Preventing Ticks & Parasites: Your Guide to Safe Play on the Greenbelt Trails (and Your Backyard)
The Ottawa Greenbelt offers hundreds of kilometers of beautiful, accessible trails, making it the capital’s greatest resource for dog owners. Locations like Bruce Pit and Conroy Pit (the off-leash areas) are phenomenal, and the vast network of pathways allows for endless exploration.
However, as we enjoy the dense foliage and tall grasses of the Greenbelt trails, we must be vigilant about the increase in ticks and parasites in Ottawa. Prevention starts with vigilance on the trail, but it must be completed with strict sanitation at home. Scoop Dog is here to explain how professional yard parasite removal is your best defense.
On the Greenbelt: Identifying the Risk Areas
Ticks thrive in the same natural environments that dogs love—tall grasses, wooded edges, and leaf litter. As an Ottawa dog owner using the Greenbelt trails, you should be aware of the following:
Tall Grasses: Stick to marked trails and paths whenever possible, as ticks often "quest" (wait for a host) on the tips of tall grass blades.
The Seasonal Spike: Tick activity peaks in the spring and fall. After any walk in the Greenbelt, conduct a thorough "tick check" on your dog, focusing on ears, paws, and under the tail.
Leash Regulations: Remember that the Greenbelt has specific rules. Bruce Pit and Conroy Pit are off-leash, but most other Greenbelt pathways require leashed dogs year-round for conservation reasons.
While vigilance is crucial on the trail, the most constant source of dangerous pathogens is often overlooked: your own backyard.
The Silent Threat in Your Lawn: Fecal Contamination
Dog waste left on your lawn quickly becomes a breeding ground for various parasites and bacteria that pose a serious risk to your family and pets. These risks are amplified when your dog is regularly visiting high-risk areas like the Ottawa Greenbelt trails.
The Backyard Parasite Checklist:
Roundworms & Hookworms: These common parasites shed eggs in pet feces. If the waste is not removed promptly, the eggs can survive in the soil for months, becoming easily ingested when your dog sniffs or licks contaminated areas—or when a child plays in the grass.
E. Coli & Salmonella: These dangerous bacteria flourish in dog waste, and if your lawn is not consistently clean, any contact with the ground can lead to contamination.
Giardia & Coccidia: Waterborne parasites that thrive in damp areas, easily spread through contact with infected feces.
The Scoop Dog Solution: Yard Parasite Removal
Professional pet waste removal is the most effective form of yard parasite prevention. While veterinary treatment handles internal parasites, Scoop Dog controls the external environment where re-infection occurs.
Our weekly poop-scooping service is not just about aesthetics; it's a hygiene service that:
Breaks the Life Cycle: We physically remove the feces before parasite eggs (like those from Roundworms) have a chance to hatch, infect the soil, and cause re-infection.
Reduces Attraction: A clean yard is less attractive to rodents and wildlife that can also carry and spread diseases.
Guarantees Consistency: We provide a guaranteed level of cleanliness that busy homeowners simply cannot maintain 52 weeks a year, in all weather conditions.
Enjoying the Ottawa Greenbelt should be a reward, not a risk. By controlling the sanitary conditions of your home base, you drastically reduce the chance of your dog bringing a parasitic souvenir back from the trail.
From the trails of Stony Swamp to your suburban lawn, keeping your dog and family safe from ticks and parasites in Ottawa requires a multi-pronged approach: veterinarian-recommended preventatives, vigilant checks after Greenbelt walks, and consistent sanitation at home.
Ready for a Clean, Safe Yard?
Protect your family and pet health by eliminating the biggest source of backyard contamination. Contact Scoop Dog today for a quote on our weekly professional pet waste removal service and ensure your home is a parasite-free zone!
