Best Anti-Tick Solution for Dogs

When you have a garden lawn, one of the disadvantages of having a pet dog is the risk of having ticks and fleas getting on the dog. This is especially if the dog isn't tied or caged and is allowed to roam the yard.

I'm an avid gardener and we have front and back yards with gardens and lawns planted to grass. Our dog isn't tied or caged. She's very much active and loves to rest, lie and romp around the garden. I think ticks will always be a problem if the dog is in constant contact with ground soil.


Serious Tick and Flea Problem

The tick attack has worsened when I saw so many ticks in her ears. This is despite the regular manual removal of ticks I did. Even the brewers' yeast tablets that I gave to a different dog many years didn't work anymore to ward off the ticks.

There was a time when the tick infestation was so bad that ticks were crawling up the walls near her sleeping area. She doesn't stay inside the house, but we've seen several ticks inside the house on the floor. The worst was when we had ticks clinging to our clothes.

So I turned to some internet pet forums and find out what tips and techniques that others may share for killing or repelling ticks and fleas.


Cheap Homemade Remedies for Dog Ticks

I think I've tried many known homemade remedies for killing and repelling dog ticks.
  1. Vinegar

    I've read folks suggest adding apple cider vinegar to a dog's water bowl. When I saw my dog panting hard, I gave her plain water with a tablespoon of apple cider.




    Just a whiff of the water bowl and she ignored it. I also tried rubbing vinegar on her skin to repel the ticks. Didn't work.

  2. Citrus fruits

    I sliced a calamansi (a citrus fruit) and rubbed it on her skin. She smelled nice, but that's about it.

  3. Eucalyptus Oil

    Some have suggested this. I know it's effective for repelling mosquitoes to a certain extent, as I use it sometimes. The eucalyptus oil had an aromatic smell on the dog, but the ticks just went on their merry ways.

  4. Brewer's Yeast

    Actually, I used this technique with another dog many years ago. I just gave 1 or 2 Brewers Yeast tablets a day. It worked remarkably well on that dog. But I'm wondering why it won't work on THIS dog.

  5. Garlic

    Some swear by it, yet others protest that it is poisonous or toxic to dogs. I will have to buy garlic capsules to try it.

  6. Neem Extract

    Some suggest Neem shampoo, soap or oil. I've not tried it as I've never seen this product yet. Others simply suggest boiling Neem leaves and when cooled, use it for bathing the dog. Boiling leaves is a little hassle to do and I'd rather not spend much on exotic remedies for dog ticks.





I've tried many homemade tricks other than throw the dog in the ocean, which incidentally, was suggested by someone in a forum! Sea water, he said will get rid of the ticks fast. But I don't live near the ocean.


Commercial Products for Ticks and Fleas
  1. Dog soaps and shampoos

    I've used different supermarket-brand dog shampoos that are anti-tick and anti-fleas, supposedly. Nothing worked.

  2. Frontline

    Ah, the gold standard, as they say, for eradicating ticks from the dog. Even veterinarians recommend it. Other brands like Advantix and Revolution are similar anti-tick products. There are 2 types of application: spot-on and spray. I've tried Frontline products maybe three times already and it is very effective.

    For my dog, the spot-on is effective for killing ticks from 1 to 2 months. The spray type is effective for a shorter duration. The spot application is very convenient. The only downside for me is the cost. Also, as a warning, there ARE fake or counterfeit Frontline products.

Anyway, Frontline prices vary depending on the size of the dog. But at Php450 (more than $10) for one spot application that's good for 1 month, it is cost-prohibitive for me. That is just for my medium-sized dog.

There has to be an effective yet cheaper way for controlling tick infestation. And in the in the tradition for the search of inexpensive yet effective homemade solutions like this homemade deodorant, my quest for the best anti-tick solution has ended when I learned of the Sevin product by Bayer.





Effective Way to Prevent Dog Ticks

Sevin for me is, by far, the cheapest way to effectively prevent dog ticks. Again, it's one of those anti-tick methods I read on the internet. I've tried it with much success. It's inexpensive, effective and economical.



