Top 5 Best Dog Flea and Tick Prevention Products

Imidacloprid is a pesticide that was created to mimic nicotine in insects and disrupts normal nerve functioning, shutting down the nervous system. Pyriproxyfen acts like a hormone in insects and disrupts their growth. It’s an insect growth regulator that affects mostly young insects and the eggs.

Pyrethrins are a blend of six chemicals that are highly toxic to insects. They are found naturally in some chrysanthemum flowers. Pyrethroids are a type of man-made pesticides comparable to the natural pesticide pyrethrum or pyrethrins.

Etofenprox is a man-made pyrethroid which that disrupts nerve impulses in insect nerve axons and was proven highly effective even in tropical environments.

Piperonyl butoxide is a man-made pesticide that alone does nothing but works with other insecticides to increase their effectiveness. Piperonyl butoxide is nearly non-toxic to humans, birds, and other mammals. However, once it is combined with other pesticides like pyrethrins or pyrethroids is makes a strong insect killer.

Cedar oil blocks octopamine, which is needed to regulate heart rate and metabolism in ectoparasites like fleas and ticks. A mosquito study conducted in Thailand found that lemongrass essential oil at 10 percent concentration killed 100 percent of these three types of species of mosquitoes within 24 hours of exposure. Citral is considered the primary component of lemongrass with biological effects on insects.

Ticks attach to animals via their mouths. There are several illnesses associated with ticks, not only for your pet but that also pose a threat to you.

Most often, ticks carry the illness Lyme disease. Both people and animals can get Lyme disease through bites from ticks. Symptoms most often include fever, excessive fatigue, headaches, and a skin rash. Untreated, Lyme disease may spread to you or your pet’s joints, heart, and nervous system.

Especially in specific regions, ticks can be a problem even within your own backyard. Keeping a barrier between your lawn and any forested areas can also help prevent tick infestation on your property. Gravel, a pebble moat, or mulch can be used between woodlands to minimize tick migration. Treating your property with tick-repellant sprays or powders is an extra safety measure.

Fleas are wingless insects pose numerous health risks. When bitten, you will often see a small reddened spot encircled by a red halo, typically without much swelling with fleabites. Persistent scratching can result in patches of hair loss or irritated skin.

Research shows fleas can spread a typhus disease in humans. If the fleas fed off of infected rodents, in some areas, they even pose the threat of plague. Even in the United States, bubonic plague is a threat, particularly in the west.

Some people and pets suffer from allergic dermatitis via fleabites. Allergic Dermatitis is distinguished by acute itching, hair or fur loss, inflamed skin, and sometimes secondary infections. It takes just one tiny flea bite to start an allergic reaction. Itching can last nearly a week after the bite occurred.

Once fleas take root in your home, eliminating them requires an intensive program to destroy the infestation. Ridding your house or apartment of fleas necessitates steps that include zealous vacuuming, high-temp washing of clothes and sheets, terminating fleas on pets with various medicines and shampoos, and if needed, treating shaded outdoor places where your pets rest.

Preventing fleas with sprays, powders, monthly treatments, or preventative shampoos can be far less hassle than dealing with hundreds of insects taking over your home. Not all methods will work for all pets and pet owners. However, with the listed options here, you’re bound to find something that works for you and your dog—whether it’s monthly prevention or an all-natural, eco-friendly spray.