How to Treat Canine Tick Problems

Apply spot-on products., Use tick spray., Put a tick collar on your dog., Wash your dog with flea and tick shampoo., Apply tick powder., Check your dog’s coat for small bumps or lumps., Remove any ticks with a tick hook or a tick twister., Dispose...

14 Steps 7 min read Advanced

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Apply spot-on products.

    You can apply spot-on tick products directly to your pet’s skin.

    Part their fur and dot on the spot-on product in small amounts.

    Most spot-on products will need to be applied once a month.Look for spot-on products that contain pyrethrin, permethrin, fipronil, or imidacloprid.

    Make sure the product is licensed to work against ticks.

    Some products only work against one type of tick species or only have anti-parasite treatments that do not work only for ticks.

    Read the label on the packaging to ensure the product will work against ticks.
  2. Step 2: Use tick spray.

    You can also apply tick spray, which usually come in an aerosol or pump action spray.

    Tick sprays usually contain permethrin or fipronil to kill the ticks.Make sure you spray all parts of your pet, including between their toes, and in their armpits and their groin area.

    Be careful when you apply the tick spray to their face, as you do not want to get spray in their eyes or allow your pet to inhale any of the spray.

    Put tick spray on a cotton ball and dab it on their face.

    Your dog may not like tick spray due to the hissing sound from the aerosol can or the wet feeling on their coat from the spray.

    You may need to try a spot-on product instead if your dog shows an aversion to the spray. , Tick collars can be put on your dog and do not require you to apply any sprays or other products.

    However, the active ingredient in tick collars tends to be located mostly over the head and neck, leaving your dog’s back area vulnerable to ticks.Make sure the collar fits snuggly around your dog’s neck so it works properly.

    Sometimes, tick collars can cause skin irritation.

    If this happens to your dog, consider using a different approach to remove the ticks.

    Look for tick collars that contain active ingredients like amitraz or flumethrin.

    Collars that contain amitraz last about one month.

    Collars that contain flumethrin are effective for about eight months.

    Seresto collars are a good choice.

    They effectively distribute the active ingredient over your dog's body. , You can also wash your dog with flea and tick shampoo to remove ticks that are attached to their coat.

    You will need to wash your dog’s entire body with the shampoo for it to work properly and leave it on for at least 10 minutes before you rinse it off.Make sure you protect your pet’s eyes and ears when you apply the shampoo, as the shampoo can irritate these areas.

    Most flea and tick shampoos contain pyrethrin. , You can also put tick powder on your dog to kill and repel ticks.

    Check the label on the product to make sure it is made to kill ticks and fleas.

    You should apply the powder in a well ventilated area, as the powder can be irritating to the mouth or lungs if it is inhaled by you or your dog.You should only apply small amounts of the powder, rubbing it into your dog’s skin.

    Keep the powder away from your dog’s face and eyes.

    You will need to apply the powder once a week to kill and repel ticks.

    You may also be able to apply the powder to the area where your dog sleeps and other areas of your house frequented by your dog. , No tick spray, powder, or spot-on treatment will be 100 percent effective, so you should get into the habit of checking your pet daily for ticks.

    Do this by using your hands to smooth over your dog’s coat, checking for any small lumps or bumps.

    These lumps or bumps could be a tick.

    Make sure you smooth over areas prone to ticks, such as your dog’s muzzle, face, ears, paws, armpits, groin, and between their toes.You may also need to wet your dog’s coat so you can part their fur and confirm a small lump is a tick.

    You may also groom a long haired dog so you can better see their skin, making it easier to smooth them down for ticks. , If you do find a tick in your dog’s coat, you should use a tick hook or a tick twister to remove the tick right away.

    You may also apply an acaricide to the tick so their grip on your dog’s skin is weaker and it is easier to remove them.Make sure you remove the tick by grasping the tick close to the surface of your dog’s skin.

    Then, pull upward until the tick releases from their skin.

    Do not twist or jerk the tick, as this can cause the mouth-parts of the tick to break off and stay attached to your dog’s skin.

    If the mouth-parts break off, try to remove them with the tick hook or a pair of sterilized tweezers.

    If you cannot remove the mouth-parts, leave them alone and let the skin heal on its own.

    Once you have removed the tick, clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol, or soap and water.

