We took the girls on a long hike recently to get some of their energy out. Now that the weather is getting cooler, much more of our time is spent indoors than it usually is
They don’t mind spending time inside…they lay on the couch and snuggle in their beds.
But they LOVE running free in the woods.
Unfortunately, along with spending time in the woods this time of year comes those unwanted, tiny ticks that stick to the fur of your dogs.
We wanted to share some tips to keep your pups safe this season and preventing those ticks from hitchhiking their way into your home.
Let’s start by informing you why ticks are so bad.
Aside from the fact that they’re creepy and crawly – ticks can spread several different diseases that can be life changing and life threatening to dogs.
Aside from Lyme Disease, dogs can also get Canine Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasma, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, Bartonella and Hepatozoonosis. Although they range on the type of tick that can cause them, all are very serious and some are potentially fatal to dogs.
The American Kennel Club has a ton more information about tick-borne diseases here, and really put into perspective how important preventing ticks from attaching to your dog is.
The most helpful way to keep ticks from attaching to your pets, is to prevent them from crawling into their fur and burrowing into their skin in the first place.
To prevent this, we use a lint brush with disposable paper and lint roll the girls as soon as we get back from being outdoors. Luckily, every time we’ve done this… we’ve gotten all of the ticks off them that were on them, before any had the opportunity to attach to them.
Since their fur is dark and the ticks are so tiny…its too hard to see them otherwise. The lint paper is sticky enough to keep the ticks in place, and then can be easily thrown away.
This is definitely the safest alternative to topical or ingestible medication, in my opinion. Although the ticks may climb on them, they are easily removed before they have the opportunity to make it any further.
The girls never seem to mind when I roll them with the lint brush, and have quickly understood it’s part of the routine if they want to go outside.
Aside from using traditional flea/tick medicine…you can also use essential oils to deter ticks and other biting insects away from your pets.
I put Frontline on the girls monthly, but the ticks still seem to crawl on them. (I tried the Saresto collar, but Addie lost almost all of her fur from wearing it).
Lemongrass, the essential oil, is a great deterrent for fleas and ticks on dogs. You can use lemongrass mixed with some water and spray it on your pet’s coat (like you would spray yourself with bug spray). Make sure you spray their legs good…as ticks love to start there and work their way up your dog. *
You can also spray it on their bedding!
If lemongrass isn’t your favorite scent, these other essential oils are also useful for tick repellent on dogs: lavender, cedarwood, rosemary, neem, rose geranium and clove oil.
These can all be made into sprays, diffused or even applied directly onto their coats.
This article by Everlasting Comfort has some really helpful information about essential oils for dogs as well as harmful oils you want to avoid. Check their post out if you want to learn more on using essential oils with your furry friends.
A final solution we’ve heard a lot about (though this one, we haven’t tried), is to add Apple Cider Vinegar to your dog’s water.
By adding a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar per quart of water to your dog’s water bowl, or creating a spray for their coat with Apple Cider Vinegar, you can help naturally repel fleas and ticks from your dogs.*
Keeping ticks off of your pets could make a difference of life or death in some of the diseases – I know that sounds extreme, but it’s true.
Although the majority of the time, a tick bite could be harmless, it’s better to prevent any bites all together. We’re lucky that with today’s technology, we’ve created vaccines for some of these tick-borne diseases. Unfortunately, you never know what a single tick could be carrying or how successful that vaccine might’ve been for your pet.
If you have any other home remedies or tick tricks we’d love to hear them. Comment below to share the way you keep your furry friend safe!
* Please be mindful, whatever you add to your dogs coat is likely to be ingested through licking. It’s important to remember that no two dogs are the same and some may react differently to certain treatments than others. When choosing what’s a healthy choice for your dog, it’s important to do your research of where the product comes from, what it consists of and what can happen if ingested. Please seek professional advice from a veterinarian with questions or concerns of your dog’s health. These tricks are purely recommendations and opinion based.
Thank you to the following for sharing this information with us:
- https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/tick-borne-diseases-dogs-prevent/
- https://www.everlastingcomfort.net/blogs/comfy-reads/what-essential-oils-are-good-for-fleas-and-ticks-on-dogs
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