QuestionDave: Thank you for taking the time to address my concerned inquiry. We appreciate it. We do understand that you do not have a medical background. Our vet has not treated our male Sheltie for any tick-borne disease other than giving him the recent Lyme test; we will inquiry as to what this test covered.
Being a somewhat novice pet owner, may I ask why ticks would be such a concern if my husband and I are very faithful with giving him his Frontline Top Spot on a monthly basis (to the day, in fact) [and his Interceptor for heartworm prevention]. He was also vaccinated for Lyme Disease. Our shelties are also brushed / groomed on a very frequent basis during the week, and bathed when necessary, so wouldn't we have spotted anything atypical, which we check for?
Yes, we are considering getting a second opinion.
Again, thank you for your assistance and opinions! Happy Holidays!
AnswerLora,
I was surprised to learn that anti-tick medications do not work unless the tick actually bites. It repels fleas, but does not harm a tick until it has made contact.
We learned this lesson the hard way.
The idea with getting the medication is that it is a relatively inexpensive way to see if that is the problem. If you see no benefits after a week, then consult your vet about keeping him on the medication.
Merry Christmas to you too.
Dave
