Flea/tick/etc treatment - buy a branded product or make your own natural stuff?

I've only ever used commercial products for treating fleas and ticks in the past (Frontline), but have seen a few places mention that they are dangerous to dog's health and that you can make your own shampoos or sprays etc (have seen Diatomaceous Earth, Neem Oil, Rose geranium oil, and Apple cider vinegar, mentioned a lot) - what do you all do?

Nothing. In Nearly 7yrs I've only flead once (when I got him cause that's what u do?). He tries to keep hedgehogs as pets but even then they just pick off and don't bother dogs anyway. He's pretty outward bound kinda guy and we have never had a tick either thank goodness. But he is a short coat of course!

I don't use Frontline on either of the dogs as we have no fleas here and very few ticks but I do use use it on my cat because she's out and about most of the time and each year I pick off about half a dozen ticks.

If we're going in long grass, particularly after its been raining I spray the dogs with Biospotix which is a natural flea and tick repellent and is effective for 48 hours. Its made by Biogance (France) and I bought mine from Viovet.

I use Frontline Plus. Sharing my bed with my dog is one thing - I just do not wish to share it with fleas and ticks as well.

Frontline here too. And an additional Tick Collar if she goes into boarding. Have never seen a flea since moving to Cyprus - whether that's because of the tiled floors and no carpets? But ticks are a big problem. Frontline doesn't stop them getting on the dog but is supposed to kill them within 48 hrs.

I had to check my longer haired Cavvy daily for ticks. Bella has had just two - both times after being in boarding where they warn you to check for them when you collect as they are sited on farmland where ticks are more abundant. Both times dead easy to spot as she is velvet coated. Third time I took the advice for the huge rubbery tick collar you can only get from the vet here and she was fine. (The collars they sell in pet shops are useless apparently)

What make are the "huge rubbery tick collars" you mentioned? Frontline is fine for killing ticks but I would rather them get on Pereg in the first place, and there are too many untreated dogs wandering loose - you can see ticks hanging off them.

I have only ever found one tick on her - also only ever found one on Little One - but I hate the things.

We use Comfortis chewable tablets for Pepsi. Good for getting preventing fleas but not ticks.
Our Vet won't prescribe Frontline, he says the fleas have built a resistance to it
The last time I used it, when there were a lot of ticks about, I bought it on-line.

Frontline stopped working on mine - my vet said the same as Nippy's about fleas building up a resistance, and prescribed something called Effipro. That didn't work either.

I now use Program tablets - these don't kill the fleas, but stop them breeding. If I see any fleas on them, I either use a good old fashioned flea comb, or give them a Capstar tablet - these are very efficient at killing the fleas on them, but doesn't prevent a further infestation.

I detest them.
When I worked volunteering in the cat sanctuary I was known as the 'tick lady' because I could ALWAYS find them - we had little forked implements to remove them safely. I'd be there ages taking them off all the cats and thoroughly enjoying murdering them!

I will find out for you Malka. They are sort of rubbery and the reason I didn't use them the first two times was coz they are so BIG and Bella is so tiny. But cut it down for her (throwing out more than was kept!) and seems to have done the trick coz no ticks at all and it was end July so the worst time of year for them.

They sell 2 or 3 types now. There is a SUPER DOOPER one but costs over 30 euros and both vet and myself thought it wasn't worth it for one week use in boarding. Can't remember how much the one I got was - somewhere under or over 10 from memory.

I think this is the whizzy new one (but lasts for up to 8 months)
http://press.healthcare.bayer.com/en...4543/2012-0167