2013
02.27
By: David Bernier
The EPA is still reviewing 44,000 complaints that were filed in the past few years concerning potentially dangerous – and sometimes deadly – “spot-on†flea and tick products for pets. Please use the links provided below to read up on the situation and to protect your beloved pets!

Worried about your dog getting Lyme disease? Does your dog already have Lyme disease? You should read our post on Lyme Prevention and Treatment
Every parent should educate themselves on tick and tick bites. Unknown to many tick bites are very common. Indeed one of the top ten “How to “ searches on Google seeks information on “How to remove a tick?â€.
A tick burrowing in a humna skin
The bite itself is not a big deal , the problem is the toxins , secretions that are transmitted through a ticks saliva when it bites into a human, a dog , cat or any other household pet.
Tick bites can be confused with flea bites or bedbug bites. However it is possible to have a tick burrowing in the body of a human or a pet.
Ticks go through several life cycles such as larva and nymph.
Tick bites are dangerous
Ticks are the leading carriers of diseases to humans in the USA( This is only second to mosquitoes worldwide). Ticks are dangerous as they can lead to various diseases such as Lyme disease (borreliosis) which can be transmitted by black-legged ticks such as deer ticks (hard ticks) , Rocky Mountain spotted fever also known as American dog tick and Rocky Mountain wood tick ,Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) , Tick-borne relapsing fever , Tularemia and Colorado tick fever.
There are some seasonal outbreaks of tick diseases such as from April to September in the USA when the ticks go through the growth stage to adults.
Ticks live in low brush which allows them to attach to animals such as deers and household pet.
Fastest way to get a tick
One study stated that the fastest way to acquire ticks is to lean against a tree or an old log. It takes just 30 seconds for the ticks to get to you or your clothes.
Ticks require blood to survive and they will attach themselves to humans, and pets. If ticks cannot find a host they usually die. Once they find a host they burrow with their barbed mouth parts into the exposed skin .They then deposit some toxins into the host body which numbs it from pain .( This was the case that happened to my neighbor’s 6 year old daughter who had a tick clinging to her but she was unaware of it and was not feeling any pain). This makes some people not notice the bite .They may also not find the tick if it falls off as some are really small. If you find the tick burrowed into your body or that of a pet there are safe ways to extract it. The site of the tick bite will turn reddish. However if it turns into a bulls’ eye , that may be a sign of serious trouble or even lyme disease.
Some tick bits can cause muscle weakness and or paralysis. Some people are allergic to tick bites and will immediately react to it .
Tick Bite symptoms
Other develop symptoms such as Flu-like symptoms, Numbness, Fever symptoms,Pain and swelling in the joints,Rash ,Confusion, Shortness of breath,Nausea and vomiting,Weakness,Palpitations and Paralysis. However most of the bites do not result into serious problems.
So if you have pets in the house, or are an outdoors person who goes camping and hiking it is important to educate yourself on tick bites, how to protect yourself and how to apply treatment.
Please use the links provided in right hand side for more information about specific tick bite related issue.
[DEAL_OF_THE_DAY]
Posted: June 17, 2012 Filed under: Health, Nature
by JB Bardot
(NaturalNews) Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infectious disease in the US. It’s transmitted to humans spending time in woodsy areas and from ticks on dogs. The Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria causes Lyme disease and arthritis, manifesting in a multitude of symptoms ranging from rheumatoid arthritis, to fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, neurological states, Bell’s palsey, meningitis, heart and lung symptoms. Untreated, Lyme becomes deeply entrenched in the body, developing into an auto-immune disease.
No tests can confirm Lyme disease; rather, a diagnosis is made from the constellation of symptoms. Antibiotic therapy is the conventional treatment; often suppressing symptoms, driving them deep into the tissue, to surface years later in a wide range of troubling diseases.
This article is a is a brief overview of several of the many effective alternative medicines known to prevent and treat Lyme disease.
If you have a dog and live in a tick-infested area, treat your yard early in the season with diatomaceous earth. Spray bushes with a mixture of natural pyrethrins, garlic and dish soap. These substances destroy ticks and lessen your chances of being bitten in your own yard.
Take colloidal silver for three to five days before spending time out doors during tick season. Colloidal silver is anti-microbial and kills a wide range of bacteria, acting like a natural antibiotic.
