Best Anti-Tick and Flea Spray for Dogs

Although I've been applying the my Best Anti-Tick Solution for Dogs in powder form for quite sometime, I've been toying the idea of applying Sevin powder to my dog while bathing her. That means being able to bathe the dog while at the same time applying an anti-tick treatment.

I hesitated with the idea though because I was thinking that slowly pouring the Sevin mixed with water on the dog would be wasteful. Imagine the Sevin mixture just dripping off from the dog's fur and then going down the drain, not to mention that which the dog shakes off after getting wet.

But then, I got tired of applying the Sevin anti-tick treatment as a separate activity and thought of spraying (not pouring) the Sevin mixture while bathing the dog.

1. Remove Ticks and Fleas.
   
   Prior to bathing and treating the dog, you'd need to remove as much ticks and fleas as possible especially in areas around the face, ears, snout and mouth area. This is because you'd want to avoid spraying too much anti-tick solution to the dog's ears and face.
   
   Inspect the face of the dog and remember the folds of skin under the ears where ticks and fleas hide.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Prepare the Sevin Anti-Tick Solution.
   
   In a hand sprayer, mix a tablespoon of Sevin with a liter of water. Be careful not to inhale the Sevin powder while doing this.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   For details on the Sevin powder see this article: Best Anti-Tick Solution for Dogs. Wear a face mask if you have to.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Mix Thoroughly
   
   Be sure the Sevin solution in the sprayer is thoroughly mixed by first swirling the bottom of the sprayer and then shaking the sprayer up and down as shown below.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Bathe the Dog
   
   Wet the dog thoroughly with a hose and then apply your favorite shampoo or soap to work up a lather.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Apply the Anti-Tick Mixture
   
   With the hand sprayer pumped and ready, proceed to apply the Sevin mixture into the dog's coat especially in the neck, chest and armpit areas. Do this by keeping the sprayer's nozzle in contact to the skin. The spray should be a steady jet, and your application should feel like "injecting" the dog with the nozzle.
   
   Here's the hand sprayer nozzle being "injected" in the dog's armpits with the sprayer sending out a steady stream. The dog doesn't seem to mind this at all and may find it soothing.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Work the Anti-Tick Solution into the Lather
   
   While spraying directly on the dog's skin, work the Sevin anti-tick solution into the lather. If you feel ticks and fleas on the dog's coat with your fingers, try scratching or scrubbing them off with the aim of at least dislodging them from their attachment to the dog's skin.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   There's no need to pull them out individually. By dislodging them, the dog ticks and fleas would have to crawl and be exposed to the tick treatment solution.
   
   
7. Spray the Dog
   
   After working the anti-tick solution into the lather, back off with the hand sprayer from the dog and continue spraying the jet stream on the rest of the dog's body as shown below.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Treating the Paws for Ticks.
   
   The dog's paws are a favorite hiding place for ticks. They're usually in between the digital pads of the claws.
   
   
   
   
   
   Unfortunately, most dogs are sensitive in these areas and don't want you prying and separating the claws to pick the ticks.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Dip the Paw into the Solution
   
   In this case, you have the option of pouring some of the anti-tick solution in a small disposable shallow cup. Hold the dog's leg and gently maneuver the paw into the anti-tick solution.
   
   Totally submerge the dog's paw in the anti-tick solution for at least 2 minutes. Do this for all four legs. The ticks may not dislodge immediately but will eventually die from the poison.
   
   
   
   
   
10. Leave the Anti-Tick Solution on the Dog
    
    Leave the dog and let the soap and the dog anti-tick solution on the dog for around 15 minutes.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. Rinsing and Respraying
    
    After 15 minutes, give the dog a good hose down and let the dog shake off the remaining soapy water and solution.
    
    
12. Re-apply the Anti-Tick Solution
    
    When the dog is no longer soaking wet, and much of the skin is exposed, reapply the anti-tick treatment. This time, adjust the sprayer's nozzle to shoot a finer mist-like spray as shown below. Be sure to spray the entire body. Leave the treatment on the dog and don't wash it off with water.
    
    
    
    
    
13. Drying the Dog's Coat
    
    After 30 minutes, use the dog's towel to dry its head, ears and face. Use the same towel to pat dry the rest of the dog's body. Leave the dog to air-dry its coat completely.
    
    

If there is leftover tick and flea treatment solution in the sprayer, spray it on areas where the dog likes to lie and play. This may be in the lawn, porch, parts of the garden, garage, and so on. Apply the remaining tick and flea treatment solution in the disposable cup in these areas as well.