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Thread: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

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    United States Avalon Member Molly's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    This is pretty simple, really.
    If you have not tried it, you should. I use about a quarter size drop of carrier oil (anything you may have in the kitchen works fine; olive oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, whatever), then drop 4-5 drops of rosemary essential in that, rub my hands together, then rub it all over my cat Felix. I also do this for my dog Julia. Neither one has ever gotten a flea or tick issue. The only downside is you have to do it every 7-10 days, unlike the chemical/RX type flea & tick repellant which can last a month or more. But it works well, it's natural, & won't cause any irritation on the animals skin. I've noticed a lot of people who use chemical/RX remedies, the animal most the time ends up balding & even with scabs
    So this is what I do. It's also a lot cheaper!

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Fantastic, I will try it. I use a comb on my lil ones now, and they patiently let me do it, but a rosemary smelling pooch might be just great!

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Brilliant - I have also heard of using apple cider vinegar but its very stinky!! Rosemary would smell a lot better.

    For the carrier oil, Id suggest using coconut oil - it smells great and doesn't leave a super greasy residue and it also helps with baldness/fur loss too. I oil up my pup for healthy fur/skin and it absorbs faster than a thicker oil would -- then again, would the success rate of this treatment rely on the fact that oil sits on the fur/skin for longer periods? Then coconut oil wouldn't be the choice if this is so.

    Let me know, I will try this on my dogs next summer.

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    I know fleas are getting to be a real problem now as they have become resistant to the usual chemical treatments that saw them off in the past. Thanks for this info, I'll pass it on for everyone I know who has pets.

    In return I offer another essential oil tip.. peppermint oil is very disliked by mice. I found this very useful in India, they avoided my room, as did the rats. But I also use pep oil on my kitchen floor when I notice my cats getting very vigilant ie sitting around staring under the fridge..

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    United States Avalon Member Molly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Zillah, I have not tried coconut oil, but I do have some on hand & will use it next time to see how it goes & will let you know!

    Thanks for the info Minkton. I've not heard of that before. We live in a very old country farm house here, so yes, we get mice (despite kitty being a good hunter most of the time), so I'm going to try that! I have a lot of dried peppermint from what I grew in the garden this past season - I wonder if putting some in a little sachet then hiding it in the cabinets could help too.

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Rose Geranium Oil also helps keep ticks off pets, but you only put a few drops in a bottle of almond oil.
    "Ignoring the evidence is simply another way of ignoring the truth."
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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Awesome, I will have to try this! Have a great day!

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    the apple cider vinegar only smells when you put it on, it dries odourless and is excellent for shining up their coats too

    as for the coconut oil is how do you apply that? I have a jar of it but its very much like a soft lard consistency........my dog has lost his fur for several years now due to his seasonal allergies, the only thing we can get to work is a steroid ......after that his fur falls out all over his back, thins out really not like patches.......and his skin is very flaky.......of course the vet says it has nothing to do with the Vanectyl-P he is on each year but I doubt that she is right.

    Quote Posted by Zillah (here)
    Brilliant - I have also heard of using apple cider vinegar but its very stinky!! Rosemary would smell a lot better.

    For the carrier oil, Id suggest using coconut oil - it smells great and doesn't leave a super greasy residue and it also helps with baldness/fur loss too. I oil up my pup for healthy fur/skin and it absorbs faster than a thicker oil would -- then again, would the success rate of this treatment rely on the fact that oil sits on the fur/skin for longer periods? Then coconut oil wouldn't be the choice if this is so.

    Let me know, I will try this on my dogs next summer.
    Last edited by Earth Angel; 6th January 2012 at 02:27.

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Quote Posted by Earth Angel (here)
    the apple cider vinegar only smells when you put it on, it dries odourless and is excellent for shining up their coats too

    as for the coconut oil is how do you apply that? I have a jar of it but its very much like a soft lard consistency........my dog has lost his fur for several years now due to his seasonal allergies, the only thing we can get to work is a steroid ......after that his fur falls out all over his back, thins out really not like patches.......and his skin is very flaky.......of course the vet says it has nothing to do with the Vanectyl-P he is on each year but I doubt that she is right.

    Quote Posted by Zillah (here)
    Brilliant - I have also heard of using apple cider vinegar but its very stinky!! Rosemary would smell a lot better.

    For the carrier oil, Id suggest using coconut oil - it smells great and doesn't leave a super greasy residue and it also helps with baldness/fur loss too. I oil up my pup for healthy fur/skin and it absorbs faster than a thicker oil would -- then again, would the success rate of this treatment rely on the fact that oil sits on the fur/skin for longer periods? Then coconut oil wouldn't be the choice if this is so.