Pictured above is Sevin. It's an agricultural product to combat different insects. But is it safe and will it work for pets? Here's a part of the instructions at the back of the package:

PETS: Dogs and Cats - flea and tick. Prepare a 5% Sevin dust by mixing 10 grams SEVIN dust WP 85 with 150.5 grams of ordinary flour. Dust or rub the mixture on the skin and in sleeping areas weekly. Do not treat kittens under 4 weeks old.

So the product does have a safe recommendation for pets. Note: There may be other Sevin products. So be sure to read the safe recommendations for pets. The above will be heavily diluted in a dry mixture - 1 part Sevin to 15.5 parts flour.




At 50 grams, it is the smallest package I can find and only costs Php65 or $1.50. And because you'll be diluting it in a dry mixture, that small package will go a long way toward preventing dog ticks and fleas.

Prior to treating the dog with the Sevin mixture, remove as much ticks and fleas as you can by hand. This article gives a tip: Removing Dog Ticks and Fleas.


How to Prepare Sevin to Repel Ticks

Materials:

  • Sevin WP 85 (as pictured above)

  • Flour - I used corn starch instead as I have plenty of corn starch at home.

  • Small plastic bottle - Be sure it's big enough to allow you to shake and mix the powdered contents inside. Optionally, you can also use an old Baby Powder dispenser as pictured in the thumbnail at the beginning of this article.


Procedure:

To simplify the math, I do away with the amount of grams instructed and instead use the stated sevin:flour ratio of 10:150.5 or 1:15.

  1. Put 1 tablespoon of Sevin powder inside the plastic bottle (or baby powder dispenser).

  2. Put 15 tablespoons of flour inside the plastic bottle. That's 1 part Sevin and 15 parts flour.

  3. Replace the cap of the plastic bottle and shake the dry mixture very well.



  4. Do the dusting in a well ventilated area, preferably outside the house.

  5. Keep the dog calm by stroking or rubbing its coat. I apply the Sevin dust with the dog in a lying position. I do this on the dog's sleeping area so any excess dust will scatter on the floor.

  6. To apply the diluted Sevin mixture, part the dog's hair with one hand. With the other hand, gently tap the open bottle with your index finger as shown below.



  7. Ensure you drop a little amount of the Sevin powdered mixture on one spot of the dog's skin.

  8. Gently spread the Sevin dust on the dog's skin.

  9. Apply the Sevin mixture to other areas of the dog's skin like the back, behind the shoulders, around the ears, under the armpits, top of the head, neck and chest. This is generally where you'll find ticks.




  10. After the dust application, allow the dog to stand and shake. Any dust that shakes off will fall on the sleeping area. No need to sweep it up as the dust drives away crawling ticks and fleas on the floor.

  11. Wash your hands thoroughly.

  12. For safety purposes, label or relabel the plastic bottle as shown below. Although the mixture is diluted, I just put the "poison" just to be sure.




Advantages of Using Sevin for Dog Tick Control
  • Inexpensive

    The smallest package of the Sevin WP 85 costs only Php65 (a little over 1 dollar). Sevin is readily available in agricultural and poultry stores. It can also be used for many purposes around the garden, like getting rid of ants.

  • Economical

    Only 1 tablespoon of Sevin was used in the example above. This, when diluted in the mixture can be used up to 5 dust applications (my estimate).




    If there are 6 tablespoons in a package, then that translates to 5 x 6 or 30 dusting applications. Just to be conservative, I estimate to dust the dog twice a month, so:

    With Sevin:
    At a cost of $1.50, the dog will be tick-free for 15 months.
    With Frontline:
    At a cost of $10, the dog will be tick-free for 1 month.

  • Convenient

    For many anti-tick solutions, you need to bathe the dog so you can apply the solution. The Sevin mixture may be applied anytime. It is dry and you don't even need to wet or bathe the dog. You can apply it on the dog's sleeping area and you don't waste it even if it falls on the floor.

  • Effective

    I've used Sevin to dust the dog for three times already and found it to be very effective for controlling tick and flea infestation.

UPDATE:

I've learned that spraying the dog for ticks and fleas is also a viable and maybe more practical technique. This article: Best Anti-Tick and Flea Spray for Dogs will teach you how to spray the Sevin solution on dogs.

Go ahead, post your comment below!

Unknown said...

