Tick Problems near the city? (Newton: hospital, house, price)

[puffle]

Living in Newton is there a problem with ticks like there is in the more rural areas other than the summer? Just trying to get my dogs taken care of before the move and ordering medication, if needed. Just curious..for those of you that do have dogs, do you believe they need all the yearly shots we are told to give them besides rabies?

[findingmesomeday]

Ticks are a problem everywhere. Lyme is rampant. Take appropriate precautions with your dogs and make sure everyone in the household checks themselves daily--even in Newton. Know how to spot a deer tick (dogs get Lyme too) as well as dog/wood ticks. I think the first hard freeze pretty much does away with them until spring.

I don't have dogs anymore but whatever yearly shots the vet says they need, I'd recommend going with. Unvaccinated dogs/cats are part of the problem, not the solution.

[miu]

I have three dogs and my lab got two ticks two years ago and that's been it. They weren't the teeny deer ticks though. And last year, I found two ticks crawling on me after I was mucking around in the brush and under trees gardening. Then about a month ago, my pets got fleas from the new puppy that my tenant got from the south on Petfinder. I normally don't bother giving my dogs Frontline, just heartwood medication all year round.

Does your new place have a yard that the dogs will be running free in? If you keep your dogs on leash or out of the woods, there is very little chance of your dogs getting ticks imo.

[GreenMachine]

Originally Posted by puffle

Living in Newton is there a problem with ticks like there is in the more rural areas other than the summer? Just trying to get my dogs taken care of before the move and ordering medication, if needed. Just curious..for those of you that do have dogs, do you believe they need all the yearly shots we are told to give them besides rabies?

Puffle. I would not worry about it too much right now. You have four little dogs and somehow I don't see you taking them for hikes in the woods. Also, it's getting too cold for ticks now. In addition, even if they did get Lyme, it's not the end of the world and very easy to treat with antibiotics. Some people feel it's better to treat the dog when he gets it as opposed to using all those toxic chemicals and getting the Lyme shots. (I don't like putting Frontline on animals, especially little doggies.)

Seriously, don't get freaked out about it. You will have all winter to research Lyme disease once you get there. I would consider putting this concern on the back burner for now if you have more important things to focus on.

By the way, my dog got Lyme disease and she's fine...

Greenie

[Valerie C]

Puffle
Ticks are found all over New England, and the deer ticks aren't just found in the woods where the deer roam. They also are transported by mice (which is where the disease comes from in the first place) by birds, and any other animal that they can get their blood meal (disgusting!). Not sure what kind of dogs you have, but if you can't do regular tick checks, then consider using a Preventic collar or Frontline Plus to keep the ticks away. It's not just the dogs--they can catch a ride in from the dog, then crawl on you. Lyme may be an 'easy fix' for a dog, but I speak from personal experience when I say for humans, it can be a life-altering issue that could have repercussions for years. One of my kids has been off and on antibiotics for years, and the joint pain that comes and goes is the least of it... Prevention really IS worth 10 pounds of cure.

On the vaccinations, I can tell you as a former vet tech that vaccines are the bread and butter of a vet hospital. Markup is tremendous, and of course you also have the "add ons" that someone (the vet, the tech or the receptionist) will surely recommend to you. It's called upselling. Some vaccines are necessary, especially for puppies, but if you tend to be holistic, you may want to consider having titers run on your dogs instead of needlessly vaccinating them. I have a dog with an auto-immune problem, and he has bad reactions to vaccinations. Especially since most vets use combo shots (DHL-PP, with or without the C, plus Kennel Cough, Lyme, etc. That's alot of vaccine for a system to handle, IMO! Fortunately his titers show that after 5 years of annual vaccinations, he is still protected from the common diseases! He's now 9 years old. (Disclaimer: this has been my experience, your mileage may vary) Also, unless your dogs are frequently around other dogs such as dog parks, doggy day care, boarding, etc, IMO, the kennel cough vaccine is unnecessary. However this is something to of course go over with your vet. Some of them are more than willing to talk things over with you, others are "Gods in white coats" who will follow their policy and that's that...

Also, because Massachusetts is very strict with the timings of the rabies vaccine, your dogs may need boosters before you think they will. I can go over this in detail with you if you need.

[puffle]

Originally Posted by Valerie C

Puffle
Ticks are found all over New England, and the deer ticks aren't just found in the woods where the deer roam. They also are transported by mice (which is where the disease comes from in the first place) by birds, and any other animal that they can get their blood meal (disgusting!). Not sure what kind of dogs you have, but if you can't do regular tick checks, then consider using a Preventic collar or Frontline Plus to keep the ticks away. It's not just the dogs--they can catch a ride in from the dog, then crawl on you. Lyme may be an 'easy fix' for a dog, but I speak from personal experience when I say for humans, it can be a life-altering issue that could have repercussions for years. One of my kids has been off and on antibiotics for years, and the joint pain that comes and goes is the least of it... Prevention really IS worth 10 pounds of cure.

On the vaccinations, I can tell you as a former vet tech that vaccines are the bread and butter of a vet hospital. Markup is tremendous, and of course you also have the "add ons" that someone (the vet, the tech or the receptionist) will surely recommend to you. It's called upselling. Some vaccines are necessary, especially for puppies, but if you tend to be holistic, you may want to consider having titers run on your dogs instead of needlessly vaccinating them. I have a dog with an auto-immune problem, and he has bad reactions to vaccinations. Especially since most vets use combo shots (DHL-PP, with or without the C, plus Kennel Cough, Lyme, etc. That's alot of vaccine for a system to handle, IMO! Fortunately his titers show that after 5 years of annual vaccinations, he is still protected from the common diseases! He's now 9 years old. (Disclaimer: this has been my experience, your mileage may vary) Also, unless your dogs are frequently around other dogs such as dog parks, doggy day care, boarding, etc, IMO, the kennel cough vaccine is unnecessary. However this is something to of course go over with your vet. Some of them are more than willing to talk things over with you, others are "Gods in white coats" who will follow their policy and that's that...

Also, because Massachusetts is very strict with the timings of the rabies vaccine, your dogs may need boosters before you think they will. I can go over this in detail with you if you need.

Very interesting. What is a titer test? I have an almost 9 year old,an almost 3 and 2 year old and 1 1/2. Can anyone recommend a compassionate and knowledgable vet in the Newton/Chesnut Hill area and where they have low cost shot clinics? While I'm at it, a fairly priced dog groomer?? Thanks.