Flea, Tick and Worming Treatments

“Fleas & Tick” conventional and alternative treatments.

As loving and responsible pet owners, it is natural to want to protect and prevent against unwanted “visitors” and accordingly we are encouraged to administer a flea and tick deterrent, in a “prevention is better than cure” regime, in a monthly, three monthly or even nine monthly cycle. Consider what this actually means? You are applying harsh chemicals to the skin of your dog, or orally administered, which remains in their system for months. In twenty-five years we have only ever had one problem with fleas, when according to the vet, the whole of the UK was experiencing a pandemic! This was several years ago and I nuked the dogs with “Bravecto” (Now banned in the States) and the house, carpets and beds with all manner of sprays, candles, bombs etc., and yes we were flea free in a few hours, but I dread to think at what cost to the dog’s health and ours! Oral preventatives containing isoxazoline (e.g. Nexgard, Simparica, Credelio, Bravecto) also do not prevent tick attachment, but they have a relatively fast tick kill time.

A few years ago I met with a fellow dog walker who was desperately trying to keep her dog out of the stream, being newly “flea and tick” treated and on the instruction from her vet. Water companies have also complained about the affect of sewage and chemicals entering our waterways which in turn are so damaging to our wildlife and the ecosystems.

Handsome Finlay coursing through the meadows above the Helford.

Ticks can carry and infect with Lyme’s disease.

Ticks can be active all year round, but they are most active in the months April to July, and sometimes later in the autumn. Activity continues over the winter months but at a significantly reduced level. They live in many different outdoor environments but are particularly common in grassy and wooded areas which is why our dogs can so easily pick them up. Ticks can become infected with Lyme disease bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) by feeding on infected animals, primarily small rodents, and then transmit the bacteria to dogs through their bites. Thankfully numbers are low and most tick bites harmless.

Sadie in a meadow full of buttercups

Natural and homeopathic treatments

There are many tried and tested natural solutions which are kind to your dog and environment:- You can make a mix of your own incorporating Natural essential oils from rosemary, cedar, lemongrass, peppermint, citronella and geranium which are believed to be particularly noxious to ticks, and homemade repellent recipes frequently incorporate these oils into lotions or sprays to repel them. A simple Google search will provide a plethora of suppliers, but a favourite is a company called “Natural Enzymes” and “Proflax”. You also have Neem oil, derived from the neem tree, which is used as a natural pesticide and insecticide for plants, and animals. There are many sprays containing Neem oil which can be used safely and effectively on your dog’s coats.

Worming your dog

It will come as no surprise that I don’t “worm” my dogs in the traditional sense but in line with a holistic and homeopathic approach they are given dried rabbit ears periodically and I use a Laboratory (FecLab) once a year for a worm count which has always been returned “negative”. Traditional treatments are a monthly dose of Panacur - Tablets contain Febantel 525mg, Pyrantel Embonate 504mg (equivalent to Pyrantel 175mg), Praziquantel 175mg or Drontal -Tablets contain praziquantel, pyrantel embonate and febantel. NFA-VPS. Drontal®

Historically, bitches are wormed before mating and then puppies wormed at three, five and seven weeks. We dread having to administer this thick, sticky, pink liquid. You have chubby, contented happy pups who go into a decline for 24 hours while their tiny tums are scoured to rid them of parasites they do not have. All my pups went from my last litter with a Feclab worm count kit and all were free of all parasites.