The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Ever since my husband and I came out in rashes from our cats' toxic "tick treatment" given from the vet, we had to find alternatives.
I now use a pinch of sulphur (bright yellow powder you can buy from livestock places) in their food every day during tick season. Been doing this for 4 years and found no fleas and only about 1 tick per year on our cats, which is excellent considering we live in tick central country!
This is an old livestock remedy that apparently also works for humans!
I also sometimes add a bit of kunzea oil (diluted 1:4 with liquid coconut oil) on the nape of the cat's neck. Just for good measure... the sulphur is my consistent remedy though.
Posted by Rainman (Central, Vt, Usa) on 07/19/2010
Linda, if you are a teacher of science, you must know that carbon dioxide (CO2) is only a biproduct of the secondary reaction of this mixture. Basically acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate create the unstable carbonic acid which immediately breaks down into water and CO2 (fizzing). However, once the CO2 has been dispersed in the air you are left with nothing more than sodium acetate diluted in water (no more fizzing). Which is basically a common electrolyte. Simply put: Once the fizzing has stopped. . . So does the production of carbon dioxide. Do not consume while fizzing.
Posted by Riccirak (White Lake, Michigan ) on 05/21/2023 ★★★★★
Safe tick removal on pets
Wild oil of oregano is what we use on our dogs to remove ticks. It is a great anti viral as well. I put two drops of the oil directly on the tick and next morning you will find it dead in the bedding. Then I put colloidal silver on bite wound.
Here in England we have deer and sheep ticks and I discovered that sprinkling a shake or 2 of Cayenne Pepper and Turmeric onto my dogs food stops fleas and ticks. When other dog owners, who walked there dogs in the forest, were complaining they and there dogs had been bitten, my dogs remained clear.
Don't see why it wouldn't help people too.
Just be aware that Cayenne Pepper can thin the blood so if your dog is on blood thinners best avoid.
Posted by Suzy (Queensland AUSTRALIA) on 12/10/2021 ★★★★★
Regarding ticks. We get nasty paralysis ticks here. I've tried cedar oil alone which didn't do much. So I started mixing it with neem horse spray which was more effective. For bites, I dose with 1x tablespoon of activated charcoal mixed into BARF food. 1.5hrs later the paralysis was gone. My border collie also had his eye swollen shut as well as lost his back leg movement. All without any nasty liver damage from drugs. I don't find the Baltic Amber collars work for ticks, yet are far more effective for fleas. And my cat (maine coon mix) has never had any ticks or fleas with his collar.
For parasites and worms I use a Don Croft style zapper first designed by Dr.HULDA Clark, twice a year I'll add parasite drops to their food. I just hold the zapper on their belly at night while they doze for 20 mins.
Posted by Cole Vidrine (Cali, Colombia) on 01/14/2017
Open dogs mouth, place pill at back of throat, close mouth, blow on dogs nose. They will swallow the pill believe me. I used to worm my dogs with huge worm pills and they will swallow them in a second. Cats as well can be given pills this way. If you don't agree that is you it is effective works every time and quick.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
First things first: have you scoured over every inch of your dog's skin for other ticks? Continued/worsening symptoms *may* indicate an undiscovered tick still feeding on your dog, so be sure to check every skin fold, between the toes, **everywhere** to make sure there are no ticks still feeding on your dog.
Next, the Neurontin aka gabapentin can be ordered online -it requires a prescription, but if you feel that it helped then its something to consider pursuing, ie get a prescription from your vet and fill it elsewhere.
If the holistic product you purchased helped then you may wish to consider continued use of the product as this condition requires a lengthy recovery time. There are numerous online sources for the Tick-Immune Solution, but Rescue Remedy is commonly available at most health food or health supplement stores - no need to wait for the mail to arrive, you should be able to find that locally.
MMS is something I have no experience with using, and although you can google up sources it would still take time to arrive.
Posted by Richard (Brisbane, Queensland Australia) on 01/26/2012 ★★★★★
We had 2 cats. Bella was found half paralysed and we took her to the vet. The vet removed the tick and administered anti venom. She didn't make it.
