Hiya

what else treats them ( flees ) bar the monthly medication?

our gizzy has not got them but we were wondering if there are also natural remedies...

thanks

Hi again

I don't use flea products - ever :) 

The dogs get a little garlic in their food and in 20 years I (or rather THEY) have never had a flea problem.  I don't like to use chemicals or unnecessary meds on my dogs any more than I would with my family.  IMO these types of treatments are recommended far too readily and certainly can't always be justified as my dogs are living proof of keeping flea free coats and household without resorting to using any of them :)

Fleas don't live on the dogs anyway - they feed and dop off onto furnishings, carpets, in crevices etc so keep on top of grooming, vacuuming and steam cleaning too and that way no nasties or their eggs are safe!

regards, Teri

Hi Teri

I've been lead to believe that the 'dog flea' is actually a 'cat flea' that will nip a dog for a light supper but it's natural host is the cat, don't know how true this is though. I don't like flea treatments but I must admit I use them, due to brain washing from the vets no doubt. We have tiled floors throughout our ground floor and the dogs don't come upstairs, funnily enough I never find 'visitors' on my dogs but my moggy does get them although rarely, around Autumn.

I use garlic on my girls and I'm never sure if it's the vets stuff or the garlic that keeps the beasts at bay. I must admit that the idea of putting chemicals on animals does not appeal to me, I think that when it comes to your average 'owner' a lot of the time we may be guided or maybe mis-guided by the veterinary world.

Me too.  I used to use Vet supplied flea collars and sprays but that was my first rejection of the chemical things about 20 years ago.  I feed garlic and have never found a flea on my lot since.

I use garlic too or I used to, I've used absolutely nothing at all this year, don't know whether it's due to the weather but never seen any fleas.

Hi gumi, when I was dog grooming we used to use eucaliptus oil to get rid of fleas, it was brill. 

Once you've bathed your dog and done the final rinse you just put a big capful of the oil into a big jug of warm water, swish it all up just before pouring it on your dog and avoid the eyes.  I used to use this on dogs that were infested and the bath would be littered with hundreds of the little critters afterwards.  The oil leaves a lovely fresh smell on the dogs and leaves the coat extra soft but not greasy.

Interesting because this is what I use as a grooming spray!

21 drops of Geranium
14 drops of Lavender
21 drops of Eucalyptus
14 drops of Tea Tree

Mixed in a plant sprayer with 250-300 mils of warm water.

You can use a FLEA COMB to remove the little horrors ;)  dip them in boiling water to kill them ;)  then garlic in their food is a good deterrent.

I do think some dogs attract them more than others tho ;)

The Corgi I grew up with rarely had them - we used a flea comb when he did ;)
Our Tibetan Terrier would have them regularly :(  I was told they have no 'immunity' to them as they come from a place where there are no fleas, not sure if that's true but he is the only dog I've ever had that attracted them so much, he was like the source!
Afghan X would pick them up but not often, easy to see them in his long coat, just blow apart the hair and comb them out ;)

My Bedlingtons rarely get them, haven't seen one on them this year, no scratching/biting etc ;)  and rarely have to treat them for fleas.  I use garlic but not that regularly that it would make a huge difference ;)

Silly question do you only use fresh garlic?

Like the eucalyptus oil idea will get some. Mine rarely  get them so I only frontline if I see them like last week HUH !

But willnow try other methods as I dont like using chemicals. 

Not sure if it's as good as fresh garlic but I use Odourless Garlic Pearls that you get from healthfood shops I just put one in their food each night, I might try the Eucalyptus idea too as it sounds pleasant.

Talking of things chemical, we always used to worm our dogs with Drontal and we use Panacur 10% suspension on our avairy birds, we then moved over to doing everybody both fur and feather with the Panacur. We used to be able to get it from our local Countrywide store as they are licenced to sell, it was a lot cheaper than the 'vets'. Trouble is our store has closed and moved miles away, anybody know if it can be bought on-line and where's the best place?

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/

I never use any chemical products on my 2 girls,just lots of hoovering every day and that works for them.
I do use a flea comb which gets any that maybe lurking now and then. I do think that cats are the ones that seem to carry the fleas if there is any....my 2 cats are combed every day with nit comb...it works brilliant if there is one...the flea has no chance of escape.

I use a tub of dried garlic from Morrisons :-D   Just a pinch in their food seems to do the trick ;)

try petmeds.co.uk for online ordering, they seem to have everything one could need (inlcuding equine/avian products), are extremely quick to send orders out  and are much more wallet-friendly than buying from my local vet

Wallet friendly I like, cos 5 dogs, a moggy and 50 birds can be a tadge pricey :)

I use a herbal powder called "Billy No Mates" which has garlic, fenugreek and other herbs in it.  I just sprinkle a scoop over their dinner every night.  It smells lovely, kind of like stuffing, and is effective against fleas, mites, ticks etc.  Certainly haven't had any creepies on my two all year  :-)

Ah I've heard of that one, I'll have a snifters at it

Hiya Teri

Our gizzy  has not had flees so far but i have heard that once the central heating comes on the flees are more likely to develop in warm conditions?

We use strong hold monthly and johnsons garlic tablets in his food

The garlic you use in your food is it fresh cloves or cooked?

is one clove a day ok?

Hi gumi,

I give garlic 2 or 3 times a week, other than that they get it in our leftovers :)  If using fresh they get about 1 clove between 3 but more often than not I use the pre-pulped 'lazy garlic' and they get about quarter of a teaspoon each (medium sized dogs, around 20/24KG)

You can buy odour free tablets but I've not used them personally :)

CH can cause a population explosion if eggs are in nooks and crannies - hence indoors regular vacuuming and steam cleaning around skirting boards is a good idea and of course keeping the dogs' cats well groomed and checked for any evidence of flea dirt.

We have a high population of wildlife using the same parklands (and our gardens) as the dogs - deer, foxes, hedgehogs, squirrels and of course neighbours cats.   Despite this all of my dogs over the years have remained flea free as has our home and that's without flea shampoos, stronghold, frontline, sprays, potions, lotions or any chemicals used on the furnishings etc.  I just prefer to go down the natural route where possible and have found this works for me and mine :)

HTH, Teri