You stop by your dog’s bed to check for cleaning, and what do you see? A crawling creature about the size of a bead! You turn to call your dog over, he/she runs to your side, you begin to pet there back and continue to view the bedding area, and to be sure you are seeing what you are seeing. But your attention is pulled back to your dog, because you feel a bump on their back. It might be the end of the world! It might be a complete surprise! But the reality now, “What do I do? My dog has TICKS!!!”
Don’t panic, and don’t put your house on the market, or move out of the condo! You can handle this, and you will get through it with success!
Here is a set by step guide to helping you overcome the ticks, and eliminate them from your house and dog.
- Call the exterminator schedule your Tick spray appointment ASAP.
- Call your Groomer (PAWS Salon, Scottsdale, AZ) and schedule your dog to be treated with a Tick Shampoo. Bring your spot on treatment to the groomer, so they can apply it after the wash.
- Run to the store, pick up the following:
- Rubbing alcohol (To put the ticks in as you find them. Ticks will die when places in alcohol)
- Flea and Tick Shampoo – Adams is a great brand (For you to have if not groomer is available)
- Flea and Tick Spray for Dogs and Furniture
- Spot on treatment for your dog (Frontline and frontline Plus are a suggestion)
- Pull up all dog bedding. You will wash everything, but know that washing doesn’t guarantee you are killing the ticks, so you will want to spray the bedding with the flea and tick spray you got at the store. You may also want to consider buying new dog bedding.
- Note: with new bedding, a good tip is to remove the inside stuffing, cover with a garbage bag and enclose completely. Place that back inside the shell. Now you have a “water” resistant and tick resistant filler that will last longer.
- Remove all potted plants (Real and fake) – Ticks will burrow and hide there.
- Check your mattress. Between the mattresses and frame. Remove bedding and wash, but again, if you are finding ticks in the bed, washing will not guarantee killing them. So consider a professional cleaner, or using the tick spray you bought.
- Look around your house, start to remove clutter, and pick up items laying around. Sweep and mop with bleach, but again, that’s not going to kill them, that is going to minimize places for them to hide.
- Do the same in your yard. Dry shaded areas where you might have empty pots, potting soil bags, firewood, shade coverings, etc., are going to draw ticks in.
Ticks are typically in moist dry areas of your yard. Under trees and shrubs, under ground covering. When you start yearly landscaping or new construction these activities will move the ticks to the surface and as your dog’s move around the yard, they will pick them up. New construction in the neighborhood will move the ticks around as well, and you will find them in your yard and your pets can bring them to your yard.
Monsoons and rain storms are a great time for ticks to arrive. In the dessert, it has been hot and dry up to monsoon season, so ticks are just waiting for an opportunity to get out and feed.
Ticks can fall from trees, as well as brush off other dogs if they haven’t secured themselves.
After the exterminators come to your house, they will schedule a repeat appointment in approximately 2 weeks. This is to ensure they kill all the unhatched ticks that hatch after the first spraying.
Once your dos returns from the groomer, they will now be medicated, so the ticks that are still alive at your house, or the ones they encounter on walks and at the park fall onto your dog, they will only die once they bite your dog.
Because Tick Fever is a concern, getting rid of the ticks before they bite your dog, should be a priority. But you will not be able to rid your house of ticks without also medicating your dogs. So consider a vet check up to be sure your dogs hasn’t or doesn’t have a reaction to the tick treatments, as well as possible tick fever.
You will beat this, and come out with a cleaner house and yard, as well as your dog!! That’s one Brightside!!