Ticks are external parasites that feed on the skin flakes and blood of any type of animal causing a lot of damage, so it is essential to know how to remove ticks, we invite you to continue reading so you know how to do it.
What are ticks?
They are ectoparasites that live on the surface of the animal coexisting with it and causing damage, they belong to the Arachnida class, to the category of mite superfamily. Ticks are hematophagous parasites that feed on blood, maintaining their nutritional diet on mammals, reptiles and birds.
There are two types of ticks: hard ticks with a dorsal protection called ixodid, which feed continuously on blood from the moment they hatch, and soft ticks with a hard dorsal protection called argasids, which remain on the animal only to cover their nutritional need, they feed on blood when they need it.
In hot season, care must be taken to prevent it from forming a terrible plague that affects people who live in the home as well as domestic animals. It is common to see how ticks bite dogs and cats, they are also capable of coexisting in the environment for months, which can result in a new breeding of these parasites in your home again. Therefore, it is essential to be instructed to sanitize the house to protect it and keep this pest away from it.
Where do ticks breed at home?
Before saying what are the steps to remove ticks at home and home remedies, you need to be aware of where ticks breed in your home. To say that ticks are a parasite that animals have and are to blame for their transmission and spread in the home is totally false, because they can feed on people in the same way. Ticks breed in dark, moist areas, such as the garden, the ground, Wood, among others.
This is one reason, that both the pet and the person can be the host of this parasite, which can be brought into the house when leaving and the tick attaches to hair or clothing. In the home, ticks breed on carpets, furniture, and any hidden surfaces that come their way. It is important to apply products to remove ticks at home in order to prevent contamination.
How to remove ticks from the house?
- Perform a parasite cleaning on your pet or any pet that may be infested with ticks, so it is necessary to start with the pet before starting with the maintenance of the house.
- To remove ticks from dogs, cats, horses, etc., special products are purchased for each animal, taking into account its age and size. It is important to seek veterinary attention so that they can tell you which is the most appropriate brand and follow the instructions indicated.
- Sanitize your pet's objects and the places where they usually sleep, a deep cleaning for disinfection is carried out, the same day that you apply the method to eliminate ticks to the pet. If not, the ticks will lodge in your pet's hair again.
- Vacuum all materials that are in contact with the animal such as clothing, bedding, blankets, etc., then use a steamer and, finally, wash all these materials in a washing machine using hot water.
- Water containers, plastic toys, combs, etc., should be washed with hot water and if a product that is safe for animals is used.
- Using a radical disinfectant in the home is essential to kill ticks. When ticks are large they are easy to spot, but they are a small part of the infestation problem.
- To eliminate eggs, larvae and smaller ticks in the home, all possible areas should be vacuumed: furniture on all sides, cushions, carpets, all areas where the tick may breed.
This same cleaning method is carried out with all the clothes of the people who live in the home. After vacuuming all areas, it is advisable to seal the vacuum bag and throw it away to prevent ticks from leaving it and the entire cleaning from being a failure. These steps are very important when it comes to exterminating the tick infestation in your home. It is advisable to continue using tick removal products at home, as a way of prevention.
Products to eliminate ticks in dogs
As is known, dogs are domestic animals that frequently get ticks and take them home, if this is the case, you can use tweezers to remove the parasite from the dog, being careful not to separate the head from the body , since it remains embedded in the skin of the animal. There are a variety of products that help you how to eliminate ticks, of which we can mention:
- Shampoo and insecticide soaps for tick removal.
- Antiparasitic Belts
- aerosols
- Subcutaneous and intramuscular blisters.
- Single dose pipettes.
When the plague of ticks is numerous in the animal, it is advisable to take the dog to a veterinarian, so that he can perform the deworming without endangering the health of the dog. It is very important to act in time with these parasites because ticks are transmitters of serious diseases for animals such as Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis.
Home remedies to remove ticks at home
There are a variety of products on the market to remove ticks, which are applied after cleaning the areas where the dog remains. The products that are sold in pet stores come in liquid or spray form, which are sometimes harmful to people and the environment, but there are home remedies from which you can obtain very good results against this pest, let's see below:
Lemon or Orange the best tick repellent
Lemon or orange are one of the most effective natural remedies as an insecticide since the smell repels them. The preparation for this home remedy is placing two chopped lemons in wheels in half a liter of water, let it boil, after spending half an hour on the fire, let it cool, pour the lemon water into a spray container.
You can use this liquid on any surface such as door frames, kitchen countertops and cabinets, windows, grills, cracks, or anywhere ticks may breed or enter the house. The use of lemon can also be used so that dogs do not urinate in inappropriate places since they do not like that smell either, so lemon serves two purposes, always taking care that the dog does not consume it because it can be bad for his Health.
