Ticks

[Meisti]

Hi - I am wondering if anyone has experience with home-made or biologically-based tick treatments. Since Max is so old that I am certain he came to the US on the Mayflower back in 1620, he does not react very well to traditional chemical treatments. I have used anything external - from tick collars to topicals as well as sprays and powders - and everything puts him out of commission for at least a week. After application he has problems getting up and walking and generally exhibits the energy and speed of a piece of butter in the midday sun.

Naturally, I shy away from anything that would work internally, such as pills or shots since i cannot predict his physical reaction and cannot really intervene if his health goes south due to these concoctions.

Any ideas?
Thanks.

[weimlover0816]

I found this online, and it seems VERY interesting.... if you try any of them, let us know how it goes!!



Flea and Tick Collars

More Pests Solutions

by Annie Berthold-Bond, Care2.com Producer, Green Living Channels

While flea collars seem tempting to use, read the ingredients carefully and check the chemicals for safety at Scorecard, the Environmental Defense Fund’s database of chemicals. According to the Cancer Prevention Coalition (CPC), ingredients on some flea collars are carcinogens, neurotoxins, or both. An effective and natural collar can be made using repellent essential oils.

Simple Solution:
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Choose an absorbent collar for your pet, such as the widely available heavy-duty woven nylon collars. The collar will absorb essential oils, an no additional collar is needed. Essential oils that repel fleas and ticks include citronella, rosemary, and rose geranium. Buy only 100 percent pure essential oils, and using an eyedropper, put just one or two drops on the collar. Repeat each week. Some animals are very sensitive to the strong smell of essential oils, so start with just one drop and increase to two if they seem to tolerate the smell. If ticks are the biggest problem, use rose geranium; for fleas choose citronella if for a dog, but not for cats.

Caution

• Pennyroyal shouldn't be used around pets, especially pregnant pets.
• Cats are sensitive to citrus, so avoid citronella.
• Make sure not to get the essential oil in the pet’s eyes or directly on their skin.

Helpful Hints:

• For more on flea infestations, see the Everyday Solution “Flea Free!”
• Give dogs up to 2 cloves of garlic a day. Disguise the cloves in food they can’t refuse. The odor the pet emits after eating garlic repels fleas and ticks. (Garlic is not safe for cats.)
• Many of the essential oils recommended above also repel black flies.

[Meisti]

Perfect - thank you so much for this info, weimlover. This is exactly what I am looking for.

[erdog3]

Also Pro Dog has a range of natural flea and tick control products and being members we get the products as a reasonable price.
You can check out their products either by going into the grooming sticky and clicking on the link or on the big logo at the top left of this screen.