Ticks and fleas are a common cause of diseases that afflict dogs. Besides transmitting diseases, tick and flea bites are irritating to the dog causing a lot of discomfort and at times may result in hypersensitivity reactions.
Ticks and fleas are relatively easy to get rid of in dogs that are indoors most of the time. For outdoor dogs especially those used in hunting, this is a different case entirely. Ticks and fleas will commonly be found in long grasses and in forested areas. Some species of these two parasites are host-specific for dogs meaning they would rather suck blood from your dog than you or another domesticated animal.
In preventing infestation by these parasites it is important that you keep your dog away from areas where these parasites are likely to be found such as long grass and forested areas. The lawn in your backyard (if you have one) should be kept at reasonable length and should not be allowed to grow long. Do not let your dog spend a lot of time rolling in the grass or running around in the forest.
For dogs living indoors, the dog should be checked for fleas and ticks every time he comes back from the park, dog show or some other place he might have been exposed. Any ticks or fleas found should be disposed properly. The dog’s sleeping area should be washed at least once a week and the blanket dusted and/or washed.
Some home remedies you can use to keep your dog tick and flea free is mixing apple cider vinegar with an equal amount of water and spraying it on the dog. You can also use lavender oil which is believed to be a natural flea repellent. This mixture can also be applied in the area where the dog is sleeping and in other regions around the house paying special attention to corners, cracks and carpeted areas.
Carpets can be vacuumed every once in a while, any fleas or ticks present will be sucked up by the vacuum. This method only removes the ticks and fleas from the carpet but does some may survive the vacuuming. You can then apply a pesticide on the vacuum bag to kill any parasites that are still alive.
There are commercial products available for control of ticks and fleas. These products can be sued on the dog as well as the environment to kill the various stages of ticks and fleas. Tick and flea control products will come in different formulations; there are spot on applicators, shampoos, sprays, dusting powders and flea collars.
Spot on applications are usually applied on the skin; a common brand that has this form of preparation is Frontline plusTM which is very effective especially in control of fleas.
Shampoos are used to wash the dog, they contain medication that is toxic to ticks and fleas. Aerosol sprays are usually used to kill stages of ticks and fleas present in the environment and may be toxic to you and the dog thus their application has to follow guidelines strictly.
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