Friends, we know the fears you face when it comes to parasite control for your pets… let alone the cleanliness and convenience arguments, because these pests are in fact nasty to happen upon in your home.
The media tells you fleas and ticks can kill, so you’re a “responsible owner” if you get ahead of the game and “guard against them” through monthly preventatives.
Your vet asks which one you want, and for how many months up front.
Maybe you go topical, because it’s cheaper and seems less toxin if it’s outside the body.
Maybe you choose oral because you hate that residue on your dog’s neck, or you don’t want the kids to touch it accidentally.
You get a coupon for bulk buying, and you’re told not to skip it because “flea season” is actually all year based on their life cycle.
Your dog may not even like to eat it, so you wrap it in a pill pocket (junk food), peanut butter, or cream cheese…
Little do you know, your dog is instinctively avoiding POISON.
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/new-fda-warning-about…
“This is no surprise. Every known insecticide/pesticide chemical has been shown to have severe neurological side-effects.” – Dr. Tamara Hebbler
The #1 principle I think made such a huge difference in my level of empowerment and comfort around choosing NOT to use these chemical “preventatives,” was the fact that FLEAS AND TICKS PREY ON WEAK/SICK HOSTS.
So if you focus on building immunity, and make the body UNattractive to these pests, you can avoid them naturally WITHOUT poisoning your dog.
Diet. It’s begins with diet.
Dogs on an appropriate and balanced diet, just do not have the incidences of parasite infestations like dogs who are malnourished. Remember those “junk yard dogs” on the sappy rescue makeover commercials… they’re sick, not healthy, so they’re infected with all the things, because their body can’t fight the predators naturally.
Just think about it. There so many medications that we give to dogs (and take as humans) to mask the underlying and overall problem in the body. The body is trying to tell us we need to treat a root issue, that something is deficient is almost always at play.
Those medications that allow the problem to fester and grow, also actually cause it to worsen due to the side effects of the chemical insults to the body – over a sustained period of time.
I’m sharing some sources with you in the hopes to invite you to do your research, to think objectively, and to be PROACTIVE as you work to give your precious pups the best possible.
Client after client comes to us wanting their dog to be healthy and strong, and to live as long as possible, and this is one of the most insidious areas of counter-productive care we see. The blind administration of chemicals every 30, 60, 90 days… that have a higher cost to health than you realize. And just simply aren’t necessary.
Don’t be fooled, flea and tick prevention can be done naturally, non toxically, and for a LOT less cost. Chemicals are a shortcut almost always, and the real issue is that we’re often lazy and CHOOSING not to take the right road due to ease and convenience.
Look at what to ADD to your dog’s diet, whether kibble-based or fresh/raw, and start paying attention to your routines for cleaning/arming your dog before and after exposure.
Here are some of my colleagues and mentor’s notes about alternative solutions:
Andrea Partee: fabulous source for natural parasite management, and also a writer for Dogs Naturally Magazine) can be found at https://www.three-little-pitties.com
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/how-to-get-rid-of-fl…/
Make a spray bottle of diluted essential oils:
https://www.centralparkpaws.net/…/9-flea-repellant-essenti…/
Diatomaceous Earth is AMAZING:
https://draxe.com/diatomaceous-earth/
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/benefits-diatomaceou…/
Dr. Becker, on fleas and ticks and allergies (including FRESH garlic use, etc):
More on Garlic – FRESH garlic added to the diet is ok!
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/garlic-for-dogs-pois…/
Beneficial Nematodes:
https://www.arbico-organics.com/category/beneficial-nematodes-faqs
I will continue to add to this list, but I sure hope this helps set some of you on the path of a healthier approach to flea and tick prevention. ??
-Cam
