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Showing posts with label natural flea prevention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label natural flea prevention. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Common Dog Issues: Natural Remedies

guest post by Jason Minor


It is no fun when your dog is not feeling well. However there are many natural remedies to make him feel better fast. Here are some common ailments and a few tips for treating them the natural way:

Fleas – Fleas are the bane of any dog owner’s existence, but there are natural ways to fight them. One thing you should do is regularly bathe your dog. Comb them with a flea comb to remove current infestations and vacuum any areas that the fleas may be living. You can give your dogs a garlic supplement to ward off fleas and also treat their skin and fur with a mixture of essential oils like tea tree and lemon grass. Proceed slowly to watch for your dog’s reaction to any new remedies. You can also use orange oil or vegetable soap to repel fleas. Treat affected sleeping areas and carpets with diatomaceous earth, but do not use on your dogs unless a food grade version is obtained. You may find this at your local pet specialty store or in some health food shops.

Gas – There are many reasons that your dog is gassy. Most of the time it is due to diet. To prevent gas avoid feeding the dog leftovers. Feed only dog food or suitable alternatives. Do not switch the food brands or flavors quickly. Instead introduce new brands a little at a time. If your dog eats too fast consider breaking up the food and placing it in a wide, shallow bowl to encourage slower eating. Do not let your dog run and jump right after eating. Instead encourage a resting period and then a slow walk to promote good digestion.

Itchy skin – There are many causes for itchy skin, but dogs frequently itch until they bleed, making the problem worse. To alleviate itching naturally try to wash the dog with a diluted mixture of apple cider vinegar. Some other baths include chamomile tea, green tea, or a baking soda solution can also help with itching. If you have recently changed dog shampoos you may want to go back to the old brand or try a natural alternative. Supplements like fish oil can also help problem skin and make fur shiny and healthy.

Patchy fur – Most issues with patchy fur are due to itching or skin allergies. If you have done your best to remove any allergens and the fur is still not growing back, try this simple treatment. Everyday wash your dog with an apple cider vinegar solution. You can even supplement this with an occasional spray throughout the day. After a few days the skin should not be red and fur should be growing back. The vinegar helps to kill bacteria on the skin and restore natural PH, reducing the urge to itch.

Ear Mites –If your dog is itching at his ears or seems to have black growth in his ears, it might be ear mites. The first thing you should do is rub a few drops of vegetable oil in the ear. After a minute clean out the existing black with a cotton ball. Then treat the mites with a solution of 9 drops of yellow dock root and 1 teaspoon of water. Massage it in once every three days for six weeks. Or you can mix one half ounce of almond oil with 400 IUs of Vitamin E. Apply half an eyedropper full every day for six days and massage in. Stop for three days and then repeat to kill the mites.

These are just a few of the natural ways you can help your dog to feel better fast. There are many resources to help you in your quest to make your dog well naturally, so take a look around All Things Dog Blog and find out what works.

Author Bio:
Jason Miner an expert freelance writer loves writing articles on different categories. He is approaching different bloggers to recognize each other's efforts through “www.blogcarnival.com”. He can be contacted through e-mail at jasonminer8atgmaildotcom.

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

ASK THE VET, with Dr. Pat: Natural Options for Flea Control

by Pat Bradley, DVM
(c) Carrie Boyko
Patti with
Sully, Pip and Smudge


Dr. Pat,

I see you use holistic practices as well as conventional.  How do you feel about using essential oils such as red thyme, cedarwood, citronella on a bandana to put around my dogs' necks to repel fleas when I take them on their walks?  I use Comfortis but fleas still jump on them when we are walking.

Thank you!

Patti
-------------------------------------------


Hello Patti:

What a great idea! Essential oil on a bandana makes the dog less attractive to what you don't want--fleas--and more attractive to what you do want--admiration of your cute canine BFF!

Essential oils are very concentrated, so another advantage of the bandana is that it keeps the oil from making direct contact with your dog's skin.

If your dog is large, there might be too much territory between the two ends for the bandana to be effective. Incredibly, fleas are athletic enough to jump onto even a fast-moving, wagging tail! (You don't have to LOVE fleas, but you have to be amazed at the things they can do. And give them credit; they are outsmarting chemical manufacturers so far. We make chemicals that absolutely get rid of fleas, however, they absolutely get rid of humans and dogs, too.)

