So we have our first camping trip planned this weekend!

I don't typically deal with ticks where I live, so I don't have Mishka on any sort of prevention for ticks. He is on Trifexis for flea and HW.

What's a good tick repellent? Not only for him but for myself. Anything natural that is tried and true? I've read about a few things like Wondercide and Vets Best though I would rather get recommendations from people who have used these things specifically for ticks.

The area we are going in is pretty tick heavy from some friends who have camped/hiked there before. They didn't get any but the dogs did. I've only dealt with them once before when we went hiking. Thankfully non attached and I was able to take 5 off of Mishka's face. /shudder

Any input is appreciated!

Tried and true for heavy tick pressure is not natural, unfortunately - permthrin for dogs (Tractor Supply Liberty 50 is an easy to find, cheaper one) and DEET for people. Do NOT use DEET on dogs!!!

Application: For Mishka, I would put it on 2 days prior to leaving. For the DEET - the higher the %, the longer it lasts, not more effective. So if you're only going to be exposed for a few hours, use a lower percentage, if all day every day, use the close to 100%. BUT, no matter what formulation, just a drop or two on your hands, then rub all over, particularly your ankles, hands, neck. If in brushy areas, wear socks with pants tuck in, shirt, long sleeved and tails tucked into pants.

Have fun!!!

I've had decent results from the geranium rose oil on the dogs. I put fiproguard on them and don't have too many issues either. I've also sprayed vinegar on them and pretty much everything leaves them alone when that is on to much degree.

I have head about the rose geranium. That stuff is expensive!

When we went hiking last February Mishka got ticks on his face but they just crawled on him until I was able to get home and take them off (they were on him for 2+ hours for the drive home).

I've heard that Trifexis /can/ possibly have some tick repellent properties but others say otherwise. I also raw feed and have heard that can also effect it. It's all heresay of course but I'll have to try some natural remedies for the time being. When I can afford to invest in a Seresto collar I think I will. I've heard you can use them for a year if you use them and put them back in the tin it comes in.

Thank you all!

Ashleigh - Liz (Layla's mom from a while back) tried the rose geranium oil and with the high tick pressure here in the northest, found it not acceptable. She now uses Bravecto, finds great success without any side effects.

RE: Seresto - people in our area report it to be very effective but - I called the Seresto company after I had poor response with the Preventic collar (which was supposed to be the best there is) and was told by both companies that the collars need skin contact to distribute the chemicals in the skin oils. Well...you know Ami's coat. Skin contact is not going to happen unless I either shave his neck or crank the collar so tight he won't be able to breathe. Mishka has a fairly plush coat so I'm thinking the collar is not the best solution for you, either. Also - the collars, like the topicals, need a couple of days for the active ingredient to disperse throughout the skin.

Ashleigh, my two are on Nexgard, it kills fleas and ticks. It's a chewable, and what can be helpful to you, should you use it, is it doesn't need to be bought in 6 month intervals, they also sell it as. 3 month.

My biggest issue is I'm just going camping. I don't need anything for long term use. I looked up a few chewables that are flea and tick but they're $55. I don't have the time or money to invest in anything that expensive right now when we leave in 2 days. I probably should have thought about this sooner but eh.

We really don't go camping or hiking often. Definitely not as often as I wish we could! It's way too hot to camp and hike here in the spring/summer, especially with Mishka. I would never do that to him.

I'll try some of the suggestions I've received and perhaps next time if we go camping again in a high tick area will be better prepared.

I thought about that too, Ashleigh. Its just one outing.

You really want something that's going to repel ticks anyways. Most of these *poisons* work once the tick bites the dog, but if the tick carries Lyme disease or something, it'll already be transmitted to Mishka. Maybe the vinegar like Jenn suggested?

Jimmy - the permethrin repels as well as kills. Ticks, mosquitos, mites. I see mosquitos hovering on Ami but never settling on him. Once in a blue moon I'll see a live, tiny tick scurrying as if to leave, occasionally a tiny dead one. I know it works because the first year with Revolution and then Preventic collar, I would sometimes find dozens (one week over a 100) of ticks on crawling him and probably 20-30 embedded that year. The Vetguard Plus and the libery 50 both have insect growth regulator pyriproxifen for flea larvae. Since she doesn't need that, plan old freedom 45 is just permethrin and is available from Tractor supply, 16. or so for 3 doses.

Amy, when I mentioned the poisons, I meant more the trifexis and the Nexgard I have mine on. It does sound like the permethrin would be something useful to Ashleigh (and others!) I like the Nexgard I've been using cuz I know it works, and to this day I still have no idea what a tick looks like (I've seen pics but a pic, to me, hardly ever looks like I imagine it to be) so I like that this Nexgard just takes care of that part for me. The vinegar Jenn mentions though, is super cheap too, I don't think it'd hurt to try that in addition, or by itself either,

Ashleigh, Since you need short term coverage, Amy and Jenn's ideas are to be considered. I also use Fiprogard, found at Tractor Supply around $16 for 3 individual months of treatment. It takes about 12-24 hours to dry, and covers the ticks found here in the south. The item Amy mentioned as well as what Jenn and I mentioned if applied tomorrow should give you coverage by Saturday.The ACV is also an excellent choice from what I have read. I also consume a ton of garlic and I am rarely bothered by bugs, excluding mosquitoes and I also include into Miya and Sofie's meals on top of the Fiprogard, 1/8th of a teaspoon of dry garlic powder will work feed everyday, and if you can include it in the camp cooking it will continue to help. Hope that gives you another option.