Best tick prevention options for dogs

It’s tick season, and especially as we take our dogs out of New York City into more suburban and rural areas, ticks abound. We even hear about ticks in Central Park and the outer boroughs during the summer. Always speak to your veterinarian about the best option for your dog, but here is a rundown of tick options, from  conventional medicines, to natural repellents, to the cutting edge.

• Frontline Plus: This is what our veterinarian in Manhattan has us using for our dog. It says it provides “Flea, flea egg, lice, and tick control” for up a month and is administered by a dropper between the shoulder blades of your dog. When out in Amagansett last year there were some rumblings by dog owners that Frontline wasn’t preventing all ticks any more, but we never heard a vet say that to us. It comes in different doses by dog weight. You can try this Frontline coupon to get 2 free doses (with purchase of 6).
• Vectra: We also asked East Hampton Vet Group, since they have a lot more ticks to deal with out on Long Island compared to NYC, and they suggested Vectra. Again you administer this out of a tube right on to your dog’s skin. We have never tried this one. Here is a Vectra coupon for a first free dose.
• Vetri-Repel Flea & Tick Repellent: Here is another option – a natural repellent that we picked up at our veterinarian in Manhattan. We have not tried it yet but our always searching for natural alternatives. This one contains a mix of oils (lemongrass, cinnamon, sesame, castor) among other ingredients. It comes in wipes as well as a Spray. There are a few with similar ingredients on the market such as FLEA + TICK Repellent Spray.
• shoo!TAG Flea and Tick Barrier Tag: This tag goes around your dog’s collar and claims to keep ticks away using electromagnetic frequencies rather than chemicals or oils. Truth be told we tried this as an alternative to other tick prevention products when we were trying to minimize chemicals during an owner’s pregnancy. The vets we have asked aren’t so sure, but we did not have any embedded ticks on our dog when using it, so who knows.
• Bio Spot Spot On: There are other options similar to Frontline such as Bio Spot Spot On, but we have never used it.

Have another favorite tick repellent? Email us or comment here. And remember, there is a Lyme disease vaccination for dogs (but not for humans! Read this NPR article to learn why), yet you still want to protect your pet before they bring ticks into your house that could end up on you.