how to prevent tick bites

Having to remove ticks from your pet during the spring and summer months is no fun. In addition to being unsightly, these blood-suckers are notoriously difficult to remove, so you must get up close and personal if you hope to succeed. Leaving these bugs too long or not removing them completely can cause some serious diseases. What can you do to prevent your pet from getting ticks this season? Different methods work in their own way to prevent and remove ticks on a pet. Continue reading to learn more on how to prevent tick bites today!

Below are some of the best ways to prevent tick bites to ensure your pet is safe and healthy.


  • Oral Medications




Once-a-month pills are readily available for pets. In addition to killing ticks and immature fleas, these medications disrupt flea life cycles. As a side benefit, they are easy to give, and small children or cats will not come into contact with your pet immediately following treatment, unlike spot-on treatments.

Learn how to treat fleas and ticks in your cat and dog in our previous blog post here:

Flea & Tick Treatment


  • Shampoo to prevent tick bites




Generally, bathing your pet with a medicated shampoo will kill ticks on contact. This method may be an inexpensive (although labour-intensive) way to protect your pet in peak tick season.


  • Tick Dips




To dip an animal, you dilute a concentrated chemical in water, apply it with a sponge, or pour it over its back. Unlike most treatments, this one does not require rinsing off. It is important to read the labels carefully before using dips because the chemicals they contain can be very strong.


  • Powders to prevent tick bites




Tick powders help kill and repel ticks from your pet as well. However, use them with caution when applying them to your pet. Before using powders for your pet, make sure they are labelled for pets as well as for their age specifically.


  • Tick Sprays




In addition to topical applications of medication, tick spray offers residual protection by killing ticks quickly. Use sprays in between shampoos and dips, and when you plan to take your pet into wooded areas, where ticks are more prevalent. Do not use this product in or around any other animal's face or use it on other animals in the house. Be careful using this product and other tick control products around your pet's face.

How to prevent tick bites


How to prevent tick bites naturally




  • Keep the lawn and house tidy




By trimming your lawn, bushes, and trees, you can reduce the number of fleas and ticks in your backyard. Therefore, the fewer living and breeding areas for these parasites, the fewer of them there will be.


  • Examine your Pet(s)




Be sure to thoroughly check your pet for ticks if they have gone outside in an area where ticks might be lurking. Examine the toes, ears, and armpits (between the legs) as well as around the neck, deep in the fur.


  • Let your pets(s) stay indoors




Although you need to take your pet outside several times a day, you should probably not allow them to spend extended periods outside during tick season. The best way to prevent your pet from exposure to ticks is to keep them from roaming through wooded areas. Nonetheless, you should still look over their body thoroughly, even after short walks through grass and brush.

Vet Pharmacy provides the best Flea & Tick killing products, including:

Frontline Spot On for Large Dogs



Shop Spot On Shop Tick Prevention


 

This blog post was written on behalf of Vet Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor.