More bad news about ticks

[Cool Beans]

one thing to be aware of with permethrin, It is not known to rapidly harm most mammals or birds, but is dangerously toxic to fish and to cats: in cats it may induce hyperexcitability, tremors, seizures, and even death.

This is why I don't use it, I can risk accidentally bringing it into the house and harming my daughters cat. Especially since permethrin claims to last through several washings.

Vet Info

[puppet]

Originally Posted by Cool Beans

This is why I don't use it, I can risk accidentally bringing it into the house and harming my daughters cat. Especially since permethrin claims to last through several washings.

what do you use?

[Cool Beans]

Originally Posted by puppet

what do you use?

I generally use one of the deet type sprays in a hand pump squirt bottle especially on openings in the clothing (ie cuffs, pant legs and collar). I am in the woods often hunting, trout fishing or hiking. I also think the vitamin b6 and b12 help in repelling them as well as mosquitoes. I often drink an energy drink or 2 (high in b6 and b12) prior to going camping and even without deet I am generally left alone by mosquitoes.

The one time I went out in the woods last year without deet I did get bit by a tick, but I was lucky and it didn't infect me with Lyme.

After reading this on Deet I will be much more careful using it. As long as the cat isn't sprayed with Deet this shouldn't be an issue, but I wonder what the long term effects of either of these repellents have on us as well.

Clinical Signs of DEET Toxcity in This Cat
Within a day of application, the cat developed severe drooling, lethargy, and was leaking urine and not moving. The cat was mildly febrile, with a temperature of 103 (normal 99.5-102.5).
Initial blood work done by the veterinarian revealed an elevated blood glucose and mildly elevated kidney test, due to mild dehydration.
DEET application
in cats can result in drooling (e.g., hypersalivation), severe lethargy, and rarely central nervous system (CNS) signs like walking drunk, tremors, or even seizures.

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by Cool Beans

one thing to be aware of with permethrin, It is not known to rapidly harm most mammals or birds, but is dangerously toxic to fish and to cats: in cats it may induce hyperexcitability, tremors, seizures, and even death.

This is why I don't use it, I can risk accidentally bringing it into the house and harming my daughters cat. Especially since permethrin claims to last through several washings.

Vet Info

This is not meant to sound insensitive to the cat but in the big picture of things if it protects you from potentially dying from tick born illness I am sure your daughter would be less upset over loosing her cat than you!

This tick BS is really starting to get scary. My sis and hubby went scouting in the woods last fall with their son and pointer. Came back with over 200 ticks among them.....if this happened to me I would probably be in an insane asylum over it!

[JohnR]

Ticks suck.

Has anmyone used those services were you have a yard sprayed? Success?

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Ticks suck.

Has anmyone used those services were you have a yard sprayed? Success?

I had my property sprayed a couple of times, seemed to be effective. I used an outfit called "the tick doctor."