# Beware Tick Fever - Spain



## jenniedream (Jul 19, 2009)

We recently left UK for Algarve with beloved hound. We stayed in France x2 and Spain x 2. We bought tick collar in France (she already had front line treatment) on second night. About five days after our arrival, Dilly was sick - hubby thought she had eaten something cos she can scavenge if not watched. I returned to UK and then hubby reported on phone she was no better. I told him to get her to vet - this he did and she was treated for upset tummy etc change of water/heat etc (we had taken food to make change slow) By end of second week she was clearly not responding so again from UK I said get blood test - this they did and she had tick fever.
Prognosis bad cos it has three stages, the first stage (sickness) had passed and we were in second (listless/coat dry/eyes dull/vomiting though not eating and generally dehydrating) third stage is animal simply deterirates and nothing can be done. 
Anyway she responded to treatment, wonderful vet, she had spinal injections and I mean masses of medication.
Now clear.
But the error we made was not to have put the collar on BEFORE we left UK. Vet said UK vets do not make this clear and assume frontline treatment will suffice IT WILL NOT. We then found out that the second region in Spain where we stayed was having an outbreak and at that time Dilly had had the collar on for four days only.
I would not like any animal to suffer that, how the local dogs survive I do not know.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Another point to note:

FRONTLINE is currently considered NOT very effective (and DEFRA continue to expect us to use it!)

Our vets use other things. However we use Advantix (easily bought in France at vets without prescription) this covers more than Frontline does and more importantly works to PREVENT TICK ADHERING in first place. 

With Frontline it does NOT prevent ticks adhering!! So the pet still gets ticks but supposed to kill them.

If we are going to the south then we do also buy a collar but for leishmaniasis.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

jenniedream said:


> But the error we made was not to have put the collar on BEFORE we left UK. Vet said UK vets do not make this clear and assume frontline treatment will suffice IT WILL NOT.


Sorry to here about your dog. You were fortunate the outcome was good.
The above is a bit of a sweeping statement but it is well to make it clear. My vet recommended Avantix which was administered by ourselves a couple of weeks before we left and monthly thereafter. some vets do make it clear. My dog had the same freedoms as he does at home, ie he was allowed off the lead on walks but I checked him regularly and never found as much as a flea on him let alone a tick. I did keep him away from the feral dogs though.

He remained fit and healthy for the whole trip and continues to be so.

peedee


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Might be useful for some folk . . .

 >> These <<  are by far the best tick removers we have ever used.

Cheap but extremely easy and effective in use, and they seem always to remove the entire tick. On the larger ones we always check and can clearly see the head and legs - before they go under my boot!! 8O 8O

Dave


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## kennyo (Mar 22, 2006)

Sorry to hear about the dog but at least he will be okay now. I find it strange that you say fronline does not work as we have had it of vets in france, Spain, Portugal Belguim and Britian and its worked for us okay as ive seen the ticks on him but they just fall off without biting also these days we always put a scalibar collar on him as this keeps the mosquito from biting him which avantix are frontine does not do


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## jemshome (Nov 10, 2007)

I would strongly advise anyone travelling to Europe with dogs to use Scalibor Collars. In our experience they are by far the most effective method of avoiding problems with ticks.

We live in the middle of a commercial forest in NW Scotland where ticks are very common. Until last year we had only used Frontline administered to our two Setters on a monthly basis. With this level of protection we had found that ticks did attach and penetrate the skin, but once they had attached they quickly died.

Prior to taking the dogs to France last year, our vet strongly advised that we should have Scalibor collars fitted at least a week before we travelled. They stressed that these would prevent ticks attaching & also prevent ~95% of sand fly bites that can result in canine leishmaniasis. The vets indicated that even where we live there was growing evidence that some ticks were developing resistance to Frontline and they no longer recommended it. They now recommend Advantix

The collars were fitted in late August and we were told that they remained effective for 6 months. When we returned home we left the collars on and found they were still effective into late Spring of this year, i.e into May.

Additionally, prior to departure we were also recommended to start administering Milbemax (for heartworm)- week before we left and then monthly ending a month after our return. We carried Frontline & Drontal Plus with us & which we administered at the vets prior to our return.

Note - Scalibor Collars & Advantix are both poisonous to cats.

jem


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