What Is the Best Tick Repellent for Dogs?
Most dogs enjoy playing outdoors because of the exciting variety of smells that often sends them tracking a scent through tall grass, wooded areas, or other tick-infested terrains. Because ticks can transmit a number of diseases, you need to exercise preventative measures in order to keep them from infecting your pet and making their way into your home.
Ticks
The tick population is comprised of a variety of different species, and they spend the beginning of their adult lives on the tips of tall grasses and shrubs awaiting a host animal to walk by. When an animal passes, the tick crawls onto the host and searches for its resting place. They usually prefer the warm, moist crevices of an animal's body. When they have chosen a location, they latch onto the animal with their mouths and begin ingesting the blood.
Diseases
A tick spreads disease by ingesting the blood of a diseased animal and then moving on to another host. The most common diseases include Ehrlichia, Relapsing Fever, Tularemia, Babesia, Bepatozoonosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Canine Hemobartonella, and Lyme Disease. Each of these diseases can cause serious health problems in both you and your dog, so taking proper precaution is the best method for prevention.
Ingested Repellents
Some dog owners feed their dogs an elixir of natural tick-repelling foods as a first method of prevention. Add one teaspoon of brewer's yeast to your dog's meal for every 30 pounds. You can also use nutritional yeast, but do not feed your dog baker's yeast. Garlic is another powerful food that will aid in repelling ticks from your dog. Feed your pet one raw garlic clove per every 30 pounds. This causes an unpleasant taste when parasites try to use your pet as a host.
Over-the-Counter Repellents
Frontline is one of the leading suppliers of over-the-counter tick repellents. This substance comes in a one-time use applicator and is applied at the skin level between the dog's shoulder blades. Avoid leaving any residue on your pet's hair and wash your hands after application. Use the entire single packet at one location and dispose of the applicator immediately. Reapply once a month for increased tick control.
Topical Repellents
Using a natural, topical repellent will help prevent ticks and keep your dog from ingesting unhealthy chemicals. Combine two tablespoons of almond oil with 10 to 25 drops of Rose Geranium essential oil. Place the solution in an air-tight container and shake mildly to combine. Place a few drops on your dog's collar and store the remaining formula for up to six months. Repeat this step before taking your dog outdoors. American Pennyroyal, also known as tickweed, is another natural tick repellent that can be used in the same manner.
Tick Removal
If your dog acquires a tick despite your preventative methods, you will need to remove it properly. Wearing rubber gloves or using tweezers, grab the tick by its mouth. Firmly pull the tick from your dog in a steady motion, avoiding a quick, jerking tug. Clean your pet's bite wound with a disinfectant and apply an antibiotic ointment. The tick should be placed in a pool of alcohol in order to kill it. Wash your hands following the removal.
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