The homeopathic nosode made from B. burgdorferi may prevent the onset of Lyme disease after being bitten, as well as helping to cure it in its later stages.
If you you’ve been bitten by a tick, start taking colloidal silver immediately. Additionally, other natural antibiotics such as Pau d’arco tea, garlic and Echinacea extract may prevent the onset of infection.
The homeopathic remedy Ledum treats puncture wounds from venomous insect bites. It should be taken right away after being bitten together with colloidal silver.
If you’ve developed flu-like symptoms in the early stages of lyme disease, the homeopathic remedy Gelsemium should provide relief. It relieves fever, headache, body aches and pain, stiff neck, muscle pains, weakness, and a sensation of heaviness.
Within weeks to months, Lyme disease may progress into neurological symptoms such as Bell’s palsy, meningitis, paralysis in the limbs and poor motor coordination. Heart and breathing problems might develop. Homeopathic remedies that may relieve neurological symptoms are Causticum, Tellurium and Sepia. Additionally, the herb Cordyseps improves stamina, increases energy, reduces weakness and fatigue, and increases lung function, relieving breathing difficulties.
Various neurological conditions mimicking serious diseases such as MS, ALS, and Parkinson’s may develop in later stages of Lyme disease. The Peruvian herb Samento, or Cat’s claw, has been shown to be highly effective for treating neurological disorders. Samento corrects immune dysfunction, blocks the action of certain neurotoxins, and has an anti-microbial action on the B. burgdorferi spirochetes.
The most common symptoms of Lyme disease are rheumatoid arthritis and other musculoskeletal pain and arthritis disease that linger for years. Homeopathic Rhus toxicodendron is the main remedy, especially in long-standing cases where there is suppression from antibiotics. The arthritis or fibromyalgia pain is usually worse on the left side and on first movement. Painful areas get better with continued motion of the affected part. There is stiffness and soreness which is better with warm applications.
Other homeopathic remedies that may offer relief for lyme arthritis are Kalmia latifolia, Pulsatilla, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Ruta graveolens and Phosphorus.
Don’t self-treat with Lyme disease and arthritis. Consult a natural healthcare practitioner or an integrative treatment center for care.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.healthsalon.org/505/cure-chronic-lyme/
http://www.homeopathicmd.com/2011/04/homeopathy-and-lyme-disease/
http://www.homeopathyamerica.com/files/LymechatNationalCenter.pdf
http://www.homeopathytoday.org
http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-papers/treating-lyme-disease-naturally/
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/lyme-disease-000102.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/ld_humandisease_symptoms.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/databases/alerts/lyme.html
http://www.lymeinfo.net/alt.html
About the author:
JB Bardot is trained in herbal medicine and homeopathy, and has a post graduate degree in holistic nutrition. Bardot cares for both people and animals, using alternative approaches to health care and lifestyle. She writes about wellness, green living, alternative medicine, holistic nutrition, homeopathy, herbs and naturopathic medicine. READ HER OTHER ARTICLES ON NATURAL NEWS HERE: http://www.naturalnews.com/Author1686.html You can find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001364941208&ref=tn_tnmn or on Twitter at jbbardot23 https://twitter.com/#!/jbbardot23
Dogs love nothing best than being able to get out and about in long grass and woodlands. This is great for their condition both physically and mentally. However, lurking in this dog paradise are some rather nasty bugs that are just waiting for an obliging dog for them to hop onto and start feeding. Ticks will fix themselves to your pets skin and draw blood and possibly leave behind a nasty infection. It is prominent to be able to recognise dog tick bite symptoms as Lyme disease, which can be contracted as a ensue of a bite, can be fatal. Other problems such as anemia and tick numbness are also possibilities if not treated.
Your dog will be more vulnerable to picking up a tick during the high risk season between May and September. Do not, however, assume that it is not inherent to become host to one surface of these months. They are not always easy to spot, especially if your dog has long, dark fur. When they first attach to the skin they will be fairly small and inconspicuous. They also have a habit of seeing their way into ears and paws and other hard to way places. Often your dog will remove them himself if he can reach, but armpits and the back of the neck etc are not easy places for him to get to. If you have been out in an area that you think may be susceptible to ticks you must make sure that you check your dog thoroughly and keep a true eye open for any dog tick bite symptoms.