    Let me know, I will try this on my dogs next summer.

    Earth Angel - we spoke via PM, but I'll post my response here in case anyone is wondering the same!



    Quote Hi Earth Angel...

    My dog had the SAME problem.

    With the coconut oil, I would smooth it all over her entire body - Id take just enough so it was generous but there was no overwhelming oil left on her fur - just start with one part of your pup's body and go from there. Put it everywhere, even the bottom of his paws. I would then take one of those Rubber-teeth (whole hand width) dog brushes and work the oil into her skin very very well. I do this for about 5 minutes. The beauty of coconut oil is it doesn't stain if it should get on a few things, but you can also take a damp cloth and VERY LIGHTLY run it across your pups fur after you have worked in the coconut oil. This should take care of any extra oil you might not want on your things.

    You can put it on once a day - anytime. Just work it in into his skin as stated above. I also feed it to cleo and she's in love with the taste, try this also. I maybe give her a 1/2 teaspoon. This will help internally with any bacteria or yeast overgrowth which is why his ears smell.

    Cleo was losing patches of fur and was getting allergy bumps. I stopped giving her dog treats and feeding her ANY people food (not even nibbles from dinner). For treats I give her these organic 4 ingredient flax seed snaps, pieces of apple, banana, and she loves the stems (the crunchy ones) from kale leaves (she's a weirdo, haha). Once I stopped feeding her all sorts of food, everything stopped getting worse. She would get the worst reaction in her ears and I created a solution that cured it in 3 days, and it came back only 2 times after this and I just repeated the treatment and eventually it never came back (and its been 2 years now).

    in a bowl I put 1 tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar, mix it with the same amount of coconut oil. I would then open up a capsule of any probiotic product and dump it in. I mixed it all together and applied it in her ears with a cotton ball. I worked it in well so it didnt run in her ears or on anything else. Just do it slowly. I guarantee this will work for your dog. If he has any stink or redness, you'll notice a change within only a couple days. If you have any leftovers, you can keep this on the counter for 1 day tops, but try to put it in his ears at least a few times a day in the beginning.

    Just a note, if your coconut oil is in a solid state, its much easier to work with it when its in liquid form. What I do is, i take a tsp and just put it in the middle of my hand. The heat from my body is enough to melt it after 10 seconds or so. I then scrape it off my hand and into the bowl and go from there.

    Let me know if you have any questions, Im happy to help!
    Quote Hello again, if he's a big boy then only applying oil to the trouble spots will do sometimes I forget my cleo is tiny!

    The beauty with the trio (oil, vinegar and probiotics) is that it will also soothe his ears (and trouble spots too re: the fur loss) and help the vinegar permeate better. The probiotics will give the treatment extra oomph, so to speak.

    You can also give him a vinegar bath once a week (or however much you like) on the trouble spots, just wash him with the vinegar, let it sit on him for 5 min then wash it off so the smell doesn't stay.

    Good for being on top of his diet, so many people feed their dogs terrible things - I know its hard not to give them a little off our plate - they are just so darn cute!!! I was bad for this in the beginning but smartened up very quickly when I realized I was only hurting my dog.

    I sometimes buy my dog liver from the butcher (organic) and give her maybe an inch by inch piece twice a week, I was told by a holistic doctor this is also very good for their fur and skin.

    Keep me posted!

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Cedarcide is also a GREAT natural alternative that you can buy on line...it kills fleas, ticks, bedbugs, mosquito's, termites and a whole range of insects. It's completely natural made of Red Texas Cedar oil, allegedly the company was originally commissioned by the US military to formulate something for soldiers that was safe to use...that's how it was initially developed, now it's available for commercial use.

    It really works great and is totally safe to use on people, pets, furniture and even beds. If you have bed bugs this is the safe alternative to toxic chemicals. Go to cedarcide.com for more info

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    G'day All,

    We were having a bit of trouble with fleas and ticks on the dogs and now we use a teaspoon or two of minced garlic (to two Kg of mince) when we cook our dogs tucker and they have no problems.
    Not to much (they turn their noses up at it) so maybe experiment by gradually introducing it and increasing the quantity over the space of a week and seeing if it works for them.
    Evidently it gets in their system and they sweat it out causing the little nasties to buggar off.
    Works for humans too.