So, in the case of a large dog, spritz the coat before walking with homemade repellent spray:

  • Two or three drops of an essential oil
  • 1 cup of distilled or spring water
  • Put into a spray bottle.
  • Shake well, spray and GO!
Any of the essential oils that you mentioned could be used. You might need to try several before finding the best one for your geographical ara. One of my very favorites is peppermint oil.

And then--you knew it was coming--a list of the cautions:
  • Essential oils are toxic to cats, so DON'T DO THIS WITH CATS!!
  • Chemically-sensitive dogs can get headaches or nausea from essential oils. Watch for signs that your dog isn't feeling well during or after exposure.
  • Don't let dogs (or children) chew on the bandana. While the oils are generally safe, they can cause diarrhea or vomiting in sensitive critters.
Happy trails!
Dr. Pat
(c) photo courtesy of P. Bradley
















Write to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com with your question for Dr. Pat.









For a personal consultation about your pet's needs, visit Holistic Veterinary Services.

Dr. Pat's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian

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Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Creating an Eco-friendly Yard
for Your Dog

by Carrie Boyko
(c) Carrie Boyko
Natural Lawns Can be Green too
I suppose your first question is why? What possible reason is there that a dog owner would want to concern herself with providing her dog with an Eco-friendly yard? If you have to ask this question, you're probably not ready to hear the answer, so strap on your seat belt.


Let me begin with a telling tale. A neighbor's dog once had a seizure and fell quickly into an irreversible coma. The cause? My friend's dog had succumbed to the pesticides that were sprayed on their yard that day. Toxins in products such as fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, car wash preparations, anti-freeze, and many other products we use outdoors can be harmful, if not fatal to our furry friends who frolic in the air where the toxins blow and roll in the grass where it lands.


Speaking of the landscape, there are many plants that are poisonous to our pets, as well as those that are not sustainable and offer little to help us retain our beautiful yards and gardens without significant overuse of important resources such as water. Tanner and I encourage you to learn more about poisonous plants that might be lurking in your yard, before the unthinkable happens. You can visit our page, Pet Emergency Resources to read about poisonous trees and plants. You'll find all sorts of info on first aid, poison control numbers and emergency help there.


Speaking of the unthinkable, here's a few considerations you can look into to assure a safe refuge for Fido:
  • Organic or all-natural pest control for indoors and outside are both now available to the public. I have been on a program like this for a couple of years, and have had an excellent experience. Xena, my 13 1/2 yr old Retriever mix, who once had a recurrent problem with hotspots, now has overcome these. We credit this to the absense of chemicals on our lawn--her favorite place to lounge during the cool times of day.
  • Flea and tick control are also attainable via natural means--with a little extra diligence--for your pets, your home and your lawn. The pay off is a healthier, longer-living best friend, and less toxins in the environment in which you live. After a recent camping trip with my dogs, we unknowingly brought home a houseful of ticks. The cure was a few blasts of peppermint oil, a treatment that had our neighbors wondering what we were up to! Nevertheless, we're tick-free and used no poisons to handle the problem. You can read more about this adventure at No More Ticks for Tanner.
  • A number of natural, vegetable oils can be used as pesticides for diseased plants, while natural fertilizers made from worm guts and fish emulsion are highly effective. My lawn screams GREEN and the funny part--the dogs think it smells great. Fortunately for me, we can't smell it; they just have highly developed sniffers that find every unsavory smell there is.
Perhaps you are giggling at my apparent nuttiness, wondering why I'm not discussing the doggie landmines that Rover leaves around the yard. These too can be handled in a more Eco-friendly way, with the help of products such as Doggie-Dooley, that biodegrade the dog waste inside an in-ground container that then allows the biodegraded material to be absorbed into the earth below. Neat idea, huh?!


I like the way it works--a foot pedal for opening (no hands!)--and a scooper for dropping the contents inside. You get all this and a supply of enzymes to speed the process all for one quite reasonable price.


That's not all, though. There are also companies who manufacture dog waste bags (yeah...dog poop bags!) that are water soluble, like Flushpuppies. Simply scoop and drop into any toilet. The bag disappears and the waste is then flushed away to be handled by our sewer system, a job it was built and intended for.


The amazing thing about working toward having a greener dog is that you'll find it is contagious. Pretty soon, you'll be applying some of the same lessons to yourself, and reaping the health benefits for years to come.


