Flea and Tick Problems Already?

[lvetgas]

I hunted all turkey season and did not have a single tick bite or chigger bite. I go hiking this weekend and get both a bite and several chigger bites.  I read that we had such a mild winter that the fleas and ticks on our dogs were going to be awful.

Anyone already having to deal with fleas and ticks on their dogs. I know I am keeping a close eye on my quail dogs.

Thomas

[redarrow]

I pulled a tick off myself 2 weeks ago after working in the garden. I had never seen a tick or chigger in Michigan til maybe 5 years ago.

[captin_hook]

I've been fortunate so far. I've never had a tick in me ( that I know of). I've had em on me while skinning deer. I take a lot of precautions while turkey hunting though. I tuck my pants, shirt, and apply spray about every hour. My friends dad who owns a farm near me ended up gettin full blown lymes about 11 years ago. He let it go and never went for medical attention. It ended up ruining his life. Can't drive or do much of anything now. Once I seen what it did to him, it made me take extra precautions on me , my family, and my dog. I hate putting that chemical on my dog, but its better than ticks and fleas imo.

[DeWayne Knight]

I've found several ticks, probably between 15 and 20 on me or the dog since the start of turkey season.  I keep him on flea and tick medicine, as well as heartworm preventative all year long.  It's cheap insurance.

[blackmagic]

I've been battling a flea issue in my yard for a couple of weeks now.  It's ridiculous.  In the past with moderate problems, under the advice of my father in law (pest control guy) I put Dawn soap in one of those sprayers that hooks up to your hose and spray the effected areas.  After a couple of treatments it normally takes care of the problem and isn't harmful to your family, pets, yard, plants, etc. 
I think I've finally gotten my problem under control.  It seems that I've had a bunch of possums living under the house and yard area (they have ceased to exist).  And after several Dawn treatments, they're all gone.

[lightsoutcalls]

I've been battling a flea issue in my yard for a couple of weeks now.  It's ridiculous.  In the past with moderate problems, under the advice of my father in law (pest control guy) I put Dawn soap in one of those sprayers that hooks up to your hose and spray the effected areas.  After a couple of treatments it normally takes care of the problem and isn't harmful to your family, pets, yard, plants, etc. 
I think I've finally gotten my problem under control.  It seems that I've had a bunch of possums living under the house and yard area (they have ceased to exist).  And after several Dawn treatments, they're all gone.

That's interesting.  Our vet told us to use the clear dawn soap to bathe our dogs to get rid of fleas.  Never thought of using it on the yard...

[blackmagic]

I've been battling a flea issue in my yard for a couple of weeks now.  It's ridiculous.  In the past with moderate problems, under the advice of my father in law (pest control guy) I put Dawn soap in one of those sprayers that hooks up to your hose and spray the effected areas.  After a couple of treatments it normally takes care of the problem and isn't harmful to your family, pets, yard, plants, etc. 
I think I've finally gotten my problem under control.  It seems that I've had a bunch of possums living under the house and yard area (they have ceased to exist).  And after several Dawn treatments, they're all gone.

That's interesting.  Our vet told us to use the clear dawn soap to bathe our dogs to get rid of fleas.  Never thought of using it on the yard...

Here's another trick with Dawn.  If you're trying to see if you've got fleas living in a particular room or want to get rid of them.  Make a "trap".  Use a bowl with Dawn and froth it up with water.  Put it under a night light in the corner of the room or with a flashlight shining onto it.  You'll catch every flea in that room in a couple of nights.

[redarrow]

I've been battling a flea issue in my yard for a couple of weeks now.  It's ridiculous.  In the past with moderate problems, under the advice of my father in law (pest control guy) I put Dawn soap in one of those sprayers that hooks up to your hose and spray the effected areas.  After a couple of treatments it normally takes care of the problem and isn't harmful to your family, pets, yard, plants, etc. 
I think I've finally gotten my problem under control.  It seems that I've had a bunch of possums living under the house and yard area (they have ceased to exist).  And after several Dawn treatments, they're all gone.

That's interesting.  Our vet told us to use the clear dawn soap to bathe our dogs to get rid of fleas.  Never thought of using it on the yard...

Here's another trick with Dawn.  If you're trying to see if you've got fleas living in a particular room or want to get rid of them.  Make a "trap".  Use a bowl with Dawn and froth it up with water.  Put it under a night light in the corner of the room or with a flashlight shining onto it.  You'll catch every flea in that room in a couple of nights.

thats some great info ,Thanks. You can also spray your garden plants with ivory soap and water.

[Turkey Trot]

One of my hunting partners got numerous ticks on him early in the season while it was still cool in the mornings.

He has a kennel with English Pointers and a GSP or two.  He has had flea problems back there and put the Dawn to them.  One of his neighbors is a beagle guy and has had flea problems too.

[blackmagic]

Cypermetherin is, like most insecticides, a mild neurotoxin.  I believe it's the active ingredient in most household insect killers like Raid, etc.  According to what I've read, (don't get me wrong, I wikipedia'd it  ) it degrades pretty rapidly outside with sun, dirt, etc exposure. 
I don't believe it does anything to the pupa (coccoon) stage of the flea's life cycle.  So, while an insecticide like cypermetherin is effective at killing the adult and I guess the larval stages, I still think that Dawn is doing the trick.  Like all insects, these little pains in the azz breathe through spiracles and through that process, be it insecticide or dish soap, they die. 
I've just tried to keep the spraying of "possibly" harming my family with unneeded chemicals.  I know they're probably safe, but I'm trying.  BUT, I will use what is needed if the "safer" method isn't working.   
Has anybody read all the warnings on the bottles of pemetherin we use to treat our hunting clothes to battle ticks? (I still use it cause it works though)

[lvetgas]

Permethrin is good, but don't let it get on your skin. I seriously think it affects your memory just from all the vegetables we eat.

Anything that will kill a cat just scares me. I mean if you kill something with 9 lives you got to be pretty bad stuff.

That said, I use Permethrin but only on my snake boots and then I let it dry before I put my boots on my feet. I hate ticks. Chiggers are my next enemy but I despise a flea. I think Hell won't be that hot, it will just have fleas and chiggers.

[redarrow]

Since we are getting technical here ,which is cool with me,I need to point out that soap is not organic. Organic is not always safe. rotenone is often used to control potato beetles. Its considered organic because it comes from the Kube tree roots which grows in Malaysia. It will kill you dead like most other mis- used chemicals. Nicotina is organic,made from tobacco.It too if mis- used can be deadly.I had a lady call the horticultural hot line at the co-op one time and wanted to control ants around her house. She insisted on something organic.When I told her I could only recommend MSU's list of of controls she said maybe she would just use ' GASOLINE" in a sprayer.  HELLLOOOOOOOO. Whatever control you use folks,please use according to directions. Read the directions 3 times before proceeding.

[tomstopper]

My wife is a ER nurse and has told me that at least twice a week they get "tick patients". Check yourselves good.