Natural Ways to Help With Ticks This Summer
Warm weather is wonderful for long walks, but it is also peak season for ticks. From spring through to autumn they wait in long grass, woodland and moorland, ready to hitch a ride on a passing dog. A tick bite is not just unpleasant. Ticks can carry Lyme disease and other infections, so keeping on top of them matters.
Plenty of dog people prefer a gentler, more natural approach where they can. Here is what actually helps, and where a little honesty is needed about what natural methods can and cannot do.
Check, every single day
This is the most effective natural thing you can do, and it costs nothing. After every walk, run your hands slowly over your dog and feel for anything small and firm. Ticks love warm, hidden spots, so pay close attention to the ears, around the eyes and muzzle, under the collar, in the armpits, between the toes and around the tail.
A tick that has just latched on can be tiny, no bigger than a sesame seed, and easy to miss. The sooner you find one, the sooner it comes off, and the lower the risk of any infection being passed on.
Manage where you walk
Ticks live in specific places, so you can lower your dog's exposure by being thoughtful about routes in the height of summer. Sticking to the middle of paths rather than brushing through long grass makes a real difference. Keeping your own garden trimmed, with grass short and leaf litter cleared, gives ticks fewer places to sit and wait.
A word on essential oils
You will see a lot online about essential oils repelling ticks. There is some real science here. A University of Bristol study found that certain plant oils reduced tick attachment to dogs, and rose geranium in particular has performed well against ticks in testing. It is a promising area, but the evidence is still limited and results vary a great deal, so treat it as a helpful extra rather than full protection.
The important caveat: many essential oils are genuinely toxic to dogs, and getting the type or the dilution wrong can do harm. Never apply neat oils to your dog, and always check with your vet before using them, especially on puppies, pregnant dogs, or dogs on other medication.
A simple at-home tick spray
If you and your vet are happy to try one, here is a gently diluted spray you can make at home. Rose geranium is the star, as it is the oil with the most promising tick data.
You will need:
- A clean 250ml spray bottle
- 200ml cooled boiled or distilled water
- 2 tablespoons of witch hazel or a splash of apple cider vinegar (this helps the oil disperse)
- 8 to 10 drops of rose geranium essential oil
- 4 to 5 drops of cedarwood essential oil (optional)
Add the witch hazel and oils to the bottle first, swirl well, then top up with the water. Shake before every use, as the oil and water will naturally separate.
How to use it: Do a patch test first. Spray a little on one small area, wait 24 hours, and check for any redness or irritation. If all is well, lightly mist your dog's coat before a walk in tick season, keeping well clear of the eyes, nose, mouth and any broken skin. You can also spray it onto the collar or harness rather than the coat. Reapply before each walk, and top up every few hours if you are out for a long day in long grass or woodland. Stop straight away if your dog shows any sign of a reaction.
This is a repellent, not a guarantee, so keep checking your dog daily whether you use it or not.
How to remove a tick safely
If you do find one, stay calm and take it off properly. Squeezing, twisting badly, or trying to burn a tick off can make it worse, as it can push more of the tick's fluids back into your dog and raise the risk of infection.
Here is the safe method UK vets recommend:
- Use a proper tick removal tool if you can, or fine-tipped tweezers. A tick hook is inexpensive and worth keeping in your walking bag.
- Slide the tool under the tick, as close to the skin as possible.
- Twist gently in one direction, without yanking upwards, until the tick lets go. It will loosen when you have turned enough.
- Check the skin to make sure the whole tick has come away, including the head.
- Pop the tick in a tissue and flush it, or seal it in tape. Then wash your hands and clean the bite area with warm, salty water.
If you are not confident, your vet or a veterinary nurse will happily do it for you.
When to call your vet
Keep an eye on the bite for a few days. Get in touch with your vet if the area becomes red, swollen or sore, if you cannot get the whole tick out, or if your dog seems off colour in the weeks that follow, for example tired, feverish, or stiff and lame. These can be early signs of a tick-borne infection, and they are always worth checking.
Natural tick care really comes down to the basics done well: know where the risk is, check your dog daily, and remove anything you find the right way. Simple habits, repeated all summer, are what keep your dog comfortable and safe.
