Best non prescribed tick stuff?

[Burnerbee]

Hello,

Our vets have decided our dogs need a check up (£27.50 per dog) before they’ll even prescribe anti tick medication. I’m not a big fan of the stuff they prescribe anyway (not the back of neck stuff which is very bad for the environment too) and not the chewable either - you’re asking your dog to eat pesticide…

Do any of you use herbal options? And do they actually work?

I was excited about the ultrasonic option, until I read they’re scientifically completely unproven =(

Thanks in advance.

 

[AmyMay]

Your vets didn’t ‘decide’. It’s what all vets now have to do….

 

[Landcruiser]

All vets have to do check ups now for all prescription meds, and can only authorise flea and tick meds for 12 months without another vet check. Given that these need an appointment, they are charged.

 

[skinnydipper]

Our vets have decided our dogs need a check up (£27.50 per dog)

That's cheap.

£49 for an appointment at my local vet.

 

[Prancerpoos]

I just search my dog and wash down her legs after walks and pull them off if I feel any. I don’t believe in making my dog toxic on a near continuous basis just in case she comes across a tick with Lymes, but that’s just my own assessment of risk v environmental and health costs.

 

[wren123]

Seresto collars are good and available without prescription.

 

[planete]

I also use Seresto collars. My reasoning is that I could whip them off if the dog had a bad reaction whereas everything else would be in or on the dog and there would be no way to way to get the dog rid of whatever it was.

 

[Clodagh]

Seresto collars are terrible for the environment and not remotely organic.

 

[planete]

Seresto collars are terrible for the environment and not remotely organic.

Are any effective anti parasite compounds organic? The dogs do not swim so not likely to pollute streams. I have looked at all the options and nothing seems harmless. I have tried using nothing but it is easy to miss a small tick in long hair and Lyme disease is rife in our tick population, but suggestions would be welcome.

 

[Jenko109]

I'm another who just picks off any that end up on the dog.

I have done this for the last 17 years with all my dogs.

We live in the New Forest.

 

[twiggy2]

If your in an area with a high tick population i would just pay the money and use a product that works.
as for the seresto collar we were advised to tell owners not to let the dogs sleep in the owners beds if the dogs wore one when i was a vet receptionist.

 

[planete]

I'm another who just picks off any that end up on the dog.

I have done this for the last 17 years with all my dogs.

We live in the New Forest.

I am not using anything on the greyhound as he has such short hair but I feel I need something to keep the hairy lurchers safe.

 

[Clodagh]

Are any effective anti parasite compounds organic? The dogs do not swim so not likely to pollute streams. I have looked at all the options and nothing seems harmless. I have tried using nothing but it is easy to miss a small tick in long hair and Lyme disease is rife in our tick population, but suggestions would be welcome.

No, but OP was asking for organic and people recommended soresto.

 

[planete]

No, but OP was asking for organic and people recommended soresto.

Sorry, yes you are right but I have not found anything both effective against ticks and organic unfortunately. I should probably have mentionned that first.

 

[Clodagh]

Sorry, yes you are right but I have not found anything both effective against ticks and organic unfortunately. I should probably have mentionned that first.

Me neither! Although 20 years ago when I lived in Oz I used to feed the dogs tonnes of garlic. That was before (we knew it was) poisonous.

 

[Follysmum]

I use herbal pet supplies products
No bites
Had no issues since using

 

[wren123]

Seresto collars are terrible for the environment and not remotely organic.

Sorry you're right, I missed that bit. I only mentioned the seresto as its avaliable without prescription.

 

[Clodagh]

Sorry you're right, I missed that bit. I only mentioned the seresto as its avaliable without prescription.

That’s surprising isn’t it? I wonder why that isn’t and everything else is?

 

[wren123]

I know it is surprising, I never used it. I preferred bravecto as we had lyme disease and lungworm in the park where I walked everyday and bravecto covered them both and fleas.

 

[UKa]

I use Billy no Mates tincture in the feed and never had problems with ticks or fleas in over 4 years of owning my dog.

 

[druid]

I use Billy no Mates tincture in the feed and never had problems with ticks or fleas in over 4 years of owning my dog.

I diagnosed Lyme disease in a dog last year where this was the owners choice of tick "prevention"

 

[Aru]

I use seresto as my back up to bravecto as it repels not just kills once the animal has been bitten. The ticks where I live are the fatal within a few hours to days of attachment, type of paralysis tick(gotta love Australia for the higher danger scale in literally everything)

I wouldn't trust a seresto alone. I've seen them fail when not placed correctly(tight and close to the skin) and had to treat dogs for tick paralysis wearing them...but I feel it does help repel them a little as we remove less dead ticks when they are on my crew.
I'd use a prescription strength product if you want something effective. Don't waste time or money with anything organic/natural. There's nothing proven effective and they give a false sense of security to people. Believe me, if there was natural options that worked....they would be monetised and sold them all over this region because as above....our tick types here can be fatal.

By all accounts the uk vets aren't enjoying the new rules being foisted on them either. This wasn't a voted in by the people who work in the front lines situation, but they are bearing the brunt of peoples anger at the new regulations being enforced.