flea and tick prevention

i thought this might be a useful link for those of you who dont want to use chemicals on your dogs...

i thought you might find it useful in partiular paula after the nasty episode with mimi

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/forum/8960.html

Great post Shelley, thank you :love:

http://www.sdearthtimes.com/et0696/et0696s4.html

There is a link on there too, havent read it yet but putting it here so I dont lose it

no problemo... just call me linky langharr lol :2431:

:san42: :san42: :san42:

Feed your pets fresh, whole foods - try to avoid meat by-products, preservatives and artificial colorings. Add either brewer's or nutritional yeast, fresh garlic or flaxseed oil (found at health food stores) to pet food for skin health and flea repellent. My dogs Sophie and Hamlet love the taste.
I use PETA's recipe for the skin: slice up two lemons and pour nearly boiling water over them, then soak overnight. The next day, strain the liquid and pour into a spray bottle. The dogs get spritzed liberally and then the solution is massaged into their coats. Citrus oil kills and repels fleas and the pooches smell great, too. I spray their bedding, as well. Cats hate to be sprayed and find citrus offensive, so for felines, make a solution of one ounce pennyroyal oil (also found at health food stores) with 18 ounces of water. Sponge this solution onto kitty and massage it into the coat. You can also spray dogs with this solution - they don't mind. WARNING: Be sure to dilute pennyroyal - it can be toxic to pets if used alone. Skin that is irritated from scratching and flea bites can be soothed by applying aloe vera, nature's miracle healer.
Treatment for your house and yard. Most flea eggs are laid on bedding, not the living host. So commit to vacuuming rugs, floor cracks and furniture frequently, every two to three days, during the peak flea seasons - summer and fall - especially if there is an abundance of rain. Flea eggs can still hatch in the vacuum bag, so invest in extra bags and change them after each use. In severe cases, rugs should be steam-cleaned. May 5th is "Be Kind to Pets Week": give your pets the gift of cedar-filled beds, which repel fleas, with removable covers that you can launder often. You can also place sticky paper flea traps and a small light bulb in a darkened room to attract fleas. For the yard, WTC recommends beneficial nematodes - tiny worms that infect and kill flea larvae. They can eliminate over 90 percent of larvae in 24 hours following the first application.

This is excellent, if it works :2445:

I will be experimenting with this one in the summer

ooooh i think i will have a go at the sprays myself lol....