A week later we found Chewy half paralysed. It was Saturday afternoon and the vet was closed. I searched the internet and found an article about a foal that had recovered from a paralysis tick by feeding it Paw Paw. We hand fed Chewy Paw Paw which wasn't easy as he was virtually dead. Not moving his body at all. He was barely even breathing. We had to put the food as far down his throat as we could without choking him and massage his neck for it to go down to his stomach. We fed him 4-5 times a day mulched up Paw Paw and he was fully recovered in one week.
Paw Paw is known to heal wounds and is now commercially sold as an ointment.
Posted by Sue (San Rafael, California Usa) on 01/22/2012 ★★★★★
Have any of you tried cedar oil for ticks? Last year, after tick collars and Frontline Plus stopped working, and I became concerned about the toxic effects of them anyway, I bought a cedar oil spray. I put it on them once a day when we we go hiking in the hills around our house, which are filled with ticks during the winter rainy season (backwards from the mid-west where I used to live). I spray them directly if it is not too windy and also spray it in my palm (I usually wear a surgical glove when I do this so my hands don't smell cedary) to rub around the face and tummy area. As long as I do this, they pick up very few ticks, and usually only on areas I forgot to cover well. Before, the lighter colored of my two dogs, who is a tick magnet, could come home with 30 or more ticks walking on him, even with the Frontline, and I routinely spent 40 minutes brushing him to get them out. You can also spread some of the oil on any imbedded ticks, and it will usually kill them in a few minutes, though they still have to be pulled out, but they come easier.
My dogs also seem not to get fleas on them since I have been using this oil. I assume it works similar to the other oils mentioned here and I might try these as well, plus the diatemaceus earth in my yard. Thanks for all the good advice by everyone here.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
I agree ticks should be removed. I like to use a drop or two of tea tree oil on the tick - and then wait 5 or so minutes and the tick will die. I then use an ordinary human hair comb to comb the dead tick out and then toss/flush away. The tea tree oil not only kills the tick it works well as a disinfectant too.
Posted by Tara (Baton Rouge, La) on 12/25/2011 ★★★★★
My cat had a tick behind his eat for a while because I didn't know what it was. Luckily my brother came over one day and recognized it. I had some food grade diatomaceous earth on hand because I've used it for other things. I sprinkled some on the tick area and rubbed it in once daily. The tick just seemed to shrink and disappear and was gone within a week or two. I even forgot to do it some days. :D
I also sprinkle it on my cats' fur and rub in every now and then to control fleas. It works well.
Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth is awesome and has many uses and benefits. I bought 50 lbs. online.
Posted by Jim (Ban Klong Tong Nûea, Songkhla, Thailand) on 06/19/2012
Just wanted to tip my hat to Jim in Pattaya for taking care of the strays.
I live about 28 kilometers from the border checkpoint of Dannock, Northern Malaysia - Southern Thailand. My home is a tiny cottage buried deep in the jungle in the fruit tree orchard hills of Ban Klong Tong Nûea, a tiny village tucked away near Ban Thung Lung.
My first dog, "Puppy" was a Thai ridgeback cross that I found dumped, with his brothers and sisters at the local Buddhist temple. My second dog, "Chok" was rescued from certain death after wandering onto a busy road as a very young puppy. Unfortunately, both dogs died within weeks of each other after a couple years... victims of Leptospirosis, a disease carried by rats and often on host animals such as cats.
After my two dogs died, several strays began showing up at my house, since none of the local strays would have ever come here due to Puppy's agressive nature.... He was a fighter. I believe the animals all knew I was an animal lover, no doubt. So, I began feeding them and now my hoard has grown to a grand total of nine dogs and five cats. But, this year is a bad one for ticks. Not sure why. So, was surfing a few websites looking for some home cures and saw your post!
Kudo's to you Jim! Keep up the good deeds, as I shall! Jim
Posted by Shirley (Midwest, USA) on 09/10/2007 ★★★★★
Borax Bath, ACV remedies -- I have two dogs; both are less than 5 lbs. One has itchy skin so I started using the borax solution bath on both dogs. In about 3 hours after the bath, the one with itchy skin was scratching again. I didn't know what to do at that point so I rubbed dry baking soda over her whole body. While I had her on her back applying the soda under her legs, she went to sleep. It was that comforting to her. Anytime she starts scratching and it seems it won't quit and I don't have time to do a bath, I have been using the baking soda. She seems to love it and her skin stops itching for at least 3 days.
