Apparently, the ticks are back in full force. After an unusually cold winter for us on Vancouver Island the ticks weren't around, however, with spring finally creeping out, so are the ticks, or so we've heard. Luckily, we've been using an all natural repellent from Pawsitive Scents.
This time last year, there were certain trails we'd hit and come back finding multiple ticks on the dogs. I looked up natural remedies to repel ticks because I avoid traditional flea and tick medication provided by the vets. After trying to make one myself and not having much luck, I found someone locally that was making repellents.
When it comes to traditional flea and tick medications, I essentially don't want to give my dog a poison that either (orally) sits in the bloodstream to then kill a tick or flea once it bites my dogs, or (topically) put a poison on my dog that then kills a flea or tick from biting my dogs. Now, yes many dogs do just fine on these traditional medications, but there's a large number out there that don't. I've read too many reports of death to dogs that have taken a popular medication, Bravecto. Too many reports of dogs receiving burns from medication such as, Frontline.
Now, here's something funny... these medications don't actually prevent your dog from getting the diseases ticks carry. Which made my decision very clear, I wasn't going to give my dogs something that won't actually prevent disease but could cause them more harm than good.
In the last year (minus the winter, freezing months), I apply Pawsitive Scents Tick Repellent to the dogs prior to every hike. In this past year of using this repellent, I have found, and taken less than 5 ticks off of the two of them combined. I'd say that's amazing, considering with the traditional medication, ticks can still be biting your dogs after every hike. Using Pawsitive Scents and doing my daily check over on the dogs has shown that the repellent, does just that, REPEL the ticks from even biting my dogs. The reason I am comfortable using Pawsitive Scents on my dogs is because it's natural essential oils that have been shown to be safe for dogs and not cause any harmful side effects.
Now, that I've said all this, I want to make it very clear, this is not a paid for blog and/or post. The products I use for my dogs are because it's what I feel is best for them. What has worked for us. What we stand behind.