18. Ticks in Singapore dogs

Non-chemical control is safe for the dog, the family and the environment but many time-pressed Singaporeans do not think this way. They just buy an insecticide from the pet shop or the internet, apply it on the skin between the shoulder blades of the dog and this method may keep the dog tick-free for a month. In time to come, they find that the insecticide does not work.




Non-chemical control is as follows:
1. Dog booties. The dog wears "shoes" when taken out to dog parks or outdoors to exercise.
2. On coming home, examine all the toes carefully for any small ticks attached to the skin between or below the toes. This simple method reduces tick infestation considerably in houses with gardens.
3. Groom the dog daily but this is asking too much.
4. Cut the grass short and trim the lawn.
5. Keep the dog in one part of the garden or kennel so that any tick infestation will be in one area.
6. Clip long coat short if there are many ticks.

Pest controllers in Singapore do a roaring trade fogging and spraying insecticide into every park and space to kill mosquitoes. All these insecticide just goes to our reservoirs and kills us in years to come.

As a dog owner, you can play a small part in not introducing more insecticide in your home or garden by using non-chemical methods to control ticks in your dogs. Surprisingly, fleas are uncommon in dogs as we don't use carpeted floors unlike the culture in Australia.