    Kind Regards,
    Panopticon

    Addendum:
    The site you gave ascendingstarseed (cedarcide.com) doesn't appear to be working. Is www.cedarcidestore.com the same product?
    Last edited by panopticon; 8th January 2012 at 06:50. Reason: Addendum
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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Zillah the rosemary with coconut oil is working great & is less greasy on their fur (just thought I'd update with that).

    panopticon I also hear sneaking garlic into pets food keeps away worms. I do put garlic in their food some times & neither of them have ever had worms so maybe it does work?

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    The following recipes I use for man and beast.

    HERBAL INSECT REPELLANT

    1/2 teaspoon citronella essential oil
    1/2 teaspoon eucalyptus essential oil
    1/2 teaspoon lavender essential oil
    4 ounces distilled witch hazel
    Mix ingredients in a 4-ounce spray bottle. Shake well. Spray onto exposed skin, avoiding eyes and mucous membranes. Reapply every 2 hours, or as needed.

    NATURAL INSECT REPELLANT

    2 ounces vegetable oil or vodka
    1/4 teaspoon each citronella and eucalyptus essential oils
    1/8 teaspoon each cedar and rose geranium essential oils
    Combine ingredients and apply mixture directly to all exposed skin. Keep oil away from your eyes and mouth, and be careful not to rub your eyes right away after applying the repellent with your fingers.
    Note: No you can’t drink the stuff if you use vodka

    HERBAL SCARF FOR DOGS

    Dry Pennyroyal Herb

    can add one or more of following but optional Cedar, Rosemary, Citronella, Neem, Lavender . . . . all dried herb

    Roll the herbs in a scarf big enough to tie loosely around your dogs neck. He or she will look stylish, smell sweet and flea free!



    ALSO FOR FARM OR OUTSIDE CRITTERS

    Use Diatomaceous Earth (DE) I buy it by the 50 pound bag and dust my dogs, cats, goats, horses and cow with it. For chickens I set a pan in front of the door where they go in and out of the chicken coop so they step in it, I have never had a problem with mite infestation on my birds. Also I put it in the animals (all) food about every 4 to 6 weeks to worm them.

    I also use DE as an insecticide in my garden.

    Note: Do not breathe or get DE in your eyes, I use a mask and make sure the wind is blowing away from me when applying. It is not poisonous but will cause extreme irritation

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    OMG. I am at this moment losing my patients with a flea infested pet that has skin allegies to most pest shampoos. I have been attacked and they are all over my body effecting my sleep as at night they seem to come out my skin and i whelp up by scratching. The dog is my husbands and therefore I can't put him to sleep, so Im suffering with itching and scars now all over my limbs, closed area like armpits and vaginal area. i've seen the nits and my God if something isn't done about this infestation, i'm gonna leave until this 11 yr old dog dies. I can't take it and i'm gonna try it. I've tried soaking my hands, arms and limbs in bleach, but so far nothing has stopped it. The swelling of my skin around my belly, arms, legs thighs, toes, fingers, and breasts. So very glad to have seen this and God must have led me to you, because i only just got my internet back on after three weeks of suffering in torment. All my husband can say is go to the doctor, even if it puts us in more debt. I only have the seasoning rosemary but am crushing as we speak. I pray this works because "the Bubba" is suffering so. He also has a small thumb print size tumor and I'm thinking about giving him the baking soda and molasses solution in case there are more inside. This one is above his hind leg on his side just off his belly.
    Well wish me well, I'll get back to you if I can get a full nights sleep after trying it. I can't afford the doctor so holistics is my thang and more acceptable to my body. I suffer diverticulitis and use the molasses and baking soda to shrink or remove entirely polyps or tumors. So far so good.

    Thanks you.

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Lifebringer . . . . you may have bed bugs too. Go pull the sheet up on your bed and look in the seams of the mattress and under it . . . . look for small bugs, black and kind of shiny

    Witch hazel helps take the sting and itching out of bites

    To check how bad or if you have a flea infestation . . . take a white sheet or cloth and lay it on the carpet for a while . . . you should be able to see fleas jumping onto it fairly quickly.

    Bed bugs have nits too.
    Last edited by blufire; 17th January 2012 at 20:27.

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    Default Re: Keeping Fleas & Ticks Off Pets Naturally

    Whoa whoa whoa do NOT soak your skin in bleach! And Blufire is right, it sounds like you *might* have bed bugs. I'm pretty sure the only way to get rid of those (without buying new mattresses) is by having the mattresses steam-cleaned. I hope you find something that helps you. I'm sorry to hear you're suffering so much!

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