Every dog and cat owner knows this: the carefree time of spring is approaching, you are once again taking long walks through meadows and forests, enjoying the fresh air and the first rays of sunshine. But as soon as spring arrives, ticks are already lurking on bushes, in the undergrowth or in high meadows. These parasites also seem to become more numerous and aggressive from year to year. You should therefore find out early on about the right cat or dog tick protection for your four-legged friend. Should it rather be an anti-tick spray, a spot-on or tablets against ticks? On a natural basis or traditional conventional medicine? We explain the pros and cons of each tick repellent and tell you what to look out for when buying tick repellents for dogs and cats.
Why are ticks dangerous for my pet?
Unfortunately, a tick bite is not only annoying for you and your four-legged friend, but can also be dangerous. This is because ticks are carriers of many infectious diseases. After a tick bite, the pathogens reach the host's bloodstream within 24 hours. The following diseases can be transmitted by a tick bite:
- Lyme disease: Infections caused by bacteria
- Anaplasmosis: Anaplasma infects blood cells
- Ehrlichiosis: diseases caused by bacteria of the genus Ehrlichia
- Babesiosis: also known as canine malaria
- Hepatozoonosis: disease in dogs caused by parasitic protozoa of the genus Hepatozoon
- TBE: tick-borne encephalitis
All these diseases, caused by a tick bite, show different symptoms. They are often flu-like in combination with nausea and inflammation, e.g. of the joints. If your dog or cat shows such signs after a tick bite, you should always consult a vet or veterinary practitioner before it becomes dangerous for your pet.
But how can you protect your cat or dog from ticks and, ideally, avoid harmful side effects? Is there such a thing as all-encompassing tick protection? There are many anti-tick products for dogs and cats, but their effects vary.
Tick repellents for dogs & cats: Synthetic active ingredients vs. natural plants and herbs
Basically, it can be observed that ticks are becoming more numerous and more resistant to tick repellents for dogs and cats. Ironically, ticks are becoming increasingly resistant to synthetic chemical tick repellents in particular. This is most likely due to the fact that chemical tick repellents have dominated dog tick protection for decades. However, due to the numerous side effects of the ingredients and the unforeseeable long-term consequences, more and more consumers are switching to natural alternatives. Below we present the most common tick repellents for dogs, their ingredients, effects and side effects:
Chemical tick repellents - effective but not without side effects
Chemical tick repellents have a long tradition of use. They can have two effects on the tick: a repellent effect and a killing effect. Repellent dog tick repellents work before the tick bites. They prevent your dog from being bitten by the tick in the first place. This is important because infections are sometimes transmitted very quickly from the tick to the host and can spread throughout the dog's body. Killing preparations, on the other hand, only take effect after the bite. They have no preventative protection and only take full effect once the tick has ingested the dog's body fluids. This has the disadvantage that the parasite may have already passed on pathogens such as bacteria or viruses to the host.
Chemical-based tick repellents can only have this aggressive effect because their active ingredients, such as permethrin, fiprinol, dinotuferan and deltametrin, are insecticides and nerve toxins. These active ingredients block the nerve impulses and thus lead to the death of the parasites. Some of these agents are so aggressive that they are even toxic to fish, i.e. the dog treated with them must not be allowed to swim in open waters, otherwise fish can be poisoned by these agents and die.
However, the side effects of these insecticides can also be serious for dogs. Itching, flaky skin and dull fur, inflammatory reactions and eczema of the skin, hair loss, behavioral changes, confusion, gastrointestinal symptoms, neurological deficits and even seizures similar to epilepsy have already been observed as consequences of chemical tick repellents. Long-term consequences for your four-legged friend's organism are not even foreseeable.
The most popular chemical-based cat & dog tick repellents
Pest collars against ticks
Dog collars are popular and can be used on puppies from the 8th week of life. They not only protect against ticks, but also keep mosquitoes and fleas away in some cases. Bug collars are particularly popular when traveling abroad. The active ingredients in these pest collars consist of synthetic insecticides such as organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids.
