# Natural Flea Control



## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

What products are the best to use on or give to your dog?

What do you find to be the best? I've heard of people using garlic to prevent fleas.

I recently decided to not give Emma her Advantage this month. And her itching was reduced by 90%. She hasn't even TRIED to chew or itch. But I'm paranoid she'll get something  So I still want her protected 

I'm curious to use this product:
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Only-Natural-Pet-Brewers-Yeast-Garlic/999045.aspx


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

I would use some Essential oils such as Lavender, peppermint or Lemongrass. If you dont want to mix them yourself you could always use a product like http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Sentry-Natural-Defense-Flea-Tick-Squeeze-On-for-Dogs/207000. which premixes everything for you.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

I've used those tablets. I'm sure they work fine and certainly have a lot of positive reviews to that effect. But I didn't really want/need all the other stuff included in the tablets (Brewers Dried Yeast, Garlic, Liver Meal, Maltodextrin, Dried Whey, Stearic Acid, Cellulose, Silicon, Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate, Niacin, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ascorbic Acid), so I decided to switch just plain ole garlic ... 1/2 clove, raw, fresh chopped, daily. 

In addition, I use this Amazon.com: Bug Off Synergy. Essential Oil Blend. 10 ml (1/3 oz). 100% Pure, Undiluted, Therapeutic Grade. (Blend of: Citronella, Eucalyptus, Cedarwood, Lemongrass, Lavender, Litsea, Tea Tree, Patchouli & Catnip): Health & Personal Care blend of essential oils "known" for repelling fleas, mosquitos, etc. Be forewarned, the scent is pretty strong. I put just 1 single drop (did I mention strong scent) on a bandana for when they go outside, reapplying maybe every 3 days or so, as well as I put a couple of drops mixed with water in a spray bottle to spritz their legs and around their tails. One more thing, I use is this Cedarwood Lavender Dog Shampoo || Chagrin Valley Soap handmade soap that contains essential oils for repelling insects. After the bath, they get a final rinse of rosemary/lemon water. I'm here to tell you, if I was a flea or mosquito, I sure wouldn't want to get on one of these "smelly" dogs  

My vet has been nagging me for the past 3 years that I absolutely need to be putting "flea poison" on my dogs, that my natural remedies don't work, and yet she's never been able to find a single flea or a single speck of flea dirt on either dog. I'm just sayin.

Was that too much information?


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

nana where do you live?

when i lived in Indiana, I never put any kind of flea stuff on my dogs for 17 years. 

I am currently trying Dawn wash followed by ACV rinse and spritzing with ACV twice a day. So far, so good.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

there is a thread in the holistic section, if you're interested.


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

magicre said:


> there is a thread in the holistic section, if you're interested.


I saw it. I got a very negative feel off it for some unknown reason.
That feeling could of also been because I had just received a call from my BFF informing me of the accident she had just been in and after making sure she was okay alls I could think of was the pure anger her father would have :/

I tried going back and even forced myself to read some comments. Still was pushed away 
I'll try again tomorrow. TYVM:biggrin1:



Nana52 said:


> I've used those tablets. I'm sure they work fine and certainly have a lot of positive reviews to that effect. But I didn't really want/need all the other stuff included in the tablets (Brewers Dried Yeast, Garlic, Liver Meal, Maltodextrin, Dried Whey, Stearic Acid, Cellulose, Silicon, Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate, Niacin, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ascorbic Acid), so I decided to switch just plain ole garlic ... 1/2 clove, raw, fresh chopped, daily.


I had the thought to do this. Might be cheaper than those pills. You just add it in their food daily? Emma's a coupla pounds away from 20 would she still get 1/2 clove?


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## Chocx2 (Nov 16, 2009)

I haven't used anything but DE in the yard and house. I use a liquid in the water that has oils and lemon grass tea and garlic. If something comes up I'll try something else but it seems to be working.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

I had the thought to do this. Might be cheaper than those pills. You just add it in their food daily? Emma's a coupla pounds away from 20 would she still get 1/2 clove?[/QUOTE]

That's what I would give, not that I'm a garlic expert or anything hwell: Sometimes I use a whole clove, if it's the really small ones you get in the center of a bulb. I just chop it up and mix in with one meal per day (supposedly the whatever-it-is that makes garlic so helpful is released when fresh chopped). "Funny" thing ... I read somewhere within the past day or so (can't remember where exactly ... I've read so much in so many places recently trying to educate myself about feeding raw) not to give garlic to toy breeds, dogs under 20 lbs. Really? I've only ever had dogs under 20 lbs and have always given them garlic and have never heard that before. Of course, garlic for dogs is pretty controversial ... some say it's very bad ... some say okay in small amounts (how small?) ... some say they've used it for years and years without a problem (like me), so do what you're comfortable with.

