Ticks can be a pesky problem for both you and your dog. In serious condition, ticks can even be fatal to your pup. Check out these amazing home remedies to remove ticks from both your dog and your house.
If your dog is still in the early stages of his or her life, he or she may not be able to handle the aggressive anti tick products. If you are looking for solutions of how to get the ticks off from your dog, you are at the right place. The tick removal remedies I am about to discuss are made from hundred percent natural items and will not harm your pup. However, to be safe, have a discussion with your veterinarian about which product you should use on your pup. Continue reading all the way to the end to get an idea of all available tick home remedies.
Before we embark on the journey of understanding the home remedies to eliminate ticks in dogs, you need to understand how to identify ticks in the first place.
Ticks are
mainly active parasitic arachnids (belonging to the same family as spiders).
Ticks have been observed to be more active during the time from spring to
autumn. There is a high chance that your dog may get affected by ticks during
these months. Therefore, during this duration, it is recommended that you
properly examine your dog’s coat after each and every walk. Furthermore, make
sure that your dog has been made to follow the complete deworming schedule.
Ticks tend
to launch themselves onto your dog’s body and feed on his or her blood. The
time the tick spends attached to your dog’s skin, allows the tick to transmit
various diseases like lyme disease, canine ehrlichiosis, rocky mountain spotted
fever etc., Check out the 7 most common diseases caused tick bite in dogs.
When a tick
latches itself onto your dog’s body, they keep on increasing in size as they
feed on more and more blood. Therefore, when you focus on using home remedies
to remove the ticks infecting your dogs, it is better if the tick is still
small in size. Once the tick becomes larger in size, it becomes more
complicated to remove it from your dog by the use of home remedies.
The most
common symptoms of a tick presence/bite on your dog are:
- Intense level of itching
- Swelling
- Redness
- Inflammation
- In most intense cases, symptoms may involve:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Vomiting
- Depression
- Pain
- Appetite loss
- Whole body paralysis
To ease your
reading experience, I have divided the blog post into the following topics. You
can click on the hyperlink to directly reach to the topic:
Home remedy for ticks:
- Chamomile
- Citrus
- Sesame, lemon, castor and cinnamon oil combination
- Lemon, basil, lavender, chamomile and cedar oil combination
- Vitamin E and almond oil
- Neem oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Use of an anti-tick shampoo
- Lemon bath
- Rosemary dip
- Coconut oil rubs
- Vinegar
- Crushed garlic
- Cedar or Lavender oil:
- Vodka anti-tick collar
- Brewer’s yeast:
- Rose Geranium essential oil – almond oil combo:
- Regular Combing:
- Witch Hazel
- Vegetable oil
- Vaseline
- Baking soda
- Permethrin
- Eucalyptus oil
- Liquid dish detergent
- Orange
- Clove
- Tea tree oil
- Mouthwash
- Gasoline or Turpentine
- Cinnamon oil
How to get rid of the tick infestation from your home
Maintain caution when working to kill
ticks
Look for the primary areas of tick infestation in your home
Home remedy for removing ticks on dogs:
Chamomile as home remedy for ticks on dogs:
The best
part about chamomile is that it is safe to be used on dogs as well as puppies.
This is also the most effective tick removal method available. To prepare this
home remedy, follow the following steps:
First
prepare an infusion of the chamomile: put the chamomile flowers and a cup of boiling water covered
with a plate, wrap a towel on it and let it infuse for around 20 minutes. After
the infusion is ready, let it cool.
Double clean
cloth or cotton pad in the chamomile infusion and squeeze it well.
Rub this
chamomile infused cotton pad on your dog’s skin with a gentle emphasis on the
affected region. Do this twice every day.
Since chamomile is a natural repellent of ticks, the ticks will automatically leave your dog’s skin as soon as possible.
Citrus
Ticks have a
tendency to hate anything citrus. These are a great preventive method for
getting rid of ticks. Amongst all citrus fruits, lemon is the best when it
comes to removing ticks from dogs. However, if lemon is unavailable, you can
also use lime, grapefruit or orange.
To get
this natural remedy ready, follow the following instructions:
Boil 2 cups
of water. Allow them to reach the boiling point. Adds two lemons cut in half to
the boiling water.