There are a variety of species of tick and a estimate of different diseases that may be contracted as a ensue of a bite. These may present different dog tick bite symptoms. However, some general guidelines as to what you should look out for include:
o Fever
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Tick Disease
Tick season starts in the Mediterranean area in March and lasts until November. We can mainly find two tick species in this region: Ixodes Ticinus (black tick) and Rhipicephalus Sanguinens (brown tick). The latter is the responsible one for tick disease. The mild, long-lasting summer in our region is ideal breeding ground for large numbers of ticks, and especially when the summertime has a certain humidity there can appear a plague of ticks.
They hide in the well watered gardens, and in the bushes and shrubbery of the fields, especially in areas frequented by passing sheep and goats. This is where dogs collect ticks. The female tick of the Rhipicephalus can be a “carrier†of tick disease; she can carry in her saliva some bacteria of the species “Richeltsiaâ€, known as Ehrlichia canis. Whilst sucking blood from the dog, the tick can infect the dog with Ehrlichia. After a variable incubation period, Ehrlichia reach certain white blood cells (monocytes) which flow in the blood stream and can infect the whole body.
Symptoms
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â High fever and complete weakness after tick infestation
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Eye and nose discharge
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Loss of appetite and loss of weight
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Serious anemia and sudden hemorrhages (bleeding from the nose, the mouth, the intestine and/or subcutaneous bleeding)
Diagnosis
A general check in conjunction with a blood test is the best way to determine Ehrlichia.
Treatment
In early stages sometimes we just need the application of a special antibiotic for 10 to 14 days. In some dogs, who have a weak defense system, symptoms can appear so violently that the animal needs intensive care with blood transfusions. If the disease is not detected in time, the dog could die.
Can humans get tick disease?
Ticks can infect humans with several diseases, but the special tick fever in dogs caused by Ehrlichia canis, is not normally dangerous for us. There exist medical reports of infection in humans but this is a rarity. However, care should be taken, because ticks can infect humans with “Mediterranean Feverâ€, “Tick Paralysis†(caused by tick poison) and Borrelliosis (special bacterias and very dangerous!)
Prevention
Examine your dog for ticks after every walk. If you find any ticks, remove them immediately. The longer the tick sucks blood the more likely is a following infection with tick disease. Ask your vet how to remove it correctly.
In regions where there is a big tick problem, the dog should be protected with special repellent, anti-tick collars or liquids – ask your veterinarian for advice.
If you find a tick fixed in your skin, remove it immediately with alcohol (from the farmacy, NOT gin! 
Dra. Inka Fca. Labsch
March 7, 2010 at 7:48 pm 36 comments
With daytime temperatures rising into the 40′s, spring has been on my mind. There’s still more than a foot of snow on the ground but the creek is filled with meltwater and the birds’ spring migration is just beginning. Life was great — until this article from The Culpeper, Virginia Star-Exponent ruined my day…
Robins and many other songbirds are often the heralds of springtime and warmer weather just around the corner. Unfortunately, a new report is stating these welcome spring visitors are quite possibly spreading a serious disease of humans and pets … Lyme Disease.
Ticks are the primary vector for spreading Lyme Disease to people, dogs, and horses. Most ticks acquire the disease-causing bacteria by feeding on infected rodents. Deer also play an important role as expanding populations import large numbers of ticks into new areas of the country.
But now, researchers at Yale have found that robins, blue jays and other common birds are also reservoirs of this illness. Furthermore, the nymph and larval stages of the tick life cycle can be carried by the birds across distances and into the yards where pets and people often roam. What this means is that the heralded robin of spring could be leaving their parasite passengers and Lyme Disease in your backyard.
I hate ticks. I really hate ticks. If I could wave a magic wand and make every last one of the evil eight-legged bastards disappear – I’d say damn the environmental torpedoes, full speed ahead!
Sadly, I don’t have a magic wand. And – if robins and jays are dropping evil arachnid invaders into our midst, they could already be active during the day. Deer ticks typically become active at temperatures above 45° F.
