Ticks On Dogs | Natural Prevention and Expert Advice

The simple thought of ticks on dogs is enough to make any canine lover’s skin crawl. Those sneaky, eight-legged blood suckers that love to climb onto our best friends for a secret snack while we’re blissfully unaware can be the cause of a host of issues; for dogs and their humans alike.

Thankfully, a few preventative measures and some general awareness can keep these critters at bay most of the time. Knowing how to practice safe and natural tick prevention is a great start, but it also pays to know how to get rid of them in cases where they manage to hitch a ride with pets.

Alison Frost, ProDog’s lead canine nutritionist, with decades of experience in holistic canine wellness, shares her expert advice on managing ticks on dogs in this comprehensive guide. Learn how to spot these pesky parasites, safely remove them, and master natural tick prevention techniques to keep your dog safe and healthy. Read on for practical, vet-approved tips to protect your furry friend the natural way.

Aside from the fact that they’re an invasive surface parasite that makes your skin crawl, ticks can be dangerous to your dog for a number of reasons. Experts at creeping into the hard-to-see places on your dog’s body, in many cases they’re left undetected to carry out their feeding mission in peace, making them even more of a threat. These little blood suckers carry a plethora of different bacteria that can be harmful to your beloved pet, as well as your human family.

The most common concern regarding tick bites is the potential for contracting Lyme disease, which as we all know has the potential for long-term adverse health effects that can sometimes be resistant to treatment [1].

However, ticks also carry the pathogens for a host of other conditions such as Anaplasma (a bleeding disorder with similar symptoms to Lyme disease), Babesiosis (the breaking down of red blood cells

Ticks belong to the arachnid family, but they’re a far cry from your friendly garden spider. Whilst they mildly resemble tiny spiders in their normal state, once they’re attached to a host they begin to “engorge” (or fill with blood) and their appearance changes significantly, growing much larger and rounder.

Depending on your home region the tick species and their corresponding colour will vary, so it’s important to be aware of which ones are common where you live. 

Types of ticks on dogs

In the UK, there are three main types of ticks:

1. The sheep/deer tick (reddish brown)
2. The hedgehog tick (yellow and red)
3. The British dog or fox tick (yellow).

There are also other species of tick that are less commonly found such as the ornate dog tick (otherwise known as the meadow tick) and the brown dog tick.[3]

There are numerous opinions online about how to remove a tick on a dog. Whilst some of them are quite helpful, others are ineffective at best, and can even be downright dangerous.

Here’s what we recommend for removing ticks safely and efficiently, as well as what you should absolutely avoid doing: 

How to remove a tick on a dog

Stay calm 

Your disposition will be felt by your dog and consequently affect theirs, whether it’s positively or negatively. By remaining calm (no matter how creeped out you might be), you’re helping your canine friend to do the same, which is essential for the tick removal process. A calm dog is less likely to struggle and more likely to sit still for you, allowing you to remove the tick completely and successfully. 

Determine the location

Ticks are known for hiding out in warm, dark places, such as the areas between the legs and body, between the toes, and in the ears. They’re also found in more obvious places, too, which makes your job easier.

In either case, you’ll need to part your dog’s fur to gain access to the tick for removal. This can usually be done by hand quite easily, though having another person standing by to help is better if you can.

Enlist the help of tick removal tools

Tick removal tools are quite genius; they’re essentially small, plastic, hook-like instruments that are designed to hook round the neck of the tick at the closest point to the embedded head.

They allow you to safely remove these icky creatures without actually touching them and have a high success rate of removing whole ticks from the various parts of a dog. Each version will have its own specific instructions of course, so be sure to follow them correctly. 

Hand removal method

Removing a tick in a safe and timely manner is still possible if you don’t have a tick removal tool on hand. The “twist and pull” method can be as effective as the removal tool; it just has to be done carefully so as to remove the entire tick.

Grab the tick gently as close to the head as you can, twisting as you pull. In many cases this will remove the whole tick including its head, but if not, your dog’s body will likely expel any remaining parts in a few days. 

Kill the tick

This might seem obvious to most people, but it’s worth mentioning anyway: you must remember to kill the tick after you’ve removed it. Ticks go on to lay eggs once they’ve fed, so to prevent a potential infestation (or at the very least, a second bite), squashing the tick and disposing of it is crucial.

