[nationalguard88]

Hey guys. Was curious what you use to protect your pets? I have used frontline plus and K9 advantix 2 on my dogs in the past with no issues at all. I don’t like the idea of using these pesticides on my baby. With the spring eventually going to get here in Kentucky, I’d like your opinions on the best safe prevention for flea and ticks.
I know Patty Vaughn lives in Florida, so your input much appreciated as always : ). Thanks, Jason.

[theBCnut]

I have used everything under the sun at one time or another. Now, I’m feeding my dogs half raw and I haven’t had a problem with fleas last year at all. If I have a problem this year, I’m going to make my own spray with essential oils that are know to be vermifuges and insecticides.

If you have carpeting, work diatomatious earth or borax into the carpet before spring arrives. If you don’t, vaccuum a lot, especially around cracks, crevices, and furniture.

[Sunnybeach]

I don’t use flea and tick meds! Thank god I have never had a issue! I don’t want my pets having those poisons! I would treat them if their was a problem!

[nationalguard88]

I have 9 acres in the country with a slough, old part of panther creek no moving water, a mosquito breeding ground. Ticks are a serious concern here. I don’t want to use chemical based products either, the reason I posted this??? So there is a problem and my boy needs protection. My house is tile and hardwood floors only. We have every type of tick here, especially deer ticks the size of a needle point, that carry Lyme. My doberman is an inside dog obviously, but he needs his exercise outside. I’ve read poor reviews on natural preventions working, but understand the reviews could be from irresponsible pet owners or dogs left outside 24/7. I’m looking for something to help for ticks, fleas, Mosquitos, while he’s outside exercising. I’ve researched about essential oils, but wondered if someone had good result with something specific. Thank you, Jason

[USA]

Hi Jason

I’m happy to see that you are looking for safer alternatives for flea, tick and mosquito control!

Products like Frontline, Advantix, etc can buildup in the organs of dogs over time so even though you don’t see immediate side effects they are still dangerous. They are also neurotoxins and I am just glad you looking for alternatives!

Indoors
Wash their bedding at least once a week and add Borax (boric acid) to the wash.

Boric acid can also be rubbed into any fabric couches or chairs. Vacuum the cushions and rub the Boric acid into the fabric beneath the cushions.

Outdoors
Beneficial nematodes are effective for flea control. If your dog roams the whole nine acres that is a lot of nematodes you will need (like a billion!). I would do the area around your house no matter what. I prefer to use nematodes in vermiculite (scanmask) rather than nematodes on a sponge. The ones in vermiculite have a shelf life of 2 years, the ones on a sponge are probably dead or dying by the time they are purchased (shelf life of about 4 to 8 weeks).

Keep any vegetation as short as possible if you can. Ticks are usually in vegetation above 2 inches or so.

I don’t know how big your creek is or if there are fish in it but that would be the only place I might look into commercial mosquito control. The chemicals would not be on your dog as long as he doesn’t swim in it.

On your dog.
Bathe at least once a week for flea control. Use a flea shampoo that has essential oils in it. Natural doesn’t mean safe so try a small amount first and see how your pooch does. Just bathing with any shampoo will kill fleas as they will drown.

Essential oils
There are many that will kill and repel fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. I would say that they do not work as well as poisons such as frontline but they will not kill your dog along with the fleas!

Repel Mosquitoes and they smell lemony or floral,
Citronella
Citral
Lemongrass
Geranium oil or Geraniol

Kill fleas and the have a very strong smell. The ones that have a P contain Phenols which are very powerful and carry risks of their own
Clove P
Cinnamon P
Thyme P
Cedar
Peppermint
Rosemary
D limonene and orange oil (also have risks)

Ticks are hard to repel or kill naturally. Inspection is key to natural tick control.

It is best to spray your dog daily with a mixture of oils as applying like frontline requires spreading agents to be used.

Patty – I had to look up “vermifuges”

• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by USA.

[theBCnut]

My favorite essential oil book lists the therapeutic properties of each oil so I had to learn a few new words like carminative, rubefacient, galactagogue, and cicatrizant. I’m really enjoying learning about essential oils. It’s my newest hobby, that and herb lore.

[dogspotindia]

flea and ticks creatures infest your pet, they cause them a world of pain. There are so many medical remedies are available in market to prevent the fleas and ticks like Kiltix Collar for fleas and ticks Medium Bayer, Tick Away Forceps Karlie, Protektor Dog Flea & Tick Remover, Scabovate Anti Tick-Flea Dog Soap. http://www.dogspot.in/flea-ticks/

[Liz S]

As a mum of four, anything I use on our pets has to be safe for the children too, so I have been buying Billy No Mates and the Parasitic Tincture from http://bit.ly/1v7XveR this year, and I’m really pleased with the results and how easy it is to administer.

