Tick Spray for Dogs: How to Use It Safely and When It Works

What a tick spray does, and what it doesn't

Many vet tick sprays use fipronil, an anti-tick and anti-flea medicine. You spray it over the coat, it spreads into the skin's natural oils, and it stays there for weeks.

It is important to know what it does not do:

• It does not stop ticks from biting. A tick still has to climb on. Ticks that attach are usually killed within 24 to 48 hours.
• It does not work instantly. Ticks already on your dog can take up to two days to die. Check again after 48 hours and pull off any that are still holding on.
• It does not treat your home. A dog spray is made for the coat, not for floors and walls.

To pull off a tick safely, follow our guide on how to remove a tick from a dog.

Tick spray, spot-on or chew: which suits your dog

All three can work well. They suit different dogs and different situations.

For a closer look at the other two, read spot-on or tablet for dogs.

When a spray is the best choice

• Pregnant or nursing dogs. Most spot-ons and chews are not labelled for them. Some fipronil sprays are.
• Very young puppies. A spray labelled for unweaned puppies is one of the few options before 8 weeks.
• A heavy tick load. A spray wets the whole body at once, including the ears, toes and belly where ticks gather.
• Dogs of any size. You dose by weight, so the same bottle works for a Shih Tzu and a German Shepherd.
• Homes with a dog and a cat. Some fipronil sprays are labelled for both, so one bottle covers the house.

Richpet Fipo-Mec Fipronil Spray is a fipronil 0.25% spray in a 100 ml pump bottle. It can be used on puppies and kittens from 2 days old. For a pregnant or nursing pet, ask your vet first. It is labelled against ticks, fleas, lice and mites.

How much to use: dose by weight

Most tick sprays fail because people use too little. The coat has to be wet right down to the skin. The label dose for a 0.25% fipronil spray is at least 3 ml per kg for short-haired dogs, and up to double that, 6 ml per kg, for long-haired dogs or for tick control.

The table gives the dose in ml. Pump sizes differ between sprays, so check on your pack how many ml one pump gives, then work out how many pumps your dog needs.

Weigh your dog first. Hold your dog and stand on a bathroom scale, then subtract your own weight. A large, long-haired dog can need more than one 100 ml bottle per treatment, so plan for that before you start.

How to apply tick spray, step by step

1. Pick the right spot. Spray outdoors, on a balcony or in a room with windows open. Wear gloves.
2. Work out your dose. Use the table above and the ml per pump on your pack before you start.
3. Spray against the hair. Hold the bottle 10 to 20 cm away and spray against the direction the hair grows, so the spray reaches the skin. Cover the back, sides, belly, legs, between the toes and under the tail.
4. Do the face by hand. Never spray the face. Spray onto your gloved hand and rub it around the ears, neck and head, keeping well away from the eyes and mouth.
5. Ruffle the coat. Work the spray in with your fingers, especially on long coats.
6. Let it dry naturally. Do not towel dry, because the towel takes the medicine off. Keep your dog out of a closed crate or carrier until the coat is fully dry.
7. Keep everyone away until dry. Keep children and other pets from touching or licking your dog until the coat is dry, then wash your hands.
8. Check again in 2 days. Remove any ticks that are still attached.

Safety rules: before, during and after

• No bath for 2 days before or after. Bathing or shampooing too close to the spray washes it out. Keep your dog out of ponds and rivers for 2 days after too. Fipronil is harmful to fish.
• Not for sick dogs. Don't use a tick spray on a dog that is unwell, has a fever or is recovering from an illness. Ask your vet first.
• Never on rabbits. Fipronil can cause serious reactions and even death in rabbits.
• Licking causes drooling. If your dog licks the wet coat, it may drool for a short time. This passes, but stop the licking until the coat is dry.
• Watch the skin. A few dogs get redness, itching or hair loss where they were sprayed. If it doesn't settle in a day or two, call your vet.
• Check the label if you have a cat. Some dog tick products contain permethrin, which is very toxic to cats and can cause tremors and seizures. Cats can be poisoned just by grooming a freshly treated dog. Never use a dog-only product on a cat.
• Don't stack products. Don't add a spray on top of a spot-on or chew unless your vet tells you to.

Sprays last about 3 to 5 weeks against ticks, so most dogs need a fresh treatment about once a month in tick season. Follow the gap given on the pack.

Sprays for the dog and sprays for the house

The brown dog tick, the most common tick on dogs in India, can live its whole life indoors. A female can lay up to 5,000 eggs in cracks in walls, floors and kennels, and each stage can survive three to five months without a meal. That is why ticks keep coming back even after the dog is clean.

• A dog spray goes on the dog. It is not made for floors, walls or furniture.
• A house or kennel spray goes on the house. Use one made for indoor use, on cracks, skirting, the dog's bed area and kennel. Keep your dog out of the room until it dries, and never spray a house product on your dog.
• For a bad infestation, call pest control. Tell them you have a dog so they choose a safe product.

For the full plan, read how to get rid of ticks on dogs.

Home-made and natural tick sprays

Home-made sprays are popular, but none of them have a tested strength, and some are dangerous.

• Essential oils: tea tree oil is the essential oil that most often poisons pets. Concentrated oils should never be put on a pet's skin, and cats are even more sensitive than dogs.
• Kerosene, petrol, phenyl, Dettol and camphor: these burn the skin and can poison your dog. Never use them.

If you want something gentle, use a proper vet product at the right dose. That is safer than a strong home mix.

When to call your vet

Call your vet if your dog:

• Has trembling, wobbly walking, vomiting or a seizure after any tick product
• Has red, raw or itchy skin that doesn't settle after spraying
• Still has many ticks a week after a correct treatment
• Has a fever, weakness, pale gums or stops eating, which can be signs of tick fever
• Is pregnant, nursing, very young, old or on other medicines, before you start any tick product

Learn the warning signs in our guide to symptoms of tick fever in dogs.

Weigh, spray, wait two days.
Then check again.

The right dose, a dry coat and a treated home do most of the work.