CAUTION: If you own both a dog and a cat, you should never use dog tick collars. Cats do not have the same enzymes as dogs and cannot break down pyrethroids. Nibbling on the collar or long-term proximity to the dog can lead to serious health problems. They can sometimes cause poisoning.
Spot-on against ticks
Spot-on preparations have a similarly broad spectrum as parasite collars. They can prevent ticks, fleas and other pests and are applied externally to the dog's skin. There are two active ingredients that are used in spot-ons for dogs:
- Phenylpyrazoles, contained in the active ingredient fipronil, among others
- Avermectins, contained in the active ingredient selamectin
As a rule,spot-on tick repellents do not enter the dog's body; they only coat its first layer of skin (epidermis) and the sebaceous glands. These glands then produce an oily protective skin secretion that combines with the active ingredient on the skin. The combination of secretion and preparation is distributed via the glands over the entire body surface and is thus intended to protect the dog preventively against tick bites.
Side effects for the dog, such as perceptual disturbances in the animals and even various forms of epilepsy, are similar to those of other insecticides and can also occur frequently.
Tick tablets for dogs and cats
Tick tablets for dogs are relatively new on the market. They are the most recent development in antiparasitics as protection against these not harmless parasites. They do not have a repellent effect, but kill the tick within 12 hours after it has bitten. Chemical-based tick tablets for dogs consist of the synthetic insecticide and acaricide isoxazoline, which includes the active ingredient fluralaner. As a rule, their effect lasts between 4 - 8 weeks and is slowly broken down by the dog's organism.
ATTENTION: There are no long-term studies on these tick tablets and many vets and veterinary practitioners are very critical of them. Side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite and increased salivation can occur as acute symptoms. However, the long-term effects after regular administration have not yet been evaluated.
Natural tick repellents for dogs and cats
Although chemical tick repellents are very effective, they are associated with numerous side effects, some of which are serious. In addition, ticks appear to have become increasingly resistant to insecticides in recent years. Many pet owners are therefore increasingly switching to natural remedies. There are numerous plant-based tick repellents available. However, some of their natural raw materials are not directly associated with tick repellents. It is also important to know that not all tick repellents for dogs are also suitable for cats. This is because cats' organisms process some enzymes differently to dogs', and the velvet paws are generally more sensitive than their barking counterparts. Below you will find some tried and tested natural tick repellents, the effectiveness of which is primarily based on the practical experience of pet owners.
Brewer's yeast and thiamine against ticks
Brewer's yeast is rich in vitamin B, which is involved in many metabolic processes as a cofactor. It has long been known that brewer's yeast is not only effective in the treatment of dermatoses, but can also make dull and brittle coats shine again.1 However, not everyone is familiar with the effect of brewer's yeast as a natural tick repellent. The tick-repellent effect seems to be mainly due to the smell of the B vitamins it contains. Ticks do not like this smell at all and avoid contact with dogs that emit this odor.
However, some dogs don't like the smell either, which is why feeding brewer's yeast to picky dog breeds is not always possible without problems. Brewer's yeast can also cause gastrointestinal problems in some animals and should be added to the food slowly and in small doses. This allows the dog to get used to it gradually.
Brewer's yeast and thiamine can also have a repellent effect on fleas and also support your four-legged friend's normal daily vitamin B requirement.
The ZeckenSchild capsules for dogs consist of a combination of brewer's yeast and thiamine and can be given to your dog as a treat in the form of 1 capsule a day.
CAUTION: In the case of grain intolerance and food-sensitive dogs, you should be particularly careful when giving brewer's yeast products and first observe the effects with smaller portions.
Our spot-ons and sprays - tick repellents with essential oils
Many so-called alternative tick repellents contain a combination of different essential oils. Thyme, oregano, juniper, grapefruit, myrrh, rosewood, tea tree oil and black cumin oil in particular have proven to be effective against parasites. However, the natural fragrance and flavoring agent geraniol seems to be the most effective. It is said to attack the chitin shell of ticks and fleas and thus dry out the animals. An effective tick spray or spot-on for dogs should therefore contain a combination of some of these essential oils.
