Topical ointment against ticks? (lab, vet, treatment, diet)

[Penguin_ie]

Ticks are really bad around here this year, as they are everywhere I think! I read some of the threads here about tick products but didn't really get the answer I am looking for, so thought I would ask my own question.

We have a medium size dog (also two cats, but they are indoor only), 40 pounds Scottish Terrier/ lab mix. He's on Sentinel and also wear a tick collar, which normally prevents ticks just fine. However, this year they are so bad, even with a new tick collar, put on two weeks ago and never wet, he has two ticks very close to his anus. There may be more, because his coat is thick and it would be easy to miss a tick.

I cannot pull them out (will admit I am not very good at this, but can do in easier spots- dog keeps trying to turn to face me and/or sit down to prevent me looking/ touching his behind). Reading online, it seems the rubbing alcohol/ vaseline thing doesn't actually work, so any OTC ointments I can get to get the ticks to pull out/ die? I'd rather avoid the drop-on-the-neck treatments, as I had a bad experience with that with an indoor-outdoor cat a few years ago, but if it is the only way I will use it.

[ReturningWest]

Use a tweezer and grasp them and pull them out, anything topical will only make the tick discharge his "venom" and make things worse. They also make special tick remover tweezers, but I prefer the regular ones.

Be sure to check the tick and make sure you have the whole tick...head included.

If you can't do it get your dog to the vet asap and have them do it.

I use Frontline spray every 3 weeks and that works very well for me and I live in a tick infested area. With the spray instead of the drops or collar I can get his under carriage and whole body.

[foxywench]

the only think ive found even remotly works for ticks is a combination of 1: diet change, dogs fed corn seme to attract more ticks...(same goes for people...i find ticks are MUCH more attracted to ME than my dogs and the only realy differnece is my dogs get NO corn...at all!)
2: k9 advantix...(which you CANNOT use on the cat!)

the preventic collar are supposed to be REALY REALY good...
(most store line flea/tick collars are useless, but ive heard REALY good things about the preventic which can be bought from the vet or online...

and yes you NEED to remove all thos ticks, being in arkansas the lymes risk isnt as high, but you do have a big risk from other tick transmitted illnesses...
and yes, the ticks ARE realy bad this year so it might also be worth buying some yard spray and spraying down your yard.

[Penguin_ie]

Thanks all,
had the tick removed by the vet *how come the vet can get the dog to stand up for tick removal an I cannot???), who recommended Advantix as well so got his first dose there and will now check to see where the best place to buy it is.