How To Get Rid of Ticks On Your Dog

Fleas and ticks are a common problem for pet owners. Not only can they make your pet sick, they carry diseases that humans can catch too. The right precautions can greatly lessen the chance of either of you contracting an illness and keep your pet happy.

Dog ticks are one of those terrible little pests that can really irritate your dog during the summer or warmer months of the year, these creatures hide in grass and other surfaces and insert themselves within your dog’s skin in order to live off your dog’s warm blood.

Ticks are especially bad for carrying diseases and enjoy and can survive in the nice warm heat of your home, ticks get carried into the home on pets and preferably dogs and once they have had their feed, fall off and seek cover in a safe area out of site which makes theses pests hard to find and get rid of.

Fleas feed on blood. Signs of flea borne illness include skin irritation, allergic reactions, anemia and possibly death. Fleas also carry tapeworms. Large amounts of fleas, or ticks, can produce a large amount of blood loss.

Ticks, which also feed on blood, are carriers of Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever to name a few.

Ticks are a fast growing arachnid that lives and are born on long grassy areas, and climb to the top of leaves and grass to wait for a host to feed off and survive off, theses arachnids can live off many different animals and not just dogs, these commonly include humans, birds, and mice. Ticks get and carry diseases from theses other animals and can spread them to their next host which may be your dog.

During the summer months it is important to check your dog regularly by running your hands through the dog’s fur and coat to check for small lumps, some pressure is needed to detect these pests and it is wise to check thoroughly every day during the hotter months.

Signs of Flea presence in your pet

* Excessive scratching and biting.
* Raw patches especially around the tail and lower back.
* Presence of black, granular dried blood.

You will need to do is to get a pair of tweezers. You cannot just pull the tick out with your bare hands. When the tick initially bites you, it will bury its head in your skin. If you just try to pull it out with your bare hands, you might get the head stuck in your skin which could lead to infection. You should position the tweezers around the tick as close to the skin as possible. You have place the tweezers there, firmly begin to pull the tick straight up. This should help to keep the tick in tact and make sure that he is not broken in half. Once the tick is out of your dog, you should burn the tick. If you throw the tick away, it will probably just climb up the trash and try to bit you again,Ticks don’t die when you flush them down the toilet.You can also use alchohol to kill it.

Just in case some bacteria were released during the tick removal, dab your dog’s skin
with a disinfectant ointment.

Make sure to check out your local pet store. You will find that they offer many different products for your dog in respect of flea and tick care that are made from all natural ingredients. They have no chemicals that could be unsafe for your pets or family, but they have ingredients that are very effective in getting rid of the pesky pests.

Always read the labels on flea and tick products. Make sure they are appropriate for your dog’s age and weight. Never use items made for humans! Never use these products on young, pregnant, debilitated or elderly dogs without first consulting a veterinarian.

Different treatments deal with various stages of a flea’s life. Read the label to know if it deals with larvae, eggs or adult fleas. You will often need to use a variety to kill the most fleas and prevent a repeat infestation.

They have powders and sprays with no harmful chemicals. You can find shampoos and special flea brushes to remove them from our dog’s coat. There are some treatments that you can apply directly to the dog’s skin that won’t harm the dog in any way, but will kill the fleas.

Another option is the special-made flea collar that helps repel the fleas but doesn’t have any harsh chemicals that could seep through the dog’s skin so there’s no risk with other pets coming in contact with the collar.

Water is the most effective flea treatment for your dog. As mentioned, drowning work against fleas. It may help if you can train your dog to bathe while submerged in water up to his neck. This will drown the flea and will be easy for you to comb them away.

If you live in or near a wooded area, perform a routine tick check on your dog. As a good dog owner who’s been looking out for your dog’s best interests and ensuring him a happy life, you should already be familiar with the “chassis inspection.” If not, now is as good a time as any to get familiar with it. Have your dog sit down in front of you and run your hands all over his body. Check his ears and the undersides of his paws. Don’t forget those out of sight areas like his belly and the place where his leg bends into his body. He won’t like these intrusions at first, but if you’re gentle and speak to him softly in that special voice reserved only for him, your dog will eventually grow to tolerate the tick inspection and may even enjoy it.

To really get rid of these pests is no small accomplishment. First thing you should do is treat the inside of your home. Flea eggs and larvae are probably throughout your home if your pet is infested and goes in and out of your home. You’ll need to vacuum daily for a few days, then apply an appropriate flea killing powder to kill any remaining fleas. Ticks don’t usually make it inside the house, but if they did, this should kill them, too. Of course, the pets are kept outside at this point.

Don’t forget to treat the garage, pet beds, dog crates, dog carriers, cat carriers, pet strollers and anything else your pets utilize. Of course, once your get the inside taken care of, you’ll need to treat your pets. There are several products available for this whether it’s having your pets dipped, using a spray or shampoo, or even a quality monthly topical treatment. It’s always best to consult your veterinarian first before applying any chemicals to your furry friends. There are some that are okay for dogs, but very dangerous to cats, so be sure to check.

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