Have you noticed how many chemicals we are putting on and in
our pets? With canine cancer on the
rise, I cannot help but wonder if we are actually making our best friends
sick. I lost my collie, Lad, to cancer
when he was only 7 years old. We still
deeply miss our boy, and I hope to never go through that heartbreak again. Losing a beloved dog is hard enough, losing
him at a young age is devastating.
As a result I have become even more careful about what dog
food I choose to feed my collies, what vaccines they are given and also how we
treat fleas and ticks. For choosing a
dog food, there are plenty of websites now to help you choose a high quality food. But a good rule of thumb, stay away from any
dog foods that are sold at grocery stores or at Walmart. If those dog foods are your only option, then
do your research, and determine which of the foods available have the best
quality ingredients. And pay attention
to which foods have been recalled in recent years, that might indicate a
problem with quality control. These
websites will help:
There is also a growing concern that we are over-vaccinating
our dogs. If you think this might be the
case, then talk to your veterinarian.
Your vet’s main concern is the health and well-being of your dog, so
they should be able to advise you on which vaccines are necessary. To learn more, take a look at these articles:
The final issue, flea and tick prevention, is the one that
is concerning me the most right now as we are already seeing ticks in our area. When we put a topical flea and tick treatment
on our dogs, we are essentially putting a pesticide on them. A pesticide, that we as humans, are cautioned
to not let touch our skin. So I can’t help
but wonder, how safe is it really? I
remember one instance, shortly before Lad was diagnosed with cancer, when I
went to put Frontline on him. My brave
boy ran from me, and sat shaking in a corner.
I am not sure if it was the smell of the product, or if it was something
else that caused this reaction from him.
But I can’t help but worry, whenever I
remember his fear, even though he had never reacted that way before. Last year I switched to a different flea and
tick preventative, and I used it sparingly.
But after researching all-natural alternatives, I have decided to give
them a try this flea and tick season, to see just how effective they are in
preventing and repelling pests. I
thought I would share these alternatives with you, in case any of you are also
trying to avoid putting pesticides on your dogs this summer.
The first all-natural flea and tick repellant is apple cider
vinegar. I first learned about this
solution from another blogger, Collies of the Meadow. It is a very simple, inexpensive and easy to
use solution. Buy a spray bottle, mix
one third apple cider vinegar with two thirds water, and spray on your dog’s
coat weekly. Avoid getting the mixture
in their eyes, and make sure you get behind their ears, chest, armpits, and the
base of their tails. Some of you may be
wondering about the smell, as vinegar has a strong scent. But I have been using this mixture for years
to clean windows and counter tops, and as it dries, the smell disappears. I am told it will also leave your dog’s coat
shiny and healthy. Some sites have also
suggested adding one tablespoon of vinegar per gallon of drinking water, in
addition to spraying the dogs’ coats, as this will aid in repelling fleas and
ticks.
Another all-natural flea and tick repellant, for dogs only,
is also relatively simple. This tip came
from Wellness dog food. Buy a bandana,
and rub either eucalyptus, lavender or citronella oil onto the bandana. The scent of any of these essential oils
repels fleas and ticks, so choose your favorite and give it a try. The oil will have to be reapplied once a week
to the bandana for it to remain effective.
(and let it dry before putting it on your dog) Personally, I know that dogs do not care for
the smell of citronella, so I think I will try the lavender.
Will you give any of these a try? Do you have any tips or suggestions? And we also wanted to thank all you who signed the petition we mentioned in yesterday's post. We really appreciate your help!
