I use Vectra 3D, a topical application, once a month, all year. My house is on eight acres of woods in tick-infested southwestern Wisconsin. I also treat my dog's fenced-in backyard with Tick Tubes and have cleared brush from the three feet around the fence perimeter. We find that mice have taken the cotton balls treated with insecticide and incorporated them into nests under the leaf litter. In case the dog brings in a non-attached tick, we also treat our indoor cat with Advantage topically.

To prevent ticks from getting on our dog, we use a good quality flea and tick collar.

I actually test and vaccinate my pets for Lyme disease every year (I live in NY). I do have one dog that is allergic to the vaccine so I use Advantix (the once a month application) on him and check him for ticks every day. Unfortunately, he has gotten Lyme disease once already so the threat is very real.