Ticks are one of your greatest enemies when you decide to have a pet. Dog ticks are small pests that can cause a number of health complications to your dog and could be a handful to you as an owner as well. If you have ever encountered removing a tick from your dog’s coat, then you know that keeping the tiny pests around you will not be a good plan at all. If these pests are left too long or removed entirely from the dog’s coat and their area or environment, these pests can cause some serious diseases.
A lot of anti-tick products are already available on the market, and it sure does come in a lot of forms – spray, injectables, powders, shampoo, soap, and more. However, you may be confused as to what appropriate products are safe to use, so here are the top 10 products you might want to consider.
- Shampoos
Bathing your animal is just one of the basic needs to keep them healthy. Although animals have a natural way of cleaning themselves, it is still very important that you contribute to this habit. Bathing your dog regularly could also greatly help with preventing and removing ticks. Using shampoos that contain medicated ingredients that specifically target ticks and fleas will generally kill ticks on contact. This is a common way to get rid of ticks, and it sure does work effectively. However, using this method inconsistently will not help with the problem at all; you will need to repeat the process more often, preferably 1-2 a week.
- Oral Medications
There are also a lot of medications that are anti-tick and flea already available at the market, which come in different forms like pills, syrup, and chewables. These medications can work to kill both ticks and maturing fleas, and they will also disrupt the life cycles of such pests. Oral medications against fleas are also easy to give, and you won’t most likely need to worry about other animals coming in contact with them. However, as much as you want those pests to go away, it is also responsible for remembering to only give your dog the right amount of medication.
- Spot-on treatments
Spot-on treatments are usually found over the counter that you can easily purchase from your veterinarian, pet store, or online. It can be a very effective method for long-term treatments as it usually lasts about 2-3 months from being consistently applied. While these types of medication are great to use, it is still very responsible for thinking about the appropriate amount and frequency you should apply to your dog.
- Tick Collars
Tick collar repellents are also a great way to keep ticks and fleas away from your dog. However, this type of tick repellent is mainly only used to protect the neck and head from ticks, but that doesn’t mean it is less effective. Collars like this need to make contact with your dog’s fur and skin in order to fairly distribute the chemicals. Just like any other medications that are previously mentioned, this type of anti-tick repellent also needs to be monitored as some dogs could get an allergic reaction from it.
For additional reminders, you will need to make sure that the collar is not too tight and that there is just enough room to fit two fingers under the collar. It is also helpful to cut off the excess length of the collar to prevent your dog from chewing on it.
- Tick Sprays
Another common medication for tick and fleas are tick sprays. These sprays have chemicals that focus on killing ticks and preventing more ticks from maturing or laying eggs; it also kills ticks in contact and provides residual protection. This can be used in between shampoo and dips, and it is a really great repellent if you plan to take long trips with your dog outdoors. It is crucial to remember to spray away from the face.