    Make sure you also wash your hands well with soap and water.

    Do not try to remove the tick by coating it in vaseline or by burning it with a match.

    These approaches will only distress the tick, making it more likely to release its stomach contents into your dog’s bloodstream.

    This could then lead to an infection in your pet. , You should dispose of the tick properly so it does not spread disease or infection to you or your pet.

    Submerse the ticks in alcohol and then place them in a bag or container.

    Wrap the container or bag with tape and put it in the garbage or flush it down the toilet.Do not crush the tick with your fingers, as this will only increase the risk of infection for you and your pet. , Make sure you keep your lawn or yard tidy and clean, as ticks will thrive in dense shrubbery and foliage.

    Sweep up fallen leaves and trim back any large, unruly plants.Ticks are also common in woodland areas.

    But you cannot spray woodland areas or grasslands with insecticides.

    Instead, you should do daily tick checks and use tick products if your dog tends to run around in these areas. , Spring and late fall are peak seasons for tick.

    Try to keep your dog indoors during these times so they have less exposure to ticks and a lower risk of getting ticks.If you keep your dog indoors in a kennel, make sure the kennel is pressure washed and cleaned regularly.

    If there are any feces in the kennel, remove them right away.

    You can also use a fogger to destroy flea and tick infestations in the kennel. , You should also take care not to bring ticks in your home, where they can latch on to your dog, when you go walking or hiking outdoors.

    This will ensure you and your pet are at a lower risk for getting ticks.If you are going hiking or walking during tick season in woodland or grassland areas, you should wear a hat, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants.

    Wear light-colored clothing, as this will make it easier to spot a tick.

    You should also tucks your pant legs into your socks or your boots and tuck your shirt or blouse into your pants.

    Stick to the center of trails so you do not come in contact with grass or bushes.

    You can also spray insect repellent that contains DEET on your clothes and your exposed skin when you go for a hike or a walk.

    Make sure you remove your clothing when you come indoors and wash and dry it at a high temperature.

    You should also do a check for ticks on your body to ensure you are not carrying any with you inside.
  3. Step 3: Put a tick collar on your dog.

  4. Step 4: Wash your dog with flea and tick shampoo.

  5. Step 5: Apply tick powder.

  6. Step 6: Check your dog’s coat for small bumps or lumps.

  7. Step 7: Remove any ticks with a tick hook or a tick twister.

  8. Step 8: Dispose of the ticks properly.

  9. Step 9: Trim your lawn

  10. Step 10: bushes

  11. Step 11: and trees.

  12. Step 12: Keep your dog indoors

  13. Step 13: especially during high tick season.

  14. Step 14: Avoid exposing yourself to ticks.

Detailed Guide

You can apply spot-on tick products directly to your pet’s skin.

Part their fur and dot on the spot-on product in small amounts.

Most spot-on products will need to be applied once a month.Look for spot-on products that contain pyrethrin, permethrin, fipronil, or imidacloprid.

Make sure the product is licensed to work against ticks.

Some products only work against one type of tick species or only have anti-parasite treatments that do not work only for ticks.

Read the label on the packaging to ensure the product will work against ticks.

You can also apply tick spray, which usually come in an aerosol or pump action spray.

Tick sprays usually contain permethrin or fipronil to kill the ticks.Make sure you spray all parts of your pet, including between their toes, and in their armpits and their groin area.

Be careful when you apply the tick spray to their face, as you do not want to get spray in their eyes or allow your pet to inhale any of the spray.

Put tick spray on a cotton ball and dab it on their face.

Your dog may not like tick spray due to the hissing sound from the aerosol can or the wet feeling on their coat from the spray.

You may need to try a spot-on product instead if your dog shows an aversion to the spray. , Tick collars can be put on your dog and do not require you to apply any sprays or other products.

However, the active ingredient in tick collars tends to be located mostly over the head and neck, leaving your dog’s back area vulnerable to ticks.Make sure the collar fits snuggly around your dog’s neck so it works properly.

Sometimes, tick collars can cause skin irritation.

If this happens to your dog, consider using a different approach to remove the ticks.

Look for tick collars that contain active ingredients like amitraz or flumethrin.

Collars that contain amitraz last about one month.

Collars that contain flumethrin are effective for about eight months.