Pwede rin po bang ispray sa loob ng bahay ang Sevin?I know my question is weird pero gusto ko lang pong makasiguro.Ano po ang procedure kung pwede sa loob ng bahay? Ilang hours po dapat hayaan ang Sevin? I found your article very helpful. We have 2 dogs po,Rottweiler & Shih Tzu. Hope you can help me. Thank you very much in advance.

Blackdove said...

Thanx. I always dust the dog outside. I don't think it's advisable to do it indoors. The dog will likely shake some of the dust off - so you many not want that scattering inside your house. My dog's basically a guard dog, so she doesn't get inside the house.

Anonymous said...

saan ko po mabibili ang sevin?

Blackdove said...

Sevin may be bought in the gardening section of some big hardware stores. Agriculture or poultry needs/supplies in the market will also have this.

Anonymous said...

Hi.just wondering if its safe to rub sevin on your dogs, coz some website says that its poisonous.did somthing happened to your dogs after you started the treatment?

Blackdove said...

The dog's still alive and healthy, though a bit older. The treatment uses DILUTED Sevin and there has been no ill effects on the dog.

Anonymous said...

kailangan bang gumamit ng gloves while using sevin?... thank you

Blackdove said...

No need to use gloves with the above treatment.

Unknown said...

is this good for 3months old pup?

The Work From Home Cook said...

I have tried asuntol as well. Very effective but expensive and now hard to find. It's main use is to control ticks on farm animals, specifically carabaos and cows.

Albert Yu said...

a friend of mine also suggested Sevin to me. his method was to dilute it in water then bathe the dog with it, let stay for a few minutes then rinse. You can then use the water after bathing to water your plants, dog's sleeping area, etc...Which method works best?
Thanks and you have a very HELPFUL site here!!...Happy New Year and Cheers!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi! I've been to ace, handyman, and wilcon, but they do not have this product. May i ask where exactly can i purchase this? Thank you!

Blackdove said...

Rhoda, I don't know about pups. My dog was 4 years old when I started using this treatment.

Blackdove said...

Weedbreeder, yes it seems those treatment for farm animals likewise would be effective for pets.

Blackdove said...

Albert, I suggest you try both to find which is effective for you. I didn't try the "wet" method as I think it washes plenty of the powder away to the gutter.

Blackdove said...

Anonymous, you'll find products such as these in market stalls selling poultry and agricultural supplies.

Unknown said...

Sevin's main ingredient is Carbaryl. I looked at pet products in stores and found a Dog Powder that has Carbaryl as its main ingredient. The brand is Doggies Choice, it comes in a plastic container like those of baby powder. It has a light blue cap and locally produced. So far I see NO fleas/ticks on my dog since using this product. It can be found in most groceries/hardware stores in the pet section. A small container is about P58.

Unknown said...

if you are in QC area...sevin is available at Breeders store fronting/across roosevelt ave along quezon ave. If you are coming from EDSA, its on your LEFT side...Hope this helps. P80/pack

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tip blackdove and albert!

Anonymous said...

Albert, is breeders store also the farmbreed poultry supply store in q.ave?

Anonymous said...

CAN WE MIX SEVIN WITH AN ANTI TICK AND FLEA DOG POWDER INSTEAD OF FLOUR/CORN STARCH?THANKS :)

Blackdove said...

You can mix it with other powder I suppose, but realize that the corn starch is for diluting the Sevin.

Anonymous said...

AFTER READING THIS ARTICLE I DID IT WITH MY DOG AND IT WAS GREAT!! IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE. FINALLY!! :) BY THE WAY..
I STICKED WITH FLOUR.. TOO SCARED TO TAKE THE RISK.. VERY HELPFUL SITE SIR!!! THANKS!

Anonymous said...

after searching on the net i found this,, so i did it on my dog too... bigla kc dinagsa ng flea ang dog namin.. ang tataba ba.. i remove it with my own hands and it takes whole day... after 2 days the flea is there again,, and i found out na maeron din sa ding ding ng bahay namin... grabe.. haist...
.. hope it helps. tlaga.. thanks...

Anonymous said...

Hi po! I bought Sevin already kasi ngsearch din po ako about on how to eliminate ticks.. Ung mga aso ko kasi dios mio! Hay.. Ang dami! Pati ako minsan ginagapangan na. I wonder if i could use this inside the house as well? Balak ko po sana ihalo sa tubig kapag nagmmop.. at ipahid sa dingding ng kwarto ko.Kasi may mangilan ngilan akong nakikita sa dingding, even on my bed for god's sake! Grabe lang:(.. I have sensitive skin so kahit gapangan lang ako nangangati na ko..

