External parasites are a problem for you and your dog. There are various products on the market to eliminate them, but you can also choose home remedies to eliminate ticks if you detect any in your dog.
These recipes have the advantage of being natural. For this reason, they are not toxic to your dog and are friendly to the environment. Do you want to know the most effective natural remedies? Discover them below!
Index of contents
- 1 How to know if a dog has ticks?
- 2 How to remove ticks in dogs?
- 3 Home remedies to eliminate ticks in dogs
- 3.1 Chamomile
- 3.2 Vinegar
- 3.3 Eucalyptus
- 3.4 Neem oil
- 3.5 Citrus
- 3.6 Essential oils
- 4 Natural remedies to remove ticks at home
How to know if a dog has ticks?
Before presenting you the best natural remedies, you need to know the symptoms of ticks in dogs. Ticks are external parasites that live in damp, dark areas; from there, they wait for an animal to pass as a guest.
By clinging to the skin, they begin to feed on the dog’s blood and reproduce easily. Some of them can transmit dangerous diseases, but all tick infestations cause the following symptoms:
- Skin rash
- Intense itching
- Skin wounds caused by scratching the dog
- Red areas
- Speckles or black dust on the coat (tick faeces)
- Fever
- Frequent scratching
- Fatigue and weakness
- Vomiting
In principle, ticks are small and can go unnoticed if your dog has long hair. However, as they feed, their bodies grow round.
How to remove ticks in dogs?
There are different medications to eliminate ticks in dogs. It will be easy for you to find pipettes, necklaces, shampoos and antiparasitic sprays. Further, in dogs with a very serious tick problem, medical attention may be necessary to cope with the symptoms and save the dog’s life.
Never ignore a tick infestation. If the problem spreads, it could kill your dog. In addition to traditional products, there are homemade methods against ticks in dogs, as well as ways to prevent their reappearance.
Before applying them, you should remove as many ticks as you can with tweezers and kill them, remember to remove the entire tick, including the jaw.
The most recommended is that you use these natural remedies in conjunction with commercial products, always under the supervision of your vet.
Home remedies to eliminate ticks in dogs
Apply any of these natural methods against ticks, this way you will keep your dog protected:
Chamomile
Chamomile is very good for your dog. You can drink it to calm diarrhea and vomiting, in addition to serving to relax you in stressful situations.
Against ticks, chamomile is effective because of the odor it gives off. Prepare an infusion using two commercial chamomile tea bags, or a handful of natural dried leaves. When the water has an intense smell, wait for it to cool down and bathe your dog with the infusion. To make it more potent, you can add a lemon wedge to the chamomile while brewing the tea.
In addition to preventing ticks from getting close to your dog, chamomile will soothe irritated skin.
Vinegar
Vinegar has multiple applications in the home. Between them, useful as a tick repellent. Depending on the size of your dog, mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and water. Then rub the fur with a cloth, avoid the eyes, ears and nose.
Your dog may show displeasure at first due to the smell, but it will pass after a while.
Eucalyptus
An eucalyptus infused bath is as effective as chamomile. Prepare the water by infusing commercial tea or natural eucalyptus leaves. Let the solution cool and bathe your dog with it, or distribute it on its coat with a soft cloth.
Neem oil
Neem oil is an effective repellent against ticks and fleas. For this reason, it will serve to prevent them from approaching your dog. In a bowl of water, mix 5 drops of neem oil with 5 drops of citronella oil.
Then use the mixture to spray your dog’s coat. The smell scares off ticks, but it won’t be bothersome to family members.
Citrus
Citrus fruits are among the natural remedies to remove ticks more effective. Choose some lemon or orange slices and place them in a bowl of water. Boil the solution for one hour, taking care that the water does not evaporate.
Then remove the fruit slices, wait for the water to cool, and use a spray bottle to spray your dog with it. Avoid sensitive areas, such as the eyes, nose, and muzzle.
Citrus fruits work as a repellent against ticks, you can use this same remedy to spray your dog’s belongings and the surroundings of the house.
Essential oils
Essential oils are also an effective tick repellent. In a sprayer with two liters of water, place five drops of peppermint, peppermint, cinnamon, lavender and almond oil. Shake well and spray on your dog’s coat.
You can also make a natural flea and tick repellent necklace yourself, or natural pipettes:
- Preventive and homemade pipettes for dogs
Natural remedies to remove ticks at home
In addition to applying natural tick repellents to your dog, it is essential to use treatments throughout the house. To do this, follow these steps:
- Vacuum all the spaces in the house. Put special emphasis on corners, behind furniture, curtains, sofas, and cushions. Once finished, close the vacuum bag and throw it away.
- All textiles, such as covers, pillows, and sheets, must be heat treated. For rugs, curtains, and beds, use a vaporizer. The rest of the clothes, put them in the washing machine with two cycles of hot water.
- Wash all the objects of your pet with hot water and lemon.
- Use lemon, peppermint, and peppermint solutions, boiled with water, to clean floors, countertops, and spray windows.
- Apply remedies made with water and essential oils on rugs and carpets.
- Maintain strict housekeeping for several weeks.
These home remedies to remove ticks on dogs and home they are effective if you use several at th
e same time. In case the infestation gets out of control and your dog doesn’t improve, don’t hesitate to go to a vet and a pest control professional.