Seresto collars are a good choice.

They effectively distribute the active ingredient over your dog's body. , You can also wash your dog with flea and tick shampoo to remove ticks that are attached to their coat.

You will need to wash your dog’s entire body with the shampoo for it to work properly and leave it on for at least 10 minutes before you rinse it off.Make sure you protect your pet’s eyes and ears when you apply the shampoo, as the shampoo can irritate these areas.

Most flea and tick shampoos contain pyrethrin. , You can also put tick powder on your dog to kill and repel ticks.

Check the label on the product to make sure it is made to kill ticks and fleas.

You should apply the powder in a well ventilated area, as the powder can be irritating to the mouth or lungs if it is inhaled by you or your dog.You should only apply small amounts of the powder, rubbing it into your dog’s skin.

Keep the powder away from your dog’s face and eyes.

You will need to apply the powder once a week to kill and repel ticks.

You may also be able to apply the powder to the area where your dog sleeps and other areas of your house frequented by your dog. , No tick spray, powder, or spot-on treatment will be 100 percent effective, so you should get into the habit of checking your pet daily for ticks.

Do this by using your hands to smooth over your dog’s coat, checking for any small lumps or bumps.

These lumps or bumps could be a tick.

Make sure you smooth over areas prone to ticks, such as your dog’s muzzle, face, ears, paws, armpits, groin, and between their toes.You may also need to wet your dog’s coat so you can part their fur and confirm a small lump is a tick.

You may also groom a long haired dog so you can better see their skin, making it easier to smooth them down for ticks. , If you do find a tick in your dog’s coat, you should use a tick hook or a tick twister to remove the tick right away.

You may also apply an acaricide to the tick so their grip on your dog’s skin is weaker and it is easier to remove them.Make sure you remove the tick by grasping the tick close to the surface of your dog’s skin.

Then, pull upward until the tick releases from their skin.

Do not twist or jerk the tick, as this can cause the mouth-parts of the tick to break off and stay attached to your dog’s skin.

If the mouth-parts break off, try to remove them with the tick hook or a pair of sterilized tweezers.

If you cannot remove the mouth-parts, leave them alone and let the skin heal on its own.

Once you have removed the tick, clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol, or soap and water.

Make sure you also wash your hands well with soap and water.

Do not try to remove the tick by coating it in vaseline or by burning it with a match.

These approaches will only distress the tick, making it more likely to release its stomach contents into your dog’s bloodstream.

This could then lead to an infection in your pet. , You should dispose of the tick properly so it does not spread disease or infection to you or your pet.

Submerse the ticks in alcohol and then place them in a bag or container.

Wrap the container or bag with tape and put it in the garbage or flush it down the toilet.Do not crush the tick with your fingers, as this will only increase the risk of infection for you and your pet. , Make sure you keep your lawn or yard tidy and clean, as ticks will thrive in dense shrubbery and foliage.

Sweep up fallen leaves and trim back any large, unruly plants.Ticks are also common in woodland areas.

But you cannot spray woodland areas or grasslands with insecticides.

Instead, you should do daily tick checks and use tick products if your dog tends to run around in these areas. , Spring and late fall are peak seasons for tick.

Try to keep your dog indoors during these times so they have less exposure to ticks and a lower risk of getting ticks.If you keep your dog indoors in a kennel, make sure the kennel is pressure washed and cleaned regularly.

If there are any feces in the kennel, remove them right away.

You can also use a fogger to destroy flea and tick infestations in the kennel. , You should also take care not to bring ticks in your home, where they can latch on to your dog, when you go walking or hiking outdoors.

This will ensure you and your pet are at a lower risk for getting ticks.If you are going hiking or walking during tick season in woodland or grassland areas, you should wear a hat, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants.

Wear light-colored clothing, as this will make it easier to spot a tick.

You should also tucks your pant legs into your socks or your boots and tuck your shirt or blouse into your pants.

Stick to the center of trails so you do not come in contact with grass or bushes.

You can also spray insect repellent that contains DEET on your clothes and your exposed skin when you go for a hike or a walk.

Make sure you remove your clothing when you come indoors and wash and dry it at a high temperature.

You should also do a check for ticks on your body to ensure you are not carrying any with you inside.

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Dorothy Bell

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