With all this talk about the dangers of flea and tick medications, I thought it would be a good idea to research a few safer alternative solutions for you.
Firstly, I have to tell you that I don't use any flea or tick preventatives. I spend most of my time in my yard working out with my Mum. And when I do venture out for walks, agility, and hiking, Mum always checks me over very thoroughly immediately upon my return for any signs of fleas and ticks. (Note: We've recently moved to a cabin in the mountains of Tennessee and have encountered so many ticks. Read more about our experience at our new place as an update to this post).
We have treated our yard with beneficial nematodes. We keep our shrubs trimmed and grasses cut. Even when I was newly rescued from the shelter and had a flea infestation, Mum bathed me in an eco friendly, safe, gentle shampoo, combed me with a flea comb, vacuumed thoroughly and they were gone in a matter of days.
Some key tips:
- A healthy dog on a good holistic diet is much less prone to attract flea and tick infestations.
- Check your dog often for signs of fleas and ticks.
- Utilize beneficial nematodes in your yard to cut down on fleas and ticks.
- Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around your yard to ward off and kill existing fleas and ticks, or better yet get chickens or guinea hens for your yard...they love to eat ticks.
- If you find ticks or fleas on your dog remove them immediately utilizing proper removal tools and dunk them in soapy water.
- Keep pet beds and other linens cleaned regularly.
- Herbal repellents containing cedarwood, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary and thyme are likely safer. Avoid citrus, cinnamon, clove, d-limonene, geranium, tea tree, lavender, linalool, bay, eucalyptus, pennyroyal and rue oils, as they have been shown by the NRDC to be dangerous to pets.
- Check out our Squidoo lens on Dogs and Ticks to learn more about the dangers of ticks and how you can battle them.
If you have additional green, safe, and environmentally friendly ways to prevent the nasties, be sure and share them! So here are a few safer alternatives and tools to keep your pet healthy and happy....and here's to a safe summer!
7 comments:
Hi Johann,
I'm a physician and former faculty member at Harvard and Stanford Medical Schools. I discovered your blog while looking for the best writers on the web. I reviewed your posts, and think your writing would be a great addition to the Pet Health Community on Wellsphere, a top 5 health website that has nearly 5 million visitors monthly. If you would like to learn more about how you can join our Health Blogger Network, republish your blog posts and be featured on the Wellsphere platform, just drop me an email at dr.rutledge@wellsphere.com.
Cheers,
Geoff
Hi Johann,
I really appreciate your post! My dog was having a bad reaction to Frontline, so I had to find an alternative. I tried the Natural Defense product, but I think it reacted with the oils in his coat because it formed a big, hard clump and I had to cut it out. Then I got a parasite dust from my holistic vet, which is easy to apply, is effective for 3-4 weeks and does not appear to be causing any side effects. Thanks again for the post!
You are very welcome, Amy!!! If you have the name of the dust, we'd love to investigate it and share!
I am so glad I read this. I live in a heavy tick area. My vet wants me to treat my dog. I dont want to put something on my dog that I can't get on my skin. I check his fur everytime he goes out.great blog awesome posts
The dust I have is made by Buck Mountain and it's called "Parasite Dust for Animals." It says it protects against flies, fleas, ticks, lice, mites and more.
Hi five Johann:
I'm glad to see you're interested in safer flea and tick prevention. My mom uses food grade DE on us, from a shaker bottle, and cedar oil spray. She treats our yard with DE and we're having no flea issues. Happy Tails,
Tanner
I recently adopted a bulldog who had scars along his spine from spot on flea and tick treatments. Before adopting my pup, I had absolutely no idea about the toxicity of spot on treatments. I started doing research and was immediately horrified at the millions of other dogs who had the same aversive effects from them. In my search for an alternative, I came across Wondercide, which offers a natural way to repel fleas and ticks and hundreds of other insects. I used the product EVLOV and it has worked great for me and my dog. Wondercide also has a wide range of products for treating your home, inside and out, as well as for humans. All are safe and chemical free. Their website is www.wondercide.com and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. I recommend this company to anyone!
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