5 Methods I Forestall Ticks on My Canine

I used to reside in western Washington with my canine the place ticks are uncommon (though the encounters are growing) however now we reside japanese Washington the place ticks are prevalent.

I’ve actually needed to enhance my information about ticks and discover ways to forestall ticks on canine.

Learn: Why and The place You Must Shield Your Canine From Ticks in Washington State

I’ve tried a number of merchandise, and combos of merchandise, and located the 5 finest methods to guard my canine from ticks.

On this article, I share my tick security protocol with you.

Disclosure: Among the hyperlinks on this article are affiliate hyperlinks (Amazon Affiliate). As an affiliate, I earn a small fee from qualifying purchases. 

How I Forestall Ticks on My Canine – My Core Tick Safety Technique

The first methods I assist forestall ticks from biting my canine are at all times the identical.

Utilizing these three completely different strategies for stopping and detecting ticks on my canine provides me confidence as a result of:

• The strategies complement one another
• There may be overlap and redundancy 
• If one technique fails (often as a result of I neglect to do it), there are nonetheless two different methods my canine are shielded from ticks

Under are the three main issues I do for tick safety.

1) Apply topical flea and tick preventative

I select to make use of a topical flea and tick preventative that not solely kills ticks after they chew my canine however that additionally repels them.

I would like one which works on contact so if ticks do get on my canine, they’ll die earlier than they chew.

I do nonetheless need the remedy to kill a tick if it bites although in case the primary two traces of protection fail.

As well as, I need to use a remedy that’s efficient towards a number of various kinds of ticks, not only one like lots of them are.

The three topical flea and tick remedies that meet my standards, and that I exploit frequently, are:

My most well-liked model of month-to-month flea and tick remedy is Vectra 3D (learn my Vectra 3D evaluate to see why). 

Vectra 3D must be bought at a Veterinarian’s workplace or on-line although.

Prior to now, if I didn’t plan forward of time and wanted the topical flea and tick remedy instantly, I might cease at PetSmart and get K9 Advantix II.

I just lately found TevraPet Activate II for Canine, which accommodates the identical components as K9 Advantix II. 

Though TevraPet Activate II needs to be ordered on-line (I’ve by no means seen it in a pet retailer close to me anyway), it’s cheaper than K9 Advantix II or Vectra 3D.

These remedies are offered in doses for canine primarily based on weight. 

My small canine, Summit and Gretel are 10.5 lbs so that they fall proper in between the smallest dose (4-10 lbs) and the following one up (11-20 lbs). 

I exploit the bigger dose if I do know we shall be mountaineering in an space the place ticks are very dangerous that month (the first distinction is the quantity of liquid within the tube/vial). 

Whichever topical month-to-month flea and tick remedy I exploit, I don’t use all of it 12 months spherical. 

I apply it to my canine spring by means of fall once I know we shall be mountaineering in locations with ticks. 

I’ll observe that we reside the place it snows and the bottom is frozen most of the time within the winter so the flea and tick threat could be very low in the course of the coldest months.

If you happen to reside someplace that is still heat all 12 months spherical, you in all probability need to use a flea and tick remedy all 12 months spherical.

2) Carry out common tick checks

There is no such thing as a substitute for frequently checking your canine for ticks. 

No tick repellant or remedy is 100% foolproof, particularly if ticks are significantly dense and it’s towards the top of the topical 30 day remedy interval.

Additionally, despite the fact that the topicals I exploit are offered as repellants, in my expertise, my canine can nonetheless choose up ticks (simply presumably not as many as they’d have with out the topical remedy).

These ticks will die earlier than they’ll transmit Lyme Illness as a result of the month-to-month remedies I exploit kill the ticks that chew inside 6 hours and ticks have to be hooked up for over 24 hours to transmit it.

However, there are various different diseases and illnesses ticks can transmit throughout the 6 hours earlier than they die so I need to take away them earlier than they’ve an opportunity to chew.

I additionally don’t need them to fall off my canine within the automobile or home and roam round solely to chew me or my canine later.

I at all times verify my canine for ticks:

• After a hike earlier than they get within the automobile
• Once we get house
• Once more within the morning

The place I search for ticks on my canine:

• In and across the ears
• Across the eyelids
• Beneath the collar
• Within the arm pits of the back and front legs
• Between the toes and paw pads
• Across the tail
• Gums (within the mouth)
• Across the genitals

3) Feed garlic tablets made for canine

Some contemplate it to be an outdated wives story that the odor of garlic emanating from the physique repels ticks and mosquitoes.

However, tales like these seemingly get perpetuated as a result of they labored for sufficient individuals, in sufficient conditions, to change into a standard advice.

I exploit the brewer’s yeast & garlic tablets from Solely Pure Pet.

I can’t say with 100% certainty that garlic retains ticks away from my canine.

Nevertheless, we went for a hike as soon as the place my canine had a topical tick remedy on, I had sprayed them down with a pure flea and tick repellent, and so they have been carrying an insect repellent canine bandana.