Blackdove said...

Hi. I'm sorry, but for this purpose, I have no other information other than this chemical is supposed to be applied on animals and not to be applied around the house.

Manny Aquino said...

Have you any tips on using Sevin as a SPRAY for house surroundings ?

Blackdove said...

Thanx for dropping by, Manny. Unfortunately, no. My understanding is that Sevin is to be applied directly on animals (farm or pets).

Unknown said...

is this safe for pregnant dogs?

Blackdove said...

Hi Jean. I think so. There isn't any contraindication on the label as I can recall. I wouldn't apply to lactating dogs though (nursing or feeding young puppies). Best to consult a veterinarian.

Anonymous said...

hi sir blackdove, hindi po ba ito nakaka lason if ma lunok nya ang solution powder?

Anonymous said...

hindi ba malalason ang aso if makakain nya to?

Blackdove said...

My dog doesn't lick the Sevin mixture

Anonymous said...

ah ok ,pero pg basa ang katawan ng aso ni lick nya ito para ma tuyo agad...yan ang katatakutan ko kasi ng lilick ang aso ko pg pinaliliguan ko sya...ok lng ba yun sir dove? tnx sa reply mo sir dove

Blackdove said...

As long as you follow the directions on the Sevin packet label, then your dog will be fine.

Anonymous said...

can i use sevin twice a week or once a week?

Blackdove said...

Again, you may refer to the label instructions for frequency of application.

Anonymous said...

If I were to bathe my dog with Sevin powder/water mixture what would be the recommended ratio? Thanks in advance.

Blackdove said...

A tablespoon of Sevin to a liter of water. You may refer to this article for spraying the solution: Best Anti-Tick and Flea Spray

Unknown said...

I just bought a pack of sevin powder, just like in the picture.. Ill keep you posted as soon as after i applied it.. And the results after.. My house house is really infested and my dog, i already felt the frustrations.. I hope this is the end for that..

Adrian said...

Hi!

Is there any alternative for Sevin85? They dont have this on Pacifica Agrivet..

We are running out of options & the infestation is terrible.. ticks crawl on our room already.. :(

Blackdove said...

Hi Adrian. If the infestation is very bad and you don't want to handle live ticks, then I suggest applying Frontline Spot-On immediately. The ticks will dehydrate, weaken and die - although they may continue to cling to the dog. So you might still need to remove them manually. Well, better that done removing crawling ticks.

Unknown said...

hello sir..kakaapply q lng s mga dogs q now ng sevin..i hope it works..natural lng poh b n mejo umiingit cla??slmat

Blackdove said...

Hi Stephen, my dog doesn't complain about the dilute sevin solution. It's just a normal bath session for her. She doesn't like her paws being dipped in the solution though.

Anonymous said...

Micz..

Sir.. can i use this treatment to my 2 month old puppies?

Blackdove said...

Yes, there's no contra-indication otherwise. I wouldn't put it on nursing dogs (lactating), just to be on the safe side.

Anonymous said...

Hi sir. Do you still use the powder dilute method? Or switched to the water dilute method? After a few years of experience, maybe you can share your pros and cons of each method. :) Thanks!

Blackdove said...

Yes, a pro and con update is a good idea.

Gellie said...

Hi blackdove, i read this article 2 days ago and bought the sevin today, hope it works coz the ticks on my dog has become really bad that i see them crawling on my bed, walls, floors and used clothes inside my humper :-( . I tried using frontline spray 2 weeks ago and felt like i wasted my 700 pesos. I dont know if it makes any difference if i used the spot on instead of the spray but thats the recommendation the veterinary staff gave me and it didnt work. :-( planning to use bathe the dog with your recommended water solution then powder him with the dry solution, hope it works. Naaawa na ko sa aso ko eh :-(

Blackdove said...

Gellie. My experience with Frontline is that it takes time for the dog-owner to see it work. Frontline does not seem to repel ticks. What it does is to eventually kill/dehydrate the attached ticks. So the dead ticks are still there and you'd have to manually remove some of them from the dog's skin. The dead big ones will appear shrunk and yellowish while the dead small ones look flat. Be patient and I suggest manually removing ticks everyday to help your dog as well as treat the affected areas where your dog stays. Good luck.

