Non-Chemical Flea & Tick Treatment

Ann

Moderator
I've used Natural Defense on Pixie for a few years, since she can't have chemical flea/tick medications, but last year she became sensitive to it. Some dogs (and their owners) don't like the strong clove smell of Natural Defense and other natural products. Most of the season I just use a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water on her, but it's been such a bad year that with fall coming, I wanted to be sure she's protected from fleas and ticks.

I just found this one and tried it. I really like it. There's no smell at all, and Pixie has had no reaction to it. It's made from geraniums and peppermint oil. So far, it seems to be controlling the nasty insects. It's sold by Only Natural Pet Store and the price is much cheaper at three doses for $17 than Frontline or Advantix or any of the chemical treatments. I use the small dog dosage for her even though she's a bit over the weight. Just thought I'd share for anyone else looking for natural products.
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/produ...fense-Squeeze-On-Dog-Flea-Control/999522.aspx
 
Thanks for posting this Ann.

I agree....please let us know how it works for you this fall once the ticks come back into full swing. I am very very interested.

Dani
 
Have you ever heard of "Flea Free"? http://fleafreeanimals.com/index.html
My 2nd sheltie's breeder recommended it, so I gave it a try. I have been using it for 3 weeks now. We didn't have any fleas right before using, but now that it has been getting warmer out(our dogs unfortunately end up with fleas every summer) we still have not seen any fleas...*knock on wood* hopefully it will stay that way!

It's a food supplement. At first I was worried that my two picky eaters wouldn't want anything to do with it, but I was wrong! At the very least, this supplement encourages them to eat their food.
 
This is a good thread.

It's the time of year when I feel aignst about not buying the $60 Advantix from my vet and opted for the 2nd year to buy off the shelf, Zodiac for tick control.

Having found an engorged tick on Bacca this week, I was questioning my decision. Love my vet...he tells me to chill. One tick does not equal lyme and no, he is not rushing me off to his prescriptions. He says its fine.
 
Ann, just wondering how effective you found the new flea control you mentioned? I just found out about Program being discontinued and since Ally had seizures while on Sentinel, I am at a loss what to try on my sensitive girl.

REALLY bummed about Program being phased out, it worked so well for us here. :mad:
 
Ann, just wondering how effective you found the new flea control you mentioned? I just found out about Program being discontinued and since Ally had seizures while on Sentinel, I am at a loss what to try on my sensitive girl.

REALLY bummed about Program being phased out, it worked so well for us here. :mad:

I think it works about as well as any of them do, although the chemical ones such as Advantix seem to do a better job fending off ticks here in tick-loaded Connecticut. I'm using the Only Natural on Pixie and Lacey, who both have sensitivity issues, and Advantix on Checkers and Barkley. Comparing the two sets of dogs, I've found one tick each on Pixie and Lacey, and one on Checkers so far this year -- not a bad track record, all things considered. We've had no problems on any of them with fleas.

The Only Natural is much cheaper than Advantix or Frontline, and I do combine the use of my apple cider vinegar/water spray at least every other day on all four of them, which I do think helps -- perhaps more than the spot-ons!

The only downside to the Only Natural is that if you bathe the dog, you have to reapply it. This is an issue with Lacey, who is a show dog and gets more frequent baths. For Pixie, I just time her monthly baths with the application.

All in all, I do recommend the Only Natural. It has no scent; the dogs don't mind it, and we've had no reactions from applying it. (Lacey had a terrible reaction to the new Advantix formula this year.) I love that it's not chemical too, and would switch Chex and Barkley to it except that Barkley has recurring Lyme disease and needs strong protection and Checkers also shows. When she retires, I'll switch her to the Only Natural as well.
 
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