While she was in her comfort zone of no itching, she was walking better, running and playing and wasn't so scared all the time. So the itching was causing some social behavior problems too. I have tried both recipes of borax and peroxide and then I've done borax and ACV, Her skin still itches after each but she does seem a lot better then before, not quite as much scratching going on. One question though.
Do you think if I added some baking soda to the solution that would help her since the dry soda does wonders for her? They do not have mange or fleas. Also I have been putting a teaspoon of ACV in their drinking water all summer. Their water bowl holds 2 & 3/4 cups water. I do add about 1/16 teaspoon of baking soda to the vinegar. For a couple years I was putting the medicine on their backs for fleas and ticks. Ticks are the worst problem here. I decided to put the ACV in their water and I then stopped the spot on- medicine. They have gone the whole summer without getting one tick on them. We live in a heavily wooded area with lots of tall grasses where ticks love to wait for a host to walk by so they can latch onto them. Both dogs play in the woods a lot because they are always looking for something to chase Using the ACV water instead of the medicine has saved me a bunch of money and made both dogs a lot healthier.
Posted by Linda (Montgomery, Alabama) on 07/01/2010
Shirley from Midwest, USA said she puts baking soda in her dogs water with vinegar. I hope she knows this combination creates carbon dioxide. This is used in my teaching science experiments to create volcano eruptions. I don't think she wants to give her dogs this combination. It could be deadly for her dogs. I hope she reads this.
Read up on homeopathics as well. 1m ledum palustre over three days 3x per day is suppose to help infection. Not sure if not catching at a certain time will make the homeopathic more effective. Try also olive leaf capsule (google for correct dosage) Great for tick borne infections. Also, check out the whole dog journal on lymes homeopathic protocol. Apparently lots of success. Hang in there!
Posted by Frances (Land O' Lakes, Fl usa) on 05/21/2012 ★★★★★
Rose Geranium Oil- My cat had a huge tick on her tail. I soaked a Q-tip in geranium oil and placed it on the tick where it was attached. Within seconds it fell off. I picked the tick up with a tweezers, and placed it in alcohol to die. What an easy and effective remedy.
Posted by Pennie (Indpl, In, Usa) on 10/16/2010 ★★★★★
Natural Flea & Tick Remedy
Hi everyone! After almost losing our Baby Kitty to those dangerous advantage medications, I decided to figure out a way to live without using them year after year. So I did searches and found out about, "Diatomaceous Earth". This stuff is miraculous! I found mine at the local True Value Store, but you can also buy online at different retailers. BUY: FOOD GRADE! I spread this in all different areas of my lawn as well, and within 48 hours you have no more ticks or fleas. It harms all insects. I have plenty of flowers bees, and other wonderful insects roaming around, but this gets rid of the fleas and ticks really great. And I put it down on the ground on a NON-Windy day. ALSO: WEAR A MASK TO PREVENT BREATHING THIS SUBSTANCE! It worked great and I will never have to buy pesticide and put it on my animals again!! Late fall I again had fleas on my dog and all I did was put small quantity on his fur and within 48 hours all fleas were dead, then I washed him, the fur was slightly dry, but so well worth it to keep him flea free. After 3 days I washed him and put some good conditioner on him and he felt great. Usually you just have to put the Diatomaceous Earth around their tail and back area. Again in the fall, I put more of the earth around the areas that he lays in and no more fleas, after it rains you will have to put it back down again, but it's cheap. I also put it on all my fruit tree's and surrounding tree's to keep the leaf hoppers off, and my tree's look great too! Hope this works for all of you looking for a natural approach. With carefully placing it on the ground, I did not harm any beneficial bugs that roamed freely on my flowers. Lot's-O-Love to all our Animal Lovers out there! Pennie"
Hi Pennie from Indpl, I also use food grade Diatomaceous Earth. It is awesome stuff. I use it around my foundation to kill fleas and ticks, instead of pesticides. I also mix 1/2 cup, with 1 tablespoon of dish washing soap, into a gallon of water. I mix this into a pump sprayer and spray my lawn. It's alot less messy looking, than spreading it dry. No tick and fleas;0) You can also give it to your dog as a dewormer. I don't use it as a dewormer, because I use garlic and RAW ACV. Garlic will get rid of heartworms and intestinal parasites and ACV will get rid of fleas. I've also used Diatomaceous Earth, to get rid of bed bugs. Fill up a sock and pat around your house. Wear a dust mask while doing this. Than leave your house until the dust settles. Leave it there for 3 weeks and say goodbye to the bed bugs and roaches;0)
We have a tick infestation out here, so I try ACV and garlic to rid these bloodsuckers. I don't think it really helps for ticks. I'm always pulling 3-5 ticks off him, after we come out of the woods. What I did fine to be effective was lemon eucalyptus oil and witch hazel. Mix it 10 parts witch hazel and 1 part lemon eucalyptus oil in a spray bottle. Spray you and your pet down and you should see a great reduction. Most times I find no ticks on my dog, but sometimes I find one ;0( At least I'm not putting toxic chemicals on either of us ;0) Thanks for this site, I wanted to give A little back.