Unknown said...

Hi tanong ko lang po kung safe to iapply if madaming sugat ung aso ko?

Blackdove said...

Hello Reverie. It really depends on the extent of the wounds. If too much, treat them first or bring the dog to the vet.

Unknown said...

San po mkkbili ng sevin in manila dami ko na napuntahan petshop and hardware wala naman mabili

Blackdove said...

Try the poultry or agricultural supply shop at the market.

Unknown said...

Yung timpla ba ng sevin na 1 table spoon sevin at 15 table spoon of Flour para kalabg nag pulbo sa aso pag nag aply? Pano naman yung sa paligo ang pag timpla? Kasi kung pulbuhan ko siya ng natimplang sevin at constarch na pinag halo may pag kakataon na kakagatin niya ito sa kanyang pag kamot baka malason kasi siya..

Blackdove said...

Yes, apply powder as shown in the article. For bathing, follow the instructions here: Tick and Flea Spray.

Anon said...

Hello, my dog's ear has been infested with ticks :( pwede ba lagyan ng diluted sevin yung ears niya? Matatanggal ba yun agad? Thanks

Anonymous said...

Hello, my dog's ear has been infested with ticks :( pwede ba lagyan ng diluted sevin yung ears niya? Matatanggal ba yun agad? Thanks

Blackdove said...

If there are ticks inside the ears, carefully remove them with a pair of rounded-tip safety tweezers. Applying Sevin will not remove them, but will help prevent re-infestation.

Jeff said...

Iba po and inabili ko Na sevin ...

Pangalan nya seven eleven 85wp carbaryl,
kapareho rin ba ng ingredients nya name lang binago

amuyong said...

Try agricultural supply store..;)

Gellie said...

THANK YOU BLACKDOVE!!!!!! I FORGOT TO MESSAGE BACK ! HAHA! I AM SO HAPPY MY DOG IS TICK FREE!
IS THIS SAFE FOR 5MS OLD PUP?

Blackdove said...

That's good news Gellie. Yes, it is safe for pups. Share this page and spread the word.

Anonymous said...

Hello blackdove! Ok din po ba ito sa rabbit mites? I just dust them awhile ago. Kasi 2 months na ginagamit na ng new zealand rabbit ko ang ibermectine pero andyan parin yung mites tapos nahawa pa yung lionhead rabbit namin. Hopefully hindi rin mahawaan yung iba.

Blackdove said...

Hi. Sorry, I have no personal experience on its effectiveness for rabbits with mites. It should be safe though.

Unknown said...

Hi blackdove... yung regarding as treatment ng sevin ok lang ba sa two months old na pitbull?? kasi nahawa ndin sya sa iba naming aso hndi pa natagal ng 1week samin yung pitbull pero andami nadin nyang kuto...

may nabasa din ako around net na pwede din daw po yung wash out.. yung ginagamit sa manok... gusto ko kasi i try yung afford ko lang na remedy... naawa nako sa aso ko kamot na ng kamot hanggang magsugat na... but i'll try the sevin water method.. pang ligo nya...

hoping na mawala yung mga kuto. >.< Thanks

Blackdove said...

Yes, CorniclesOfSon, it should be okay to treat with Sevin. Treat all your other dogs as well, otherwise, there will be a constant source of ticks.

Jun Inquig said...

Hi Blackdove. I have five dogs of different breeds which are unleashed and can freely roam around inside and outside our house. My property has a fence. I have a grassy area in my backyard where I breed fighting cocks and on my front lawn beside the carport where they love to poop and urinate. I used to treat them with Venoma spray and my problem with ticks vanished away. Lately, I consumed 2 bottles of Venoma spray but ticks only keep breeding although I took time taking the ticks manually from my dogs daily. My problem now is one of my Shih Tzu has lots of very small ticks likely not visible to normal human eyes because it looks like dirt or whatever. I will try Sevin as this has been recommended to me before but I simply ignore it. Can I also apply the mixture to the grassy area in my backyard and front lawn area so as to eliminate tick breeding?

Blackdove said...

