This November (third week of November), I'll be travelling with our labrador from the south coast, up via the Lake District, to Ayrshire in Scotland - we'll be stopping off on the way and then spending a week in Ayrshire and it'll be a training trip.

Do I need a tick preventative in November?  I've heard Scotland is bad for ticks, but I'm thinking they won't be around by the 3rd week of November??  Or should I still treat?  (I'd like to use the Scalibor collar, if I use anything, and it takes a couple weeks to be effective, so need to decide before I go.)

Thanks...

My vet recommended tick treatment year round (im near Glasgow) BUT we buy it from them! I certainly don't plan to do it so often (monthly spot on is what they recommend anyway, I might consider it if it's a collar) through winter.

Unfortunately the weather has been quite unpredictable lately. Twenty years ago I'd be fairly surprised if there were many ticks about in November but not now.

You're less likely to get ticks in November but you can't rule it out,  I don't think deer ticks die in the cold.  However as you have a short coated breed and the incidence of lymes is much less up here you may just want to bring a tick tool just in case and see what happens.

I use bravecto but only treat the dogs from April to September, last pill is July and it may well last longer than the end of September but since starting bravecto I've never had a tick on the dogs. Previously I have had the odd one very late or very early in the year. They are running free in deer(tick) territory every day.

> I might consider it if it's a collar) through winter.

I wouldn't consider the scalibor collar for your boy as it is known for causing skin problems in some dogs and he is already battling them, I wouldn't use spot on either for him.

Have you considered bravecto? It's a pill that lasts 3 months.

I agree I wouldn't use anything but just be vigilant and remove as soon as you see them. With his skin problems atm the fewer chemicals you can use the better same goes for vaccinations although I know you wont need to think about that until next year

January was the only month last winter we were tick free(Scottish Borders). Not the high amounts in the winter but they are still around.
That said if we have a bad cold winter then they do vanish, last year was relatively mild for up here.

Gawd, sounds horrible!!  I'm also thinking that weather will be milder further south and we are driving up, stopping on the way, so might be more likely on the way up?

I use Bravecto on our middle dog (who's not coming with us, and is more hairy and prone to ticks even where we live - where my shorter haired dogs don't get them).  It's great for her, but my labrador gets up upset tum just from regular wormers, so I was afraid to try Bravecto on her and thought a collar would be best as I could remove it if any adverse reactions (unlike spot on)...

I found a tick map on the Internet a while back, sorry don't have a link to it, but maybe a Google will get you there. It gave a fairly good idea of tick distribution round the country and it looks really tickified, is there such a a word, South of the M4.

We're North of the M4 and where I live is fine, but go a few miles down the road to some woodland and there are loads. Currently staying at our static on the Suffolk coast where ticks are bad during the spring,mbut seem non existent now.

I use a Seresto collar on my dog which works well and last up to 8 months and needs a vet prescription.

WE get ticks all year round on the New Forest. Damn things!

Gosh, I think maybe I'll just put a collar on her to be sure and then I can forget about worrying about it and checking her and enjoy the trip!

I only use treatments during peak season, April - September as I don't like using chemicals. The rest of the time, and definitely the period you are talking about, I prefer to just pick any they get off during their nightly 'tick search'.