Has anyone used this company?
I'm looking for a more natural alternative to the flea and tick medications that most people use (Advantage, Frontline), and I know some of you use Revolution. I will look at that more in the future, but we have enough heartworm medication to last Oliver until July, so I might as well use that (and it can't be used in conjunction with Revolution).
I found this company that does flea and tick (and parasites, but can be used with our heartworm meds), and they have no DEET or other nasty pesticides, and here's the website
http://search.onlynaturalpet.com/search.aspx?avs|Department=Flea+%2F+Tick+Control
The name of the company is Only Natural Pet Store, and I'm looking at just their flea and tick products right now.
Does this sound good to anyone else? Almost too good? It's non-toxic, safe for human and pets, but bad news for insects. I want a product that will prevent infestation, though, not just treat it once he gets one. I know they say it can be used as preventative, but I'm still a little skeptical, and I want some reviews. I'd love it if one of my trusted fellow VWers have tried any of these products.
Any help or more advice?
I've never used it personally, but diatomaceous earth (idk if this is the one you're looking at) is listed as "slightly toxic"(?) for acute toxicity by the EPA. It has the potential to irritate skin and eyes, but it probably depends on the animal. It's an ingredient in regular cat litter, though, so it's not like it's some novel product (though it is dusty... and hurts my eyes =().
I did try using a powder once (but different active ingredient). My problem with it was it wouldn't really stay on my cat. I mean... she was fluffy, went outdoors, and groomed herself, so it was kind of unreasonable to expect the powder to stay on. Granted dogs don't groom too much... but basically anything that's purely topical and isn't absorbed has the potential to be removed from the skin pretty easily.
The advantage (hah) of the other commercial flea products is that they are absorbed, so they only need to go on one specific point rather than all over the body, and depending on the product, washing the dog/cat after it's absorbed won't affect its efficacy. But still, there are certain animals who are actually sensitive to the chemicals used in these products, though for the most part they don't affect the animal and do not cross the blood-brain barrier.
So all that was to tell you... idk.
It's still helpful. I just cannot justify using pesticides that can cause liver and kidney damage on my dog. I also don't want him to get fleas...thus, I also don't know. Does anyone else have other ideas or companies I can check out?
My vet thinks I'm a bit eccentric, and she think him being vegan isn't the greatest thing in the world. So, she's not a big fan when I make choices outside of the norm.
I'm not at my computer, so don't have the link bookmarked....try googling cedarcide, I think that is what it is called.
Hmm... well, the best I can think of is a "natural" flea bath. You don't need any fancy shampoo; the ingredients in regular dish soap will actually break the flea's tough exoskeleton and kill them. At the practice I used to work at (cats only though), we used Dawn when they had fleas (after, we'd apply flea control stuff). Ok, so Dawn is animal tested... but my guess is any glycerin/surfactant-type liquid soap would also work. I don't think this will kill eggs though, so it's more to reduce numbers than really solving anything.
But it sure does save money... I mean, those special "flea shampoos" often cost $10 a bottle. I'd sooner spend $3 on eye-friendly bath soap.
Hmm... well, the best I can think of is a "natural" flea bath. You don't need any fancy shampoo; the ingredients in regular dish soap will actually break the flea's tough exoskeleton and kill them. At the practice I used to work at (cats only though), we used Dawn when they had fleas (after, we'd apply flea control stuff). Ok, so Dawn is animal tested... but my guess is any glycerin/surfactant-type liquid soap would also work. I don't think this will kill eggs though, so it's more to reduce numbers than really solving anything.
But it sure does save money... I mean, those special "flea shampoos" often cost $10 a bottle. I'd sooner spend $3 on eye-friendly bath soap.
