It's tick season.
It's that time of year again. Ticks are back and are looking to crawl all over your dog for their next meal. Your dog needs protection, but how? Sure, you can slap on a flea and tick collar, but a report made by the Natural Resources Defense Council states "that many over-the-counter insect control products for pets, even when used as instructed, can cause serious health consequences to pets and humans" (WebMD). The pesticide on these collars not only can have a negative impact on your dog's health, but your overall family if they rub on you or your furniture.
What now? You can't just let ticks feast on your beloved pooch and run the risk of contracting Lyme's Disease. Luckily, below you will find a list of alternative ways to protect your dog. This list was originally created by Dogs Naturally.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Make your dog's blood less appetizing to ticks by introducing apple cider vinegar to your dog's diet. Do this by adding two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to your dog's food or water dish. The best way to deal with ticks is to prevent them from attaching themselves to your dog in the first place.
2. Garlic
Similar to apple cider vinegar, garlic can be used as a dietary aide that makes your dog less attractive to ticks. However, garlic is unsafe for dogs in large doses so make sure your do your research about how much garlic is safe for your dog before introducing it into your dog's diet.
3. Herbal Tick Collars
Instead of using a potentially harmful tick collar, use a herbal one. It has all the benefits of a regular tick collar, but without the harmful exposure. You can either buy one or create your own by applying essential oil to your dog's collar once a week.
4. Citrus Repellent
Ticks also don't like lemons. Keep them at bay by spraying your dog with a lemon solution. Make it at home by cutting up a lemon. Then boil a pot of water. Put the lemons in the water and allow it to cool down before placing in the fridge. Let the lemons soak all night. In the morning, pour the water in a spray bottle and your lemon solution has been completed.
5. Diatomaceous Earth Dust
Finally, if you're like me and aren't big on making your own home remedies, there's a product for you, Dermagic's Diatomaceous Earth Dust. Sprinkle this on your pet's bedding or wherever your pets like to lay around to keep the ticks away. For extra effectiveness, combine this with Dermagic's Earth Dust Shampoo Bar. This shampoo bar will leave your dog smelling fresh with the added benefit of repelling bugs naturally.
