My first order came in!

[KZoppa]

So i'm totally excited! I got my sign i ordered from Ebay today that says A House Is Not A Home Without A German Shepherd. Well then my OTHER package came that has my first order of Essential Oils i ordered! I'm totally excited. I'm tired of spending money on products that say they repel and kill fleas and ticks and various other bugs and Riley having allergic reactions to it. I swear this dog is basically allergic to EVERY flea and tick product and i'm always looking for natural ways to handle bugs and such. Riley is severely allergic to fleas. So much so, he usually ends up wearing the cone of shame all summer because he's a magnet for fleas and chews all the fur he can get to off himself, especially at the base of his tail. Cant afford to continually take him to the vet because he's ripped himself to peices. Well i have a whole army of plans. Essential Oils, natural remedies and natural insect deterents. I'm excited. the dogs will be wearing lemongrass oil on their collars and i plan to invest in eucalytus leaves to put under the furniture along with some eucalyptus oils and ceder chips. I intend on planting what i can in maryland to repel fleas/ticks from our yard. and best part.... Riley isnt allergic to any of it!!!!! I'm excited to do this. I prefer more natural remedies but until recently i didnt know you could do it for your pets. Totally excited! Sorry. had to share. If anyone has any other natural tips for flea repellents and such i'd be happy to hear them!

[vat]

Mosquito Repellent | Tick Repellent | Natural Mosquito Control by Mosquito Barrier
We use this in the yard and boy oh boy does it work! Nice thing is we really bought it for the mosquito's but ticks and fleas were an added benefit. I have never seen it in the store but I just google it to find who has the best price.

Please let us know how your new stuff works.

[Lin]

Just curious, did you look into how to tell quality essential oils or what brands are good? Since they aren't regulated, any brand can use labels like "therapeutic" grade. And many aren't pure, but rather alcohols and the like which can cause reactions themselves.

[Stosh]

An old 'remedy' around here that many farmers swear by is putting a cap full of apple cider vinegar in the drinking water for the chickens to repel mites- they say it repels fleas on dogs too. Might be worth a try

[KZoppa]

Thanks Valerie! i saved the link. I will probably order that too.

Lin, i did. I've been researching essential oils and their uses and authentic oils for the last year and a half since Riley's flea allergy became known and someone made me aware that essential oils could be used as natural repellents. I also intend on planting lavender and rosemary around our yard at the new house when we move so that will also help. When i go to the grocery store next week i'm buying lemons to make a citrus spray as well. Thank you for your concern!

Stosh, thats another thing i'm going to try as well. Supposedly you can mix it in with the drinking water, pour some in with your dogs daily meal(s) and you can even spray a diluted solution in your yard as well. I'm also going to buy dried eucalyptus leaves to sprinkle under the furniture and in hidden areas in the yard. I've heard good things about the apple cider vinegar and eucalyptus oils and leaves and lavendar.


Riley being allergic to flea bites AND the meds to repel doesnt leave me too many options. its very frustrating.

[vat]

I came across this today as well Diatomaceous Earth - Nature's Parasite Control? | Know Better Pet Food
works for fleas and ticks.

[KZoppa]

Valerie, Lin actually sent me a link about where to buy that as well in another thread. Its on the list to order on tuesday! It works for all kinds of bugs. That was one of the first things i found when i started searching after Riley what seemed like 100th vet visit. I just didnt know there were two different kinds under Lin told me about it. its worth a shot right?!

Theres also something called nematodes that you spray in your yard and they're little worm type things that find and eat larvae and stuff.

[Lin]

If you're ordering from the site I suggested, you might also be interested in Flea Free Food Supplement ~ Natural Flea, Tick, Mosquito, & Insect Preventative

[KZoppa]

thanks Lin! i'll look into that one as well!!!

[Crissytal]

I'm a little late on seeing this thread. I hope you don't mind me replying .

I'm currently experimenting with Neem oil and Neem bark. The Neem oil needs to be the unprocessed cold pressed stuff. I mix in a few drops in my dogs' shampoo at bath time. Sud them down well at let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. I bet it would do wonders for your dog's skin as well with the pre-existing flea bites. It has many other benefits other than deterring fleas. I also put a drop or two on my dogs' necks right under their collar. Doing this has the same theory behind it as using those expensive named brand repellents. It moves through their sebaceous glands in the skin which supply the natural oils that help to condition their skin and coat. This method can last up to or more than a month. It's 100% non-toxic as well so it can be used as often as needed. The catch is...it doesn't smell great. The neem oil can be mixed with a bit of olive oil and some lavender oil to help it smell better, then put a couple drops on the neck. They can also be misted down with this mixture and then rubbed and brushed. I've also read that since it doesn't kill fleas instantly (more of a repellent) it does make any eggs the fleas lay infertile so they never hatch.

I've recently purchased ground Neem bark as an internal flea repellent. There's not a lot of information on the Neem bark being used as an internal flea repellent, but there's enough for me to give it a try. If it doesn't work, it has the benefit of being excellent at boosting their immune systems so it won't be a complete waste. I've just started using the Neem bark today. I've been using the Neem oil since December. I know it's not prime flea season yet, but so far so good .

I don't know what the forum rules are with posting links to products. If you are interested PM me and I can send you a link to the company that I use.

Crystal