Who Else Is Concerned with Chemicals Marketed for Pet Flea Control?

Hi J., I used these pills you can get at the pet store, its peanut butter and garlic, those vampires don't like garlic!? LOL

Market America has some great non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products.

The first set are called Snap (they've got powerful odor-free disinfectant that kills Staff, Ecoli and other deadly bacterias, which is safer than other cleaning products) and other gentler cleaners that are really safe for everyday use-here's the link:
http://www.marketamerica.com/advanceto/index.cfm?action=s...

I've seen a list of pet shampoos for fleas and ticks-below:
http://www.marketamerica.com/advanceto/index.cfm?action=s...

Hope this helps!

I had the same concerns. I have worked with animals for many years, and have been to numerous seminars and conferences involving this subject. I have been using a product called "Bug Off Garlic" for all three of my dogs for three years now. ("Safe and effective air-dried granules") I have NEVER found a flea on them. Occassionally, if my dogs go hiking in the woods, we'll find a tick on one of them. But, you can increase the dose for those animals that will be exposed to high infestation areas. Also, it's a good idea to check your dogs for ticks anyway and remove them immediately if you find them. Because I have three dogs, I use more garlic than others might. So, I get the 5 lb horse bucket size. (They sent me a dog size scoop) It's a powder that I sprinkle on their food once a day. They also have chewable tablets. It has a VERY strong garlic odor, and probably a very strong taste too, so I sprinkle some cheese on top of the garlic to help make it taste a little better for them. The only downside is sometimes the dogs do smell like garlic. Not a big deal if you consider how much better this product is for them than the chemical alternatives. The garlic takes a couple of weeks to take effect, so I usually start in the beginning of march. (You can leave them on it all year, but I'm too lazy. So, I usually do March through November.) I've really had great luck with this product! I LOVE IT! But you do have to be consistant with it. You can find the product, and have any questions answered at:
springtimeinc.com (Springtime, Inc.)
They also have a lot of other natural supplements for dogs, cats, horses, and people.
Good luck with everything!
S.
PS I wouldn't try one of the garlic supplements that you would find in a pet store. I don't think they're strong enough. (From what I hear, anyway.) Bug Off Garlic is different than the others.

Give this website a try. The website is holistic and has organic flea products as well as other organic things for pets.

www.naturalvetforpets.com/holisticVetProducts

Hope it helps.

Hi J.,
I have only used Advantix once (our dog had to stay with someone else and she had the beginnings of a flea problem) in 30 years.
I always use Oil of Cedar. Saturate cotton balls lightly and place them under furniture, under throw rugs, inside your dog's bed. Dab the oil of cedar on various parts of your clean dog.
I do it a couple of times a week during flea season, and of course if I see evidence of fleas any other time off season.
It has always worked for me and we have had 6 dogs over that time.
Good luck !
P.

I worked as a vet tech for many years before I had my baby. I am also very interested in having a more natural family. Let me tell you, though, that I can almost guarantee you that all those other "natural" products out there won't work. I've tried a lot of them. And even if they are natural, they can be even more irritating than the fipronil (Frontline). Did you know fipronil is even used in our water? It doesn't say much for the quality of our water supplies, but it does say something about the safety of the product. Yes, it will get on your family too, because we pet, touch, sleep with and share couches with our pets, but that just means the fleas and ticks won't share these things too. As with anything in parenting, there are risks on both sides of the equation. Fleas aren't anything more than a severe irritation (unless you have an allergy to them). But ticks.... think of all the diseases your dog may expose your family to if they bring ticks into the house. That is pretty scary. No matter what you use, a good physical body check for ticks is a must before you let your dog back inside after a romp in a tick infested area. Luckily for you, the short coat on your boxer will help you with that :) Let us know what you decide on, and if it works!!

