Can anyone recommend something I can add to the dogs food or even a spray I suppose to repel ticks ? I have been giving them garlic every day but im still removing at least 2 ticks per day from the Setters, strangely enough one dog gets more than the other, and I dont think ive found one on my Kelpie yet (probably because he runs too fast - and doesnt go through the undergrowth.)

I cant use advantix because of the cat and to be honest I dont really want to keep putting chemicals on them.  Its not a problem just pulling them out when I find one but I worry about missing one and it falling on the floor because I have an 11 month old baby who crawls around and puts everything in her mouth

Rose Geranium essential oil on the collar is recommended on a lot of web sites. You dilute it with almond oil before dabbing on their collar. Don't know it it would work though. Our horse gets garlic every day and still gets ticks :-( . Some other sites say brewers yeast in their feed or lemon juice in drinking water helps but I've not tried any. I might try the Geranium oil as ours are always picking up nasty little visitors.

Be interesting to see if anyone has a foolproof method!

I will look into that, thank you.  Funny, I never thought of horses getting ticks.

It made me laugh at an agility show this weekend, it was announced over the tannoy "does anyone have a tick removing tool" someone was obviously freaking because their dog has a tick, Ive got so used to them now I just sit here of an evening watching tv and pull them out with my fingers and much to my OH's disgust I line them up on the arm of the sofa until I get round to flushing them down the loo

Bleurghhhhh!! I'm with your OH :-D

Just make sure they don't jump off on their own accord! Many years ago my little sister got a sheep tick on her head - mum took her to the doctor who dabbed it with some surgical spirit in the waiting room, but it jumped off and nobody found it!

Oh as a PS: it is said that Avon's Skin-so-soft spray body oil (blue label) is a fabulous insect repellant, it worked for me in India - could it also repel ticks?

>Just make sure they don't jump off on their own accord!

I sometimes watch them scuttle along ... then im pretty quick at disposing of them !!

I use "Billy no Mates" - just sprinkle on food, if you google this you will see where to buy online. Good results with this.

> Oh as a PS: it is said that Avon's Skin-so-soft spray body oil (blue label) is a fabulous insect repellant, it worked for me in India - could it also repel ticks?

We use this as a fly repellant for our horse and its great - can't remember if she had less ticks afterwards or not