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My no chem garlic preventive journey

28K views 224 replies 43 participants last post by  NancyJ 
#1 ·
Thought I would log the ongoing results of my garlic fleat and tick prevention this summer.

So far I am doing a daily flea & tick check but decided to expand on areas where there are known heavy tick populations. Right now the woods behind my house seem pretty clean after the deer left (I am not sure WHY the deer left but there was coyote presence back there that seems to have also disappeared) so neither me NOR the dog are picking up ticks.

So each time I go into tick country I will post anew. Beau is getting about the equivalent of 2 cloves garlic daily in granulated garlic mixed in his food.
 
#2 ·
4-27-13

Training on the SC NC border. Everyone was coming back with multiple ticks. I did not find any on me or on Beau but did find one the next day in my hair - not yet attached. Honestly, I think they get into my car then get back on me.

I decided that since I found one unattached on me I would do another more thorough check on Beau both with my fingers and using a slicker to brush and trap unattached critters. He came back with no ticks again. After I brushed I went through the matted hair clumps from the slicker and nothing but hair and some dirt. Also checked between his toes and inside his ears with special care.
 
#3 ·
What I'm always wondering is if the benefits outstand the toxicity of Garlic.

Depending on the dog, a small amount can be toxic already, at least that is the common tenor of professionals, however, Garlic seems to be common in treats and holistic treatments but I'm not sure if I want to take the risk.

I'm all for holistic methods but not if it is that controversial.

So what did your research say about it? What did the vet say?

Two cloves each day is not a small amount, especially since it's toxic.
 
#4 ·
I understand the thiosulphate present in onions and garlic is the culprit and it is MUCH higher in onions which are very toxic to dogs.

Interesting discussion here. Garlic for Dogs

I will have been giving it for about a month when I take Beau to the vet on May 1 and plan to pull a blood panel. I would think low RBC would be the potential issue. My qty is much less than most of these people (I give about 1/4 tsp a day)

So much of what is good in small doses is toxic in large doses.
Re: Garlic toxicity?? | Psycho-Babble

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2984110/

A lot of folks give springtime garlic to good results.

The vet? The same person who is telling me to neuter my dog for his health? Back when I did not know any better I used garlic and brewers yeast daily for my dogs and did a nightly go over for fleas. Those dogs lived to be 15 and 14. It is a tough call.
 
#6 ·
I understand the thiosulphate present in onions and garlic is the culprit and it is MUCH higher in onions which are very toxic to dogs.

Interesting discussion here. Garlic for Dogs

I will have been giving it for about a month when I take Beau to the vet on May 1 and plan to pull a blood panel. I would think low RBC would be the potential issue. My qty is much less than most of these people (I give about 1/4 tsp a day)

So much of what is good in small doses is toxic in large doses.
Re: Garlic toxicity?? | Psycho-Babble

Some food toxic for pets

A lot of folks give springtime garlic to good results.

The vet? The same person who is telling me to neuter my dog for his health? Back when I did not know any better I used garlic and brewers yeast daily for my dogs and did a nightly go over for fleas. Those dogs lived to be 15 and 14. It is a tough call.
Interesting. Thanks for the link.
 
#5 ·
I'm giving Springtime garlic for the first time this season. I hope my dogs forgive me for giving them garlic flavored food constantly.
I look forward to your updates, and hope it works for my pack too!
 
#10 ·
I always feel like people are going to think I work for the company but I don't...

I have been using the Bug Off Garlic for more than 10 years now. 4 of my dogs were on it and in 10 years I have found 2 ticks total. My dogs and I are frequently in areas that are wooded, wet, etc. and other people's dogs always get ticks. They have never had any health problems because of it.

Rafi's breath does smell garlicky but I'd much rather have a dog with garlicky breath than a dog who is getting ticks!

I did switch to the powdered Bug Off a few years back b/c it's more highly concentrated. I had to give Chama the tablets b/c she refused the powder.
 
#11 ·
Mmmm....well I will see how we do. I could just buy the springtime because that is the one most are having success with. But right now I can only smell it after he eats. I do wash his toothy pegs with a wet washcloth though.
 
#12 ·
Get your order in by the end of the month, buy 2 get one free special(go in with a friend!)
 
#13 ·
Expensive stuff....how much do you go through in a year? [based on lbs of dogs?-I think Beau is probably around 80-85 now - he has started his bulking phase]

Have to put together an order of nematodes for the yard and that is my first line defense. Even though we are out in the woods on a daily basis.
 