[MelSnowy]

Hello, All – has anybody used a Seresto flea and tick collar on their animals? At 6 months my large breed pup was per vet, given a Seresto collar to use. After 3 days of use and at 3 different times over a month, my pup would do a little dance in front of me, lunge at my face and ear trying to bite me and biting puncture wounds on my arms..Talking to my vet, she wanted to put my puppy down. I refused! Went to a specialist seeing if this was a behavioral or neurological issue, as my puppy always has been so very loving and gentle. It was deemed as Neurological. I removed the Seresto collar immediately and it’s been 3 months with NONE of these issues. I called Corporate, Bayer, as I had seen many posts regarding the same sfx. Bayer said they would report it to FDA..”had to as reported by Law” Corporate lied to me. I contacted FDA and they returned a very nice email and said, “Not covered by FDA, but EPA! I’ have tried to contact EPA with no luck. Any help or other comments would be appreciated! Thank you and Woof-Woof!

[MelSnowy]

I, too, am very afraid of using topicals for fleas and ticks, especially with bad sdx from Seresto Collar. After much research, found FOOD GRADE and FOOD GRADE only stated on package: Diatomaceous Earth, which is also edible, (again make sure stated on package) – just rub into dogs and cats fur and will prevent fleas and even deer ticks …and will kill those already attached. Very easy to use – used a 1/2 cup of this powder on my large breed puppy rubbing it into coat, avoiding eyes. Just FYI. Hope this helps! Read package diligently as some DE has chemicals in it for other purposes.

Melinda and Snowy

[InkedMarie]

Find a new vet! I only use Bug Off a Garlic for fleas & ticks.

[Dori]

BC. What book are you referring to re essential oils?

[theBCnut]

It’s called Modern Essentials. I almost missed seeing this.

[Nancy C]

I had a very scary experience. Our GSD dog ( approx16 mos old) in March had had bad diarrhea from transitioning OFF TOW to Origen, then Acana. Spent lots of $ at vet for cure. A week later the dog had gotten back to normal. The vet did a “well check” w thumbs UP and on the way out I bought the Solesto HORRIBLE Collar. Everyone at the vet was raving and the vet herself told me it would probl be better than an oral flea/ tick med due to his sensitive stomach. So I BOUGHT IT and they put it on.

Within 24 hours this dog was so sick. He was literally CRYING in the crate and scratching the door to get out and poop total syrup. One night he woke me three times scratching and crying AND MOANING with discomfort. This was over the weekend. I put him on broth and no changes. Back to the vet on Monday COLLAR STILL ON. Long horrible story short: I finally realized it was the collar! I yanked it off and within 24 hours he was much better. I called Bayer, had to “work it” bec nobody wanted to refund me. I finally got my money back. The VET TECH secretly told me that the rep told HER that they have had a LOT OF TROUBLE with that collar!

It’s not for everyone.

[theBCnut]

It makes a lot of dog and cats sick when it is first put on. That ought to tell them something.

[Bobby dog]

I like how the book, Modern Essentials, presents the information about essential oils; very easy reading.

[theBCnut]

I like how I can look up an issue, like asthma, in the index and I can find all the different oils that may help. I also like how the info for the individual oils is laid out so I know exactly where to look to find the particular piece of info that I’m looking for.

[MelSnowy]

Nancy C – Thank you for validating my experience with using a Seresto Collar. How did you get a refund from Bayer – did you purchase thru vet, pet store – did you have to submit documentation? I purchased it thru vet, (again Raving about it) with whom I’m no longer using. I called Bayer Corporate and they ‘blew me off’. Bayer told me that “by law they would report it to FDA” .. That was a lie. When I contacted FDA, they wrote me a very kind email back and said it has to be reported to EPA. Any suggestions as to how to get a refund? Won’t go back to old vet (she wanted to put my puppy down!!!) Of course, I REFUSED..

Many Thanks, Melinda and Snowy

[theBCnut]

Hi Melinda

I’m glad you won’t go back to the old vet, but did you contact them and let them know that the problem turned out to be the Seresto collar? They really need to know so that when they get another case like this, and they will, they at least consider the possibility that the collar could be causing a reaction.

[MelSnowy]

theBCnut – Yes, I did let them know BUT they denied it at first. I did email the vet and let her know after seeing a Dog Behaviorist/Neurologist that the Seresto Collar was “the’ problem. Vet said she was going to contact Bayer but I don’t believe she did. Their office has called me once a month to see how Snowy is doing – it’s been almost 4 months now without the collar and NO ISSUES. They now ‘know’ whether they want to admit it or not …am so DONE with them, tis all I could do. Thanks for your asking.