Tea tree oil and citriodiol, the active ingredient in lemon eucalyptus, are also effective tick repellents. However, if there are cats in the household, tea tree oil should not be used. This is because cats cannot process the phenols it contains and even small amounts can be poisonous for the house tigers.
ATTENTION: All products containing essential oils should first be tested on a small area for their compatibility. This is because there are sensitive dogs that can react to essential oils with itching.
Coconut oil against ticks
Coconut oil is used by many pet owners as a natural dog tick repellent. The lauric acid contained in coconut oil appears to be unattractive to the parasites, deterring them from the outset. A study from Germany was able to show that a 10% lauric acid solution repelled the majority of ticks and was effective against ticks for at least six hours. It was shown that even the nymphs, the preliminary stage of adult ticks, rejected the odor.
However, to achieve an effective deterrent against ticks, the animal must be rubbed daily with a small amount of coconut oil. Compared to brewer's yeast preparations or tick sprays, this is more laborious and is less suitable for dogs with long coats.
Conclusion on synthetic active ingredients vs. natural plants and herbs
On the whole, it can be said that natural remedies can be just as effective against ticks as conventional chemical treatments. This is because the level of adaptation of ticks to the active ingredients of insecticides has increased significantly, especially in recent years. They can no longer be repelled as effectively with traditional poisons. Natural remedies, on the other hand, are not yet widely used as a defense against ticks, but are increasingly becoming the focus of pet owners. They offer natural all-round protection and can also have positive effects on individual metabolic processes in dogs. An enormous advantage of natural anti-tick preparations is that there are hardly any side effects, which can also be quickly controlled by discontinuing the preparations.
What else you should know about ticks
Ticks are on the rise. Their numbers are increasing worldwide and more and more species that were previously only known from the Mediterranean region are also spreading in Germany. This is partly due to Europeans' great desire to travel, but also to the growing possibility of taking your pet with you on these trips. A few years ago, almost only the common wood tick was found here, but now there are seventeen different tick species, and worldwide there are even around 850.
Southern Germany in particular, from the Jena-Frankfurt line onwards, is considered a risk area for tick bites. The annoying parasites can climb up to a height of 1.5 meters, then drop onto the potential host at the right moment and cling to it, and a tick bite is not far away. Ticks react to the smell and body temperature of animals and humans. Our pets are mainly infested by dogs and cats, but also horses.
The three developmental stages of the tick
Ticks occur in three developmental stages: as larvae, nymphs and adults. To reach the next stage of development, the parasite needs a blood meal each time. However, ticks are true starvation artists. They can easily survive long periods without feeding. This is why the common wood tick, for example, develops over a period of two to six years, depending on the possible blood supply. The tiny, light-colored larvae are less common, as they are unable to penetrate the skin of larger animals. Nymphs are black and about the size of a pinhead, adults are slightly larger. When we talk about ticks, we usually mean the adult animal. When fully sucked, an adult tick can reach the size of a pea when bitten. The fully sucked female leaves the host, lays thousands of eggs and then dies. What is really amazing is that the tick can survive 99% of its life without a host and can hibernate at all stages of its development. This makes them particularly viable.
What to do if bitten by a tick?
If you find a tick bite on your dog, cat or horse, you should consider the following:
- Remove the tick as quickly as possible using tick tweezers, tick hooks or tweezers
- When removing ticks, place the tool as close to the tick's head as possible
- Do not squeeze the tick too hard to avoid transferring fluids to your pet
- Then pull the tick out slowly, in a controlled manner and with a twisting motion
- If the "tick head" gets stuck, it will be shed from your pet's body within the next few days, as it is only the remains of the tick's proboscis
- Then continue to observe the puncture site to see if there is any redness etc.
As ticks do not necessarily bite immediately after being dropped, but can also be transported in your pet's fur, you should check your pet for tick bites after playing in spring meadows or under sunny treetops. Take a close look at the head, chest, neck and armpits of your dog or cat. If you also follow the natural tips for your pet, nothing will stand in the way of a carefree romp in the great outdoors without a tick bite.