I have had ticks fall off if in my house. I have been lucky so far and caught them before they could mass multiply. I would dust my house with food grade Diatomaceous earth. It should get rid of your tick problem. Only put down a fine dust. Do not use too much. I fill it in an old sock and pat it around the house. Make sure you use a dust mask and than leave your home until the dust settles. I'm still experimenting with the lemon eucalyptus oil mix. I had to add other oils to the mix, because it wasn't effective by itself. I also am using distilled or filtered water, instead of witch hazel. I'll keep this thread updated on my progress. As of now this is the mix:
10 drops of rose geranium oil 15 drops tea tree essential oil 15 drops lavender essential oil 10 drops cedarwood essential oil 10 drops lemon eucalyptus oil 4 oz. Distilled or filtered water
Hi, I wanted to give an update. I use a new mix that is highly effective at repelling ticks. It works on skeeters and biting deer flies too;0) It last a couple hours so you have to keep spraying, but it's alot more effective than pesticides.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
4 drops neem oilwith a teaspoon and mixed them with 20 drops rapeseed oil. This results in about 2 mL, which is plenty for one treatment.
Part the hair on your kitty and apply to the skin - you do not want it all over the fur. Apply between shoulder blades, on the neck and top of head, and on the back and at base of tail. It helps to first remove all the ticks that are already on the cat - I do this by using essential oil of lemon on a q-tip or swab and use directly on the tick. Wait 3 minutes for the tick to die and remove using a human hair comb to gently pull it out- just comb through the fur and the tick will come off in the teeth of the comb. You should check your cat daily for ticks if you do not want the house infested.
Posted by Tucson_arizona (Tucson, Arizona, U.s.a.) on 05/16/2010 ★☆☆☆☆
I have been giving our 3 month old puppy Magnum Garlic for kennel cough, which has worked awesome, however we have still been finding ticks on him, so I do not recommend garlic for ticks.
WRONG!! Garlic contains little thiosulphate in comparison to onions! A dog would have to ingest ALOT of garlic to incur any negative effects. As a veterinary student, your posting is disappointing.
It seems to be a myth that garlic is toxic to dogs (maybe similar to the one about cinnamon powder and cats?). At least according to many holistic vets who haven't seen garlic poisoning in any of their canine patients. We have fed our > 2 yr old dogs garlic as soon as we adopted them as 2 month olds. No problem whatsoever, but perhaps healthier dogs than w/o garlic (we use fresh garlic).
I read with interest all the posts pertaining to using Apple Cider Vinegar or white vinegar for flea control on dogs. Could someone tell me why Apple Cider Vinegar works better than the white vinegar? I just mixed up some white vinegar, a few drops cedarwood oil, and water to spray my dogs with. It seems to be working, but if Apple Cider Vinegar is better, I will switch.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
I use both white vinegar and the raw, organic, unfilitered/'with the mother' type apple cider vinegar with my pack.
