Safe and Non Toxic Flea Control

Been there, done that.  Having grown up with dogs, all my life, dog flea control is important!  Nobody wants to be petting their dog & have pesky fleas all over the place.  Years have gone by since the old fashioned flea collars.  Now we have new & improved flea protection for our dogs.  Dog flea treatments like Advantage Flea Control, Frontline Flea Medicine are the two that come to mind.  But are these topical flea products safe?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, there are some dangers & risks.  Some side effects can include rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures & even death.  Personally I would rather figure a safer alternative to keeping fleas off of my dog Dexter.  Especially since we are talking about something that is non-life-threatening.  I cannot tell you what you should do, this is certainly a personal preference & one I came to with our holistic veterinarian.   

Our regimen includes regular (2-3 weeks) dog bathing.  And you guessed it, I do my best to use a safe dog shampoo that is free of additives or preservatives.  Our go to dog shampoos include Neem Protect Shampoo, Viva La Dog Spa For Sensitive Skin & Buddys Bath Bar. 

Daily dog brushing & grooming is essential to ensure there are not any fleas & ticks on Dexter The Dog.  If I find a flea or tick on Dexter, I quickly remove it.  The Centers For Disease Control has some tips on how to safely remove a tick from your dog.  Once either the flea or tick is removed from your dog, wrap securely in a tissue & flush down your toilet.  Watch to make sure it all went down, you dont want him crawling back up!

When I take Dexter for a walk at a park, the woods, or somewhere else that has the potential to have a high rate of fleas or ticks, I spray on a natural & safe flea & tick prevention called Best Yet Natural Mosquito Repellent on his legs, tail, chest & back.  The second product I use is Vetri-Science Vetri Repel.  I use one or the other, and both products have been working well for Dexter & me.   Best Yet Natural Mosquito Repellent is a dryer spray & smells like cedar.   Vetri-Science Vetri Repel is a bet wetter (not too much) and smells like lemon.  By the way, I use them on me too!  I am a magnet for mosquitoes & Ive had the most success with this product, particularly for me the Best Yet Natural Mosquito Repellent, although I dont like the smell of cedar.

Finally, but certainly not last is our monthly flea control & heartworm protection from Sentinel.  Because heartworms can be deadly to dogs, we do feel the need for monthly protection during the warmer months here in Ohio.   Sentinel protects dogs from heartworms & as a bonus Sentinel kills flea eggs before they hatch, killing the life cycle and preventing a flea infestation.        

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