Reduce the
heat and allow the mixture to simmer for at least one hour. This will allow the
lemon to infuse and enhance the repellent effect.
After the
infusion has been allowed to carry on for an hour, remove the vessel from the
heat and allow the mixture to cool down.
Remove the
lemons and pour the liquid into a spray bottle. When you apply it on your dog,
avoid any contact with an open wound or the eyes.
TIP: Although homemade lemon citrus tick
remedy is amazing for dogs, be very cautious and do not allow your dog to lick
itself. This home remedy is not only good for getting rid of ticks in your
dogs, it can also act as a great disinfectant to prevent any kind of tick
infestation on your dog.
Natural oils for killing ticks on dogs
There are
many amazing natural oils that can be used to remove ticks on dogs. As I
mentioned before, citrus fruits are an amazing tick repellent. However, there
are other home remedies that are more effective and deserve to be mentioned
here:
The combination of sesame, cinnamon, caster and lemon oils
to prepare this concoction, mix cinnamon, lemon, sesame and castor oil in equal parts in an airtight container. If you wish to use essential oils instead of using natural oils, the essential oils will first have to be diluted in a liter of purified water and use a few drops of the diluted essential oil. Pour the concoction on a clean cloth or cotton and apply it on your dog skin gently and carefully. Since castor oil can be poisonous for dogs, you must be very cautious and prevent your dog from licking the region where you have applied the oil.
The combination of lemon, basil, cedar, chamomile and lavender oils
The process
of making this concoction is same as the previous one. You can add an infusion
of chamomile oil to increase the antiparasitic effect of this home remedy.
Alternatively, you can also substitute chamomile oil for peppermint oil. Again,
if you decide to use essential oils, dilute a few drops of each oil in one
liter purified water first and then use a few drops to make the concoction.
Take the concoction on a cotton pad or cloth and apply very carefully on your
pup’s skin.
Vitamin E and almond oil
To make this
concoction, pour 20 ml of almond oil in a bowl. Break open one vitamin E
capsule and mix it with the almond oil. Pour the mixture in an airtight
container. Drop a few drops of the mixture on a clean cloth or a cotton pad and
massage it very gently on your dog’s ear region.
Never allow
the solution to enter your dog’s ear canal. Make sure you keep the solution
only on the external region of your dog’s ear. The solution can also prevent
your dog from tick infestation in future.
Neem oil to prevent tick infestation in dogs
The biggest
advantage of using neem oil is that it alone is a potent enough natural
repellent for ticks. You do not need to mix it with any other kind of oil prior
to application. You can apply neem oil directly on your dog’s skin with a clean
cloth or a cotton ball. In case you are using the neem essential oil, dilute it
first (two drops of neem essential oil in half a liter of water).
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider
vinegar is amazing when it comes to preventing tick infestation your dog. I
have previously written a complete blog post on the benefits of using apple cider vinegar for dogs. Apple
cider vinegar not only prevents ticks, it also prevents fleas as well as other
unwanted parasites. Apple cider vinegar includes acetic acid which is
responsible for the sour taste which you observe in vinegar. Since acetic acid
is citrus in nature, ticks and fleas cannot tolerate its presence and therefore
apple cider vinegar makes for an excellent flea and tick repellent.
Making
the apple cider vinegar home remedy for preventing tick infestation:
This remedy
is probably the easiest one to make. Just add equal parts of apple cider
vinegar and water into a container. Mix it well to allow the proper dilution
and blending of the vinegar and water. When needed, you can either use this as
a spray or as a topical applicant. Just soak the mixture on a clean cloth and
apply it on your dog’s skin gently. Avoid any contact with your dog’s eyes or any
open wound as this can sting. You can also put this mixture in a spray
container and just spray it all over your dog’s coat. This is another great
home remedy which can be used on puppies since it’s non-toxic.
Use of an anti-tick shampoo
if you have
an inkling that your dog might have a tick infestation, the first step would be
to remove the existing ticks which have latched on to your dog’s body. Start by
bathing your dog in a lathering tick shampoo. Since tick bites in dogs can
cause itching, irritation and can be fatal in severe cases, it is best to first
remove them before you embark on any preventive measures journey.
When
choosing an anti-tick shampoo for your dog, remember to go for the natural
products as harsh chemicals can cause irritation to your dog’s skin. When bathing,
lather the shampoo on your dog from head to toe. Leave no region untouched.
