Fleas and ticks can be the bane of your pet's existence. Ticks carry Lyme disease and canine ehrlichosis, an infectious disease. Fleas can cause dermatitis, an allergic reaction that will have your pet biting and scratching incessantly, leaving her skin vulnerable to secondary infections.
Many commercial flea and tick treatments, however, contain chemicals you might prefer to avoid using on your pet. Imidacloprid, common in commercial flea repellents, can cause lethargy, loss of appetite, coughing and other side effects in dogs or cats. Natural flea and tick treatments may be better alternatives for your pet.
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Garlic as a Flea Treatment
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Fleas are less likely to stick around if they don't like the way your dog tastes. Add garlic to your dog's food to make him a much less desirable source of food. Finely mince the garlic to maximize the effects of its active ingredient, allicin. Mix it into your pet's food. Use fresh whole cloves. Don't refrigerate the garlic; store it in a cool dark place. Garlic will also help your dog's immune system fight secondary skin infections if he is already infested with fleas.
Although there is some controversy about garlic's toxicity for dogs, holistic vet Dr. Richard Pitcairn says he uses it in concentrations of 1/8 tsp. per cup of food with no adverse effects for either dogs or cats.
Using a Flea Comb
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Get a flea comb at your local pet store. It's a small, extremely fine-toothed comb with a wide or extendable hand grip. Fill a container with hot soapy water, and as you comb your pet's fur, examine the comb for fleas and unattached ticks. Pull off the fleas you find and drop them in the container of water. The soap breaks the water's surface tension so the fleas will drown. Ticks don't drown in water, so have a small dish of alcohol handy if you think you'll find any. Use the flea comb outdoors if possible, because it can be a messy process.
Cover yourself and the area where you're working, unless you're outdoors, with a towel. Comb your pet daily during flea season. Concentrate on the hindquarters, back, neck, and head where fleas congregate. Your cat may paw and snap at the air because it enjoys being combed so much. Dump the dirty water down the drain when you're done. Flea combs aren't recommended for long-haired animals.
Using a Tick Scoop
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A tick scoop, available at your pet store, resembles a kitchen measuring spoon. It has a small V-shaped notch at the edge of its bowl opposite the handle. When you find a tick either crawling on or attached to your pet, hold the scoop perpendicular with the notch close to the tick. Simply slide the notch around the tick and scoop the insect off your pet. Drop it in alcohol or wrap it in toilet tissue and flush it.
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