If you prefer to avoid those chemical-laden deworming solutions to fight ticks on your dog, or your new companion is a puppy who is not yet old enough to be able to apply more aggressive products, the natural remedies that we show you on our site can be of great help.
In this article we provide you with the most effective home remedies to remove ticks in dogs, made from 100% natural products and nothing harmful to dogs. However, to avoid the appearance of allergic reactions to any of them, we always recommend going to the veterinarian so that he or she can examine the dog and determine which is the best remedy for it. Keep reading and discover how to eliminate ticks on your dog through natural remedies that you can prepare at home.
Symptoms of ticks in dogs
Ticks are ectoparasitic arachnids, that is, parasites that live on the surface of another living being, which are more active from spring to autumnIn this way, if we find ourselves between one of these times of the year we will have to carefully examine our dog's skin after each walk and have it properly dewormed. This type of parasite not only stays in the body of our dog, but also feeds on its blood, being able to transmit serious pathologies such as Lyme disease.
In general, when they jump towards your body they have a small size that increases as it feeds. For home remedies to eliminate ticks, the ideal is to identify them when they are still small. If we discover them when they have already reached a larger size, we will have to remove them with the help of tweezers or go to the veterinarian. To learn how to remove a tick, we advise you to watch the following video.
But how do we identify them if they are still small? Since to feed the tick must bite and, therefore, pierce the skin of our dog, the first symptom that will present will be a slight hemorrhage that will be accompanied by the following signs:
- Redness
- Intense itching
- Rash
- Swelling
And in more advanced cases or with a greater number of ticks, the dog may be very weak and have fever, vomiting, pain in the affected area or even paralysis.
Products to eliminate ticks in dogs
Once the ticks have been identified, you can choose to apply one of the following antiparasitic products:
- Pipette
- Necklace
- Compressed
- Syrup
- Shampoo
- Spray
All these products are sold in veterinary clinics, where you will also obtain professional advice regarding dosage and frequency of use. To enhance its effect, you have the option of using home remedies against ticks in dogs. Likewise, these remedies can also help you fight parasites if you do not want to use chemical products or you cannot go to a specialist.
Home remedies to eliminate ticks in dogs
The most effective home remedies are those that repel ticks without harming the dog's he alth. For this reason, we recommend avoiding those products that endanger the life of the animal, such as insecticides for ticks designed to eliminate them from the home. These products can only be applied to furniture, floors or objects, not to dogs.
That said, if your dog is infested with ticks and you're wondering how to get rid of them, the best homemade repellents are as follows:
- Chamomile
- Vinegar
- Citric fruits
- Natural oils
1. Chamomile, your best ally against ticks in dogs
One of the most effective natural remedies to eliminate ticks in dogs is, without a doubt, chamomile. To make use of it you simply have to prepare a infusion of natural chamomile, let it warm so as not to burn the animal skin and take a cotton ball. If you do not have cotton at that time you can also use a clean cloth. Dip the cotton in the chamomile, drain it well and rub all over your dog's skin with it, gently and with special emphasis on the area affected by the bite. Chamomile should act as a repellant and therefore ticks should immediately flee from your dog's body.
This home remedy can also be applied to puppies, since chamomile is not part of the list of toxic plants for dogs and is completely natural.
two. Citrus fruits, natural repellants for your dog's ticks
Citrus fruits produce a high rejection in ticks, so they are a perfect remedy to eliminate them. To do this, you'll need to make a homemade repellent, so you'll need to get a sprayer. Among all citrus fruits, the one that produces the greatest effect on these parasites is lemon, but you can also use orange, grapefruit or lime.
To prepare this natural remedy against ticks you will have to boil two cups of water. When it reaches the boiling point, add two lemons cut in half and lower the heat to a minimum when it comes to a boil again. Leave the mixture over low heat for an hour to infuse and enhance the repellent effect. After this time, remove the saucepan from the heat, let the mixture cool down, remove the lemons and put the liquid in the sprayer. Apply this home remedy against ticks on your dog's body, paying attention not to get it in the eyes.
Ojo! While the citrus home remedy is taking effect, you should make sure that your dog does not lick himself, since these fruits they could cause gastrointestinal problems in the dog if they are ingested.
