The Advantages & Disadvantages of Tick Dips

If you are an animal lover and your pet is an important part of your life, its health is obviously of prime importance to you. Most dogs and cats are prone to parasitic infestation, primarily ticks. It is quite painful to see your pet's blood being sucked by these parasites. Of course, the treatment is simple in the form of application of tick dips. However, prior to the commencing the remedy, spend time finding out which tick dip will be beneficial for your pet. Become familiar with its application techniques and the pros and cons of its usage.

  1. Characteristics of Ticks

    • Belonging to the family of ectoparasites, these parasites are comparable to massive fleas. This eight-legged parasite survives on the host's blood. Apart from sucking blood, ticks are also capable of transmitting diseases such as Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis, Cytauxzoonosis, feline infectious anemia, Ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

    Advantages and Disadvantages of Tick Dips

    • There is no doubt that dips are an extremely potent remedy for getting rid of ticks on pets. But, as a pet owner, you should be sure that your pet really requires the application of this chemical solution. Use a tick dip only in cases where the pet's skin is infested with numerous ticks. As a prevention remedy, apply the dip only if the pet was previously infested with this parasite. The residual effect prevents ticks from re-infesting the pet and can aid in relieving the tick problem in a short time. There is a possibility that the nervous system and metabolism of sodium are hampered to some extent in the host animal by the usage of these dips. Dips are sure to worsen the skin's condition in case of presence of open wounds. Some of the dips have an extremely pungent odor that may be troublesome for you and your pet. Furthermore, the tick dip should be specific to your pet. For instance, do not use a dog tick dip for your cat, as it could be toxic for the cat. Last but not the least, being toxic in nature, this chemical product can pose a health risk to both the pet and caretaker.

    Application Technique of Tick Dips

    • Essentially a chemical solution in nature, a tick dip falls under the category of dog bath product. Choose a dip that is primarily prepared from pyrethrins, which is an insecticide derived naturally from chrysanthemums. Dilute the solution in water before application. Either dip the host animal into the prepared diluted solution or apply the same with the help of a sponge. You could even use it as a spray. Invariably, spraying a cat with tick dip may be less tedious than trying to give your cat a dip.

    Precautions

    • Owing to its toxicity, keep the product out of reach of children. Children especially are vulnerable to the toxic repercussions of tick dips, as the dips can cause neurological problems and brain malfunctioning. Adults also need to be careful about the health risks posed through the application of this product. Read the instructions on the product label carefully before using it. Many tick dips are not meant for use on pregnant pets. Rabbits too do not fair well with tick dips and the dip could be fatal.