Don't let fleas or ticks ruin your pet's summer

FDA on Potential Adverse Events of Flea and Tick Products

The FDA has recently published an alert for pet owners and veterinarians concerning the safety of previously approved flea and tick products. The products include Bravecto, Credelio, Nexgard and Simparcia. Get the fact sheet

The Hidden Dangers Posed By Ticks

Hopefully this article will help to explain what types of ticks may be prevalent in your area, what they look like, and the potential diseases or problems they can cause to pets and people. There are several different types of ticks in the U.S. and other parts of ...

Simple and Natural Tick Prevention Tips

We’re going to take a look at some natural ways to prevent ticks from getting or staying on your pet and causing problems. Natural to me means not using any products that contain ANY chemicals that could later prove harmful to your pet. The idea behind prevention has ...

How Ticks Hunt
(and spread disease)

According to the CDC, ticks cannot fly nor jump. They also do not drop from trees. What they do however is wait on the edges of fallen leaves or in tall grass or on shrubs (usually no higher than knee height) in a position called questing. According Wikipedia, ...

Do Natural Flea & Tick Products Work?

There are currently a number of all natural flea and tick products on the market advertising how well they work at repelling fleas and ticks. There are also a number of well-intentioned people who have posted videos and written articles claiming how well one of their homemade recipes ...

Wondercide Flea
Tick & Mosquito Spray

Wondercide Yard Spray

Mercola Flea & Tick Collar

Primova Flea & Tick Collar

Tick Twister Removal Tool

Dr. Becker's Facebook Live Presentation on Fleas, Ticks and Allergies

Dr. Becker Explains the Benefits of Herbal Pest Repellents for Your Pets

Dr. Jones [Warning] Flea and Tick Product Side Effects

Dr. Jones - Dog Ticks: How To Prevent and Remove

Dr. Jones - Vaccine Misinformation?

Dr. Becker Talks About Tick Bite Paralysis

Dr. Becker -Protecting Your Dog From Tick-Borne Disease

Get TickSmart: 10 Things to Know, 5 Things to Do

Potentially Toxic Flea/Tick Products for Pets

Frequently Asked

Can a tick leave a dog or cat and crawl onto a human?

Yes, if the tick has not attached to the animal yet and is still crawling around then it could easily crawl onto a person who was in contact with his or her animal.

Why do ticks bite?

Ticks bite because they need blood to live. It's all they eat.

Do all ticks carry lyme disease?

No. Only the Black Legged (deer) ticks.

Can ticks still be active on cold days?

Yes, ticks can actively be looking for a blood meal on days as cold as 35º Fahrenheit (1.6 degrees Celsius).

Can ticks survice through extreme cold?

If the ticks are under snow pack or hiding under leaves then the probability is higher.

Can ticks survive in the house?

Deer ticks have a hard time surviving longer than 24 hours inside a house. The Brown dog tick however can survive much longer though.

Do ticks fly or jump?

No. Ticks are not able to fly or jump.

Do ticks drop from trees?

No. Ticks are typically found near the ground or on shrubs no higher than waist height. However if an engorged tick was on a bird and was finished feeding it could possibly fall of a bird who was perched high in a tree.

How long does a tick need to be attached to transmit a disease to your pet?

Experts seem to agree that a tick needs to be attached for at least 24 hours.

Can a human contract Lyme Disease from a pet

No.

Which diseases do American Dog Ticks carry

Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, Tularemia. The American Dog tick can also cause tick bite paralysis in some but not all pets. According to one (reputable source) a tick must be attached for about 4 days for tick bite paralysis to occur.

Are ticks dangerous to cats?

Cats can get Lyme Disease. So yes.

Can ticks crawl up walls?

Yes.

Will ticks come off in a bath?

Giving your dog a bath or your dog going swimming isn’t going to automatically cause a tick to leave your pet.

Do ticks have natural predators?

Yes. Birds, spiders, and ants. Most of the predators are only generalists though and do not specifically target ticks to make much of an impact on tick populations.

Do ticks swim?

No. Be aware though that (according to tickencounter) ticks do NOT drown easily. And that various stages of deer ticks have been known to survive after being submerged underwater for 2 - 3 days.

About

This site was created to help guide pet owners who are looking to move away from potentially harmful flea and tick products. My opinion on ticks is that they can be difficult to deter when using only one or two natural means. If you’re going to use natural products against fleas or ticks then it needs to be done using a combination of methods. The combination can include spraying your yard, keeping your grass cut low and picking up clippings, using an herbal collar, spraying your dog before going in or around wooded areas, and possibly applying all natural spot drops.