Someone gave me a rescued dog two weeks ago. I found two little ticks on her yesterday. I immediately took her to the groomer and treated her for fleas/ticks with prescription Advantage. Does anyone have any strategies for how to deal with owning a dog? Needless to say, I'm very attached to the dog, or rather, she is very attached to me. Wants to be on my lap all the time and I let her sleep with me... I'm thinking I just need to keep her out of the brush and on low grass, indoors, or at the beach and brush her and tick check everyday. Have I lost my mind?
Posted by scorpiogirl (Member # 31907) on :
I don't know but that's a very personal call. Right now our kids are begging to get a cat/dog but there is no way we're getting any pet any time soon. First off I'm allergic to the fur. Secondly, we do live in an area w/ ticks and I have meet Lyme patients who got bitten either walking their dogs or from their dogs/cats. So to me the risk is too high.
We are spending $6K a month on my treatment. I have lost years of my life... and now we learned that our baby has Lyme as well. So I'm SCARED to death of ticks. I used to love walking bare feet in my backyard but now I won't even leave the patio!! High rises are looking more appealing each day!
Posted by RC1 (Member # 31923) on :
I have always had dogs, I love dogs! I had three at one time, two of them got Lyme disease, but anyways, I just wanted to say that I don't think you should allow the dog to sleep with you. All of my dogs were crate trained, dogs love their crates, my only dog now sleeps in his crate in my bedroom. I loved all of my dogs and they really do enrich our lives, but I am not getting another when I lose this one. 1 because I have to take allergy medicine because of him and 2 they are a lot of responsibility. I say that now. Lol
Posted by mom2kids (Member # 31972) on :
We rescued our dog about a year after I got really sick (5 years ago) and he has been my lifesaver. He lays with me in bed and has been by my side no matter what. If I am having a bad day, he won't even get out of bed to go to the bathroom until I get up.
I myself cannot imagine life without him or any dog, but that's me.
@scorpiogirl, my brother has an Italian Greyhound, almost no fur and she is litter box trained, so she never goes outside. Just a thought, there are some options out there.
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
I have 5 dogs and will always have dogs. I won't give up on the love of my dogs in fear of ticks no matter how sick I am.
I use frontline plus on my dogs. They go out in their fenced small area where the grass is always kept short and I put DE out there regularly. We check the dogs everyday for ticks. I do not walk my dogs. They are inside dogs and just go out to potty. My wrap around porch which is very elevated off the ground (10 ft) provides a safe running area for them.
I will bring a tick in on my clothes before I will find one on the dogs. I am a tick magnet.
Posted by JenInMa (Member # 31544) on :
Frontline seems to keep the ticks off of our two dogs which play in the woods. I hope that helps.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
moving to general support
Posted by Harmony (Member # 32424) on :
That is a very personal call. I don't think you have lost your mind.
I have a horse and she needs to be in somewhat tall grass, because she needs it for food. I used to pull ticks off her all the time without thinking, and we have plenty of physical contact when I'm out there. She brushes up against me or I get her tail in my face when she swooshes flies, I can't help that. Also, I need to be in tick habitat to take care of her.
I will not give up my horse or the precious time I spend with her almost every day (for the last 15 years)! It makes me so happy and gives me strength. But now I will be more vigillant.
I am wearing white now and checking myself more thoroughly for ticks when I come in. I spray her more frequently now with Repel-x 5:1 that kills ticks, and I'm not done thinking.....
Have pretty much decided that I am going to get a flock of Guinea Fowl next spring - Guineas are supposed to be a ton of fun to watch (especially if you liek animals) and they have a ferocious appetite for ticks. So I am going to have about 24 little guardian angles incessantly combing the yard, eying the ground for a tasty meal. Have at it!
Maybe a deer fence, but not sure I can afford that and the docs/treatments right now...
So, I think like you: what can I do to make this work and still have my favorite animals in my life.
Tough call on the dog in bed. mom2kids has a super-dog with her and I would keep him in bed, too. But if you are doing it for the dog, not for you, then I might consider getting a second little dog and make them both sleep together in another room.
I would use Frontline on the dog(s) religously every month and check the dog every day with a plastic flea comb that is not to harsh on the dog.
Me, I would also get Guinea Fowl if you are zoned for it.
Scorpiogirl, our two cats also never go out, are litter box trained, and have no ticks. I do not treat them with Frontline or anything. One cat is all white, and I never saw a tick on either one in the last 4 years even though I have had ticks on me and the horses. The cats would have to get one from me first, since they don't go out. So that might be an option for you and your family: one or two short haired, white cats that stay inside. They can be such personalities and a great, sweet distraction! Just don't want you to miss out on something nice. Lyme has taken enough from us and our families already.
Best wishes!
Posted by Harmony (Member # 32424) on :
oh sorry, scorpiogirl, just read your post again and saw that you are allergic to the animals, too, bummer!