This homemade repellent is also very useful for disinfecting those areas of the home with ticks and preventing them from reappearing.
3. Natural oils to remove ticks in dogs
There are a number of highly effective natural oils for removing ticks from dogs. As we mentioned in the previous section that citrus fruits are natural repellents, lemon oil is part of this list of home remedies. However, it is not the only one, and it is that almond oil, neem oil, castor oil, cinnamon oil and lavender oil are also recommended to make a good Homemade tick poison without putting the dog's life at risk. Next, we show homemade solutions with these products:
Lemon, cinnamon, castor and sesame
Get a bowl and mix in equal parts lemon, cinnamon, castor and sesame oil. If you want to use essential oils instead of natural ones, it is essential that you dilute them in a liter of purified water and add only a few drops of each oil. Moisten a clean cloth in the mixture and apply the natural remedy to your dog's skin very carefully. Since the castor oil itself is a plant that can be very poisonous for our furry companions, you should watch it to prevent it from licking itself when you have applied the remedy.
Lavender, lemon, cedar, basil and chamomile
Mix the natural oils of lavender, lemon, cedar and basil with an infusion of chamomile to enhance the antiparasitic effect of the home remedy. If you prefer, you can substitute chamomile for mint pennyroyal. In case of using essential oils you will have to do the same as in the previous remedy, dilute two drops of each oil in a liter of purified water. Apply the homemade solution on the animal's skin by moistening a clean cloth in it.
Almonds and vitamin E
Take a container and mix 20 ml of almond oil with a vitamin E capsule. This home remedy is ideal for those dogs that concentrate ticks in the area of the earss or have just been stung by one. To apply, transfer the solution to a dropper bottle, drop a few drops and gently massage the animal's ears. You must be very careful and prevent the solution from entering the dog's ear canal, you should only apply it to the outside. In addition to repelling ticks from your dog, this natural almond remedy prevents them from taking up residence in your dog's body, so you can prepare and apply it to prevent it from becoming infested.
On the other hand, this is an ideal home remedy for ticks in puppies, so you can use it being careful not to lick the areas with the solution applied.
Neem
Neem oil on its own is already a powerful natural repellant for ticks in dogs, so you don't need to mix it with other oils. You can apply the natural neem oil directly on the skin of the animal with the help of a clean cloth or mix it with water. In case of using neem essential oil, it will be essential to dilute two drops of the oil in half a liter of water.
Before applying any of these home remedies for ticks in dogs, from our site we recommend you consult with your veterinarian which is the most suitable for your dog. Likewise, we recommend the use of natural oils rather than essential oils.
4. Remove ticks from your dog with apple cider vinegar
To the natural remedies against ticks in dogs is added one of the most popular products among home treatments for humans, vinegar of Apple. Yes, this type of vinegar also provides multiple benefits to our dogs and we can use it to combat these unwanted parasites. In its composition is acetic acid, responsible for the sour taste of vinegar, a substance that ticks and fleas do not tolerate and, therefore, make it an excellent repellent.
Applying this home remedy to eliminate ticks is very simple and quick, you just have to get a container and add equal parts water and apple cider vinegar. Mix well so that the vinegar is integrated and diluted in the water, dip a clean cloth into the mixture, wring it out and carefully moisten your dog's skin. When rubbing the skin with the cloth, you should make very gentle movements and avoid getting it in contact with the eyes.
Since the dog does not ingest the product, this home remedy could also be applied to puppies with the prior authorization of the veterinarian.
How to remove ticks at home?
If after applying home remedies for ticks in dogs you suspect that these parasites may have hidden somewhere in your home, you're right! These parasites not only survive for a while in the environment, they lay their eggs in it to start the cycle all over again. In this way, cleaning your house is an essential task if you want to avoid another possible infestation in the very near future. To do this, you can buy products to eliminate ticks from the garden or insecticides for indoors, but keep in mind that they are usually aggressive and harmful to animals and children. For this reason, we advise you to perform a thorough cleaning with enzymatic products and apply natural remedies such as those shown in these articles:
- How to remove ticks from home?
- How to remove ticks from the yard and garden?
And if you notice that in addition to ticks your dog has fleas, don't miss this other article: "How to get rid of fleas on my dog?"