natural flea protection?
- Thread starter Bellesmom
- Start date
OntarioSheltie
Forums Celebrity
I've heard of people putting brewers yeast and garlic on their dog food to repel biting insects like fleas, ticks, flies and mosquitoes. I haven't tried it myself.
There's nothing else that I know of in Canada that's useful, although I had a sheltie forum friend send me this the summer before last.
http://www.sergeantsnatural.com/products.html
I found that it worked great for everything but ticks and the smell, while pleasant to me, really bothered Sadie.
This summer I'm going to try brewers yeast and garlic and see how it goes.
There's nothing else that I know of in Canada that's useful, although I had a sheltie forum friend send me this the summer before last.
http://www.sergeantsnatural.com/products.html
I found that it worked great for everything but ticks and the smell, while pleasant to me, really bothered Sadie.
This summer I'm going to try brewers yeast and garlic and see how it goes.
therwilBbarkng
Forums Regular
In the past I have been fairly lucky by using a spray that I buy online, I spray the dogs' legs and underside just before going somewhere they could be exposed to fleas. This worked because I knew my yard and house did not have fleas.
http://www.tamarinda.com/antiflea-spritz.html
However this year everything changed and I tried all the natural stuff including the strong smelling stuff mentioned above and none of it worked. The smell of sergeants stuff is overpowering to humans, so you can imagine how it must be for dogs. I had to break down and use the chemical stuff because my yard has been invaded by rodents (gophers, rabbits, rats and mice).
You might want to try to make a spray similar to the mentioned above if you have a minor seasonal flea problem. I doubt this will work on ticks. I do take the dogs for daily walks but they don't run through open fields. I'm trying beneficial nematodes, they worked for me before when I lived at another house. It's a huge pain to spray my entire yard and wait to see if it worked.
I have to watch chemical exposure because one of my dogs had epilepsy (which he may have outgrown). I do know that food preservatives gave him seizures. We live a greener life thanks to this dog
http://www.tamarinda.com/antiflea-spritz.html
However this year everything changed and I tried all the natural stuff including the strong smelling stuff mentioned above and none of it worked. The smell of sergeants stuff is overpowering to humans, so you can imagine how it must be for dogs. I had to break down and use the chemical stuff because my yard has been invaded by rodents (gophers, rabbits, rats and mice).
You might want to try to make a spray similar to the mentioned above if you have a minor seasonal flea problem. I doubt this will work on ticks. I do take the dogs for daily walks but they don't run through open fields. I'm trying beneficial nematodes, they worked for me before when I lived at another house. It's a huge pain to spray my entire yard and wait to see if it worked.
I have to watch chemical exposure because one of my dogs had epilepsy (which he may have outgrown). I do know that food preservatives gave him seizures. We live a greener life thanks to this dog
I found this product http://www.petco.com/product/111609/Vet-s-Best-Flea-and-Tick-Spray-for-Pets.aspx at Petco when we suddenly had fleas here (havent had any in 5 years) and all of a sudden they seemed to like the dogs!! Eeekk. I tried the frontline, did not work at all. It was like I didnt apply anything to them. I brought the spray and sprayed it on a live flea I found walking on one of the dogs..boom dead instantly. It smells like peppermint and cloves so its not a harsh chemical smell. I even did their beds and carpets and it killed the flea infestation here quickly!
SheltieChe
Forums Sage
sprinkle boric acid in the house in the areas where no humans or animals will reach- behind the cabinets, baseboards and such. Pretty harmless and works well for fleas, ants prevention.
these herbs will keep fleas away from your yard
http://www.beyondfleas.com/planting-herbs-to-repel-fleas
I use garlic and brewers yeast in my dogs food as well as Sergeant Natural defense topical.
I also use apple cider vinegar rinse after I wash my pup. Some people add it to pup's water but mine do not like it.
For ticks I found that for climate as Chicago , worst times are April and November. Check carefully every single time your pup is running in the woods.
these herbs will keep fleas away from your yard
http://www.beyondfleas.com/planting-herbs-to-repel-fleas
I use garlic and brewers yeast in my dogs food as well as Sergeant Natural defense topical.
I also use apple cider vinegar rinse after I wash my pup. Some people add it to pup's water but mine do not like it.
For ticks I found that for climate as Chicago , worst times are April and November. Check carefully every single time your pup is running in the woods.
These are natural, but . . . My Mom and I have noticed that fleas don't like older dogs on thyroid medication (soloxine?).
And a friend told me that if you treat the yard with a high nitrogen fertilizer, it will kill/repel fleas. Of course, you'll have to mow the grass three times a week, but hey . . .
And a friend told me that if you treat the yard with a high nitrogen fertilizer, it will kill/repel fleas. Of course, you'll have to mow the grass three times a week, but hey . . .
I would actually use food grade Diatomacious Earth rather than boric acid. DE is as effective as boric acid and is much safer around pets/people. The only real issue with DE is when you are initially spreading it you don't want to inhale large amounts of the dust.
I placed some of this stuff on the tops of my kitchen cabinents last summer and the only "bug problem" I had was cleaning up the dead bugs. It's the most effective insect killer I've ever seen used outside of the stuff you spray on a bug to kill it immediately.
DE takes a little bit of time to kill a bug but not that long. I'd see a bug fly in in the evening and by the next morning I was performing a burial ritual for it in the yard.
Fleaze-Off
I used Fleaze-Off and it worked fairly well although I did not give it a full trial of several months, so I am not positive of its effectiveness. That was a long sentence. It made her coat sticky and turned it yellow. At first, I was not sure I liked the smell but it grew on me. You can smell the cinnamon in it. Sarah loved the smell. I watched her face and she practically smiled as I put it on the first time. It was comical how pleased she looked. The reason I stopped using it is the reasons mentioned above. Anyway, before you make your own stuff, check out the ingredients in Fleaze-Off (Green Pet brand.) Why go to all that trouble when it is available and affordable? One could try just putting it on the gold parts of the fur and not the white. I didn't want to do that option because Sarah is extremely allergic to even one flea. I have to say, there were no fleas on her, but as I say, we only used it for a couple of months. Don't know if this is helpful.
I used Fleaze-Off and it worked fairly well although I did not give it a full trial of several months, so I am not positive of its effectiveness. That was a long sentence. It made her coat sticky and turned it yellow. At first, I was not sure I liked the smell but it grew on me. You can smell the cinnamon in it. Sarah loved the smell. I watched her face and she practically smiled as I put it on the first time. It was comical how pleased she looked. The reason I stopped using it is the reasons mentioned above. Anyway, before you make your own stuff, check out the ingredients in Fleaze-Off (Green Pet brand.) Why go to all that trouble when it is available and affordable? One could try just putting it on the gold parts of the fur and not the white. I didn't want to do that option because Sarah is extremely allergic to even one flea. I have to say, there were no fleas on her, but as I say, we only used it for a couple of months. Don't know if this is helpful.
There are two products that have great reviews: Critter Oil and CedarCide. I have only used Critter Oil (www.critteroil.com) and it works GREAT! I use it as a shampoo, and I use it on my carpets, floors and furniture. I also use Diatomaceous Earth in my yard. Critter Oil and the DE also helps to keep TICKS away!
I am looking into CedarCide. (http://www.cedarcidestore.com/cedarproducts.html ) I've never used it, but the reviews sound very promising especially to use in my yard.
I am looking into CedarCide. (http://www.cedarcidestore.com/cedarproducts.html ) I've never used it, but the reviews sound very promising especially to use in my yard.