Rex breeds are not allergy free but least allergenic - still, you don't need any more stress on your system now
our cats do make a mess with fur inside the house but I tolerate it (and they do not go into my bedroom)
I feel for your kids if they really wish for a pet - but I always, always wanted a pony since I could talk, and guess what, I got my wonderful horse myself when I was 28 and it was great, too!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
My brother's dog is crate trained and she LOVES to sleep in the crate. If I ever get another dog, I will do the same!
Posted by katiebobatie (Member # 28753) on :
i have 3 dogs, and i wouldn't have it any other way!
now that i'm on anti-biotics, i feel like i'm protected from new tickbites Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Each tick carries its own set of infectious agents.
Posted by mom2kids (Member # 31972) on :
Pets give us unconditional love, well at least dogs, cats have conditions sometimes. I think as long as you are cautious, check your pets regularly and use flea/tick repellant on them you will be ok. Their love far outweighs the little bit of time it takes keep them tick free.
@Harmony, my dog is a super dog. During the school year when the kids are at school and hubby is at work I talk to my dog, play with him (in bed) and walk him. I have to spend 16-20 hours a day in bed most of the time, but during the couple of hours in the afternoon when I have some energy I walk him at least once. I call him my personal trainer, without him I would not get any excercise.
P.S. my hubby and kids call him my tumor!
Posted by BoxerMom (Member # 25251) on :
Keep the dog! Keep the dog!
You may want to have her do a course of Doxy, just in case those ticks were infected. Then, just apply the tick repellent and check her every day.
Dogs give back so much more than they require from us. They are worth the upkeep.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Besides the tick repellent you can get at the vet or pet store, people are also rubbing/misting pet fur with Orange Guard, or TKO Orange as the concentrate form, as another form of protection. Derived from oranges, it's nontoxic to us and kills/deters bugs.
Put a little in a spray bottle, fill with water and spray on clothing, immediate environment and rub/mist on dog/cat fur. It's biodegradable so would have to be applied daily.
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
I forgot to mention my three horses!! I rarely find ticks on them but now we are careful in the way we remove them.
I feel like Lyme just took away so much joy from my life and I just can't let it take away my dogs and horses. They do give me so much joy even though I can't ride my horses right now.
I read in some of my lyme books that all the back infections come from ticks being on mice.
Posted by Harmony (Member # 32424) on :
yes, faithful 777, I cannot ride right now, either
in fact, I had Silver since she was a baby and have never trained her/ never ridden her, she is 15 now
always blamed myself for not getting my act together....
with what I know now I am very sorry I treated myself that way for so many years...
I had Lyme and did not know it - going to work and paying the bills was all I could do, and very day I had hope that- if only I had more willpower, ate better, got fitter, I would have more engery and could train my horse...
cry a tear for me if you wish
on another note: I have my first LLMD appointment on Thursday!
It may be too late for Silver and me, but maybe I'll have another horse some day that I can ride, when I'm over all this!!!!
Sorry, did not mean to hi-jack the thread
Just wanted to say that - hope it's ok
Another thought for this thread: I think we cannot all give up animals and farming etc in America now and move into condos and concrete because of this disease - there must be another solution - but I do totally understand people who want to do that, as well
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
i couldn' read all the posts so i don't know what ppl are saying to you
i am a long time lymie who has lived in very endemic areas
i'm a longer time dog owner-lover
after lyme i switched to smaller, dogs. i found it was easier to have light colored dogs...black is really hard. but there is no way i can be without my dog. i lost a husband and many family members and friends because of lyme. they didn't get lyme...they just decided i was crazy. my dog(s) love me no matter what.
i did make the decision to use permethrin if necessary . there are some bad things about it but when i am in a place that frontline and the other stuff from the vet doesn't work i use the permethrin carefully. i have found if i spray the dogs bed (NOT MINE) with permethrin every 2 weeks or so i never see ticks in the yard or house or where the dog plays regularly
when i lived in the hudson valley i had to use it ...but i don't need it in northern nh or where i was in nj
i lost a very special dog last thanksgiving after 13 yrs...at first i couldn't imagine getting another dog...but i eneded up in a deep depression(other things were also invlved in bringing that on) and by february i found a puppy i could afford...that was smaller and non-shedding...and i don't regret that i got her.
i went thru a crazy time with her...small dogs are very different even from medium size dogs...their personalitis i mean. but bottom line she got me up out of the chair more often and that was good for me. we didnt even go outside until april but then on her walks i met and talked to ppl and that was helpful for the depression.
and now i am falling in love again...altho it is different than with my last dog.
but the right dog i believe is a blessing and really good for me.
when i have bad days mostly in bed...shes there. and if i'm up and about shes always up for a walk . even when i am in my chair she constantly brings me toys to throw for her to fetch so sometdays that is my exercise.
i know the wrong dog could be a problem...but yours sounds like you might be really good for each other
it is possible to keep ticks off them.
for me-because i have artificial knees and i am in and out of wheelchair i got a very small dog (8lbs) this time and she uses a potty pad inside
mostly that is because i am afraid to go out when it is icy
but there are other ways to deal with lyme problems and dogs. many of us have them and we figure it out. i really need her now.