My mother's cat died because she accidently mixed Fronline Plus with a flea collar. I don't know how natural this is but Skin so soft oil works well to repel fleas and mosquitos from your animal. Hope this helps!

i will not use that stuff! we get my cat program injections -- controls fleas (not ticks, i dont think) for 6 months. costs about $40. good luck :)

I would be glad to share with you all I know - and it is good stuff. Natural flea control is so very important. Please call or email and I will tell you all I know. By helping your pet you help your famiily. Look forward to hearing from you.
E.
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____@____.com

I completely agree with you. These chemicals not only affect your pet, but the whole family can come in contact with them. I work with a wellness company that sells pet products that are excellent for repelling fleas and ticks, natually without any chemicals...and it really works. There are also other things that you can use, I've heard that a little garlic oil in the food helps, but I've never tried it. A lot of people also swear by brewers yeast tablets - but we used them and they did not seem to work. Spreading a very small amount of Diamastcus earth (I'm not sure of the spelling, forgive me it is early) in your yard and into your carpet can also cut down on fleas, since it natually causes the larve to loose all of its moisture. I would not use it in the house if you have small children, however. It would be too much of an irritant for them.

That is so neat-I have a purebred boxer named Duchess as well. Good luck in your quest!

A few years back when we got our dog, my girlfriend who has always been against treating her dog with chemicals/medications. Advise me for flea control she adds garlic powder to her dog's meal. Don't know how scienifically correct that is, but her dog as well as my dog have never had fleas. (knock on wood) Hope that helps?

Dear J.,
I too am interested in the natural health care of pets and as such run a website dedicated to information and the products we recommend.
Please visit http://www.happytalespets.com

I also like NuVet Plus for all together natural pet health and use it regularly for my long haired cat who was infested with fleas 3 years ago. For the last 2 years of using NuVet Plus she has been virtually free of the nasty critters.
Find NuVet Plus at http://www.nuvetstore.com
I like the sound of your doggie confections. Do you market them online? Can we exchange links etc?

well I AM PRO FRONTLINE... My daughter had her first tick today.. she is 21 months old. We found it in her hair twords her neck. It was a brown dog tick.. we were so scared.... I do not want any more ticks ever... Our dog has only had two ticks and never a flea in five years... TICKS BE GONE.... now it is a wait and see with our daughter,,,

What does everyone use for insect repelant on their kids.. I heard SKIN SO SOFT works and is natural...

I just purchased a product called Cedarcide @

http://www.cedarcide.com/productguide.asp#4000

WE have yet to use it, but it came highly recommended.

Hi J.-
I did some research and I heard-
If you add apple cider vinegar 2-3 tablespoons to a gallon of water it will keep fleas away. Vitamin B supplements from your vet will get rid of them. Also a cup or two of peppermint tea added to dogs bathwater will also eliminate them.
Hope this helps.
K.

Hi,
I am a dog lover x2. I do not like giving them the flea medicine or the arthritis medicine. SO I have been giving my dogs XanGo juice. This juice is poured on their food morning and night. It will protect them from fleas and also keeps their coats beautiful. My older dog Bingo had real difficulty with his hips. He was taking perscription medicationa and hardly moving...sleeping most of the time. He is now off all prescription medication and is playing with our new puppy.
He does not have the hot spots anyome either. They would get so bad he would need a shot from the vet and antibiotics. No MORE! The antinflamitory benefits of XanGo have changed my dogs life (and mine too!).
Anyone wanting a sample of this all natural juice should email me with thier address. I will gladly send a free sample. We need to pay more attention to the chemicals we are exposing our loved ones to.

Hi J.,
Dogs love the taste of Brewer's Yeast and garlic but fleas hate it. Also, I have a recipe that includes Jojoba oil that you sponge on your dog's coat after his bath. If you are interested, please email me at ____@____.com and I will gladly give you the recipe.
L.

There is a chemical free spray you can buy, but I don't remember the name of it, sorry. Also, I've heard that garlic works.

I had a horrible experience. I used a sargeants product and the flea product attacked my dog's nervous system. It was the most horrible week of my life with my pet and I felt so bad that I had put this product on my pet. I posted a complaint at consumers affaairs and it seems that many, many dogs have ecome sick and even died from some of this stuff yet they do not take it off of the market. Good luck to you but I will never put anything on my beloved pet ever again.

Hi J.,
I have an internet business, too, www.fezalnaturally.net and I sell a Natural ALTERNATIVE for Fleas and ticks. I rescued a Sheltie 9 months ago and she was a mess. She has been using this Herbal internal Powder for 5 months and I also supplement her with Glucosomine, MSM, Omega 3 and Tumeric I open the capsules, add them and the Internal Flea Powder to some plain yogurt, grate an organic carrot and stir it all into her Kibble-she LOVES IT! I also swiched al houselhold cleaning products to green - no pesticides on the dog and no chemicals in the house!