Okay so let’s talk fleas, ticks & worms…exciting subject I know! There are many ways to treat your pets for fleas, ticks and worms… plenty of products out on the market and a lot of recommended products, but what do you really know about the products your using?
Let’s say for example: everyone has used the very well-known spot on treatments for fleas and ticks.. these are not only an unnecessary ongoing cost but are also full of chemicals with terrible side effects. These products contain a chemical called ‘neuro-toxin’, it has been said this chemical is only effective on insects, not mammals. However, studies show that there have been minor and major incidents involving the products ‘in the spring of 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) received an increased number of reports on pet incidents involving spot-on pesticide products, from the companies that hold registrations for these products. Most incidents were minor, though there were some pet deaths and “major incidents” reported’
So I’m sure at some point we’ve all be guilty of using the very popular product ‘Frontline’, the main ingredient in frontline is also used in: Pesticide products, granular products for grass, gel baits and products for agriculture. I know what you’re thinking… why would you put that on your dog? I know right!!
Taking this information on board would you now use spot on for your pets? A natural approach is much much better. We would recommend a product named ‘Billy no mates’ this product is available in a liquid tincture and powder. This is to be administered daily in food between February & October. At only £14.50 this could last your pet between 6 months-1 year depending on their size!
Moving on… let’s talk worms. But did you know it’s rather rare for a healthy, well cared animal with a good immune system to get worms? Again chemical ‘off the shelf’ wormers are not good for your pet and can do more harm than good. But there are many ways to prevent and treat worms in dogs: We would recommend a product ‘4 Seasons by serendipity herbals’ Full of natural ingredients and a great money saver! The product comes in a 50ml bottle at only £9.00 and only 1ml per month is required. It is safe for whelping bitches and puppies from the age of 2 weeks.
There are also day to day things you can do at home to prevent worms in your pet: Hair! Yes hair. hair is a great prevention for worms, so anything from rabbits’ ears to deer legs…but these are also fab treats for your pets to enjoy with the added benefits.
Grated carrots are also a great addition to your pets’ diet. Just like the hair, carrots cannot be digested by our pets (as tasty as they may be) so therefore will drag out anything unwanted in the gut.
And last but not least a good source of apple cider vinegar and garlic can also help prevent worms. Apple cider vinegar can be a great and easy addition to your dog’s food or water. Garlic, although safe and beneficial for your dog to consume do assure you follow the correct guidelines to feeding your pet garlic.
Another alternative you can use are the worm count kits. These are where you send off samples of your dog’s stool and they are tested for any worms. Most results come back pretty quickly. This way you will find out if you need to use a natural worming product for your dogs.