My girl had a tick right between her eyes. :( I removed it with a tick twister.

What do you use for tick prevention? I do not want to use revolution as I do not treat for heartworm.

Any other ideas? Natural ones?

Why don't you treat?

Wow, right, you are the only person I know who does not treat for heart worms. I do see alot over at the vet clinic paying for the very expensive treatment to try and save their dogs. Use Frontline all the time for years. No problems so far.

I know someone who doesn't treat also
Just asking for trouble in my opinion.
I once purchased a dog who came back HW positive a month after I got her.
$500 later, the very risky treatment worked and she was cured but the infestation had been going on a long time and if not caught, could have killed her.
Of course the HW treatment could have as well...
We use Advantix and Ivomec.

Lavender tea.

What is that supposed to do, make the ticks relax?

Try buzz away extreme, find it at health stores.

We use Frontline Topspot. We try to avoid FrontLine Plus but do use it occasionally.

We do treat for heartworm but use Interceptor 11 - 25 pound dose, every 45 days, and only from June to early November (for our part of country). Of course, we have a regular cycle of Strongid or Panacur as well. But one of the stages of heartworm can not survive above a certain temp so depending on what part of the country you are in, you do not have to use it for as many months as the companies want you to (again treat for intestinal worms with more effective, safer, and less expensive methods). Just because there are mosquitoes, does not mean you need to treat for heartworm.

To "ticks, etc".:

I can always learn something new. Is there a published reference or website that prescribes using a quarter of the published effective dose on an adult Labrador (Using Interceptor, 11-25 lb range instead of the one for 50 lbs and up)? Or how did you come up with that protocol and in what state do you live? It is definitely effective at package dose given every 5 weeks, and Heartguard every 6 weeks per vets. I spread out my HW meds, but not at such a low dose. In south Jersey, I wouldn't dare do so--too many HW positive dogs in shelters prove that there is a high rate of infection, even with house dog background. I don't like to use a growth inhibitor (as in Frontline Plus) on growing or breeding dogs either--just in case. Thanks.

I know hundreds of breeders who do not use heartworm meds, myself included. There are lots of natural rearers and our dogs are not dropping dead, even the ones in Texas.
No heartworm since stopping over a dozen years ago and it is a decision that we make with eyes wide open. No worm meds in that amount of time either and no worms except for a puppy that came with tape last year which was treated effectively with diatomaceous earth. Just wanted to point out that we have our well-researched reasons for doing this, just the same as you have your own reasons for using Frontline.

As far as a natural tick repellent, rose geranium oil works well. It is an essential oil so do not apply it directly to the skin. Dilute several drops in a tablespoon of almond or vegetable oil and drizzle it along the back. It will last for a week or two and works very well.

Breeder of Labs

Wow, right, you are the only person I know who does not treat for heart worms. I do see alot over at the vet clinic paying for the very expensive treatment to try and save their dogs. Use Frontline all the time for years. No problems so far.

Charlotte, Yes there is published information on this. Let me see if I can find it. Please keep checking back.

http://www.tibetanmastiff.net/Heartworm.html

Here is where I started my research. I have read actual studies as well. I need to put the kids to bed but will look for some more stuff later.

http://www.heartwormsociety.org/article_48.html#epidemiology

I can not find the actual study regarding dosages. The premise is that the high doses are to fight intestinal worms and not necessary for heartworm. The study I read was NOT about ivermectin however (HeartGuard). The study I read was about the active ingredient in Interceptor (millbemycin oxime). Actually, someone should start a new thread and ask because I just remembered I was directed to the link to the study by someone on this forum. Maybe a search for old heartworm threads is in order.