This means it’s time to get off my duff and figure out what kind of preventative to use on the dogs this year. Here are the options:
Revolution/Stronghold (Pfizer)
These are monthly spot treatments typically applied between the shoulder blades. They enter your dog’s bloodstream through his skin and then are selectively distributed from the blood to the skin where they provide protection against a wide range of pests. The active ingredient in these products is selamectin. Revolution and Stronghold are listed as being active against fleas, American dog ticks, ear mites, sarcoptic mange and heartworm in United States and fleas, ear mites, sarcoptic Mange, heartworm and roundworm in Europe. Selamectin kills parasites by blocking nerve signal transmission. These products are absorbed through the skin and travel to the bloodstream and gastrointestinal tract where some of the pesticide action occurs. The products eventually migrate out to the hair and skin where they provide some external protection against fleas, mites and ticks. There have been scattered reports of adverse reactions to these products.
Frontline Top Spot (Merial)
Another monthly topical spot treatment with the active ingredient Fipronil. It is listed as being effective against fleas for 90 days and ticks for 30 days. Frontline used to be the treatment of choice here for ticks, but studies suggest that fleas and ticks are quickly becoming resistant to it. Frontline only protects against fleas, ticks and biting lice. The fipronil is mixed with an oil carrier that allows it to collect in the sebaceous glands of the skin where it is released over time. This product offers some water resistance and it acts by blocking chlorine in the insect’s nervous system which causes paralysis and death. It doesn’t contain permethrins that are toxic to cats. There have been some reports of adverse reactions in dogs.
Frontline Plus (Merial)
Frontline Plus contains fipronil and methoprene, an insect growth regulator. Methoprene mimics juvenile growth hormones and keeps immature fleas from developing by preventing them from molting. The main advantage of this product over regular Frontline is that it provides extra protection against fleas.
K-9 Advantix (Bayer)
Advantix is a topical treatment marketed as preventing heartworm by repelling and killing mosquitoes before they bite your dog. Like Frontline, it collects in the sebaceous glands of the skin and is released over time. Active ingredients are the pyrethroids imidacloprid and permethrin. Imidacloprid acts by blocking insects’ nerve receptors. Imidacloprid kills fleas but doesn’t affect ticks so permethrin is added to provide protection against them. Pyrethroids may offer some environmental advantage because they are highly biodegradable, but permethrin is extremely toxic to cats, so you may not want to use this product if your household includes cats (or ferrets). There have been some reports of adverse effects related to Advantix.
Advantage Multi/Advocate (Bayer)
AÂ monthly topical treatment that protects against fleas, ear mites, sarcoptic mange, heartworm, roundworm, and hookworm. Advantage and Advocate provide NO TICK PROTECTION. The active ingredient in both products is imidacloprid. A poodle in Canada was reportedly glued to the bottom of his crate after application of Advantage. Benzyl alcohol, one of the inactive ingredients in the product, is a common organic solvent. Benzyl alcohol can be used to extract and dissolve many kinds of plastics. It is used as a preservative, solvent, anesthetic, and viscosity-decreasing agent in many products for human use. It is probably an ingredient in other topical antiparasitics as well. Be sure these products are fully dried and/or absorbed before putting your pet in a crate, car seat or other potentially adhesive environment.
Bio-Spot On (Farnam)
This monthly topical treatment contains imidacloprid and permethrin like Advantix and adds insect growth regulators and insect growth inhibitors. Insect growth regulators include methoprene, pyriproxyfen and fenoxycarb. Insect growth inhibitors include lufenuron and diflubenzuron. Bio-Spot On is listed as being active against fleas, ticks and mosquitoes and, like K-9 Advantix, should provide some repellent action. There are scattered reports of adverse reactions to this product. Like Frontline and Advantix it collects in the sebaceous glands where it is released over time.
Preventic and ProMeris (Fort Dodge)
Preventic is a collar, ProMeris is a monthly topical treatment. Both products contain amitraz. ProMeris also contains metaflumizone which targets synaptic sodium channels and blocks nerve impulses resulting in the paralysis and death of fleas. Amitraz kills ticks by disrupting nerve function leading to reduced feeding and attachment, paralysis and death. ProMeris is listed as controlling fleas, ticks and mange. Preventic is a tick collar. There have been several reports of adverse affects related to ProMeris. Both products have a very strong, eucalyptus odor that many people (and pets) find offensive.