Allow the product to sit on your dog’s skin for several minutes. Then wash it
off. Shampoo will remove the ticks which have not yet attached to your dog.
Post this you can start preventive measures.
Lemon bath
lemon bath
is the next level of dog care to prevent tick infestation. For this all you
need to do is to dilute half a cup of the lemon juice into 2 cups of water.
Squeeze a small amount of your favorite dog shampoo into the mix. Bathe your
pup as usual and rinse it really well. Lemon bath works by changing the pH of
your dog’s skin. This change in pH is not favorable for the ticks living
conditions. Hence, they die and leave your dog.
Rosemary dip
For the
Rosemary dip method, place a bushel of fresh rosemary in boiling water. Allow
it to sleep for a while. After the close, strain the Rosemary leaves from the
boiling water and makes the concoction with a few cups of warm water. Again,
allow the mixture to cool off. You can just spray the mixture on your dog and
let it air dry.
Coconut oil rubs
Coconut oil,
as I have previously mentioned is a super oil when it comes to dogs. Coconut
oil contains antifungal, antiviral as well as antibacterial properties. Coconut
oil is not only effective against ticks, it can be used to prevent a variety of
disease conditions in your dog. Click here to access the complete blog post on the benefits of coconut
oil for your dog. To use coconut oil to treat tick infection, take a
generous amount of the oil in your hands and apply it all throughout your dog’s
coat. Coconut oil contains lauric acid which tends to kill and repel ticks. For
further protection you can add coconut oil to your dog’s diet. Add one teaspoon
of coconut oil per 20 lbs of body weight of your dog, twice every day.
Vinegar
I have
already discussed the amazing benefits of apple cider vinegar for your dog in
tick prevention. However, only vinegar can also be used for topical application
or ingested as a method to prevent tick infestation. To make this concoction,
simply mix water and vinegar in a 50:50 ratio. Store this concoction in a spray
bottle and spray it on your dog’s coat. For the purpose of oral ingestion, mix
a teaspoon of vinegar with a quart of water. Allow the vinegar to be a part of
your dog’s regular drinking water for extra protection against ticks.
Crushed
garlic
As they say,
garlic keeps the vampire away. It is true in the case of bloodsucking ticks as
well. Garlic prevents the little bloodsuckers from staying on your dog. You can
add garlic to your dog’s diet for an extra tick protection. Remember to use a
safe amount of garlic depending on the weight and size of your pup. Be cautious
and do not use any more than half clove of garlic per 20 lbs of your dog’s
weight. For a dog of any weight and size, no more than 2 cloves of garlic must
be used in a day.
Tip: avoid using garlic under any condition if your dog suffers from hemolytic anemia or has a history of the same.
Cedar or Lavender oil:
Instead of
spending your money on tick collars and commercial tick preventers, you can
make your own anti-tick collar by the use of high-quality essential oils. Cedar
or Lavender oils have shown a high level of anti-tick protection and they do
not come with the harshness of the commercial products. To use this tick
prevention method, put a few drops of the oil in a container and diluted with
water. You can spray the mixture directly on your dog’s nylon collar or his or
her cotton bandanna and put it on your dog.
Vodka anti-tick collar
In case your
dog is sensitive to the smell of essential oils, the next best option is to use
vodka. Use of unflavored Vodka can provide the same level of protection against
ticks without the added and unwanted scent. To make a vodka tick collar, soak
your dog’s collar in vodka and allow the collar to dry out completely. In case
your dog is not sensitive to smells, you can add a few drops of essential oil
to the collar to further enhance the protection level.
Brewer’s yeast:
If your pup
is in excellent health, chances are he or she will be less prone to tick
infection. Thus, optimizing your pup’s good health must be of top priority to
you. Brewer’s yeast can be just the solution you are looking for. Just add a
small portion of the brewer’s yeast to the food of your pup every day.
Rose Geranium essential oil – almond oil combo:
This is one
of the most commonly used tick repellant option amongst dog guardians. To make
this concoction, mix 20 drops of the rose germanium essential oil into 3
tablespoons of almond oil. mix the concoction well and apply a few drops of the
concoction to your pup’s fur around the collar region especially.
TIP: This remedy is only meant for dogs.
