Fleas Ticks Worms and Mites
Safe and Natural Treatments for Internal and External Parasites
More dogs die from the side effects of worming products than from having worms!
Stop overwhelming your dogs immune systems with toxic flea and worm treatments that simply are not necessary. Don't treat prophylactically, it is totally unnecessary other than to generate profits for ruthless large corporations, vets and pet shops.
Bravecto Flea and Tick control - WARNING
Bravecto is a fairly new product to the market which is being heavily promoted for the control of parasites such as fleas and ticks. This product is being dished out like smarties by vets in many countries to unsuspecting dog owners who are not informed of the serious side effects that are associated with this product.
Bravecto is a neurotoxin that stays in the dog's system for 3 months, the side effects may be cumulative.
There are many simple natural remedies for preventing and treating parasites without having to put your dog's life at risk.
There is a Facebook page which gives further information about this toxic drug Does Bravecto Kill Dogs
For the sake of a few visitors, are seizures and death acceptable side effects? We don't think so
Tell your vet you do not want this product
Garlic - your greatest ally in the fight against parasites.
The addition of garlic to your dog's diet will protect your pets because, like vampires, nasty little parasites hate garlic!! If you can, use fresh organic garlic crushed into their food, a single clove or less for a smaller dog is enough to get rid of nasties. If you don't want to use fresh, a daily dose of a 500mg capsule will work too.
Some people think garlic is poisonous for dogs but that is not true. Read more - Garlic For Dogs: Poison Or Medicine?
'The primary reason AVMA is against feeding garlic is that it contains thiosulphate, which can cause hemolytic anaemia, liver damage and death. However, garlic only contains very small traces of thiosulphate and a dog would have to consume a huge quantity for any negative effects. Using Tylenol (acetaminophen) or benzocaine topical ointments to stop itching are far more likely to cause anaemia in dogs.'
Medicinal properties of garlic
- Garlic is a natural antibiotic and won’t affect the good bacteria in the gut which are needed for digestion and immune health
- Garlic is antifungal
- Garlic is antiviral
- Garlic boosts the immune system
- Garlic makes dogs less desirable to fleas
- Garlic is antiparasitic
Sarcoptic Mange Mite
Now, this little devil is worth a special mention as he is a persistent little devil and difficult to get rid of. We have experienced 2 severe attacks of mange which we put down to rural living and foxes roaming around our land. Mange is not nice and very uncomfortable for any dog infested with these nasty creatures.
In the most severely affected we even resorted to using toxic Advocat but it didn't work so we felt guilty about using such poisons and resorted to finding a safer and more effective remedy.
This is what has worked for us, a combination of natural remedies.
- Organic crushed garlic daily in their food
-
Pick a handful of lavender or use dried, put it into a saucepan and fill it with water (about three quarters full), boil it for 20 minutes and then leave it to cool. Add two large sliced lemons and leave the mixture overnight to infuse. In the morning put the mixture through a sieve and drain, put the fluid into a spray bottle then spray a fine mist against the grain of the coat every two days. As a prophylactic measure against fleas, ticks or mites this mixture should be used twice a week.
Note: DO NOT USE ANY LAVENDER OIL as this can catch on fire when heated and also can burn the skin when applied especially in hot weather.
This gorgeous smelling fluid can also be sprayed around the house without fear of any chemicals hurting you or your pets. Another bonus is that it is also a fantastic natural air freshener plus your pets smell nice too!
- Hydrogen Peroxide and Borax spray.
The treatment requires 500 cc's of 3% hydrogen peroxide diluted in 1000 cc of water. After you have mixed the water and H2O2, add the borax. Measure 3 heaping tablespoons of borax into your hydrogen-water solution and stir until the borax is dissolved. We find it's better to boil some of the water to dissolve the borax more easily otherwise you will clog your spray.
Cleanse the Animal
After you have created the solution, use it to rinse the animal several times. You need to soak the dog entirely, even in areas unaffected by mange. Soak the animal several times and keep it wet for a period of time. You can use a bucket or even a heavy sprayer bottle to apply the solution, but be sure to thoroughly cleanse the dog’s fur and repeat the treatment multiple times. Again, do not rinse the dog’s fur with water and do not pat the animal dry after applying the solution, as both of these limit the solution’s efficacy.
- You can use this solution for spraying over carpets and bedding although the lavender mix is nicer.
