Prevention: Kriser’s Favorite Flea and Tick Repellents
There’s nothing creepier than finding an engorged tick latched onto your dog. The damage they can do to our pets, especially the diseases ticks can transmit, make them potentially deadly as well as just creepy.
Of course, fleas are a close second. They may not look as bad as ticks, but the sheer numbers of reproducing, feeding fleas are frightening.
Prevention Is Best
Ideally, preventing both ticks and fleas from using your pet as a breakfast buffet is the wisest course of action. With both insects, getting rid of them is much harder once they’re latched on and making a nice home for themselves on your four-legged pal. However, if you can convince the pests that your pet doesn’t smell or taste good, then controlling them is much easier.
Organic Raw Amber Crown Collars are free of toxic chemicals. Instead, the natural polished amber releases repellent aromatic terpenes as well as generates static electricity. The insects are both repelled and find it difficult to cling to your pet’s fur. The collar is safe for pets and their people, with no secondary side effects.
Some of Our Favorite Pest Repellent Products
Alzoo Ez-On drops repel both ticks and fleas. Containing a combination of essential oils, including peppermint oil, almond oil, and the compound gerenoil (which smells like roses) the drops are effective and don’t smell like an insecticide. It is available in a packet of three single-dose squeeze applicators. There is a formula each for dogs and for cats.
Richard’s Organics Flea and Tick Spray uses essential oils, too, including peppermint oil, clove oil, and eugenol to naturally kill and repel fleas and ticks. Richard’s Organics also offers a shampoo that also includes Vitamin E and lanolin to soothe irritated skin.
More Tips and Tricks
Even armed with products proven to repel ticks and fleas, it’s a good idea to be proactive in other ways. Before a walk outside, spray your dog’s legs, sides, and belly in particular. Plus, spray your pant legs and shoes so ticks don’t decide to make a meal of you, too! When walking your dog, avoid high grass and low shrubs. Ticks like to lie in wait in this kind of cover and then when an animal walks past, they hop on.
After outside activities, check for fleas and ticks on both your pet and yourself. It may be gross, but it’s better catch the little buggers outside before inviting them inside for quite a stay.
If the unthinkable happens and you find yourself with an infestation, read the last post in this series to find out how to eradicate your home of these little blood-sucking intruders!