[Nancy C]

My vet herself at the time did NOT think it was the collar. She was “nice” about it but disagreed w me. Didn’t matter. I called BAYER and had a couple of conversations with two diff people. One of them told me I would have to work through my vet but that they would give me my money back. So I THINK I went back to the vet in person to discuss it with their “business manager.” I reminded her that I had asked them at the time of purchase, what if the collar did not work, to which they responded that they would refund the money. I went through the story with her, told her I had talked to Bayer and that the request for refund HAD TO COME THROUGH THE VET. so she agreed to call Bayer and talk to them. In several weeks the vet called me back saying that Bayer was going to give me a refund. The refund was, interestingly, “returned” to me as CREDIT AT THE VET ! I did not argue it bec I knew I’d use it up. so you might have to eat crow and return to that bad vet just to get your refund. the very fact that they are STILL asking about Snowy shows they feel SOME OBLIGATION (if only to call and inquire) – so you have that going for you. The collar was $$$ so I’d encourage you to go GET YOUR REFUND. You MIGHT want to try calling Bayer once more. Maybe you will get a more decent human being. Look on the small print — seems that there is something there about guarantees. Not dead sure. But check it. There was a product info/ complaint phone number if I am remembering correctly. It’s been since March and my memory is leaving me. Best of Luck!

[Nancy C]

PS It’s too bad, but to get money back it is often necessary to be tenacious. I was. I just stayed at it and the Business Manager at the vet seemed to be the one with the power to DO SOMETHING. She knew I was not going away. She KNEW I had spent a lot of money there BECAUSE OF THE COLLAR! Not to mention angst and then the stress on the dog. You could perhaps ask for someone at the vet who could help you get your refund…. that the price of this collar was significantly MORE than the actual collar and you NEED your refund. Stay with it. You will get the refund if you don’t back down.

[Dori]

Thanks BC for the name of the book. 🙂

[theBCnut]

You’re welcome!!

[DogFoodie]

My purchase of Sentinel at the vet last month entered me into a contest to wim 6 free months of Sentinel… and I was the winner!! Yep, I’ll take it.

[Cyndi]

Congratulations!! I won a really cute coffee mug at my vet one time. 🙂

[DogFoodie]

Winning stuff rocks! I had totally forgotten about the “contest.” They really didn’t even say anything about it, but I recalled setting a sign after I listened to their voice mail.

[Jim R]

Melinda W
Diatomaceous earth will kill insects, it actually cut them open, it works well as a dust around the home, BUT putting it on the dog will dry out his/her skin. We used it for a time till the dogs started getting “dandruff”., on closer examination we could see that their skin was not healthy. Stopped the dusting and the skin healed right up.
Had a hard time spelling “diatomaceous” right.

[alexis w]

i just started using this Neem Auras Pet Spray recently as i refuse to put the chemicals on my fur baby and it seems to be working well so far, neem oil is proven safe and effective against fleas, ticks and mosquitoes and i use it on myself and my children as well as it is safe for humans. we live in georgia so i know how bad the bugs can get and this seems to be working like a charm. plus feeding the homemade food seems to have been helping too(not exactly sure the science behind it)

[Therok90]

My dog is lucky because it’s not getting any infection with fleas and ticks.

[Bayne K]

During this period you will have to avoid touching your pet, and this is quite hard especially for playful children. This is why natural remedies are a good approach to dealing with fleas on dogs. Below are 6 natural ways of getting rid of dog fleas:
https://www.wikifleas.com/2018/05/6-easy-natural-ways-to-get-rid-of-dog.html

[jenny B]

Hi nationalguard88,

Every year the threat of disease-ridden ticks and fleas becomes more ominous. My dog, Tiny, loves to roam our surroundings, but he’s brought unwelcome pests into our home. So I searched for preventative measures to rid Tiny of his (and our family’s) ongoing pest problem.

Here are some natural flea and tick prevention methods:

#1. Garlic
#2. Citrus Juice
#3. Apple Cider Vinegar
#4. Herbs
#5. Brewer’s Yeast

You can also take a look at the the website for more information about Natural Flea and Tick Prevention for Your Pet: https://naturesrevolution.com/2018/02/07/natural-flea-and-tick-prevention-for-your-pet/

Check this link as well guys, a video for natural flea and tick prevention for our pets. I found it really helpful 🙂

Of course If you want to protect your best friend against fleas and ticks without worrying about chemical formulations or unwanted side effects, you can try to read some articles in this website to see what’s the best flea and tick spray for your fur babies! https://www.thesprucepets.com/best-flea-and-tick-prevention-products-4167611

Hope this would help someone in this forum. 🙂

Thanks,
PetloverJenny

[anonymous]

Those things don’t work.

That stuff is crap and a waste of money.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=heartworm

[Author]

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