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Flea,Tic, and Heartworm Preventatives

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • A

    I’d like to switch from prescription medication (Interceptor and Bravecto) to natural homemade solutions. Way too many listicles about ACV and oil/extract concoctions online though.
    Anyone here have experience with holistic alternatives? Preferably in the same general environment (greater NYC or tri-state area). Thanks!

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  • elbrantE

    No guarantees, but...

    Fleas & Ticks:

    • Cedar is a natural repellent for fleas: Scatter cedar shavings inside the "dog house" if you have one. Or, fill a dog bed with them. The kind they sell in the pet stores work fine.

    • Flea & Tick Spray: Combine ingredients in a spray bottle: 1/4 C Witch Hazel, 1/4 C Aloe Vera Juice, 10 drops of Lavender and Lemon Oils, 20 drops Cedar Oil. Do not spray this on the dogs face, avoid getting it into their eyes.

    • Homemade Flea Bath: Mix 1/4 C White Vinegar, 1/4 C Dawn Dish soap, and 1/2 C water. Lather up dog with solution (avoid face, eyes, ears, mouth, nose). Wait 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Dry pup well.

    Heart worms:
    Heart worms are passed to the dog by mosquitoes who have bitten an infected dog. This concern is less prevalent in NY than in other eastern locations. It may be a concern if you are traveling south during the summer months. Mosquitoes require a mere tablespoon of water to breed, but the cold winter months tends to kill off the mosquito population. I do not know of anything that would be effective in preventing mosquitoes from biting an animal. Being a coastal NC resident, I swear by Avon's Skin So Soft spray. I do not know if this is safe to use on an animal.

    elbrant.net

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  • A

    Very belated thanks for these. Your spray formula works well in wooded areas from Westchester County up through the Hudson Valley area.

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  • tanzaT

    I would never take a chance with heart worm... I use NuHeart that is just for heart worm... small pill once a month... we do not have issues with heart worm in NoCal but I do not take a chance. I use it year round. In the area that there is frost/frozen for the winter you can use it just in the spring/summer/fall months.
    For fleas/ticks I use frontline but only when I see fleas... again in NoCal not too much of an issue.. I need to use it maybe about twice a year and only when need or if I am traveling with the pups.

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    2

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  • D

    Flea Products

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    I have used frontline and advantage for over 20 yrs without issue, but I do the spray on frontline, not the top spot. I have had maybe 10 fleas in 6 yrs at most so I rarely use anything most years. See a flea? I hit them with frontline. It has been 4 yrs but I just found a flea so I ordered a new bottle on line from amazon. I know many give monthly pills but I hate giving my dog internal meds for external issues. (Except capstar, which I do use if I pick up a rescue with fleas and give it an hour or 2 to do it's job before taking it into my house!) As for natural, people swear by them, but study after study after study finds they do very little. Fleas carry disease. Some of the store brands are worthless, others report major issues. If they only got them at kennel, then you might luck out with one treatment but probably you need one now, one in a month, one in 2 mos and that should clear it. Cedar is toxic and no longer recommended at all (though some put in center of bedding, cover with other material, which is probably safe). Frontline and Advantage are safe for older dogs, and they have proven low rates of any issues if used right. Additionally, they sterilze the fleas so they help stop the problem. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=545
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  • AndrewA

    Fleas! Help!

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    @khanis: I have NEVER heard of these legendary fleas or mosquitos…. and I am a Portland native... and have NEVER had a flea issue with my basenjis [Whippet, IG, RR, Newfs, or cats]. Our home ranges from 3-6 basenjis on average and still no problem, even with dogs that come/go for showing or boarding. The only time I have treated them [my dogs] was prior to traveling to the midwest or east coasts. During the time I lived in Portland, which is at the very northern end of the Valley and has more wind than the lower Valley, I noticed a lot fewer fleas and 'skeeters. I can understand why you haven't experienced them. Try camping on the shores of Fern Ridge sometime. Make sure you take lots of DEET. I grew up there and, man, the 'skeeters are horrible!:eek: I can remember our dogs and cats had a rough time of it, too. We were always picking fleas off them. But that's the difference between living in the city and living in the back woods. The conditions in the lower Valley are perfect for the growth of fleas and mosquitos: standing water everywhere and very few hard freezes. (Gramma lives in the "sticks" too and has lots of both in her area outside Salem.) But, again, back to the subject, she used Brewer's Yeast and had pretty good results with it.
  • AnnA

    Proactive Arthritis Prevention?

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    snorky998S
    Swimming was my first thought as well. I also recalled a post from WilysMom when Wily was going through therapy to regain leg strength and make Wily use all his legs equally, and she was advised to walk Wily in sand. (Wilys accident and injuries were totally different but it made sense to me. Walk in a medium that keeps the dog a little off balance so all legs are used, and one is not favored.) You could also try using glucosamine treats once a day or so as a preventative.
  • nobarkusN

    Flea control

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    nobarkusN
    @MacPack: We are in Florida and some years fleas are terrible in the summer. We use either Advantage or Frontline when we start to see a few fleas, and re-apply when we start to see fleas again, usually about every 6 weeks through the summer and fall. I have used it on an 18 year old with no problems. I feel that the problems fleas can cause outweigh the occasional use of a fairly benign chemical, and certainly keep the dogs more comfortable! If we lived where fleas were not a big problem, I would try some of the more natural remedies. Anne in Tampa You have an 18 year old? Wow how is he or she doing? I had a Tri color many years ago live to be 17-1/2.
  • C

    Heartworm treatment, NOT preventive

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    C
    @nala121498: I'm glad to know that he's progressing nicely and you are finding ways to adjust to it. Still keeping you guys in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery! Bless you Nala, Today has been a hard day for the whole family. Mom is having difficulty with her arthritis and the pain is very strong. I am ready with the pain meds as needed. Beeji must have gotten up full of the devil as he has been into waaaaaaaaay too many things today. We started out with the food battle. I put the mixed dry and wet into the bowl. He watched me as If he was the prince and had to say "No that doesn't suite me, take it away. Well after 20 minutes, I took up the food snacks. Anything he could reach such as rawhides etc were put away. We get dressed, leashed and ledding and are finally ready to go. We walked a double amount this morning and by the time I got him back t the house, I was exhausted but he was still pretty fiesty. We decided to head to the back yard where I can toss his floppy disk and he can chase it, growl at it, shake it in that death toss and then he flips it up and runs after it again. When we went in for lunch. He tried the begging route but Mom and I had talkd aobut how to reach him first and find a job fo him and