspirin for hundreds of years. Originally brewed as willowbark tea. So we know how aspirin effects a large population over time. My regular go-to my routine aches is aspirin, switch to stronger meds as needed.

All 'meds' have side effects; we choose from them the most effective with the fewest and least severe of them.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Sadly, there was a vaccine out there called Lymerix. But because of some scare of side effect that were later disproven and lack of a market, the manufacturer decided to discontinue it. Oh, and I think some of the scare brought in some lawsuit which didn't help. I think I read that it was 70% effective.

And with the dogs, I used Frontline for years with no problem. When we got a new dog and went to a new Vet, they pushed Advantax. Didn't like the results. Found ticks attached to my dog. So we went back to Frontline and no more ticks.

For what it's worth, I am not a huge fan of Advantix, either.

Also available are Seresto collars, which I use on my cats. It's a fabulous product. If you are squeamish about giving oral or topical spot on products to your dogs, this is a really good alternative, you can just take the collar off if you want to. One collar will last 8 months.

 

[NJChileHead]

You put an organophosphate on your dogs!? There are MUCH safer, effective things to use.

Sorry about the repeated tick bites. How frustrating.

Agree about organophosphates, no bueno. Organophosphate pesticides were the precursor (historical, not biological) to nerve agents such as VX, sarin, soman, etc. and the mechanism of damage is identical.

 

[Boyd]

Around my place, the ticks were especially bad this spring and early summer. Haven't seen one for several weeks now though. This is a pattern I see every year, by the time August arrives I rarely have tick problems. Of course I try to stay away from high risk areas this time of year though.

 

[46er]

Agree; the topical for the dog stops 8/1. Some folks use it year 'round.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

They will come back in huge numbers in the fall when it cools down. It's normal for populations to die down in the heat of the summer. The larvae and nymphs will be out and looking for hosts pretty soon. I wouldn't stop the preventative yet. I have researchers collect black-legged ticks in New England from September through December in very large numbers.

 

[old jersey girl]

Oh great. I thought the incresed rain this spring accounted for the larger populations, with some relief in the fall.
We are having a banner year for ticks here in western Cumberland County, NJ. They were not so bad last year, but now I am finding them throughout the wooded area of our property, and the dogs were getting them when leash-walked through any area where grass was not cut very short.

My doctor and a friend who hunts locally said ticks and chigger populations are much larger this year.
I have been collecting the ticks in an alcohol bottle, will identify/inventory soon.

 

[Boyd]

I wouldn't stop the preventative yet.

No worries there, I started permethrin treatment of my clothes in February this year and have no plans to stop until it gets really cold. But as long as I do this, I rarely have tick problems in the late summer and fall. Earlier this summer I was still getting bites with freshly treated clothes, which is pretty unusual in my experience.

 

[46er]

I wouldn't stop the preventative yet.

I have followed this schedule for our dogs forever. They may pick up a couple, but nothing like springtime, May/June being the worst. During hunting season Nov/Dec it was a none issue. But that's my experience, yours may vary

 

[Francisco Thompson]

I thought this was an interesting article on the biodynamics of vector-borne disease. https://www.dovepress.com/the-relat...sion-risk-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RRBS

Thanks for sharing this with us here.