Tick treatment for dogs comes in the form of spot-ons, collars and tablets (pills). These preventatives work by killing ticks before they can transmit disease.
Daily tick checks for your dog should also be performed, especially if they live or travel in areas known for paralysis ticks. Remove ticks immediately with tweezers or another specially-designed tool designed to do this task.
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Topical Products
Your vet can assist in selecting the appropriate topical flea and tick preventatives for your dog, typically including chemicals designed to kill and repel fleas and ticks.
Trifexis, for instance, contains ingredients to prevent heartworm disease and other health conditions in dogs. For instance, Trifexis includes spinosad and milbemycin oxime to protect against heartworm disease while killing ticks and flea eggs simultaneously.
Some topical products are easy to apply with straightforward instructions, while others require bathing or brushing and aren’t suitable for dogs who swim frequently. No matter the product type, your veterinarian will recommend reapplying it daily before venturing outdoors and keeping them dry as repeated contact with water can reduce effectiveness of some treatments.
Chewables
These chewable tablets offer a safe and effective alternative to harmful chemicals by providing natural EPA-approved flea and tick repellents such as lemongrass oil, clove oil, cedarwood oil and cinnamon oil that help repel and kill fleas, ticks and mosquitoes on contact.
Nexgard chewables contain an active ingredient known as afoxolaner that disrupts GABA channels found in fleas and ticks, leading to hyperexcitation of their nervous systems and ultimately paralyzation and death of these insects. Furthermore, Nexgard chewables also work to kill black-legged ticks carrying Lyme disease bacteria before they transmit an infection.
Bravecto, another FDA-approved solution, is a monthly chew that provides protection from fleas and various types of ticks for 12 weeks (Lone Star tick protection lasts only 8). It treats and controls flea infestations quickly while protecting against heartworm disease – just one tablet is given once every month orally for quick results! Ideally suited to dogs over 8 weeks old that weigh 4 pounds or more. It should only be administered by veterinarians.
Oral Medication
Oral medication used in tick preventatives like Trifexis is highly effective at flea and tick control, helping prevent the spread of Lyme disease and Ehrlichia as well as hookworms and roundworms.
It’s essential to use products that protect against all forms of parasites, not just ticks or fleas. Combination products typically provide adequate coverage against these parasites.
Oral tablets are ideal for pets that spend much of their time outside or experience frequent wetting, as they begin working quickly to kill fleas and ticks and prevent them from attaching and spreading disease.
Be certain to choose products suitable for the weight and age of your pet, as some topical treatments may cause irritation, itching or hair loss in dogs. Never give cat-approved preventatives to dogs as this could prove fatal; cats need different ingredients for flea and tick prevention than their canine counterparts so consulting a vet is key in selecting appropriate prevention for felines.
Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is an efficient and painless way to quickly kill ticks, as well as remove any mouthparts which might irritate the bite wound of your pet. Fountain City Veterinary Hospital recommends it as the preferred removal method.
If you opt for this approach, wear latex gloves when handling ticks; their mouthparts could transfer pathogens onto both your hands and your dog if left embedded in their skin.
Make use of fine-tip tweezers to grasp the tick as close to its skin as possible without pinching. Pull slowly outward, resisting temptations to jerk or twist as this could cause it to regurgitate its contents back into your dog’s bloodstream and result in infection. Once removed, place it into a jar containing some rubbing alcohol and seal up its lid so as to kill the tick quickly and permanently.