Regular Combing:
This is one
of the cheapest and easiest remedy for your pup to remove the fleas. When you
return from a walk or a hike, remember to comb your pup’s fur thoroughly, not
missing an inch. If you comb your pup’s fur once every day at least, it will
help remove the fleas and ticks crawling on the fur. They will also reduce the
irritation which your pup might feel.
This is
another excellent tic repellent. Instead of using rubbing alcohol on your pup,
use witch hazel instead. This won’t fry out your dog’s skin and is an effective
tick killing mechanism.
There are
two methods to prepare this concoction:
Mix
eucalyptus oil and witch hazel in a 1:10 ratio. Sir well and add it to a spray
bottle. Spray it on your pup to kill the existent ticks.
Another
concoction you can prepare involves pouring 8 ounces of distilled water in a
spray bottle. To the distilled water, add 30-40 drops of essential oils. Then
add witch hazel until the bottle is full. Use this to spray on curtains, bed,
mattress to kill ticks, fleas and other types of bugs.
Vegetable oil:
Vegetable
oils are naturally Sulphur rich. Sulphur is a natural repellent for ticks. To
make this concoction, all you have to do is mix 10 drops of peppermint oil to 2
teaspoons of vegetable oil. To this mix,
add one teaspoon of liquid dish wash detergent. Stir the mixture and apply it
on your dog’s coat. But be careful, do not spray this mixture near your dog’s
mouth, ears or eyes. Practice this method once a week for best results.
Vaseline:
Vaseline is
probably the simplest remedy for removing ticks. Take a blob of Vaseline on
your palm, rub it between your palms and then apply it on your dog’s fur,
specifically on the tick infected region. Vaseline will suffocate the tick.
Leave the Vaseline on your dog for a while and then comb through the fur to
remove the dead ticks.
Baking soda:
Baking soda
is another natural remedy to remove ticks from your pup. Mix half a teaspoon of
baking soda and salt. Add 4 ounces of apple cider vinegar to this dry mixture.
Pour it in a spray bottle. Fill the spray bottle with 4 ounces of warm water.
It is ready for spray application now. When spraying make sure to avoid your
dog’s eyes and any other open wound.
Permethrin
Permethrin
kills ticks on contact. To use permethrin, simply spray it on mattresses,
clothes and curtains. Many commercial permethrin formulations are available
which can be used on cats and dogs.
You can also
use a solution of Permethrin-10. Dip a sponge into the solution and rub it on
your dog’s body. One applied, the solution can last for 3-4 weeks.
If you want you can also make a spray with Permethrin. Mix 1 ounce of citronella with 2 ounces of permethrin solution. Furthermore, add 4 ounces of apple cider vinegar and a few drops of oil of rosemary. Stir the mix and add it to the spray bottle. Remember to shake it before using it on your dog.
Eucalyptus oil:
This is a
very effective formulations against ticks. To get the spray ready, boil 15-20
eucalyptus leaves in a liter of water. Allow it to boil for 20 mins, Post
boiling, allow the solution to cool. Stain and add the concoction to a spray bottle.
You can also
use eucalyptus oil. Fill up a spray bottle with 4 ounces of distilled water.
Add 10 drops of eucalyptus oil to it. Remember to shake it well before spraying
on your pup.
Liquid dish detergent:
This is a
remedy which is available in all homes. Pour some dish detergent in a bowl.
Apply the detergent on your pup with a cotton ball and cover the infected
region. Let it sit for a while before you wash it off. DO NOT USE THIS REMEDY
if your pup is allergic t soap.
Orange:
Orange is
another component which is rich in citric acid. Squeeze some orange juice from
a couple of oranges. Apply it on your dog with the help of a cotton.
Clove:
Clove is
endowed with both anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It is a
great help in killing ticks. To use this, just pour some clove oil on your palm
and rub it on your dog’s fur in a gentle manner.
You can also
use clove oil along with some peppermint oil, water and some clove extracts.
Tea Tree oil:
Tea tree oil
has a lot of medicinal properties which can help in tick kills. There are a few
ways tea tree oil can be used to kill ticks. You can just add a few drops of
the tea tree oil to your dog’s regular shampoo and bathe him or her with it as
you would normally.