Dish soap works quite well on dogs, too. We had two English Springer Spaniels, that used to like to escape and run rampant up and down the railroad tracks. They'd come back coal black, and covered in fleas. Dish soap took care of both those problems as efficiently as any special shampoo. We usually had to give them a few baths, to clear up the problem completely, because as you said, it doesn't kill the eggs. It's worth buying a non-toxic flea/tick shampoo, though, if you and/or anyone in your household is at risk for lice (especially kids), as those work on lice as well as they work on fleas and ticks.
Hmm... well, the best I can think of is a "natural" flea bath. You don't need any fancy shampoo; the ingredients in regular dish soap will actually break the flea's tough exoskeleton and kill them. At the practice I used to work at (cats only though), we used Dawn when they had fleas (after, we'd apply flea control stuff). Ok, so Dawn is animal tested... but my guess is any glycerin/surfactant-type liquid soap would also work. I don't think this will kill eggs though, so it's more to reduce numbers than really solving anything.
But it sure does save money... I mean, those special "flea shampoos" often cost $10 a bottle. I'd sooner spend $3 on eye-friendly bath soap.
Dish soap works quite well on dogs, too. We had two English Springer Spaniels, that used to like to escape and run rampant up and down the railroad tracks. They'd come back coal black, and covered in fleas. Dish soap took care of both those problems as efficiently as any special shampoo. We usually had to give them a few baths, to clear up the problem completely, because as you said, it doesn't kill the eggs. It's worth buying a non-toxic flea/tick shampoo, though, if you and/or anyone in your household is at risk for lice (especially kids), as those work on lice as well as they work on fleas and ticks.
So did you do any other treatment for them? Or just the shampoo on a regular basis?
Over the years I also have stopped using the Frontline line. I went back to the holistic as much as I could. Yes, the diatomacious earth is good, only the WHITE kind, not the yellow. The white kind is food grade. I have NEVER had a problem with them breathing it, lung wise or nose wise, hurting either. NEVER in years of using it. A little goes a LONG way, and maybe that's why, it doesn't take much. Topically it's good, and internally mixed with food, it helps with intestional worms, heart worms also. Mixed well, and little of it, and again, the food grade kind. That kind is found at organic nurserys.
Garlic is awesome. Worms, and fleas. Fresh of course. My kiddo's LOVE garlic. Almost raw, but not quite. They do like roasted garlic, it's sweet, and they will take one whole. I love it on my pizza. It for mine doesn't have to be mixed into much food. I know some people need to disquize it more.
Also a good grade of garlic powder. I use the spices from Mountain Rose Herbals a LOT, and that kind is really good, as most of the vitamins are still in there, not like the powered kind of mainstream from the grocery store as it's almost got no nutritional value. That is a great deal of why people say garlic doesn't work. Well, my experience is that it ALWAYS works. It's basic chemistry. When it's not the watered down so to speak McCormick human kind or some other whimpy kind, no of course not.
I have also used garlic flower essence in their water. It is good. Takes a while.
And I have also used a homeopathic blend for fleas in their water. By Dr. Goodpet. Don't over use homeopathy. I normally don't go for a remedy that uses a 'shotgun' approach, I'm more of a classic on homeopathy, not the blends, but this blend works great.
Oh, and speaking of garlic, it can also be used as a spray. Topically, or in their food.
I have found the natural herbal collars not to work that great. If at all. They kinda need one for their neck, each leg, etc. lol.
The electronic sound frequency *used* to work, fifteen years or so ago, when it first hit the streets, it was AWESOME, but now, I'm not sure why, you have to go trying a lot of brands. I have some that work GREAT for mosquitoes, and some NOT. It's kind of all or NUTHIN. Those they have for dogs as a key chain type thing for their collar are a hit and miss for me. But like I said, those were KILLER for doggie bugs when they first came out. The science behind them is sound. I don't know why they don't.
OMG, I forgot and had to add this: Nutritional yeast! Yes, the very same nutritional yeast (not cooking for bread yeast, duh) that I use for vegan cheese. Nutritional yeast is awesome for them and fleas as it is for me and cheesy taste
Best wishes
Ruth