You can even go one step further and flush it down the toilet if that makes you feel better, just ensure that you kill it first and that it actually goes down. Yes, unfortunately they can also swim! 

Be sure to disinfect

Even after successful tick removal, there’s still the chance that they might have been exposed to one (or several) of the nasty bacteria that ticks are known to carry. Be sure to disinfect the bite area with a dog-friendly anti-bacterial agent or wound cleaner, and ensure you wash your hands as well. If you used a tick removal tool to assist your efforts, sanitise that, too. 

Our top recommendation for non-toxic antibacterial products for pets is Leucillin.

If you prefer a visual guide, watch this quick video for a step-by-step demonstration on how to remove a tick from your dog safely and effectively.

Panic

As mentioned earlier, remaining calm is essential for successful tick removal. It’s natural to imagine the worst or react nervously to the idea of touching the tick itself, but for your dog’s benefit, it’s important to resist these impulses. Your calm disposition will assure your canine pal that all is well, making the tick removal process far easier for the both of you. 

Squeeze or squash an embedded tick

Using any more than gentle pressure whilst the tick is attached to your dog is a bad idea. This is because any bacteria they may be carrying will be squeezed into the site of the bite, increasing the risk of your dog acquiring an infection. It’s understandable that you’ll want to kill the tick; just wait until after you’ve removed it successfully. Then you’re free to squash away! 

Use “popular” tick removal methods

There are many variations of the “best” way to remove a tick, but it’s important to know that most of them aren’t safe for your dog. Suffocating the tick with Vaseline or trying to burn it with a hot match are both popular methods that people swear by, but they can actually do more harm than good.

Aside from accidentally burning your dog (or yourself), you may also inadvertently cause the tick to vomit whilst their head is embedded, increasing the chance of infection for your dog.

Thankfully, finding ticks quickly can make all the difference. If you’re fortunate enough to find them before they’re embedded, you can save yourself the effort of the removal process as well as helping your dog avoid a nasty bite. However, even once embedded, finding ticks in a timely manner can still reduce the risk of infection, so it’s important that they’re removed within 24 to 36 hours (the quicker the better, of course).

It’s easy enough to do a quick tick check when your dog comes in from the outdoors, especially if they have short fur. Giving them an all-over brushing as well as feeling around for small bumps/foreign objects (both, ideally) will allow you to quickly locate anything that doesn’t belong and eliminate any ticks that might have hitchhiked home with you. You might also consider rolling over your dog’s body with a lint roller, as any ticks close to the surface , that haven’t attached will stick to this.

In dogs with particularly long, dense, or curly coats, using a comb or hairdryer to part the fur can prove helpful. Since these dogs have more places for a tick to hide undisturbed, it’s crucial that you brush and check them for ticks regularly. A good rule of thumb is to simply brush them and feel around for bumps after walks or outdoor exercise. This is especially true when they’ve been to places where tick populations are high, like long grass or wooded areas.

There are obviously multiple options available when it comes to tick prevention. Unfortunately, many of them are chock full of chemicals that can prove dangerous to your dog’s health [4].

However, there are also options for keeping ticks at bay using natural remedies. These are much safer and healthier for your canine friend. Here are some internal and topical tick prevention methods we recommend: 

Internal

Feeding a raw diet

Of course, here at ProDog we’re major advocates for feeding raw dog food. One reason for this is when dogs eat the way nature intended them to, their bodies are better able to defend themselves against invaders, which includes parasites.

Discover the full range of benefits that come with feeding a natural, species-appropriate diet in our guide: Top 12 Health Benefits of Raw Feeding Your Dog. Explore how this approach can support your dog’s health, vitality, and happiness.

Garlic

Many dog owners think that garlic is toxic for their pets, but this is not entirely true. When given in the correct dosage, garlic is actually quite beneficial for your dog. One of its benefits is the odour it exudes through their skin, which acts as a tick repellent as they don’t like the smell.

You can safely give your canine friend 1/3 tsp of chopped fresh garlic per 5kg of body weight. However, puppies under 6 months old, Akitas, and Shiba Inus should be given special caution, so check in with your vet if this applies to your dog.

