Flea and Tick Season Is Coming

Generally speaking, I have tried since we first got Arthas to use all natural stuff with our dogs as much as possible. I use Diatomaceous Earth for deworming and love it, and most of time it's all I need to ensure we don't pick up any fleas, either. Unfortunately, it does nothing to combat ticks. Last year was a nasty year for ticks, and this year already isn't looking promising on that front.

As we have been examining plans for the summer and realizing that our furry babies are going to be exposed to (many) more unfamiliar dogs than recent years, we also recognized the need for stronger protection against fleas, as well.

Which brings me to this two-part PSA.

First, if you know anyone with a standard collie or border collie, please warn them to check any anti-flea/tick products they may use for Ivermectin. It is the base drug in  many over-the-counter options, and collies/border collies have a genetic predisposition to adverse reactions to it. In some cases, it can even be fatal. Many vets are not aware of this, so professional warnings are much fewer and farther between than would be ideal.

Second, read labels carefully. There are lots of products on the market, but only two that I found that prevent against deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease (which is an increasing problem), especially in east coast states. The problem is they all say "protects against ticks"... you have to actually check to make sure deer ticks are included in the list, though!

We ended up going with K9 Advantix II, which protects against everything and is Ivermectin free. (If you do the same, may I recommend grabbing yours off Amazon? The local stores here only carried two-packs for $40+, but Amazon had six packs for $60. Even those of us not so good at 'the maths' can tell that's a better option!)

Regardless of your needs or situation - or the stupid amounts of snow and cold you're getting assaulted with - spring will soon be with us. Consider taking a moment to reassess what you need and make sure you and your furry companions are covered?