I use the white vinegar for cleaning or bathing or in a spritzer bottle; the vinegar scent isn't so attractive to fleas and it does a nice job balancing the PH of the skin when used as a rinse after a bath which helps keep the skin healthy.
The more expensive organic, raw Apple Cider vinegar 'with the mother'/live cultures I use medicinally /for taking internally. This can be added to the drinking water or added to food. This type of vinegar while acidic to start in the body has an alkalizing effect; this too serves to balance the body's PH which makes for a healthier body; a body out of balance attracts fleas - a balanced body is not attractive to fleas.
The other kind of apple cider vinegar is the cheap stuff; this stuff is just white vinegar with stuff added to it so it can be called apple cider vinegar. I don't bother with this type of ACV at all.
Read this earthclinic link. It explains why organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is so much more beneficial than white vinegar and other regular vinegars:
"There is nothing beneficial about commercial distilled vinegars except for pickling, cleaning and disinfection ---they have no health value! They do not contain the health values of organic, raw apple cider vinegar with the mother still intact and viable. Distilled white vinegar and cider vinegar sold in supermarkets are considered "dead" vinegars with none of the enzymes and other live factors that make raw, unpasteurized vinegars so valuable. Distilling removes the beneficial "mother" from the vinegar, thereby, destroying the powerful enzymes and life giving minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, natural organic sodium, magnesium, sulphur, iron copper, natural organic fluorine, silicon, trace minerals, pectin and other powerful nutrients. Also destroyed are natural malic and tartaric acids, which are important in fighting body toxins and inhibiting unfriendly bacteria growth (_____ 1- 4)."
Thank you so much for clarifying that. Yesterday I went ahead and mixed up some of my Bragg's vinegar, water, and cedarwood oil while I was waiting for someone to answer my post. I will use it , then I will go back to the white vinegar, and save the Bragg's for me. You sound like you really know about fleas and vinegar. Thanks again!
There is no reason not to combine them as they produce nothing toxic when mixed. The reaction of baking soda and vinegar produces sodium acetate (an electrolyte), water, and carbon dioxide.
I have a Chi X that was bitten by a paralysis tick & it was a long time before I found it (this is not even the right time of year for them to be out here! ). Wasted $172 at my clinic- all the near-intern did was test him for everything but that- all negative (said they had to have the tick to test for that.& it would be days before the results would be back. I didn't have it). I told him I KNEW that's what it was. All he said was there's nothing they can do for it!!! Even I know Neurontin helps! I got a kit (even express took a week) from a holistic practitioner in Australia & it has saved his life, but I'm out of her rescue remedy & he is suffering. The "official" brand is glycerin based & doesn't help very much, very quick. I assume hers must be alcohol based. He is not improving- mornings I fear I'm going to lose him. I came here to look for something that might detox, as traditional medicine has nothing. I got MMS when I did a search for "tick paralysis". I've never heard of it & don't know where to get it & I am desperate. Please help!
For any toxin I would use sodium ascorbate (a form of vitamin C). The substance has reversed many poisons very quickly. It can be give orally or IM/IV. I would check out the documentaries by Dr Thomas Levy, Dr Suzanne Humphries and the late Dr Frederick Klenner. It should be in everyone's home....You can find it at Iherb.
Posted by Maryland (Los Angeles, Ca, Usa) on 09/03/2011 47 posts ★★★★★
Apply a few drops on your dog every day if they have ticks. I applied on both my dogs last year when I discovered that they had HUGE ticks hiding in their paws and behind their ears, plus several other little ticks in their body :( The ticks disappeared after a week or two.
I like to apply this oil on them every now and then to keep them free from ticks.
To Maggi23 from Bristol, Uk, the symptoms you decribe sound more like food allergies than a tick problem. One does not feel tick bites. Ticks secrete a substance that dull sensation so you do not feel the bite.
Try feeding a raw diet, no grains, no veggies, no fruit. Meat & bones. Monitor bone eating. Teach your dog like traching a toddler to eat solid food. NEVER feed anything smaller than it's head. The skull portion. Make them "work" the bone. I really think your dog has an allergy to what you are feeding. Absolutely No Commercial Food. Know what you are feeding.