Mint and spearmint to keep ticks away from home
These aromatic plants, in addition to being medicinal, serve as repellents and insecticides for ticks. Just a large number of leaves of any of these plants or the union of them will give impressive results. In a pot place half a liter of water, the leaves and the juice of a lemon. Let stand, in a sprayer, empty the preparation and apply this preparation to the entire surface of the house.
If you want more effectiveness you can clean the floors with this liquid. Planting catnip or catnip is also a plant that has properties to eliminate ticks.
Essential oils to remove ticks from your home
The preparation of this mixture is in half a liter of water and ten drops of mint, rosemary, cinnamon and cedar oil are added. This preparation serves as a flavoring for the home, due to the aroma of the oils, they are also repellents of flies, fleas and ants. The mode of use is simple; the preparation is shaken before spraying windows, doors and the entire entrance of the house.
Eucalyptus oil and Hamamelis oil can also be used as a tick repellent, but bearing in mind that some plants such as mistletoe, poinsettia, among others, are harmful to the health of the cat and in the case of the dog are bay laurel, lilies of the valley, aloe, etc., therefore, care must be taken when using it.
Baking soda, ideal for removing ticks from home
This is a very effective product when it comes to how to remove ticks. It is a powerful repellent for these parasites, the preparation is very simple; In a container place a tablespoon of water, two tablespoons of baking soda and two tablespoons of table salt, mix until you get a paste, if necessary you can add more water. You can place this preparation on the edges of the entrance to prevent them from entering the house.
This home remedy is not recommended for people who have pets since its consumption can cause intestinal disorders.
Brewer's yeast and garlic, a natural antiparasitic
You only need three tablespoons of brewer's yeast with two crushed garlic cloves and enough water to prepare a paste. It is stored for three days and then spread over all areas with a sprayer. The combination of the aroma of fermented brewer's yeast and garlic, thanks to its antiparasitic properties, serve as a repellent and effective natural remedy to eliminate ticks from the house.
If after using any method of how to remove ticks from my dog and house with products or home remedies and you still have a large number of ticks, it is recommended that you seek the assistance of professionals in the elimination of pests.
Remove ticks with chamomile
In a pot, add water and bring it to the fire, after it boils, add the chamomile flowers preferably, chamomile tea bags can also be used, but if it is in flowers, its natural form is much better, let it cool for fifteen minutes. so that the water removes all the properties. When the water is lukewarm, take a cotton ball, dip it in the preparation, apply it to the dog's skin all over its body, without leaving a space without moistening, the area of the head, ears and neck is very important. This home remedy can be done every fifteen days for the prevention of tick infestation
And how to remove fleas from home?
Fleas at Home Like ticks, they are a plague and their propagation is very annoying, it greatly affects the person and the animal. There are different methods to eliminate them, but when the infestation is greater, a fumigator should be called.
How to remove ticks from the garden?
We already know how to eliminate ticks in dogs and at home, with the use of products, technical home remedies for cleaning and preventing them, however, if you have a garden, patio and natural spaces in your house, you should know how to eliminate ticks using the following techniques:
- Always keep the lawn or grass short.
- Plants and trees should be kept trimmed, without shade, to prevent ticks from breeding in their cracks.
- Rotten or damp wood is the perfect place for ticks to breed, so they must be eliminated.
- Periodically spray any insecticide product or home remedy indicated for the elimination of ticks.
- Rake the patio or garden.
- Grow plants that act as repellents against this pest.
- Dried leaves, stems and others discard them.
- If you do not have pets that can be poisoned with sulfur, you can spread it on all surfaces of wood, stones, garage or tiles, to prevent ticks from entering your home, remembering that this parasite is not only for animals, they can also get hooked on a person.
Do ticks transmit diseases?
Ticks are transmitters of Lyme disease, encephalitis, cause inflammation in the extremities, they can present fever or muscular discomfort depending on the infestation of the animal. It should be noted that the female tick spreads and transmits diseases and her offspring do too.
These parasites bite during the day and the environment and its temperature influence it, since it becomes more acute on hot summer days. Its bite is not felt by the animal, its saliva is composed of a type of anesthesia, some species eliminate toxins that affect the neurological system, causing the immobility of the tick at the moment it is removed. That is why it is important that it be removed carefully, in order to avoid skin lesions or major infections.
General prevention of how to eliminate ticks in my dog and my house
- Keep in mind that it is an annoying parasite for both animals and people.
- After the walk or the dog is in the yard or garden, check it to prevent a tick from sticking to the hair or hooked to the animal's skin.
- Periodically use home remedies or products to prevent the spread of this pest.
- Put a collar or spray a repellent on the dog before taking it out for a walk.
- Periodically take the dog to the vet for their respective review.
- The maintenance, care and cleanliness of the house and the areas where the dog is is very important for the prevention of tick infestation.
Following these steps is simple to maintain good health for the pet, in this case the dog, guaranteeing a full coexistence.