Natural tick repellents for dogs include essential oil sprays (cedarwood, lavender, lemongrass), apple cider vinegar rinses or additions to water, and dietary supplements like garlic (use cautiously) or neem oil, but consistency and vet consultation are key, as homemade remedies vary in effectiveness and some oils need careful dilution. Daily checks and keeping coats short are also crucial for prevention, though professional vet-prescribed treatments are often more potent.
The best dietary tick repellents for dogs are apple cider vinegar and garlic. For topical homemade tick repellents for dogs, you can make one using natural essential oils. Combine 2 cups of water with two drops each of lavender, peppermint, and lemongrass essential oils.
Many veterinarians trained in herb and essential oil therapy understand and use natural essential oil sprays that contain lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, catnip, lemon, citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, malaleuca, oregano, palo santo, and basil to help repel mosquitoes, fleas, and lice as well as ticks.
Examples of these safe and effective treatments include the Seresto collar for long-lasting protection and Frontline Plus for flea and tick prevention. Oral medications like Simparica and Bravecto offer convenience and effectiveness, and come highly recommended by vets all over Australia.
Vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar, can be helpful for dogs. Mix it with water in the correct portion to make homemade water vinegar spray dogs. It can soothe skin, help keep away fleas and ticks, and make your dog's fur smell better.
To kill ticks on dogs instantly, the safest method is tweezers to pull them off and dunk them in rubbing alcohol, while strong chemical products with pyrethrins work fast but need caution, or try dish soap/vinegar baths for a gentler, though slower, approach, but regular preventative medication is the best long-term solution.
1. Juice them Away. Ticks are known to be repelled by citrus flavours & odours. Juice from a freshly squeezed orange or lemon can be lightly rubbed onto your dog's fur before taking them out for a walk or short trips.
Cedarwood oil solution (10 drops per 1 ounce of water) can be applied to both pets and the environment once to twice daily. Cedarwood mulch is a helpful deterrent for landscaping. For moderate infestations, Dr. Trish uses Revolution and for severe infestations, she recommends Nexgard.
Sometimes, if the tick is pulled off early and the animal is exhibiting no symptoms of paralysis, they may not require treatment. However, if they have any of the symptoms listed above they require immediate veterinary attention. The sooner the animal receives treatment, the better the prognosis.
Vinegar. Combine 1 quart of water, 1 cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup of baby shampoo or liquid dish soap. Use this mixture to bathe your dog once or twice a month. Vinegar kills fleas and ticks on contact and can prevent future infestations.
Garlic, sage, mint, lavender, beautyberry, rosemary and marigolds are some of the most familiar and effective tick-repelling plants, and they are great to use in landscaping borders around decks, walkways, pet runs, patios and other areas to keep ticks away.
1. Fill a dark colored spray bottle with 1 ounce of grain alcohol. 2. Carefully measure in 30 drops of geranium essential oil, 30 drops of cedarwood (Virginian) essential oil, and 15 drops of Vetiver essential oil.
Therefore, some dog parents apply diluted peppermint oil or peppermint oil-containing products topically to their pups to provide natural flea and tick control. However, keep in mind that peppermint oil can be absorbed through the skin.
Essential Oils. If you are an essential oil enthusiast, then congratulations – you have already found an effective dog tick repellent! Certain smells, such as lemongrass, lavender, eucalyptus, cedarwood, geranium, and peppermint, act as strong deterrents to any ticks.
Natural Tick Repellents
Other “all-natural” plant-oil products found effective by Consumer Reports, against ticks, but not mosquitoes: All-Terrain, Babyganics, Burt's Bees and Cutter. They contain ingredients such as citronella, lemongrass, rosemary oil and geraniol. Tick Tock Naturals is another DEET free option.
Emergency Steps (If You Find a Tick)
To kill ticks on dogs instantly, the safest method is tweezers to pull them off and dunk them in rubbing alcohol, while strong chemical products with pyrethrins work fast but need caution, or try dish soap/vinegar baths for a gentler, though slower, approach, but regular preventative medication is the best long-term solution.
Ticks will bite and feed on your dog or cat for up to a few days, and drop off once they've had enough. During this time, it's possible the tick could give your pet a disease.
The disease occurs in the northern regions of Western Australia and South Australia, all of the Northern Territory and north-western Queensland. People travelling with their dogs into areas where brown dog ticks are present (see the map below) need to be aware of the disease and know how to protect their dog.
Under many circumstances, newer dog flea collars are safe options for flea and tick control (unlike older collars, which were largely ineffective). The Seresto collar is a very popular and effective option. This collar uses flumethrin and imidacloprid to repel and kill fleas and ticks, so they don't bite pets.
Baking soda is another purported home remedy for fleas. While it may dehydrate fleas to some extent, it's not as effective as diatomaceous earth or chemical methods and may take days or even weeks to work.
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.
Lemon does contain some vitamin C and antioxidants, but this tart and citrusy fruit isn't safe for your furry companion. Lemons are high in citric acid, which can cause stomach upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Next, narrow your search to places like the inner and outer ear flaps, between the toes, under the tail, around the eyelids, and in the underarm and inguinal (groin) areas. Ticks can more easily hide in places where the skin meets at tight corners or where skin folds are present.