Program and Sentinel (Novartis)
Program and Sentinel are monthly oral treatments containing the insect development inhibitor lufenuron. Lufenuron is stored in the animal’s body fat and transferred to adult fleas through their bite. It acts by inhibiting chitin production in larval fleas and is NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST TICKS OR ADULT FLEAS. Sentinel also contains milbemycin oxime, a microfilariacide which disrupts nerve transmission in parasites leading to their death. Milbemycin oxime is active against immature heartworm larvae and adult hookworms, roundworms and whipworms. It is not listed for use against ticks.
Capstar (Novartis)
Capstar is an oral treatment containing nitenpyram. Nitenpyram blocks fleas’ nerve receptors. It enters your pet’s blood stream in about twenty minutes and when the fleas bite they’re killed very quickly. Capstar can reportedly be used as frequently as on a daily basis. It is listed for use on pregnant or nursing dogs and cats, and puppies and kittens 4 weeks and older. Capstar can wipe out an ugly infestation but it provides no long-term pest control because it passes through your pet’s system in just 24 hours. Capstar also provides NO TICK PROTECTION.
Comfortis (Elanco)
Comfortis is a monthly oral flea treatment. The active ingredient is spinosad, a tetracyclic macrolide that activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the fleas’ nervous systems and makes it seize until it dies. FDA has warned that it has received adverse reaction reports on spinosad that are consistent with ivermectin toxicity, so use caution in treating dogs with known or potential ivermectin sensitivity. Because Comfortis acts by triggering lethal seizures in the flea, I would not use this product on an epileptic dog. Comfortis is NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST TICKS.
Vectra 3D (Summit)
Vectra 3D is a quick-acting monthly topical treatment that repels and kills fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, lice, sand flies and mites. The active ingredients in Vectra 3D are dinotefuran, pyriproxyfen and permethrin. Dinotefuran is based on acetycholine, other flea control products are based on nicotine.The manufacturer states that the differing lead compound makes it less problematic with respect to . Dinotefuran also binds to different nerve synapse receptor sites than other products and it kills pests by contact, not ingestion. Unlike other products, it is reportedly spread through a dog’s hair. Because it contains permethrin, it is highly toxic to cats.
TriForce (Agri Laboratories Ltd.)
TriForce is a fast-acting monthly topical flea and tick treatment for dogs. The manufacturer states that it also repels ticks and mosquitoes. The active ingredients are etofenprox and pyriproxyfen. Etofenprox is a pyrethroid, so it cannot be used on cats. Pyriproxyfen prevents larvae from developing into adulthood and reproducing.
We don’t have a significant problem with fleas, ticks are our primary concern. So Program, Sentinel, Capstar, Advantage, Comfortis and Advocate are easy to eliminate. Like many other people, I’ve noticed that Frontline doesn’t seem to be as effective as it used to be, so I’ll nix Frontline and Frontline Plus as well. I’m not comfortable with the number of reports of adverse effects I’ve seen with ProMeris so it’s off the list too.
That leaves me with Advantix, Bio-Spot On, Revolution and Preventic. Since we don’t have cats, I’m more comfortable with pyrethroids than growth inhibitors and regulators (on a purely subjective level, neurotoxins don’t seem as nasty to me as compounds that interfere with the growth and development of organisms). So the current plan is to use Preventic collars (we’ll try them on top of bandannas) when we’re out hiking in the brush and have some Advantix on hand for any infestations the collars don’t prevent. The dogs are already on Heartguard, so they don’t need the extra protection (and chemicals) in Revolution. If we have significant tick problems this year, I may try Revolution next summer.
Pyrethroids are toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms at part per trillion concentrations, so I’ll make sure I apply Advantix on a day when the dogs aren’t going to be in or near the water. Because it’s safe to assume that benzyl alcohol or other organic solvents are probably a part of all topical formulas, I’ll make sure they’re completely absorbed before I put the beasties in crates or let them wrestle on the rubber mats in the training room. And because there is some risk of adverse reactions to all drugs and treatments, I’ll treat the dogs when I’ll be home with them for a least a few hours after applying the product.
The usual caveats apply: I’m not a veterinarian, your experience may be different than mine and your pets may have sensitivities and problems not mentioned here. This information is incomplete and simply represents the process I went through to decide what products to use for my own dogs. In other words – your mileage may vary.
Ideas? Opinions? Anecdotes? – Put them in the comments!
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