On the theme that nothing is easy

[Bill]

Found a tick on the dog the other day. Considering we generally see 1/2 dozen deer from our back windows morning and night (24 is the record)....

 

The dog had a vet appointment anyway so added a tick collar to the bill. Neither child would touch the "poisoned" dog once we put it on.

 

So this morning, the new collar goes into the trash, the dog and associated blankets are washed.

 

Time to try Rose Geranium essential oil (recipe below). Directions say to put a couple drops - no more - on the dog's collar every week.

 

* 2 tablespoons vegetable or nut oil (almond oil contains sulfur, a repellent in its own right)

* 10 to 25 drops Rose Geranium essential oil

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar; shake to blend.

Makes: 2 tablespoons

Shelf Life: 6 months

 

There are other natural solutions. We'll see how this one works.

[dcmom]

Do you use frontline on the dog?

 

We just moved to the "country" and got a puppy, last summer.....

 

Ugh!

 

How to keep my sanity when the thaw really begins?

 

Oh also- damminix- tubes filled with cotton soaked in permethrin. Mice ( big carriers of ticks) take to their nest- kills ticks but not mice. (permethrin is toxic, though). Now is the time to put in your yard- I just ordered enough for .5 acre, about $80.

[sptcmom]

I TOTALLY agree with dcmom.

I have used organic all natural everything on ds- sun block, big spray etc. Look where it got us. Our LLMD does a ton of holistic but as far as precautions go the natural just isn't strong enough she tells us.

I use all the products dcmom mentions on my property and also use the spray Ultrathon on ds everyday he's outside or has outside recess in school.

We use frontline on the dog with minimal intervals b/w applications as per vet's allownace. and we also use Liquid Net spray on her under carriage when she's on the grassy areas. I keep her electric fence at 6 feet within the property line so she doesn't come in contact with the bushes around the property- we have an evergreen fence on three sides.The bushes around the house itself have been treated with Deer Off and Damminix so Im just praying for success this spring.

Jodie

Edited March 6, 2011 by sptcmom

[JAG10]

Bill & DC Mom,

 

Can you post this on the PANDAS board too?

 

Regardless of current status, EVERYBODY needs to be concerned with prevention!!!!

[pixiesmommy]

We were just talking about this tonight. I feel damned. I have always encouraged my kids to get out into nature- and DH just started teaching on an environmental team within his high school, so he is in the woods frequently now, vs. NEVER before. We've been eco-friendly and tried to stay non-toxic, thinking that it was the chemicals hurting us. Pouring DEET into our systems doesn't feel like the right answer either. I'm overwhelmed recently with how to both prevent future ticks but not live in a bubble. We have plans to travel south to see my family this summer too- and they have deer GALORE. I'm about *this* close to calling my mom and telling her we can't go in her yard. I feel like a paranoid freak.

[Suzan]

Since I've recently learned about diatomaceous earth, I think it's a great product to have regarding tick and flea prevention. I have not figured out how I'm going to use it externally but there are a lot of suggestions and aside from not breathing it into your lungs or getting it in your eyes, it's safe and it is non-toxic.

 

Susan

[philamom]

I use Avon (Skin So Soft) Bug Guard Plus with Picaridin. They sell spray, lotion and towlettes. A more natural approach would be the original Skin So Soft, I heard it works as well...not sure how effective though.

 

I'm going to check out the Ultrathon products.

[MMC]

I'll be buying Permethrin soon. This for use on clothing and shoes only, NOT skin. I soak my hunting clothes and boots in this stuff. Since we're more aware of Lyme now, I will be applying it to our familiy's shoes and socks also. I wear rubber gloves when applying it. Once it dries on clothing, it does not contaminate skin and does a great job at repelling ticks. Lasts for 6 washings, then re-apply. You can find it at REI and BassPro...

 

http://www.rei.com/webservices/rei/DisplayStyle/768970?source=gpla&preferredSku=7689700016&cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-7689700016&mr:trackingCode=5E8D4FFE-FB85-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

[philamom]

I'll be buying Permethrin soon. This for use on clothing and shoes only, NOT skin. I soak my hunting clothes and boots in this stuff. Since we're more aware of Lyme now, I will be applying it to our familiy's shoes and socks also. I wear rubber gloves when applying it. Once it dries on clothing, it does not contaminate skin and does a great job at repelling ticks. Lasts for 6 washings, then re-apply. You can find it at REI and BassPro...

 

http://www.rei.com/webservices/rei/DisplayStyle/768970?source=gpla&preferredSku=7689700016&cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-7689700016&mr:trackingCode=5E8D4FFE-FB85-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

You may want to look into Rynoskin tick repellent clothing for hunting (though expensive).

 

For everday clothing, there is Insect Shield repellent apparel by Orvis.

 

Any others??

[GraceUnderPressure]

We bought Cutter's Lemon Eucalyptus (oil of lemon eucalyptus 30%) after a Consumer's Report found it to be virtually as effective as DEET. Unfortunately, I only used it for when the mosquitos were bad - wasn't thinking about ticks because we've never had an obvious problem here. Now that I know more, I am just a little freaked.

 

We live in an area where farmer's fields & subdivisions meet. There is a sizable creek & wetlands not too far from us. We are on a major pathway for migratory birds. We have pretty much everything. Migrating birds can easily import diseased ticks or the diseases for our local ticks to pick up & pass on. There are lots of rodents (mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, possums, raccoons) keeping the red tail hawk & black vulture populations thriving. We also have deer. Our pets have all passed on & we've been too busy to take on new ones, but our backyard borders 3 neighbors who all have dogs - and just to make sure our yard does not remain untouched, one neighbor keeps 4 or 5 cats who are constantly roaming thru our yard all day long (HOA restrictions are 2 & must be kept indoors, but rules are for everybody else & why be considerate?)

 

I really enjoy gardening & so my entire back fence is covered by a butterfly garden & I have lots of shrubs with berries on the sides to attract the birds - I've been beckoning nature to share our yard for years! Last year I had an aching neck for several weeks after the spring yard work - agh! Now I am wondering if I got bit then. I had ds18 helping with weeding the driveway & sidewalks in the backyard as one of his regular chores. Could that be what caused his already bad tics to reach the level of disability that it has? Or did it sneak up on him before then? Who knows what layer of the multiple infection onion it is?

 

Ignorance may not be bliss, but sometimes I miss it.

[MMC]

I am going to make my own damminix type tubes and spread them around the yard and edge of the woods. We are on 2.5 acres, so it would be very expensive to buy the real thing. I will save paper towel rolls, soak some cotton balls in permethrin and place them in the tubes. I even found a website that briefly describes how to do this...

 

http://www.pestexterminator.com/how-to-get-rid-of-ticks/

 

"You can purchase or make your own tick tubes for another do-it-yourself pest control tip. Fill cardboard tubes, like paper towel rolls, with a few cotton balls dipped in permethrin, a synthetic chemical. Any mice in your yard will come to the cotton to build their nests. The ticks that use those mice as a host will ingest the chemical and die, leaving the mice unharmed."