Hi Lamberto. The short answer to your question is yes, you could apply the mixture to the grassy area of your lawn. I would actually recommend that especially to grassy areas where your dogs frequently stay or play. You could also mix sevin with water as in this article best anti-tick and flea spray for dogs and pour or spray the solution all around.

Anonymous said...

Wala po akong alagang aso pero maraming nagkalat sa loob ng bahay ko. Meron sa walls and floor na gumagapang. Any suggestions po ba para mawala sila? Sobrang perwisyo na kasi e. Salamat

Blackdove said...

There might be a source of ticks somewhere. Neighbors' dogs?

Anonymous said...

Hi Blackdove! Habit na po ng dog ko ang mag lick ng fur nya..once applied na po un SEVIN at nag lick po cia..possible po b na malason cia?

Blackdove said...

Kung puro ang nilagay mo at maraming ang nalunok, posible.

Anonymous said...

Hi gusto ko sana gamitin pampaligo ang sevin sa dog ko. Paano po dapatsya gamitin?

Unknown said...

may nabasa po ako sabi..isang kutsarang sevin sa isang litrong tubig i spray sa hihaan ng aso o sa sulok sulok ng bahay

Anonymous said...

Okay lng ba na lagyan ko ng sevin yung dog ko kahit na matamlay sya. Kasi dinala ko sya sa vet kasi nga matamlay tska mainit. Pero mejo okay na sya, nagrerecover. Bravecto kasi yung nirecomment ng vet kaso sobrang mahal. Itry ko sana ying sevin kung effective edi yun nlng gagamitin ko. Pwede ko kaya sya lagyan nun kahit matamlay?

Beng said...

Very effective nga ang sevin, kahit sa loob ng bahay nag aaply ako ng sevin , 1 tablespoon sevin and 2 litro water at nilagay ko sa spray bottle, at spray ko sa walls

Unknown said...

Ask ko lng po kung gagamitin ko ang 50g na sevin insecticide ilang tubig ang kailangan gamitin?

Anonymous said...

Maraming salamat po. Ittry ko po ito bukas


Salamat sir

draco said...

Hello po, after po ilagay ang sevin mix, kailan po siya papaliguan at how to properly wash it away po? Madami kasi siyang baby kuto na mahirap alisin by hand isa isa :(

lawkwatsero said...

Ito yung gamit ko sa mga dogs ko, yung wet method. pero na try ko ja dn ung dry method.. both effective.. sa dry method, baking soda ang ginagamit ko and flour.. sa wet method naman, ihahalo ko sa ta o ung shampoo, konting tubig at ung sevin powder, then stay lang sa katawan nila ng ilang minutes then rinse ng water na may konting sevin powder.. Then kinabukasan, makikita mo na lang yung mga garapata, dry/patay na sila. Very effective!

El_Papito41 said...

Thank u for the wonderful info. This is very effective. I just try it in my dog earlier after he takes a bath. Just did what blackdove enumerates in the instructions and all the ticks are all dead.I confirmed this after an hour when i try to get some ticks from my dog and surprisingly they are all dead. Thank you very much sir.

Anonymous said...

Hi saang area ng puppy advisable i-apply ang Sevin? Paano po pag nag lick ng katawan ang puppy safe ba?

frost said...

hi is this also good for cats as well ?

frost said...

is this method also safe for cats ?

Anonymous said...

Hi, would like to ask if how long will it take before I can sweep out the powders on my dog's floor and sleeping area after applying the diluted sevin powder? Thank you.

Unknown said...

Tuwing kailan apply sevin diluted powder, ubusin b isang mixture, or every now and then, like nilagyan ko Monday, when ko pwede ulit lagyan, thank you,

Unknown said...

Tuwing kailan ulit lalagyan ng sevin diluted powder, ubusin ba isang mixture or every now and then, like Monday ko nilagyan when dapat next?
Thank you!

Blackdove said...

Unkown, Kahit ma-lick man ng dog mo, hindi malalason kung diluted ang solution.

Blackdove said...

Joana Mae. Sevin does not treat dandruff or dry skin on puppies.

Blackdove said...

BENJ. Yes, liquid spraying of solution is okay for area or puppies.

Blackdove said...

Hi Frost. Yes, I suppose this will work on cats too, but I've no direct experience as we have no cats.

Unknown said...

Also my question

Anonymous said...

Sa Arranque meron.sa recto yun.