You may also consider vaccine reaction. Do not revaccinate. Do Titer testing first. If you vaccinate needlessly you will compromise your companions immune system. If I were you, I would find another Vet. Steroids only mask the root problem. Have blood work done, testing for any tick bourne diseases, to rule that out. Find a Good Vet, that will find cause not do trial & error medicating/bandaides. Steroids can damage organs & do not correct cause.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
I'm with you all the way in avoiding applying poison to my pets!
To keep your pets parasite free, you may wish to use cedar granules /cedarcide in the yard - you will need to reapply from time to time, but cedar does a great job at keeping fleas and ticks at bay in the yard.
Next, daily grooming is essential during the flea and tick season. Comb with a flea comb targeting the areas where fleas congregate; the groin, armpits and then ears, eyes and mouth.
And then as you know, using a repellant prior to going for walks outdoors.
For one person, 1 drop of rose geranium oil applied at both base of tail and between the shoulder blades of her dog worked well for this gal:
Update: After being in the woods today, I Still found a couple of ticks on my dog. It was much better than usual. Usually it would be 5-10 ticks. This is the worst time of year for ticks. Also, I found the ticks crawling. They did not bite my dog. This mix looks good so far;0) I'll keep this thread updated.
I forgot to mention to only use essential oils. Do not use fragrance oils. Also only use them diluted according to the mix. Do not use them full strength.
Can I spray it on my cat as well?. My cats been getting ticks all over her ears lately. She's an outdoor cat so she's often outside. When she started getting the ticks, we've been preventing her from getting inside the house, afraid that the ticks would drop inside the house. It's been getting worse. My whole family been getting ticks on their body too. The worse was almost inside the two years old kid that I was babysitting. I've been trying to find ways but I'm about to give up and give my cat away for the sake of my family. If there's any other natural way to remove and prevent the ticks from coming back please do tell me. It'd mean so much. Thanks.
Posted by Doglvrx3 (Westside, Ma) on 03/29/2012 ★★★★★
Garlic is okay for dogs in the right dosage. If you buy garlic formulated specifically for dogs and follow the directions, it is quite safe. Dosages too high can be toxic. My lab has been on it for 2 years now. Bug Off Garlic from springtimeinc.com.
I have lost several cats to cytauxzoonosis, a disease carried by bobcats and transmitted to domestic cats through tick bites. Most tick treatments do NOT prevent the tick from biting - they only kill the tick after it has bitten the cat. Does anyone know of something that works as a tick repellent? This disease is horrible and fatal.
I live in Thailand. I have 10 dogs. (all strays). My dogs were covered in ticks Some dogs had hundreds of ticks on them. I had tried everything. Tick collars, Frontline (Which was useless) Sprays dips you name it I have tried it. I started using a product containing PERMETHRIN. Not had a tick in months. The dogs are happy again
Permethrin is toxic for cats. Don't use it on them. It's fine on dogs and its used in fly spray for horses and cattle but it can be deadly for cats. I wouldn't use it even on a dog that lives with cats. Be careful.
I love this site. Use it soo much. Was looking up tick problems for a friend, and come across this monologue of not pulling off the ticks. I have NEVER left the ticks on my dogs. When I find one or more they are removed as soon as I can. With my bare fingers. Yes, just my fingers. Have never any problems, at all. I also I find a tick om me, sometimes in summer. Same thing off comes the tick, no antiseptic on me or the dogs. Ever. My vet sometimes has to do ear tick removal, he uses no antiseptic either. Stop leaving the ticks on. Get them off. My family has never let ticks stay on. Sorry to sound mad, but come on get the tick off, use tweezers if you are scared. But get them off. The heads will die faster, with no problems.
Posted by Sharon (South Hadley, MA) on 06/01/2008 ★★★★☆
I just got my June/July issue of Mother Earth News and in their reader-reported tips section, someone wrote in about an old-time remedy for ticks. Apparently if you drink a quart of buttermilk every day the ticks will leave you alone. The change in smell of perspiration repels them. Not sure how anyone would manage a quart of buttermilk a day, but perhaps a lesser amount would work. Maybe this is an effective remedy for the doggies in our lives too. Thought I would mention it for the folks in the Lyme disease areas.
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