You can also
try and make this other concoction. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to water in
a spray bottle and apply directly to your dog’s fur. You can also directly
apply tea tree oil to the infected region. Keep in mind that natural tea tree
oil can lead to irritation if used directly.
Mouthwash:
Mouthwash is
another great remedy which is already available at your home and is pretty effective
in killing ticks. Pour a little amount of the mouthwash on a tissue and place
it on the infected area to kill the ticks.
Gasoline or Turpentine:
Alcohol
based fuels like gasoline have proven to be effective against ticks. All you
have to do is dip a cotton in gasoline and place it on the affected region.
Allow it to rest there for a few minutes. This will suffocate the ticks
ensuring easy removal.
Cinnamon oil:
Cinnamon oil
is another great remedy for fighting ticks. ALL you need to do is put some cinnamon
oil on the affected region. Cinnamon oil is a natural repellant against fleas
and ticks.
How to get rid of the tick infestation from your home?
As long as
ticks inhabit your home, neither you nor your pup is safe. Thus, along with
removing the ticks on your dogs, you must also focus on removing them from your
house.
Diatomaceous Earth
If you are
in the market for a non-toxic and safe method to remove the fleas from your
house, diatomaceous earth might just be the answer you’re looking for. Diatomaceous
earth is made up of grounded exoskeletons of previously fossilized sea
creatures. When diatomaceous earth comes in contact with fleas, it instantly
kills them by drying them out. It mainly works by using the mechanism of
dehydration. If you have the problem of tick infestation in your doghouse,
sheds, garage or other regions, just spray the powder on the floor and leave it
to work its magic.
For sofa,
carpets and other furniture which may suffer from tick infestation, sprinkle
the product and push it deep into the fiber of the cushions. This will allow
the diatomaceous earth to kill any ticks lurking underneath the surface of the
fabric. The best part is that this product is that it is harmless to humans and
pet domestic animals. However, you must be careful and stay away from
inhalation of the same.
Maintain caution when working to kill ticks
Since ticks
have a hard exoskeleton, squishing them is not an option. If you do find a
tick, use a pair of tweezers and drop the pest into a solution of rubbing
alcohol, sanitizer or simply flush it down the toilet.
Ticks love
to live in the humid and warm regions of your house, especially those regions
which are not disturbed. If you are facing tick infestation, consider changing
the layout of your furniture and move things around periodically. In your
backyard, turn over the rocks and logs, cut the grass short and remove any
garbage and bushes from the region.
When working
to remove ticks from your house, focus on the hot and humid regions like
underneath the cabinets, moldings, the windowsills, baseboards, room corners
and other regions which are rich with humidity. In homes with climate control
feature, the ticks tend to die in a few days.
A few
preventive measures to keep in mind:
- Clean your house with vacuum cleaner.
- Use warm water to wash your cushion covers, blankets and linen.
- Sanitize the corners of the house.
- Pray anti tick pesticide in your home
- Make sure your pups wear flea collars when they are out.
- Spray tick repellents on mattresses, cushions and furniture.
- Use tweezers to remove the ticks
- Shampoo your pup at regular intervals
- Regularly mow your lawn
- Remove all litter like weeds and fallen leaves.
- Keep the bushes short
Some final thoughts:
Even though
ticks have the ability to cause many types of diseases in both dogs and humans,
prevention is still always better than cure, especially when it comes to dog
care. We don’t want our kids to suffer for any reason. Thus, always try to keep
your house and your dog free of ticks and fleas.
Remember to
take the tick repellent spray with you when going on hikes or performing any
other type of outdoor activity with your pup. Furthermore, if you are going to
regions with lots of grass or bushes, reapply the spray as and when needed. In
case your dog ends up wet during the outdoor activity or by enjoying himself or
herself in rain or swimming, ensure quick reapplication of flea spray to remove
any of the unwanted house guests which may try to come in with your pup.
If you
notice your dog displaying any of the tick bite related symptoms, consult your vet without any
delay. Your vet will ask you questions regarding the location of the bite, the
symptoms your dog is displaying, the frequency of symptom occurrence and
finally when did you notice the tick for the first time. Your vet may conduct
blood tests to fin out or rule out the other tick related diseases and focus on
the one which might be affecting your dog. Once the tick variety is confirmed
your dog will be put on antibiotics, other medications and supportive care
depending on his disease condition.