Xellil, I live in Mississippi. Hot, humid Mississippi. Near a lake. I've read about using Dawn, actually bought some, but I haven't wanted to use it unless absolutely necessary, afraid it would dry skin. Not sure why, just in my head it seems that it would. I've also done the ACV rinse before, and still do if it's bath day and I forgot to "brew" the rosemary rinse. I just really really like that handmade soap with all the goodies mixed in.

I've just purchased some DE, gonna do the yard this weekend and in the house as well. Those little buggers are not going to win without a fight (chemical free)!

Donna/Nana


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

So you only give them the center piece?
Not the rest of the veggie? as well?



Chocx2 said:


> I haven't used anything but DE in the yard and house. I use a liquid in the water that has oils and lemon grass tea and garlic. If something comes up I'll try something else but it seems to be working.


What is DE?


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Nana52 said:


> Xellil, I live in Mississippi. Hot, humid Mississippi. Near a lake. I've read about using Dawn, actually bought some, but I haven't wanted to use it unless absolutely necessary, afraid it would dry skin. Not sure why, just in my head it seems that it would. I've also done the ACV rinse before, and still do if it's bath day and I forgot to "brew" the rosemary rinse. I just really really like that handmade soap with all the goodies mixed in.


yes, someone told me on another site it is really drying. I just don't know how often you have to wash with it before that starts happening. Once a week? Once a month? One time, period? I've done it twice in three weeks and her skin seems ok but i have thought all along I'd like to try the lavender oils or essential oils - I just haven't gotten them yet.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

PunkyPug said:


> What is DE?


Diatomaceous earth. You sprinkle it around and it dries out and kills bugs with hard shells. I am putting it around my flower beds right now, and under the dog beds just in case.

Some folks also feed it to their dogs (and themselves) - there is a human grade.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

PunkyPug said:


> So you only give them the center piece?
> Not the rest of the veggie? as well?
> 
> I'm not sure I understand the question  There's bulb which is the whole "veggie," I guess, and I use one piece/clove. Is that what you're asking? Sorry. Sometimes I'm a bit dense.
> ...


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

I should also mention, if you don't already know, that the garlic thing isn't an "instant" fix. It takes several days, maybe a couple of weeks, for it to build up in the system to start working (many many many folks say it doesn't work in any case, but I'm a believer). So you'll still need to use something topical in the meantime (or instead of). Like I said, I use the EO drop on a bandana, as well as diluted in water for spritzing. There are several oils that reportedly will repel insects, either alone or some combination thereof. I sometimes even rotate them, just in case the fleas decide they actually like lavendar or lemongrass or whatever. If you go the EO route, just be sure to never use full strength to the skin ( I don't even spritz directly onto the skin, but maybe that's just me), as they are quite potent and can irritate. In fact, a few years back, I put a drop of pure neem oil on my dog (so very stupid of me) and he got a pretty bad skin irritation from it .... lesson learned!

Just a couple of other things you might want to look at, and I'll be done. I've blathered on too much already. They both have pretty positive user reviews, and if want I'm doing stops working, I'd probably go with one or both.

Only Natural Pet Herbal Defense Spray Dog Cat Flea Tick
Amazon.com: Sentry Natural Defense Natural Flea and Tick Spray for Dogs and Puppies, 8-Fluid Ounce: Pet Supplies

BTW, I noticed you said her itching had greatly decreased since stopping the chemical spot-on stuff. Sounds like that may have been the source of the problem, doesn't it? Not that any vet I've ever know would admit to such a thing. Okay. I won't get started on how annoying vet can be. That's a whole nother story. Just so glad to hear that she's doing better.

Donna


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Nana if you look on the bottom right of a post it says "reply with quote." If you click that, it automatically takes the post and quotes it.

you can use that OR use [quote ] to start (without the space) and [/quote ] to end the quote (without the space.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

xellil said:


> Nana if you look on the bottom right of a post it says "reply with quote." If you click that, it automatically takes the post and quotes it.
> 
> you can use that OR use [quote ] to start (without the space) and [/quote ] to end the quote (without the space.


Thanks. I thought I did that. Maybe not. Duh.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I'm sure you did!! I often type over the little quote thingys.


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