Get Rid Of Ticks With These Natural Remedies
Ticks on dogs are the source of great concern because of the harm they can do to your dog’s health. Their bites can cause intense itching, allergic reactions, and skin inflammations. Also, due to the facts that ticks feed off your dog’s blood, they can cause nutritional deficiencies and even anemia.
Therefore, it’s essential to fight these ectoparasites in order to keep your dog healthy. Although there are many commercial medications and solutions, you can also get rid of your dog’s ticks with homemade remedies.
In the article, you can look at the most effective natural ways to fight these ectoparasites and keep your faithful friend healthy.
What are ticks and what disease do they transmit to dogs?
Ticks are small ectoparasites that seek shelter on the bodies of several animals. Although they tend to mistakenly be called insects, they’re actually arachnids that belong to the superfamily of mites called Ixodoideos. In fact, they’re considered to be large mites.
As well as stealing nutrients and causing itching, ticks can also transmit different diseases to dogs. This ectoparasite’s body acts as a carrier of several internal parasites and protozoa which can cause serious illnesses.
Here are the main illnesses that ticks can transmit to dogs:
- Lyme disease.
- Canine babesiosis.
- Tularemia (rabbit fever).
- Canine ehrlichiosis.
- Tick paralysis.
- Anemia.
Home remedies to prevent ticks on dogs
Although it’s important to keep your dog up-to-date with their external anti-parasite medication, it’s also possible to use home remedies to help fight ticks. Here are a couple of ideas for dealing with ticks on dogs.
Citrus and chamomile natural repellent
Citrus is an excellent natural repellent that helps fight not just ticks, but also mosquitos and fleas. Chamomile is one of the herbs with the most health benefits for dogs.
Plus, its digestive and soothing properties, chamomile has also been shown to be effective in repelling ectoparasites and other different species of harmful parasites.
You can even choose a more inexpensive option by recycling the peel that you would normally throw in the bin. Below, are the basic steps and ingredients to make this home remedy.
Ingredients
- A liter of clean water at room temperature.
- 1/2 cup of natural chamomile flowers or 3 chamomile tea bags.
- 1/2 cup of citrus peel (lemon, grapefruit, mandarines, oranges) without the pith.
Instructions
- First, boil the liter of water in a pan over a medium heat.
- When the water is just about to reach a boil, add the chamomile (or chamomile tea bags) and the citrus peel.
- Then, leave the mixture on the heat for 3 or 4 minutes. Next, turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Once the liquid is at room temperature, strain it and pour it into a spray bottle or another container to store it.
- To apply it, you can use a cotton ball or a clean gauze pad to rub the repellent softly over your dog’s skin.
When applying this natural repellent, it’s important to keep an eye on your dog to stop him licking it. Remember that citrus fruits can cause digestive problems like diarrhea and vomiting.
Apple cider vinegar to scare away ectoparasites
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most versatile and effective home remedies due to its antiseptic properties. However, it can also be a powerful and inexpensive natural repellent thanks to its high acetic acid content. Therefore, you can use it to combat ticks, fleas, mites, and mosquitos.
To make a natural repellent against ticks on dogs, you just need to dilute it in equal parts of water. That is to say, 500 ml of apple cider vinegar with 500 ml of clean water.
In order to apply this remedy, take a clean cloth, cotton ball, or gauze pad, and spread the liquid all over your dog’s body. Always make sure to avoid making contact with their eyes and mucosa.
You can also spray your house with the same solution to scare away ectoparasites. Remember to pay special attention to the hidden corners of your home and the places you don’t often go. Also, make sure to spray all the windows and doors too.
With these good habits and home remedies, you’ll be able to fight off ticks on dogs and even prevent them coming into your home.