Posted by whitmore (Member # 28721) on :
Giving up our dog is out of the question. My son adores her. Out vet has recently stopped recommending FrontLine products and now uses Vectra. Since using Vectra, I have seen no live ticks on our dog.
Posted by scorpiogirl (Member # 31907) on :
Yeah I feel so bad... everyday the baby asks me "Mommy have I been a good girl today?" When I replied yes! you are wonderful! At which she immediately said "Can we get a pet now?". Poor thing just wants a pet! The problem is she's very very nurturing and she wants a pet that she can hold and stroke and love on... so fish, turtle, etc... isn't going to fulfill her needs. We thought about the hairless cats but truth be told they are scary looking!! I think if I wake up in the middle of the night and saw that thing I would have a heart attack right then and there!!
I wonder if dogs w/ hair is ok? Like a teacup type of dog that stay in doors all the time?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Get a guinea pig, scorpio. (?)
Posted by scorpiogirl (Member # 31907) on :
I think we might found have found a perfect solution!! While hubby took her out biking today they stopped to talk to our neighbors. Turned out they have 3 bunnies and 1 cat!! So they spent 2 hours playing with them until the cat started getting frisky. They said she can come to play with them any time (they don't have kids, so their pets are their kids). Fantastic!! 2 hours a week might just be enough to get it out of her system!! Woohooo!!!
Posted by Beagle (Member # 29698) on :
I'm glad for this thread. I have been waiting almost a year to have a dog again. My fear is not Ticks but my health deteriorating to point of not being able to care for the dog. I'd be unable to function mentally if I didn't take my dog for a good walk each day. After reading these posts I'm thinking about risking rescuing another dog.
I physically wrecked my health with my last dog but - guess what, there was a reason to live then. Everyone I know says - DON'T YOU DARE GET ANOTHER DOG! My shrink included. Shrink is to help me deal with the Demon Lyme and co's without killing myself. :/ Dog would do the trick without the weakly session bills! Ya think?
Where would I be without this forum! Thanks.
Beagle
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
rescuing might be smart. you might get to miss the puppy stuff.
i have found, tho, even tho i am NOT a diva dog kind of person...having an 8 lb dog is a good thing for me.
males and females are very different too...i have found...even tho vets and breeders say they aren't
shes trained to pee and pooh inside on pads but will go outside if we are there. it is so small..like goose pooh but hard and it is really easy to take care of.
8 lbs is pretty easy to pick up. last yr my 20 lb schnauzer was too heavy for me when in and out of walker and when i had to take him out in snow and ice. (he was old, and neuro from lyme and couldn't always walk)
and even tho she is small she really is a canine. as she matures and the crazy puppy stuff goes away she and i are getting closer...
she loves walks but doesn't need them...she can get her energy out in the house.
so i really wouldn't let not being able to walk one stop you. its great when i can-but now i don't feel guilty when i can't.
good to see you on here beagle. i guess i'm gonna come back up north. maybe we could get together. i hope you are getting things worked out. you are going thru so much. no fair!
Posted by Kudzuslipper (Member # 31915) on :
I got my first dog 5 and 1/2 years ago, the 2nd one came 1 year later. I was like a 12 year old with my first puppy!!! so in love! we went from wiping every inch before they came into the house to not worrying if they came in from the rain and jumped on our bed. LOL Until I was diagnosed with Lyme 3 months ago...a dog forum was the only other on-line group I was connected to. Until I was diagnosed, I didn't worry too much. But I have to admit, I look at the boys a little differently now. they are "little tick carriers" even though we use FRONTLINE PLUS year round
the first time I found a tick in our bed...I freaked! it was a dog tick. We've seen 2 ticks on the bed and 3 ticks on the boys... only 2 were attached. the problem with using FRONTLINE is they still take a ride on the pooches. But i have not seen one tick on them or in the house since I have used it religiously year round, every month and am careful not to bath 24 hours before or after.
We had been using a product called "mosquito barrier" It is a garlic concentrate and it works pretty well for both ticks and mosquitos...smells like everyone is the neighborhood is cooking garlic bread for 2 hours.
I have resorted to poisoning our yard by a professional company this year.
I still love my boys... but I am more cautious with them.
This would be a great thread to see your pups! is there a way to post pictures on this forum?
Posted by skies (Member # 28064) on :
quote:Originally posted by BoxerMom: Keep the dog! Keep the dog!
Dogs give back so much more than they require from us. They are worth the upkeep.
Totally agree! I don't know what I would do without my babies. I'm an animal lover, grew up with horses, dogs, cats, birds, you name it. So for me, life is not complete without animals (esp. dogs).
They add so much to my life that they are so worth the upkeep/effort.
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But if you are doing it for the dog, not for you, then I might consider getting a second little dog and make them both sleep together in another room.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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I think as long as you are cautious, check your pets regularly and use flea/tick repellant on them you will be ok. Their love far outweighs the little bit of time it takes keep them tick free.