Why Do Dog Ticks Keep Returning After Regular Grooming?

Ticks can be quite annoying to dog owners. Despite regularly bathing and grooming their dogs, some owners will still find these pests in their dogs’ coats. While proper grooming goes a long way in ensuring that a dog’s coat is clean, it does not always get rid of ticks.

Understanding what causes tick infestations to recur may help in safeguarding your dog’s coat health.

Why Do Dog Ticks Return After Bathing?

Bathing is known to get rid of the dirt and even some parasites from a dog’s fur. The only problem is that ticks attach themselves firmly to the skin using their mouthparts. Therefore, regular dog shampoos might not be able to kill them.

Ticks may also attach themselves to those parts of a dog’s body that are very hard to clean. Some of the hard-to-clean spots include around the ears, between the toes, around the collar, and even under the tail.

Moreover, dogs have a habit of walking around gardens, parks, high grass, or wooded areas where there is an increased risk of picking up some ticks.

Common Reasons Dog Ticks Keep Returning

Many causes may lead to recurrent tick infestations on your dog even when it is properly groomed.

• Incomplete Removal: Ticks could stay attached if you do not remove them correctly.
• Outdoor reinfestation: Grass, shrubs, and other outdoor places are likely to expose dogs to fresh ticks.
• Uncontrolled environment: Ticks can live in a suitable outdoor environment and, depending on the kind, in some indoor places too.
• Insufficiency of preventive measures: Grooming alone is not enough to safeguard against ticks.
• Thick coats: Ticks may not be easily seen due to long or thick fur before they attach themselves to the skin.

How to Prevent Ticks from Returning

Regular grooming is essential, but the appropriate tick prevention will offer more protection. Check your dog’s skin and fur after being outside, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.

Apply tick prevention measures, which are recommended by the vet, such as oral tick medications, topical treatment, or tick collars. Pick the most suitable product according to your dog’s age, weight, and overall health condition.

Also, regularly wash your dog’s bedding, vacuum the interior of your home, and keep your garden clean to reduce your dog’s exposure to ticks. Remove any ticks promptly with a suitable tick removal tool. Never crush between fingers or rub with oils, etc.

If you see your dog getting hot, weak, lethargic, not eating, or if your dog still has some ticks on her after you’ve used the preventive, please call your veterinarian.

Dog Tick Prevention and Grooming with Petsfolio

Grooming regularly will enable you to keep track of your pet’s skin and detect any ticks. However, it is advisable for grooming to be done in conjunction with tick prevention.

For you to keep your pet looking and feeling good, consider getting the Petsfolio dog grooming services. Get scheduled for dog grooming sessions to ensure that your pet stays clean and that any skin problems will be diagnosed on time. Combine dog grooming sessions with tick prevention tips from your vet.

References Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12136746_Role_of_Grooming_in_Biological_Control_of_Ticks