Diatomaceous Earth
Another natural inexpensive remedy which can be used internally and externally for parasite control. It has many other health benefits which you can discover on internet searches. For fleas, you dust your dog down and for worms, you put a tablespoon in their food every day - teaspoon for small dogs.
Diatomaceous Earth can eliminate roundworms, whipworms, pinworms, and hookworms within seven days of being fed daily. To be most effective, Diatomaceous Earth should be fed for at least 30 days, to catch all newly hatching eggs or the cycling of the worms through the lungs and back to the stomach. DE should also be used to dust down infected bedding and carpets etc.
DE is a detox agent that will aid digestion and cleanse the colon. Scientific studies have shown that DE absorbs methyl mercury, e-Coli, endotoxins, viruses, organophosphate pesticide residues, drug residues, and protein, possibly even the proteinaceous toxins produced by some intestinal infections.
Sprinkle some on your breakfast cereal - yes it's safe for us humans as well and has many beneficial effects. if you speak to Helen at Natural Feed Fertilisers, she is happy to give you advice.
Raw Organic Pumpkin Seeds
These magic seeds have been used for centuries to treat parasites in humans and recently it was discovered that they are an effective deworming agent against tapeworms and other parasitic nasties in dogs.
These amazing little green gems contain the amino acid called cucurbitacin, which paralyses and eliminates the worms from the digestive tract. As a bonus, these seeds are loaded with protein, amino acids, fibre, iron, copper, phosphorus and magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium, folic acid and niacin. These are all important nutrients for yours and your pet's health.
To administer the seeds you need to put them in a grinder and then give 1/4 teaspoon per ten pounds of body weight (1tsp per 18kg) once or twice a day until your pooch is rid of the parasites.
Vermex
I first used Vermex when I acquired some ex-battery hens and I was told that I needed to worm them from time to time. I wanted to find something natural and safe since we give their eggs to our dogs to eat so I didn't want to use anything toxic. Vermex is in my opinion rather expensive and there are much cheaper natural alternatives.
Vermex is safe for your dogs and comes in either in the form of crunchies or as a liquid which has a similar smell and taste to cider vinegar. More information on Vermex
Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
This old-fashioned remedy has so many uses, it really is a magic potion. On this page, we will just discuss the benefits of ACV for the treatment of parasites.
Parasites such as fleas, ticks mosquitoes and worms do not do well in an environment that is not supportive of their life and reproductive requirements. Such parasites do not like acidic environments. ACV is acidic and therefore not an attractive substance for these parasites.
A tablespoon of ACV in your dog's food or water daily will deter parasites.
Externally you can wet down your dog with a mixture of 1 tablespoon ACV for every pint of water. Don't dry your dog, just let him shake.
Raw ACV has many other beneficial effects and can be used for ear infections, to aid digestion and to improve skin and fur.
For us humans, it also has the same beneficial affects. Oh, and by the way, it's a great hair conditioning rinse without the toxins........
We buy ours from Crossgates Bioenergetics Ltd because they do bulk
Bill No Mates - Natural Flea and Tick Control
Bill No Mates made by CSJ is an aromatic mixture of mint, seaweed, fenugreek, neem leaves and lemon balm which you simply sprinkle over your dog's food every day. It will repel lodgers and it leaves the skin and coat in great condition.
It is a natural product which can take up to 6 weeks to be fully effective so it's a good idea given its benefits, to give to your dog all year round. It is very economical to use - there is a measuring scoop in the tub.
We have tried Bill No Mates tincture as well but we prefer the dried herb as it is easier to use and more economical.
Dogs love the taste too
MSM - Methylsulfonylmethane
MSM has many benefits in dogs including its natural analgesic effect, it protects against cancer, helps in autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases etc. It is also anti-parasitic so a few drops in your dog's drinking water every day means you don't have to resort to using toxic wormers. Make sure you buy the organic type though since 'Most commercially produced MSM isn’t from a natural substance made from phytoplankton; it’s the product of chemical industries and manufactured from petroleum waste and methane gas.'
'One of the most amazing discoveries on MSM is its antiparasitic action against Giardia, Trichomonas, roundworms, nematodes, Enterobius and other intestinal worms.'
So if you use a combination of Billy No Mates and MSM, you will never need to give your pet toxic pharmaceutical products again. Buy MSM
Check out the many other health benefits that MSM has and not just for your pets, it's good for you too. Both our pets and us are likely to be deficient in MSM because depleted soils have significantly lowered the mineral contents in foods overall. Processing foods will further reduce mineral content.
