5 Things Every Dog Owner Should Know Before Tick Season
5 Things Every Dog Owner Should Know Before Tick Season
Tick season isn't just a few summer weeks anymore. If your dog spends any time outside, here are five things worth knowing before the bites start, including one switch that's saving owners a lot of money and worry.
1Ticks are spreading, and the season keeps getting longer
Ticks are moving into new areas every year and staying active for more months than they used to. One bite can pass on Lyme disease, anemia or skin infections that hurt your dog long after the tick is gone. The takeaway: "a few bad weeks in summer" is old thinking. Most dogs now need protection for far more of the year.
2Most collars and chews only work after the bite
Here's what the labels don't say: a lot of chemical collars, chews and spot-ons wait for your dog to be bitten first. The bug latches on, feeds, and only then does the chemical go to work. By then the bite has already happened.
3Those "medications" are pesticides, and they don't stay on the dog
The active ingredients in most chemical options, like fipronil and permethrin, are pesticides. They rub off on your hands, your furniture, and the floor your kids and cats lie on. The U.S. government has logged tens of thousands of safety complaints about some chemical tick collars. For a lot of families, putting a pesticide on the dog they cuddle every month just stopped making sense.
4Cedar oil keeps ticks away before they bite
There's a natural option with real science behind it. USDA research found cedar oil repels 80% to 94% of young ticks, the ones that do most of the biting. A cedar-oil collar makes a barrier that keeps bugs away before they reach your dog's skin, with no harsh chemicals and no waiting for a bite.
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5You can get up to 12 months of natural protection, risk-free
You don't have to choose between protecting your dog and protecting your family. Tickade is a chemical-free, waterproof collar that gives up to 12 months of cedar-oil protection from one collar, fits any dog, and is safe around kids and cats. It comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, and there's a bundle deal with free shipping running right now.
What dog parents are saying
"We back onto the woods and I used to pull a tick off our lab after every walk. Three weeks in and I haven't found one. No chemical smell either."
"Toddler in the house who's always hugging the dog, so the chemical collars scared me. This one's plant-based and the fleas are gone on both pups."
"Took about two weeks to really kick in, but since then no fleas and the scratching stopped. A little slow to start, but it works."
"My golden swims in the lake daily and it hasn't washed off or quit. Sized it down to him easily."
"Switched off the chemical collar after reading the safety reports. Three dogs, three collars, whole season tick-free."
"My senior girl has super sensitive skin and reacts to everything. This is the first thing that hasn't bothered her, and the fleas are finally gone."
"We hike tick country every weekend and I was nervous going natural. Zero ticks so far, and she smells like cedar instead of chemicals."
"Easy to put on and easy to size down for my little dachshund. Six weeks, no fleas."
"Got the 3-pack for our pack. Cheaper than the vet stuff and I'm not dosing them with chemicals every month."
"Bought it half-expecting it not to work. Two months in and I haven't seen a single flea."
"Love that I can let the kids and the cat near him without worrying about pesticide residue."
"Works well. Only knocking a star because the green's brighter than the photo. Protection's been solid though."
"My puppy's too young for the harsh stuff so this was perfect. No irritation, no bugs."
"The waterproof claim is real. She's been in and out of the creek all summer."
"The peace of mind alone is worth it. No more monthly chemical guilt."
"Two dogs, no fleas, no ticks, no vet trips this year. That's a win."
"Fits my 90lb shepherd and my 12lb terrier from the same collar, just trimmed it."
"Decent for fleas, but we're in a heavy tick area and I still found one. Pairing it with a yard spray now."
"Reordered before the first one even ran out. It just works for us."
"Smells nice, lasts, and my allergy-prone dog isn't reacting. Repurchasing."
This article is sponsored content. Tickade is a natural repellent and works best as ongoing prevention; it's not a treatment for an existing infestation and doesn't prevent disease. Individual results vary.