Best Ways to Prevent Ticks on Dogs

When you go camping or hiking, people always make a point of telling you to wear long, thick socks to keep you from getting ticks. Well, your dogs can't do that. So you're going to have to find another way to keep them safe from those little bloodsuckers. The best ways to prevent ticks on dogs include vigilance, preventative treatments, and having a good amount of background knowledge.

When you think about preventing ticks from reaching your dogs and cats, you often focus on the animals themselves. However, it is important that you also remember the natural environment around you. If you live in a more rural or wooded area, with high or thick grass, you'll want to spray your property for ticks.

If you constantly take your dog into your country yard, there's a much higher likelihood that ticks will make it into your home. But you can't keep your pet locked up in the house forever, either. Spraying your property gives you and your pet added protection against ticks.

Both fleas and ticks can be kept at bay by using specially treated collars. Tick collars release anti-tick chemicals onto your dog's skin continually over the span of a few months. You'll have to remember to change your dog's tick collar when the recommended time period is up, but it's one of the easiest and best ways to prevent ticks on dogs.

Spot treatments are virtually the same as tick collars, except it's up to you to apply the preventative chemicals to your dog. It is extremely important to make sure you apply the liquid to your dog's skin and not just on top of the fur. Typically, you apply the product on a patch of skin behind your dog's neck. For large dogs, though, you need to apply it in a few areas. Watch this video from Pet Drugs Online UK to get a full walkthrough of the application process.

You can buy it here.

Tick shampoo is another popular alternative for preventing ticks. This method works best if you have a small dog, because it will require you to bathe your dog every few weeks. If you have a larger animal, like a Saint Bernard or a Chow Chow, you should definitely use the other methods on this list.

Spray both you and your dog before you go hiking.

One of the best ways to prevent ticks on dogs is to take precautions before you head out into nature. Spraying both you and your dog with tick spray is a great extra step to take, if you're concerned about your dog attracting ticks while you're hiking.

While tick spray is good to have on hand, it is not a long-term treatment like tick collars or spot treatments. Don't rely solely on this product for tick prevention.

Regardless of if you already have preventative measures in place, you should always be in the habit of checking you and your dog for ticks when you return home from a trip into the woods. Inspecting yourself is relatively easy, but ticks can be hard to find on dogs because of their fur.

To adequately search for ticks on your dog, you have to be able to see the skin. Just a quick scan with your eyes won't do the trick. If you do happen to spot a tick or two, you have to remove it from your dog as quickly as possible. If you want to learn how to remove a tick from a dog the right way, watch the above video, courtesy of Top Dog Tips.

There is oral medication available to help protect your pet from ticks. Like the topical chemical options, oral medication only prevents ticks for a certain amount of time. Typically, you are supposed to administer the medication once a month to keep your dog protected.

If a tick happens to slip past you, even after you've inspected your dog, an oral medication will work to kill ticks before they cause your dog serious problems. It is one of the best ways to prevent ticks on dogs because it is also a form of treatment.

Inspect the Dog Bed

You may have gotten all of the ticks off of your dog, but that doesn't mean they're all gone. If your dog got to their bed before you were able to go check them, there could still be some ticks lingering there. It's the same concept as spraying the outside of your home; you have to make sure the dog's environment is safe.

If you're an inexperienced dog owner you might have taken your dog into tick-infested areas without knowing the best ways to prevent ticks on dogs. In that case, the best preventative measure you can take is to educate yourself on the symptoms of Lyme disease.

A fever is an indication that your dog might have Lyme disease. You can tell if your dog has a fever without the use of a rectal thermometer by checking to see if their ears are warm, or if their nose is particularly dry. A fever—or any illness—will also cause your dog to behave strangely and be more lethargic. If you notice a sudden change in your dog's energy level or behavior, take them to the vet immediately.

Be careful about the animals your dog interacts with.

Even if your dog is clean, other dogs or animals they come into contact with might not be. If you take your pet to a dog park, or if your pet is often around livestock, you should regularly check them for ticks. If you're a farmer, rancher, or live in a very rural area, your dog could easily contract ticks or other parasites and illnesses. Remember, one of the best ways to prevent ticks on dogs is to be knowledgeable, thorough, and prepared!