Try holistic help for fleas, kidney disease
We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Dr. Susan Wynn of Georgia Veterinary Specialists in Sandy Springs. Look at all the AJCPets experts. And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.
Q: We have a 13 yr old schnauzer, more toy size than mini,(8.5 lbs) that has been diagnosed with kidney failure. She is on a renal diet dog food, but what treats are appropriate for her, to keep the protein and more importantly, the phosphorus content low? Thanks for you help!
A: Check out the great Yahoo group called K9KidneyDiet - they have many suggestions in their files sections and archives. One favorite seems to be flavored rice cakes.
Dogs with kidney disease frequently develop poor appetites, and this is not always because they find their prescription diets distasteful. More often than not, they feel bad due to complications of their disease. Dehydration really makes them feel dumpy, and learning to administer subcutaneous fluids as needed can give you a great deal of control over a poor appetite. Dogs with kidney disease also develop GI ulcers, and managing those ulcers will help them feel less nauseous. Finally, Vitamin D is deficient in these patients and acts as a steroid hormone in addition to other benefits, but it only works in the form of ‘calcitriol’, available by prescription.
There is more great information on kidney disease on the Veterinary Partner. The collection of links starts here.
Q: I have a question about alternative flea control methods. I have tried Frontline and Advantix K9 but none seem to last more than 2 weeks. My problem is that I live in an apartment complex and they do not treat the grounds…So no matter how hard I try, it appears I am fighting a losing battle. My dog is a westie mix and is approximately 1 year old and 26 lbs. Is it true that brewer’s yeast helps to repel fleas without harming the dog? What about Skin So Soft…A myth? Also, if I can’t use brewer’s yeast, what can I use in conjunction with the flea meds? HELP!
A: It must be said at the outset that using natural methods of flea control is more labor-intensive than using chemicals. No matter what methods are used, it’s important to consider the triad of problems - the pet, the outdoor environment, and the indoor environment.
While your dog may pick up fleas from the outdoors, you can diminish that problem by using a flea comb every time he comes in from the walking area. Simple bathing twice a week will send some of those fleas down the drain, as well. The bigger problem is fleas that drop off the dog and lay eggs in the carpet or upholstery in the apartment - this is where the problem really magnifies. My preference for indoor flea control is sodium polyborate, available from Fleabusters. It lasts for 1 year, or until you shampoo your carpets.
On the dog, various natural sprays can be used, but in my experience, they don’t last much longer than a day or two. I don’t have much experience with Skin So Soft but I suspect this would be the case for that as well. The best tested herbal flea repellant comes from the Neem tree, but to be effective, significant concentrations are required and the herb extract smells like garlic. I doubt this would make a popular flea spray.
One lesser known secret to flea control is to feed a very high quality dog food. Most holistic veterinarians noticed long ago that dogs eating cheap dog food experience greatly exaggerated flea allergy, while those eating premium or homemade diets seem to tolerate the fleas better.
If you are looking for conventional alternatives to Frontline and Advantix, there are newer products available from your veterinarian. Check out this article on one of my favorite veterinary information sites, Veterinary Partner.
In a way I hope we have a depression so all you pet nuts will have to choose between eating and taking care of your pets. You have become lunatics where pets are concerned. They are ONLY animals.
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Dave you are a sick puppy. Why would you wish for a depression so that people would have to choose something like that. If you don’t like animals don’t have one and for that matter why are you even reading this. POSER!
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Dave must be jealous animals get more love than get gets.
Living in an apatment I’d treat the area I walk my dog and only walk him in that area. I’ve read about the pets on natural foods not having flea problems because, mine have been on human grade food for a month now, I hope it’s true.
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Dave, what a waste of your time to be spending it here where we readers love our pets. If you think you’re so smart, Dave, why don’t you erase any reference to pets from your address book so you won’t be bothered by the rest of us?
