Advice Needed for Stubborn Ticks

[TwystedPryncess]

I've done a lot of reading and research and I am still stumped. You ladies and gents are amazing and smart and I am hoping someone has some advice to lend. Anything at this point will help!

I have a pit bull, as some of you know. 70 pounds, pure white. Luckily it is easy to spot ticks on him. He has taken his tick pill as prescribed by the vet-- he takes Bravecto--which is a chewable flea & tick pill and it lasts 3 months. He took it fine, no spitting out, so there is no worry he did not get all of his medication.

We have NO issue with fleas on him or any of the four cats. The cats don't go outside and there are no issue with ticks on them, but Solomon on the other hand, still has to be checked for ticks every time he comes inside. The buggers love him.

Research shows handmade shampoos probably are not the best answer for either his sensitive skin or an extra prevention method and Essential Oils neither seem to be an answer, unless I am missing something, and I really don't think I am.

I might be able to make a syndet bar for him with EO's in it but I just am not comfortable with that answer, and bathing him often is a struggle anyway between my fibro and his acting like a 70 lb 2-year-old who is being punished (he hates getting a bath).

So! Any advice on how to boost tick repellent for this boy? Would prefer natural but if that's just not the way to go, that's really okay. I'm not that much of a stickler, I just try to go natural when I can.

Thanks guys!

 

[galaxyMLP]

Unfortunately with cats I wouldn't recommend any of the "natural" remedies. They are very sensitive to eo. For example, they sell a natural flea/tick repellant that has clove and spice and it smells veeerry strong. I would be worried about the cats rubbing against the dog before it dries and getting hurt. You may want to look into another flea and tick repellant in general. One of my dogs uses trifexis and that works very well. We go hiking and even then he doesn't have ticks.


Also, you may want to look into getting your yard sprayed. When my vet found out that my dog was highly allergic to fleas, she recommended that I request to have the grass around my apartment sprayed.

 

[barndive]

Dogs are more prone to ticks and fleas than cats. Have you tried taking it to the vet? Also, certain pet powder work much better than bathing them and using shampoo, it's less work too.

 

[lsg]

I use to use neem seed oil in my dog shampoo bar for my Great Pyr. It seemed to help repel ticks and fleas. It also helped to prevent hot spots in the summer.

 

[Stacyspy]

Look into diatomaceous earth. We have cats and dogs, and it's safe for both. Sprinkling some on their food controls internal parasites, putting it on your lawn helps control hard-shell insects, and I sprinkle it directly on the dogs and rub it in. Just make sure to get food grade, not industrial grade. Here recently, I've even heard of people drinking the stuff for health benefits...

 

[DeeAnna]

If it's ticks sticking to your dog when he comes indoors, then I don't see how anything you put directly on the dog will solve your problem. We have a pitty and a German Shorthair with much the same problem. Ticks cling to their short fur and hitchhike into the house. They drop off the dog when the tick realizes the dog is tick proof. It's really annoying, but the only real solution is to not have ticks where the dogs are. That means keeping the dogs inside (not gonna happen with my pack!) or spraying where they hang out (impractical for our rural homestead, but it might work well for a fenced-in yard).

 

[TwystedPryncess]

Thanks for your suggestions! He is a live inside dog, but he does go outside to bathroom and exercise and play. I take him in public a lot as well, so no 100% for us either. They still stick on him but it's not awful, but still pull about three a week on average off him. I am not sure if that is normal after they have had tick prevention meds or not. He is my first doggers since I was like... ten. Haha.

 

[new12soap]

I would call the vet and tell them exactly what's going on, he used this medicine and is still picking up ticks. See if they have any other or better suggestions. I also agree with spraying your yard or calling a professional pest control service. Even if you take him to a public lot at times, I am guessing he is spending most of his outdoor time in your yard, so it will still help.

If you miss just a tiny one that means they can always find a cat or a person to feed on, and you know you don't want that!

 

[dixiedragon]

I second the diotemacious earth. Also, I think sulfur is a good repellant? When I was a kid at camp, the counsellors would fill a sock with sulfur and baby powder and we'd dust our ankles with it to repel chiggers. I have seen sulfur at the pharmacy (not CVS but a local pharmacy).

I am going to look into those for our dogs. We use Comfortis which is awesome for fleas but doesn't do anything for ticks.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/sulfur-repellent-ticks-outside-92647.html

Googling this, apparently you can spray your yard with neem oil and lime sulfur which are natural anti fungals as well. FYI - the lime sulfur can be photo reactive, so make sure to read and apply the correct amount for spring vs the amount for winter.