Three Tick Prevention Strategies for Dogs
Ticks can pester your pooch and other pets, pestering you by extension. You love your dog, of course, and hate to see them suffering. Ticks and fleas are potential sources of health issues for everyone in your house, and these insects are also a big source of annoyance and irritation to your animals’ fur and skin. Naturally, we want our dogs to be as happy as they can.
Stop Ticks from Pestering Your Pooch
A bite from a tick infected with Lyme disease can spread this serious illness to your four-legged pals. One of the most common methods employed to protect dogs from ticks is the use of flea and tick collars. You can also use repellent sprays for surfaces and your pet's skin. Both of these methods can be effective. But if you worry about using too many chemicals on or around your animals, you can also use other methods and strategies to prevent ticks on dogs naturally.
- Inspect Your Pets Regularly for Ticks
Inspect and remove ticks from your pet. While this strategy might seem like a no-brainer, it's easy to become complacent. During the height of tick season (April to September and in warmer months), whenever your dog is outside for an extended period — during a walk in the woods or your backyard — inspect your pooch for ticks when you get home. This holds especially true if your animal is bounding through bushes and tall grass — both places where ticks thrive.
You can remove ticks from your dog with a pair of tweezers (don't use your fingers). Locate the tick, then spread the fur around the tick apart, exposing your dog's skin. Get the tweezers around the tick (close to the skin), then gently pull the tick up and out (kill it and discard it). Make sure the skin is clean. If part of the mouth is still stuck in the skin, don't fret too much, as it will fall out in a day or two.
And while inspection and tick removal methods aren't perfect because you might miss one of these small pests, they're a good natural defense against ticks.
- Remove Tick-Friendly Habitats from Your Property
Tick prevention on dogs is given a big assist by removing or reducing tick-friendly habitats from your property. Chances are your dog spends a lot of time in the backyard running around. By removing leaf piles, tall grass, messy woodpiles and cutting back out-of-control bushes, you'll reduce places for ticks to live. Fewer habitable areas mean fewer ticks, which equals a more tick-free environment for canines and humans alike.
Also, it's a good idea to discourage deer and raccoons from entering your yard, maybe by putting up some tall fences. Wild or stray animals carrying ticks can quickly reintroduce them to your property after you've put in all of that effort to reduce tick habitats.
- Treat Your Property for Ticks
Last but not least, treat your property for ticks. MosquitoNix® offers effective solutions for keeping your property free from ticks and mosquitoes (the latter transmitting the heartworm parasite to dogs).
Our mosquito deterrent options control ticks and flying insects as well, reducing the harm these pests can cause humans and animals in and around private and commercial outdoor spaces. Show your pets how much you care by fostering a tick-free environment for them.
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