We hiked for 3 hours and after we received again to the automobile, I discovered 5 ticks on my canine. And they’re very small so there isn’t a lot floor space!

Since I started feeding my canine the garlic tablets, I haven’t discovered any ticks on them.

It may very well be coincidence – possibly we haven’t hiked in an space with a excessive tick density within the final 3 years or maybe we’ve simply been fortunate – however I really feel just like the garlic tablets actually do work to repel ticks.

In case you might be questioning, I can’t odor the garlic. My canine’ breath doesn’t odor prefer it and I don’t odor it coming from their physique.

What I Do After I My Canine Want Additional Safety from Ticks

The core prevention measures are the one methods I defend my canine from ticks 90% of the time. 

Nevertheless, there are some conditions the place I might want much more safety.

In these circumstances, I do one or each of those two issues.

4) Apply bug repellent spray

Typically we hike by means of quite a lot of brush the place ticks cling and could be “scraped” off onto my canine’s stomach.

On this scenario, I need to add additional safety particularly to my canine’s underside.

For this, I exploit a picaridin-based (20%) insect repellent.

Picaridin is an artificial model of pepper extract and its efficacy is taken into account similar to DEET for mosquitoes and ticks (DEET ought to by no means be used on canine although).

I ought to level out that picaridin has not been accredited to be used on canine and you can see conflicting opinions on whether or not it’s protected for pets.

Nevertheless, I discovered data that I feel signifies that picaridin is probably going protected for canine. 

For instance, this article written by a veterinarian says, “… [picaridin] seems to have a large margin of security when used on canine…”

In response to the picaridin technical truth sheet by the Nationwide Pesticide Info Middle, “Researchers positioned technical grade picaridin at doses of fifty, 100, or 200 mg/kg on the backs of beagle canine each weekday for one 12 months. The canine demonstrated no opposed results at any dose.”

Most “don’t use” suggestions I discovered seem like made out of warning for legal responsibility because it’s not 100% examined to be protected on canine. 

Personally, I’m snug utilizing picaridin on my canine due to this.

However, please, don’t take my opinion as an announcement that it’s protected in your canine. Make your personal determination.

I both use Natrapel wipes and apply it on to my canine’s pores and skin or I exploit the Natrapel spray. 

If I exploit the spray, I apply it to my fingers after which rub rub on their stomach (I spray it on my hand first so that they don’t inhale the mist).

If you need to strive an insect repellent spray that’s extra pure, I counsel attempting Wondercide with cedar oil or Murphy’s Naturals Insect Repellent with lemon eucalyptus oil.

I’ve tried each of these on myself and my canine and I didn’t discover them as efficient as picaridin however they did make a distinction within the amount of bugs.

Utilizing an insect spray is an efficient possibility for those who solely need to use a flea and tick remedy at particular instances as a substitute of utilizing a remedy that lasts for a month since you’re not snug with that.

5) Put insect repellent clothes on my canine

It’s often not cool sufficient after we hike to place garments on my canine however it is a helpful possibility when sitting round camp on cool evenings.

I deal with my canine’s jackets with the Sawyer permethrin cloth remedy spray (and my very own garments).

Warning: Permethrin is poisonous to cats!

Typically, I additionally deal with their canine mattress and blankets with permethrin.

I exploit the identical technique to deal with my canine’s garments and tenting gear as I do once I make my very own insect repellent canine bandanas.

When permethrin is utilized to cloth, it molecularly bonds to it.

Word: The sort of Permethrin ought to by no means be utilized on to your canine’s pores and skin

You don’t must deal with your canine’s stuff your self although. 

There are merchandise you should purchase which might be pre-treated with permethrin similar to:

The benefit of the commercially handled gadgets is that the permethrin stays bonded to the fabric longer. Particularly, the declare is that it stays on the material by means of 70 washes.

The benefit of treating cloth myself is that I can use my canine’s common jackets, shirts, bandanas, beds, blankets, and so forth. Stuff I do know my canine already know and love.

Treating the canine clothes myself at house with permethrin does imply I’ve to reapply it each 5 washes however for many gadgets that can final a pair months. 

What To Do If You Discover a Tick Connected To Your Canine

If you happen to uncover your canine has been bit by a tick, don’t panic.

Take away the tick utilizing a pair of tweezers just like the TickEase Twin-Tipped Tick Remover Tweezers.

DO NOT burn, twist, or smother the tick.

Doing these issues may cause the tick to spit extra saliva into your canine, which carries any illnesses a tick could have.

Watch this video for the correct approach to take away a tick.

Wipe the tick chew location and round it with an alcohol swap to sterilize it.

Hold the tick in a sealed container when you maintain a watch out for a bullseye rash or different indicators and signs of lyme illness.

Additionally take note of how your canine is appearing and name your vet instantly for those who see indicators that your canine won’t be feeling properly.

Maintaining the tick:

Do not forget that prevention is the easiest way to pretect your canine from ticks.