Usually dogs love to play around the grass, deeper in forest, sniff all the bushes which means they act very suitable for ticks. We all know the sad part of this outdoors fun – ticks. And tick bites can get various diseases for dogs. Unfortunately dogvaccines are not available still for most of the tickborne diseases. For these reasons, it’s important to use a tick preventive product on your dog.
Ticks and tick bites may be hard to detect, especially if your dog has more fur.
Signs of tickborne disease may not appear for 7-21 days or longer after a tick bite, which means that disease can reach high level till you notice it happened. As sooner the treatment starts as more chances for dog to heal without harmful consequences.
So watch your dog closely for changes in behavior or appetite if you suspect that your pet has been bitten by a tick.
Tickborne Diseases Dogs Can Catch
Talk to Your Veterinarian About Tick Prevention Products Best for Your Dog
Check what products they offer, ask why
Get information about tickborne diseases in your area
Check most popular tick prevention products in your area. There are studies that ticks get used to same chemicals and it can be more advanced to use different as most popular tick preventive products in your are.
Use your hands, go through the dog hair with fingers, slowly checking for anything that should not be there.
Use hair comb or brush to examine dog for ticks even more thoroughly.
Washing your dog after forest walk might help to notice ticks easier as well. Be sure its ok to bath your dog as often as you visit the forest. Use harmless washing soaps, or don’t use any if possible.
6 Ways to Reduce Ticks in Your Yard Naturally
Use plants that repel ticks. Like garlic, sage, mint, lavender, beautyberry, rosemary, marigolds or cedar chips as mulch.
Discourage wildlife visitors that carry ticks: deer and mice. Keep it clean, don’t choose their beloved plants in your yard.
Design tick habits destroying landscape. Ticks love moist and shaded areas. So its recommended to get rid of brush piles, overgrown plants, long grass, use cedar chips as mulch (cedar oils are natural tick repellent).
Change diet to become less tick friendly. Consult your vet if you dog can get some garlic, it would give them natural prevention from ticks. Humans can have more products on their diet to become less tick friendly: onions, tuna, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, asparagus, leafy greens.
Loose light natural fiber clothing covering all body. It keeps ticks away from attaching to dogs body, and light colors will make ticks easier to spot.
Natural tick repellents. Natural essential oils as rosemary, cedar, lemongrass, peppermint, citronella, geranium are believed to be particularly noxious to ticks. Discuss with your vet if you are not sure about natural repellents that are friendly to your dogs skin. Use oils strictly as manual states not to burn dog skin.
WearLoose Light Natural Fiber Clothing Covering All Body To Reduce Tick Bites. LINEN is biodegradable fabric made out of flax plants. That’s why it does not release plastic microfibers and is rated very high as eco-friendly fabric. Linen is a strong, lightweight fabric that’s been popular since ancient times. It’s durable, breathable and naturally resists bacteria and moths. It’s made from flax, a versatile crop that’s easy on the environment. That’s why it’s a perfect match for summer dog clothes.
Ingredients: generally there are two types of chemicals that can defense against ticks: repellents, which can be applied directly to the skin, and pesticides, which can be applied to clothing. We also recommend to considered natural tick repellants that are described above.
Safety: Using chemicals on your skin and clothing can be a little scary. For that reason, its recommended skin-applied tick-repellent products that are tested and registered.
Efficacy: how long products retain their tick-defying powers, how many washes an item will through last before its efficacy wears off, which products are best for long- and short-term use.
Dr. Thomas N. Mather, director of the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Vector-Borne Disease and its TickEncounter Resource Center
By covering our dogs with overall clothes we have a chance to prolong tick road to dogs skin. Be careful choosing dog clothes for summer as dogs can get overheated easily, we recommend choosing light loose natural fiber clothes that let dog skin breath and does not make any impact on dogs movements.
Check for light loose clothes that will let your dog feel comfy
Pay attention if clothes are suitable to go out: for example do they have an opening to pee
Look for light colors, so you can see climbing ticks easier
Clothes should be loose fit, but should not fell of the dog, not to harm if they fell off while running: check cuffs and adjusting possibilities.
Protecting your dogs from ticks is important not only for your dog’s overall health but also for the health of your human family members. Using a quality tick repellent for dogs is a great way to protect your dogs from ticks, fleas, and many other nasty biting bugs. However, a tick repellent for dogs is not the only way you can help keep your dog safe from these dangerous pests. Read even more advices here.
