[Dailydrool] Evolution and ticks

[Val Brewer]

We are finally getting on top of the tick situation plaguing Bo and Harley here in Kona, HI. We have been doing Advantix every three weeks, have on Preventic collars, and have been spraying the boys' feet with Hartz tick spray before walks, and still, each day I have been picking off between a dozen and two dozen ticks per dog. I have plucked three off of my own body--ick.  Luckily, ticks here do not carry Lyme's or other deadly diseases or all of our gooses would have been cooked well done.

The Humane Society here informed me that the ticks in various different areas around Kona have evolved with "resistances" to various bug-killers, and to switch to Frontline Plus (if I was using Advantix) or vice versa. They are actually mapping what works in which neighborhoods. Two days into the switch, the tick count is way down (one per dog today) and the ones found were dessiccated.

Thanks to everyone who wrote to send Drool after Harley's having been attacked by the rott-pit at the dogpark. He seems to be healing fine and has not shown any signs of post-traumatic stress (or increased common sense, for that matter) since the episode. 


      
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