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Saturday, May 15, 2010

Top 5 Tips for Fighting Fleas and Ticks on Your Dog

by Carrie Boyko
(c) Brent Boyko, all rights reserved
Xena Fights Fleas the Natural Way


Fighting a cancer battle for two years now, Xena still is active, happy and flea free. Her natural flea treatment, which is much easier on her liver than chemical forms, includes lots of preventive measures, like Cedar oil spray before we visit the dog park, and keeping fleas under control on all our pets, home and yard. The idea is to stop the population explosion before it starts. Whichever treatment you choose, here are the 5 rules to follow, if you wish to be successful:
  1. Start with proactive, preventive treatments on your dog; apply regularly
  2. Keep your house pest-free with frequent vacuuming, bedding washing and indoor treatments.
  3. Treat your yard throughout the pest season to prevent outbreaks.
  4. Use a flea repellent on your dog before dog park visits.
  5. If you get a breakout, repeat all treatments regularly to take care of hatching eggs.
Now you're probably asking yourself, "Where is her all-natural pitch?" Sure, I choose to go the all-natural route. It's better for my health as a cancer survivor and patient with M.S. It's also better for my dogs' health and my family's. It's a no-brainer to me, but I respect your choice.

If you're interested in learning how to deal with fleas (and perhaps ticks, also) the all-natural way, check out these previous articles for lots of information on products and strategies:

Related Reading:

Flea Season is Here: What's a Pup to Do?
No More Ticks for Tanner
Top Ten Tips for Tackling Ticks

If natural is not your choice, you might try online sources, where many have told me their top spot treatments are cheaper. Websites like 1-800-Pet Meds regularly offer discounts and free shipping, if you meet minimum purchase requirements. Whatever method you pick, stay on top of it. That's the key to preventing a full blown infestation. Good luck!



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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Celebrate Earth Day with a Greener Dog





(c) photo copyright Carrie Boyko
Xena, Tanner and Oliver Celebrate
Earth Day in Suitable Green
Earth Day is here and your dog is eager to help. How can you participate in greening up our planet with your dog? One question....so many answers. Here are a few possibilities; take your pick and go have some green fun!




Finally, don't forget to choose biodegradable or flushable doggie poop bags.

Comments? Click the comment link at the bottom of this post and let me know what you think. 
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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Helping Your Dog Adapt to an E-Collar After Surgery or a Hotspot

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko 2008
Xena Models Her E-Collar

Poor Xena could write the book on E-Collars. She has had 3 of them in her lifetime, and spent countless weeks and months living in them. Why? Only now can I explain that. For years, Xena had a constant flow of hot spots. They were nearly always in the same locations--the places that came in contact with the ground, when she layed in our grass. This always was curious to me; I knew there had to be a connection, but didn't know what that connection was. Finally, we have our answer.

These pictures were take about 1-1/2 years ago when Xena had her last hot spot. Before this one, she had them almost back to back throughout her life. Our neighbors probably thought we were torturing her, as she constantly had to wear an e-collar, to keep her from chewing at the spots and infecting them.
Oh, sure, we had cute names for the thing. Lampshade head. Megaphone girl. Conehead. You name it. But it didn't make her feel any better.

Now, after 18 months since I stopped our chemical lawn care, it is clear to me that this was the cause of Xena's skin problems. I wish I could give all those months of itching and scratching and chewing back to her. At least now, with our new organic lawn care, there are not chemicals or pesticides on the lawn to irritate her skin.

Since the change in lawn care, Xena has played freely in our yard without so much as a bug bite. She enjoys the outdoors immensely. Sitting in the grass during the Winter is her favorite way to relax.


© photo copyright Carrie Boyko 2008
Xena's Last Hot Spot--
Only a Bad Memory Now
Sadly, that last hot spot was a really bad one. She got her skin so infected with her chewing, that we had to shave her in order to treat the infection. She began to shake from the chills, as she had always had such a thick coat to keep her warm. It was the shave job that prompted the Lifeguard outfit. We call it her Pamela Anderson imitation. It made a good Halloween costume.

Now that we know what was causing her problems, we've been able to fix them. We've hired an organic lawn care company to service our yard and our home. We use natural flea control on Xena and her buddies, Tanner and Oliver. These include food grade Diatomaceous Earth powder, supplemented with Cedar Oil spray. Both can also be applied to their bedding and carpeted areas. I also use Neem Oil Shampoo and conditioner to help keep her skin healthy. At her age, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. Right?!!
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