Apple cider vinegar

Raw, unpasteurised apple cider vinegar has a great impact on digestive health, for both dogs and humans. However, it also acts as a natural tick repellent, with the added bonus of repelling fleas, too! You can add up to ½ tsp per 10 kg of bodyweight to your dog’s water or food daily for a combination of gut health and tick prevention benefits.

Supplements

The market is full of specialist herbal supplements for dogs that are safe, healthy, and effective at keeping parasites at bay. But at ProDog, we’ve taken things a step further. 

Introducing ProDog Repel, our unique, vet-approved natural tick prevention supplement. Expertly crafted, Repel is designed to deter the most common parasites, ticks, fleas, and worms in dogs, using a powerful blend of precisely selected herbs and superfoods. This easy-to-use dietary addition can be mixed with any type of dog food, offering a simple, chemical-free solution to protect your dog and keep them parasite-free. 

Topical

Natural ingredient tick sprays

When it comes to natural and safe tick prevention sprays for dogs, there are plenty of options to choose from. My top recommendation is Cedarcide, available through Healthful Pets. This trusted product combines cedarwood essential oils in a gentle yet effective blend. It’s been my go-to topical spray for my own dogs for years, offering reliable protection without the need for harsh chemicals. 

Homemade recipes  

When preparing homemade remedies with essential oils, it’s essential to ensure they are properly diluted and to carefully observe your dog’s reaction. Not all essential oils are safe or suitable for dogs, so it’s vital to do thorough research and choose oils specifically recommended for canine use. Always prioritise your dog’s safety and well-being. 

Citrus repellent

Cut a lemon into four pieces and cover with boiling water in a pint jar. After steeping overnight, pour into a spray bottle and spray your dog all over, especially in hard-to-see areas like behind the ears, in the armpits, around the head, and the base of their tail.  

ACV spray  

Add water, raw apple cider vinegar, garlic, fresh rosemary, and a few drops of lemongrass or citronella essential oil to a spray bottle. Spray your dog’s coat before heading outside (again, ensuring to cover all the areas ticks love) to naturally repel parasites.   

Herbal collars

Yes, you can even make flea and tick collars at home, and without chemicals! Here’s a quick and easy recipe we like: 

• Buy a woven fabric dog collar (not plastic threaded) 
• Combine 2 drops each of lavender, cedarwood, thyme, and tea tree essential oils 
• Add 1 tbsp witch hazel 
• Add 1 tsp garlic oil 
• Soak collar for 5 minutes 
• Allow to dry overnight 

This will provide your canine friend with up to a month of flea and tick prevention, naturally and safely. 

Effective Micro-organism bead collars

EM Tick-off Necklaces, by Harbour Hounds’ are crafted using several EM ceramic beads. Of course, these are not your ordinary ceramic. EM ceramic is embedded with beneficial micro-organisms which improve your dog’s coat, skin microbiome and their natural immunity, meaning they are better equipped with the natural defences to repel ticks.

Deter ticks from your home and garden

Keeping your garden tidy is a helpful way to ensure it’s not attractive to ticks. They thrive in warm, wet conditions, and love to hide in long grass and damp wood piles. Keeping your lawn short and ensuring any firewood is stored in a dry area (or in the sun) can help to keep ticks away. It also help if you are frequently weeding and tidying of any piles that may accumulate. 

Groom regularly

As mentioned earlier, regular brushing is a great way to ensure your dog is free from ticks. A daily brush after walks or other outdoor exercise can make all the difference, and it only takes a few minutes to do. This is especially important for dogs with long or thick coats. It not only helps to repel ticks, but any other critters or debris that they might bring home with them.

Ticks on dogs are a pain for dogs and their people, but they don’t have to be a source of worry. With the natural tick prevention and removal tips in this article, you and your canine pal can enjoy the outdoors worry free once again. 

We offer a range of vitamin and mineral supplements for dogs, providing extra dietary support to keep your best friend happy, healthy, and thriving. As always, we recommend feeding a raw dog food diet. A species-appropriate diet not only promotes a robust immune system but also strengthens your dog’s natural defences, helping them perform at their best. 

To learn more, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Raw Feeding and Beginner’s Guide to Dog Supplements—both excellent resources to get you started. For personalised advice, feel free to contact our canine nutrition team, who are ready to answer any questions and provide tailored support.