Let’s face it – most of us have had enough of winter and are ready to welcome spring with open arms. In fact, it can’t get here fast enough. The only downside is that it also means ticks will be back. Couldn’t we welcome you, Spring, but without the pesty ticks?
I’ve been searching for a great article to post about tick prevention. Trouble is, it’s been harder than I thought to find one that includes all the things I think are important, without it also containing parts that I didn’t necessarily agree with.
Most had extreme views at opposite ends of the spectrum. Some only talking about prescription topical and oral medications, but down-playing the effectiveness of any natural ways to go about it. Some only talking about how anything with chemicals is terrible, and you should only use natural remedies.
Since I wasn’t finding one-stop reading that helped me think about all of my options, I decided I would try to put one together myself. In no way is this the final definitive list you would ever need, but it’s a helpful way for me to think about my own plan to prevent ticks on my dogs this season. And maybe it could help someone else while I’m at it.
The start and stop of tick season can start as early as the first signs of spring and end as late as until the first frost of winter. This will vary depending on where you live, the area’s typical weather for each season, and the specific weather this season.
Keep in mind that ticks have a 4 step life cycle (from egg, to larva, to nymph, to adult) and multiple hosts along the way.
Where I live in Massachusetts, this winter was all over the place for temperature. But some of those unseasonably warm winter days for us means a high probability that tick season has already started on the early side this year. And it’s better to be prepared than scrambling after the fact.
There’s 3 main areas I thought about – the yard, the house, and the dog. So here it goes:
1) The Yard
The idea is to create a yard that does not attract ticks and where it isn’t beneficial for them to live and breed:
- Keep grass cut relatively short since ticks like to hang out in tall grass.
- Keep bottom branches of bushes trimmed up high if your dog walks underneath them since they hang out there too.
- Rake up foliage from ground since ticks can often be found in piles of decaying leaves.
- Put cedar chips between your yard and any wooded areas
- Find pet-safe insect repellents (specifying ticks) to put around the perimeter of your house and yard.
(I’m sure there are others, but I have used “Jonathan Green Organic Insect Control” the last couple years which consists of plant essential oils, like clove and thyme, in dried form. It actually smells good and research showed is safe for mammals, including dogs and cats.)
- Minimize small rodent population around your yard, shed, and house – as they serve as intermediate hosts to the tick.
- While were at it, minimize even small amounts of standing water since it attracts mosquitoes who carry risk of spreading heartworm to our pets.
2) The House
The idea is to create a house that does not maintain any ticks that may have been brought into it:
- Vacuum at least once per week, especially high traffic flooring and areas around the pet beds.
- Wash and dry pet bedding once per week. (At the minimum, at least vacuum all parts of it.)
- Vacuum couches and chairs that pets lay on once per week.
- Wash the people bedding once per week also if our dogs sleep with us in bed
(which, let’s admit it, most of them do 
3) The Dog
The idea is to keep your pet from becoming a host to any tick:
- Do an all-over body check each night before bed to check for ticks.
(It will also help alert you to any other changes that may occur so you can alert your vet and intervene early.)
- Do a tick check after they’ve been out in the woods or yard for extended times.
(Put extra focus on feet (even between toes), bottoms of legs, armpits and groin, along their back, the base of their tail, and around their face and ears.)
- Keep their hair cut short for spring, summer, and fall – it will be easier to check them for ticks.
- Bath them once per week in the spring, summer, winter – even if it’s just a feet and bum bath.
(Not only is it another chance to check for ticks, but it will help keep allergens down to a minimum for them.)
(At the minimum, get some baby wipes to wipe their feet off after being outside.)
- Arsenal of Natural Tick-repelling weapons
- Essential Oils such as:
Lemon, Lemongrass, Orange, Citronella, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Peppermint, Rose Geranium, Clove, Thyme, Cinnamon, Palo Santo, Idaho Tansy, Tea Tree, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Rosemary, Bayleaf, Basil, Oregano, Bergamot, Yarrow, Myrr, Catnip, and Neem
*When it’s for pets, dilute essential oils with a carrier oil like almond or coconut to dilute it)
(If you do not have those, olive or vegetable oil could also be used.)
*These can be mixed with water as a spritz, mixed into their shampoo, or rubbed onto their fur.
(But remember dogs have a more sensitive sense of smell than we do, so a little goes a long way.)
*Caution: Some essential oils, such as citrus, can result in skin photo-sensitivity
*DermoScent Essential 6 spot on (from Bayer) is a new product that contains:
clove, camphor, tea tree, cedar, lavender, peppermint, curcuma, oregano, rosemary, and gaultheria essential oils, with hemp oil, neem oil, essential fatty acids and vitamin E.
(It is marketed for skin and coat issues, though it contains many oils cited as natural insect repellants)
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Mix small amount into their food (approximately 1 tablespoon per 20 pounds)
- Caution:
Some resources cite garlic but I do NOT agree, as garlic can be toxic to animals red blood cells-
Please check with your vet before considering such advice.
- Diatomaceous Earth
The theory is that microscopic single celled organisms get into the exoskeleton of a parasite, causing irritation and dehydration which kills them. It is added to some natural topical powders as well as ingested supplements.
- Quantum Bio-Energy, Magnetic and Scalar Wave collar tags:
Only Natural Pet’s “Easy Defense”, “Pet Protector”, the “Anibio Tic-Clip” and the “Shoo-Tag”
are marketed as discs designed to be worn on a pet’s collar, becoming charged by the pets movement and blood circulation, resulting in an energy field around the wearer which repels external parasites. I caution that I have not had time to adequately research these new products yet. This is not a recommendation, but rather, offering it as a new possibility to further educate ourselves about.
In an ideal world this would result in no tick ever on our dogs. A more attainable goal might be to minimize ticks, and that any straggler that does manage to land on our pets is discovered right away and dealt with immediately.
- How to Remove a Tick from Your Pet:
If you have access to alcohol, rub gently over area of fur and tick to part the hair away from the tick for better visibility.
With tweezers, grab firmly at the base where it meets the skin and pull slowly but continually straight out until it has dislodged.
Put tick into a ziplock bag (or covered jar) with alcohol to ensure they are no longer harmful, and to show vet if needed.
Gently disinfect area with anti-bacterial agent (like HibiClens with Chlorhexidine).
Apply anti-bacterial ointment if available (such as DermaVet, or human Neosporin).
Wash your own hands thoroughly.
- Homeopathic Remedies
Ledum Palustre (30c)
has been cited as a complimentary treatment if a feeding tick has already been found on your pet.
There may be things here I forgot to add. Feel free to comment below on any other ways you’ve been successful keeping your pets tick-free. Remember that just because one person does it differently than another does not mean one is better/worse or right/wrong. Its a good moment to remind all of us to support each other as pet owners who are all trying our best to be the best pet parents we can be.
Here’s to hoping we all enjoy a tick-free 2017.