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Tonya, It’s been a while since I used human food, but I believe that garlic and brewer’s yeast (B Vitamins) are the secret to flea control. You can obtain this mix in a pill form for pets at a health food store and possibly some super markets.
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I think I’ll stay away from holistic help for fleas.Sounds to me as if someone has found another way to dissect a wallet.
This has been a banner year for fleas where I live.Chemicals and flea combs plus frequent baths are barely keeping us ahead of the little jumping critters.
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I found my dog 23 years ago and he has been healhy until now. He can no longer go for walks as he cant stand on his feet. I am giving him four kinds of meds but nothing seems to help. Also he seems healthy except for his legs and I wonder if you might have some advice.
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My daughter has a 7 year old female calico, Mutt is strictly a indoor cat. However she has not been spay and everytime she goes through a heat cycle it about drives everyone in the house crazy. Plus it is a very uncomfortable time for kitty too. My daughter has been unable to afford to have her cat spayed and I was wondering if there is a low/no cost spay/neuter clinic in the metro Atlanta area. Also do animals continue to have heat cycles for the full span of their life or at some point in time to they tend to stop?
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I don’t see how wanting to have a pet, not to mention your house, free of fleas is going overboard with affection for a pet. Why are you even reading this article, Dave, if you are so offended by people caring for animals? Get a life.
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Someone throw Dave a bone….go fetch!
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For fleas in your carpets,(which they most certainly are and probably just reinfesting your pet, causing a seemingly losing battle) ordinary table salt and your vacuum. First vacuum thoroughly, this does two things. It aids in removal of the eggs, larvae, and adults, and secondly it helps un mat carpet so the salt will be able to do it’s work more effectively. Next sprinkle salt all over your carpet make sure to get under furniture if possible(like salting your food, only a tad heavier handed over a larger area) let it sit for 24-48 hours. Finally Vacuum again and repeat as necessary. Adult fleas and larvae eat the salt, dehydrate and die, but the cycle must be broken so a couple treatments may be necessary as well as treatment for your pet. Throw the vacuum bag away or dump canister into outside trash to prevent stowaways from reinfesting your area. I Have used this method after bombing, sprays, etc. works like a charm, it’s not harmful, and it’s cheap. It’s a tough fight, but can be won if you approach it from all angles to disrupt the flea cycle. A simple flea trap to make is to use a drop of dishsoap mixed into water in a light colored(preferably white) shallow plate. Place the plate on the floor anywhere you suspect fleas and put a desk lamp shining over the plate. (Best done when the lamp is the only source of light). Ensure the lamp won’t knock over in the plate and just watch as fleas jump into the water/soap mix and drown. This will kill some, and is a great indicator of the larger issue. Use the ’salt method’ in conjuction with the ‘plate method’ in addition to treating your pet and you and your pet should be flea free in no time! Good luck. P.S. for hard floors, vacuum and a good floor cleaner work well, the fleas really don’t seem to accumulate on hard surfaces.(at least not on my hardwoods and tile) also remember to vacuum and treat furniture, rugs, bedding, etc. Give it try, you won’t spend anything(I’m assuming most people have these things) and it works.
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Good info on the salt and the plate with water and soap. Use DAWN dishwashing liquid. Fleas are covered in a waxy film. When giving that bath, use DAWN dishwashing liquid, which will remove the waxy coating causing the fleas to dehydrate and die.
ALSO, for the outside. SEVIN DUST is pretty cheap. Buy some and START AT YOUR DOOR and spread it outward away from your door, covering the area where your dog walks, etc. (Not possible, of course, if it is an extremely large area).
But the fleas have been terrible this year!!!
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I hate putting commercial monthly flea products on the dogs, because they invariably lick off the chemicals. As an alternative, we’ve been using brewers yeast tablets for many months now, and the fleas appear to be under control. Unfortunately, we do see an occasional tick with this treatment alone, so we’ll continue to search for additional ideas. Any good natural ideas for ticks?
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Has anyone heard anything good about boric acid and DE for fleas?
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