Alternative Remedies

[Dogs K]

I have heard there are a few alternative remedies etc around for flea control and/or itchy skin. I was just wondering if anyone hear has heard of any that work?

Thanks for your input.

[flame ryder]

I dont know about fleas but for itchy skin you can try coconut oil or fish oil tabs. We have a boxer with itchy skin issues and we are trying the fish oil. Have read many good things about the coconut oil.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I wouldn't use natural therapies for flea control - everyone that I've ever met that uses "natural" methods has animals with fleas.

I understand the dislike of using chemicals to kill fleas but it isn't healthy for an animal to be carrying fleas either for various reasons.

I've used coconut oil recently but have previously used olive oil.

If your dog has fleas it will itch, left untreated - the skin will become very sore.

I use Advocate or Advantage on mine (spot ons) and have no fleas. My friends often use Comfortis - oral tablet.

All can be bought at differing prices but I buy on the internet to save where I can.

[dogbesotted]

when my girl Lucinda was living with cancer.. the first sign of a dip in her wellbeing was always a big fle load. Her holistic vet said that she was always amazed by the number of people who would refuse to use anything other than some kind of alternative remedy for fleas ( when none in her opinion really work) Her view was to choose the least toxic -she recommended frontline - and combine that with using diatomaceous earth and loads of vacuuming. also using herbal sprays could assist with a repellent effect.

She thought the adverse effects of a flea burden was not acceptable for the quality of life of a pet.

H

[persephone]

I have tried some things in the past - they don't really work .

[dancinbcs]

Getting rid of fleas in the environment helps reduce the chemicals used on the dog so start by treating the dog with Advantage or Frontline and flea bomb the house at the same time. Also use a yard spray if you have sandy soil and make sure grass is kept short. In most areas Frontline Plus has stopped working but I went back to Frontline Original this year and it seemed to work. If the flea load isn't too bad you may get away with just one treatment. I also use a small amount diatomaceous earth in the dog's food but am nearly out of it and my supplier has not been able to get any more food grade, so when it is finished I won't be able to use that again.

As far as alternatives for an itchy dog go, once the fleas are gone you can use a large array of treatments but it is best to start with a normal antihistamine as well as the alternative treatment. Try different antihistamines until you find one that seems to work and check with your vet for dosage. Phenergan is a good quick knockdown but makes the dog drowsy. I find Claratyne works well after a few days on it but others find Zirtec better. Alternative treatments range from the simple - coconut oil, omega 3 oil, rosehip vital canine, feeding more fish and eggs to much more complex Chinese Herbs, depending on how bad the itch problem is. I treated, over two years with an assortment of Chinese herbs, a dog that developed severe itch problems after a heartworm injection stuffed up his immune system. It worked and he is pretty much a normal dog now, only occasionally having some herbs with some antihistamine during hot, humid weather but he is off most of the treatments we used. It all needs to be prescribed by a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine as they treat the individual dog, not the condition. I use Lyn Stevens at Alternative Therapies at Camden, NSW.

[Yonjuro]

I am pretty full on in my natural remedies, but the monthly flea and wormer is the only thing I use that I suppose would be classified by most as a chemical treatment. I use Panoramis.

I think Shalarm (DoLer Steve) has an oil product that you can use as a spray/ spritz - I haven't tried it so can't comment of the efficacy.

http://www.shalarm.com.au/index.php/shop/dogs/flea-from-me-essential-oil-blend-detail

[Jumabaar]

Flea control- another vote for environmental control. After a few months of crazy vacuuming, mowing, moving dogs around and washing bedding I stopped requiring flea treatments. I did use advantage on most of the dogs, one was allergic and she had a few cap star treatments. This girl was ok with Nexgard so would use orals in the future as there appears to be less resistance so would help stop the cycle even quicker.

Itchy skin- the best thing is to get a diagnosis and rule out bacteria and yeast infections. If it's likely to be an allergy then limit exposure.

Most skin issues are due to compromised skin barrier so feeding natural oils and avoiding too many different lotions is actually often better than using lots of natural treatments. Also looking at boosting the immune system can assist.

[_PL_]

IF it is just fleas, as above :) and repeating what most posters are saying, go crazy with the diatomaceous earth outdoors, mop daily, replace soft beds with plastic that you can put a nice clean rug in each day then wash it. Carpet: take everyone outside an flea bomb then air it out.

Advantage every two weeks until you can get it down to monthly and then down to only when you need it.

I do have a couple of very senior dogs here I prefer not to use anything on, they have no fleas because everyone else gets treated and the environment is under control. I can give them a capstar if necessary.

Cats: cats bring in fleas, make sure they are as flea free as possible and treat the spots where they sleep incl outside.

I've tried comfortis and it's been really good for use while people are getting infestations under control but you can get reactions in a few individuals in which case, stop using it.

Itchy/inflamed/broken/scabby skin is a different deal and really needs a vet. Don't go using FB recommended home remedies, there's some total shockers.