Is it possible to spray a garden for ticks?

[User76745333]

DDog and Dcats are getting loads on a regular basis even though they wear collars purchased form the vets. We get deer in the garden and it is surrounded by woodland so its ideal tick territory. Tick infestations have increased over the past few years and Im worried about the DC getting bitten. We are in the Midlands

I know in America they spray their gardens. Is that prohibited in the UK. It isn't ideal from an environmental perspective of course but we can't carry on like this. You can literally see them all in the grass.

Not sure about spraying the garden, but you could get the DC to wear mosiguard or another repellent if you’re that worried. We’re in Scotland and get dozens of tick bites each year, it’s part of life really. I remember one camping trip when I pulled 15 off one of the kids when we got home 😱

That sounds awful, like an infestation except does it count when they're outside? A pest control service might have your answer.

We have the same problem, and I’m desperate to stop them. If there’s dry weather for a good spell I have had success with sprinkling diamateous earth (I’m sure I’ve spelled that wrong ) on the lawn especially between the house and trampoline where the children go most! It’s natural but you mustn’t breathe it in .

I’m getting DDog ‘S hair trimmed for the first time in hope she picks fewer up and she has a tick collar too. I also check her carefully as soon as she comes in, today I found one of the tiny deer ticks we keep getting that was crawling on a back paw . I really hate the things!!

Have a look at the deer stalking sites they are a big problem for stalkers - most use clothing treated against ticks or wash in Permethrin or some similar chemicals. If you wash your kids outdoor clothes in Permethrin (having checked the effects on Children first) it would give a significant measure of protection. Lyme disease is very dangerous and debilitating and results from the incorrect removal of ticks, squeezing their internal fluids (and infection) into a human whilst carelessly removing an embedded tick.
Tom -o -tic do special tick removers.
You are wise to be very careful and that should involve allowing your kids to know all about Lyme disease and to become responsible for their own checks and Tick removal. A bite has a typical 'bullseye' formation with a red central spot - if bitten go to the doc's understanding Lyme disease is in its early stages.

I would put spray the garden - think of everything you’d kill.

we keep tick tweezers to hand, shower and change when coming home from walks and check daily (big mirror in the bathroom). If you remove them within 24 hours the risks are lower. Keep an eye out for bullseye rashes and don’t let a dr fob you off if you get one.

• would not spray the garden

I've not heard of a tick collar. Our dog has bravecto, one tablet every 3 months for ticks, fleas etc. Maybe ask about that instead?

You will literally kill all the insects, so in turn anything that feeds on them.

your best bet is to talk to the vet for something like stronghold for ticks.

Bravecto works for my dog... not sure you could use it on the kids tho However I second the diatomaceous earth tho... it's harmless (though not good to breath in so I use a mask when I'm spreading it) and if it gets wet..it works fine when the weather dries up. It literally dries up ticks, fleas,bed bugs and they die.

What collars are you using OP?

We are in an area with lots of deer and we see them in our garden at all times of the day. We use seresto collars and our cats have never had ticks. I removed two massive ones off a neighbours cat that doesn’t wear a collar the other day so I know they are out there but the seresto collars seem to be doing the job

I'd be deerproofing the garden.

I would personally prefer ticks to a garden full of poison.

Spraying is hardly going to help when you are backed on to a woodland, anyway. They will all be back a week later.

We are using seresto collars from the vets. Still getting ticks. Plus I can’t put tick collars on the kids..

you might try scalibor collars. I used to walk my dogs in the new forest which is a tick and lyme disease hotspot. I used to use frontline on them which helped but didn't solve the problem. One of them became allergic to it so on the vets advice I switched to scalibor collars. The tick pickup numbers went from around 4 to 8 on each dog per week to zero.

PS as others have said, no point spraying as they are carried in by wildlife including hedgehogs and, I think some birds.

Honestly? Until we fenced off our garden to stop the deer, someone in the family got a tick every single weekend. And I have to say, when I got them, I could feel that tick bite spot for MONTHS afterwards. It was horrible.

Once I stopped access to the deer, the tick bites stopped.

We're in a Lyme hotspot too and I'm concerned for the Kids. The cats are always getting ticks despite the collars etc. No sandals and shorts for the kids in summer which is a shame.
Wish there was a magic bullet

Bravecto is really good for ticks on pet animals.

the key is to get ticks to die/remove quickly before they have a feed (it is the end of the feed which is most dangerous for introducing infections such as Lymes)

keep grass short and check your kids daily. Spraying your garden will just kill helpful insects like bees and ladybirds.

Bravecto? My dog still picks up ticks occasionally but we find them dead if they’ve bitten her. Otherwise just a daily check for the kids and ourselves. It’s pretty bad so far this year though.

I don’t remember anyone talking about ticks at all when I was a child. But now they seem to be widespread. What has caused this?

Same, we live up a mountain in Snowdonia and get ticks on the garden. Dog has bravecto and it works really well.

I've also heard rumours of forestry workers in Scotland getting vets to prescribe beavecto
to imaginary large dogs and take it time themselves.

Also keep the grass short, wear long trousers when mowing it and make sure kids have long trousers/sleeves if they go in wilder parts of the garden.

I’m a bit confused about why deers are in your garden? As well as bringing ticks, don’t they munch every plant in sight - they must be quite destructive!? Who owns the deers? Can you agree a plan with them to keep them out of your garden. Are there deer-proof hedges or fences you could install? Sorry if I’m asking odd questions - I live in a city so can’t imagine having large wild animals wandering into my garden!

I think some people reckon it may be at least in part due to global warming, more ticks surviving the winter perhaps.
But apart from the number of ticks, the big change is Lyme disease, which makes a tick bite potentially dangerous in a way it wasn't in the past. So people are more aware of them.

Don't monthly flea and tick treatments prevent ticks from biting?

@1jan2020 I think it's kind of the other way round. Ie there used to be loads of ticks in the years after enclosures and deer hunting (ie more deer) were introduced. Then we started doing intensive farming and there were fewer of them. Now we still have loads of deer and farming methods are changing so more ticks. Also we've started building little bits of housing near little bits of green space with animals that ticks like eg mice and deer who have few predators in those particular green spaces. Also again in these newish developments municipal authorities cut greenery less especially over the past couple of years, and there are loads more household pets just in general. Again ticks love all of these things. So they're making a huge comeback.