Natural Flea Protection that works!

This is about natural flea protection that is proven to work with testimonials from our group members. Natural remedies seek to treat a dog for fleas without the side effects that come with giving pesticide based spot-ons and oral tablets that contain pesticides. Obviously consult your vet if there are any concerns with contraindications to medicines your dog may be on. Dogs are individuals so you have to find what works for your dog.

If you’re going natural for your dog, Spring is the time to start preparing for the flea season ahead to give your dog’s body time to build a natural resistance in time for Summer.

I personally don't use anything November - February as it is Winter time. We have personally never experienced them during the winter but of course every dog is an individual and environments are different with central heating etc.. So do your own tests.

During the Winter you could cut back to a natural topical spot on once a week if you wanted to be sure by recommendations from members of our group who have tried and tested remedies.

Starting in the Spring bring back a 3 layered approach which is needed for the summer months.

2 topical approaches for the body and 1 internal.

It is also recommended to spray the house weekly.

Weekly:

1. you can apply a natural spot on each week which takes seconds to do because there is no danger to toxins contaminating your hands (unlike the pesticide ones) so it’s simply using the pipette to squeeze a drop onto your dog’s neck.

2. You can spray the house with a natural spray especially your dog’s bedding

Daily: in the Summer you can spray your dog with a topical natural spray before each walk to ward off fleas and ticks.

I walk to the beach so there are a lot of fleas in this environment.

Applying Billy No Mates tincture to your dog’s food/water is the most popular and effective solution we have seen by group vote.

Now this may all sound a lot but once you get into the routine it’s like brushing our dogs or cleaning their teeth. Necessary routines for their health. And it helps to keep them safe from the side effects of pesticides used in non-natural treatments.

Topical: you use a natural spot on like Biospotix, Herbal Dog Company, Mr Slobberchops products and natural spot ons. (They also sell a spray for the body). There are many natural products on the market. Make sure to read the ingredients list.

Internal: Billy No Mates gets the most votes but so does Hedgerow Hounds herbal mix topper.

Below are some insights offered by our group members at Dog Friendly Dorset Group

There are also natural collars like the one from Mercola or the Amber collars. Read reviews to see what you think before buying.

From a group member:

“Internally i used billy no mates before (powder) and it was good but i now use Verm-x powder (these are just blended herbs). These take about a month to fully kick in. I stop usually in about November and re-start in mid February. Those winter months I only used biospotix collar which is natural (first time, so far good but not sure if the fleas awake yet). Biospotix also have a spray and a spot on treatment, I’ll use that too (used the spray but not yet used the spot on).

3 layers are the best from spring (1 internal and 2 topicals).

Slobberchops are also supposed to be good, I ordered 2 collars before but my dog lost both of them so ordered biospotix this time.

Amber collars are also another option (no experience). But good reviews.

You can make your own topical spray:

Water/apple cider vinegar with the mother 50/50 or diluted neem oil. These to be used every day.

I bought neem oil but not used yet. I just don’t like the smell of ACV 😃 but it doesn’t stick around”. Sissi Hubb

“I use herbal dog co and add billynomates to their food as well.

I use the spray on them before every walk, and apply the drops once a week”.

Yes it works! I didnt use it on my cats one year (as I wasn’t sure I was able to) and they got fleas. The dogs who I used the product on, didnt! Definitely effective.”

Hannah Langford

I often just spritz my dogs with diluted apple cider vinegar at the start of a walk to repel parasites Spring-Autumn Naomi Collis

“I make a natural topper to my dog’s food, here’s the link: Becca Bartlett https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3BATRyi-zP/?igsh=MWM2NnA0aHV5cmZhaQ==

Although this article is about fleas. Do come to our Dog First Aid courses taught by vet Dr Badger from Aniwell Vets to have the myths surrounding ticks and lyme disease dispelled.

And if you are concerned about Heartworm and want to learn about natural remedies here is an excerpt for a vet and a link to more information:

“I assume my dogs have heartworms,” said Dr Dupree. “But there’s a big difference between heartworms and heartworm disease.” And that difference is a fully functioning immune system. https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/

Why avoid non-natural spot-ons?

I've never been a fan of putting chemical pesticides (in standard flea treatments) on my dog(s) and I also find them ineffective in bad flea years. If the poison kills the flea by paralysing the exoskeleton it really worries me (even if the dose is lower for the dog) what the impact is on them. The pesticide chemical in the treatment remains in their hair follicles for weeks and in their blood stream. And studies show the pesticides used on dogs are killing bees! See the below from The Guardian and Dogs Naturally Magazine.

"Many of these parasiticides contain a chemical in a class called neonicotinoids. These chemicals have been banned for agricultural use on crops as evidence shows they impact bees and other pollinating insects important for our food supply.

Imidacloprid and fipronil are powerful killers of invertebrates such as insects. One monthly flea treatment for a large dog contains enough imidacloprid to kill 25 million bees."

The Guardian:

"Pet owners using these flea treatments risk contaminating their hands with fipronil and imidacloprid, two insecticides, for at least 28 days after the treatment has been applied, according to research by the University of Sussex and Imperial College London"

From Dogs Naturally Magazine:

How Spot-On Flea And Tick Prevention Works

Topical flea and tick preventives get applied as liquid along a dog’s back, usually between the shoulder blades. They’re absorbed into the skin, then chemicals circulate into the bloodstream and travel into the sebaceous glands. The active ingredient releases and moves through the glands that lubricate a dog’s coat with oil. When an insect draws blood from your dog the chemical infects it and it dies.

Like all products given to your dog by mouth or bloodstream, they remain in your dog’s system. Some products are longer lasting in your dog than others. Shorter duration is a good thing. That means it leaves your dog’s system more quickly … and you may not need to re-apply it. 

But your dog licks himself to clean himself. And the chemicals circulate through his body. So even though application was  on his back, no matter where he licks, the chemicals get secreted through his skin throughout his body.

Side Effects Of Spot-Ons

The EPA’s Pesticide Division, found that fipronil enters the body and can be contained in the fat, organs, urine and feces of dogs. The EPA also found that most of the reactions to fipronil involved systemic as well as application site, digestive, neurological and behavioral disorders. The most common clinical signs were:

• Skin reactions like hair loss, itching, and redness

• Dermatitis

• Sores

• Irritation

• Hair changes at the application site

• Neurological issues like uncoordinated movement 

• Lethargy

Brief exposure to (S)-methoprene can cause mild or moderate skin irritation in humans. Higher doses in dogs can cause:

• Vomiting

• Dilated pupils

• Changes in behavior

• Changes in breathing 

• Changes in muscle control 

Imidacloprid has caused skin irritation in pet owners after applying spot-on products to their animals.

Read more for full article: https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/new-fda-warning-about-flea-and-tick-medications/#:~:text=Side%20Effects%20Of%20Spot%2DOns,digestive%2C%20neurological%20and%20behavioral%20disorders.

Natural Herbal Company flea spot on and body spray:

Yes it works! I didnt use it on my cats one year (as I wasn’t sure I was able to) and they got fleas. The dogs who I used the product on, didnt! Definitely effective. Hannah Langford