#15 ·
I posted some links on that. Springtime company also has some study info on that. ONIONS are highly toxic but there is a lot less of the offending compound in garlic, particularly dried garlic.

Anyway-I am just going to update the thread when I encounter ticks on me and other folks and see how the dog fares.
 
#25 ·
One 2.5lb. tub lasts 6 months for 2 dogs.
Oh my gosh... so the six 2.5lb tubs I ordered will pretty much be a lifetime supply! haha! I thought it would get used up much faster!

I'm using the Bug Off Garlic daily, Buck Mountain Parasite Dust in between swim sessions (one application is said to last a LONG time unless the dog gets wet and rinses it away), and Cedercide for spot treatment. Pimg had one tick (attached) this year prior to me starting this treatment plan. I sprayed the tick with Cedercide (which had just arrived in the mail that day) and it released in about 30 seconds.

I'm pretty excited to see how all this does for the season- I know the ticks are around. Personally, I don't find the "pizza shop" smell of the Bug Off garlic appealing, but it's way better than poison- especially with Pimg's Addison's Disease. I'm trying to reduce or eliminate any harsh chemicals with her.

Great idea, this thread. Subscribed!
 
#17 ·
I am just using dried garlic from Costco right now.

But I did not know how long you would get on the Springtime. I just ordered the 2.5lb tub since I only have one dog and got the free shipping-since it sounds like that would last about a year. Is that at the lowest dose? I know they have three levels of dosing.
 
#19 ·
I just ordered the 2.5lb tub since I only have one dog and got the free shipping-since it sounds like that would last about a year. Is that at the lowest dose? I know they have three levels of dosing.
They are each getting 1 scoop per day. I do more if I know we are going to spend more time in the woods or swampy areas.
 
#20 ·
Nancy - thanks SO much for this thread. I never knew the Bug Off came in tablets!! I've been fighting to get a couple of my boys to eat their food with the garlic on it.

And now that the girls are in season it's going to be hard enough to get them to eat!!

I just ordered 720 pills that were buy 2 bottles get 2 free - with free shipping!
 
#21 ·
Last year I tried the tablets an no one would eat them so I had to get a pill crusher. My husband hated the smell at dinner time. I really wished I was happy with the results but I wasn't.
this weekend after yard work I pulled 2 off me and one off hubby, all 3 had bitten. So far I think my dogs are good.
 
#22 ·
Today I pulled a tick out of Beau's coat but it was young and had not bitten him. I did an extremely thorough check looking for attached ticks and found none.

Conversely one had bitten ME on Sunday. (From Saturday's trainign I am sure even though I did a tick check when I got home....read the BEST thing to do when you get home is strip down and throw the clothes in the DRYER which will kill them. Then wash them. And, of course, the obligiatory tick check and shower but I was dumb and threw the clothes in the hamper.

Well I developed a headache and nausea yesterday and the bite site on ME was infected so off to the doctor for doxy. Fortunately my inusrance still covered as a generic drug and it was available [so $4 for a 10 day supply for ME]

So talk about your results last year......ticks were still a problem? How much did you give? What are you doing now?
 
#23 ·
The only ticks I pulled off of Indra was when I picked her up from the Airport in Buffalo. She had a couple of ticks on her. One had already bitten, the others were crawling in. So I'm not sure if she imported them from Texas or if she had gotten them on the flight.

Since then, not a single tick. Not on me or the dogs. As a matter of fact, since we live here, I've had not a single tick and we've been out in the woods a lot. Maybe they don't like my German Blood? :p

Generally I only give preventatives during the tick season, I don't give it year round and when I do give stuff, than it is Advantix. Once it gets cold, they are off. It's been working for the last two years now.
 
#24 ·
LOL
I normally do NOT ever pick up a tick but this year promises to be interesting. Another mild winter here and a LOT of rain. .........
 
#26 ·
It takes 3 to 6 weeks for the garlic to fully build up in their system. I generally start my dogs on it in the beginning of April but this year I forgot and only started last week. :(

I have that Cedar spray too. I spray it on their bedding and in the back of my truck to repel fleas.

Maybe I'm totally wrong about the amount of garlic to use? :blush: I thought I remembered just buying one tub last year but maybe I actually bought two. I only give the lowest dose though.
 
#27 ·
I'm following this thread. Geramy wants more outdoorsy stuff this summer so I've been looking at flea and tick repellents that would be safe to use around my cats too. Going to buy the springtime for Shasta!!!
 
#28 ·
I only gave the dosage according to weight they say in heavily infested areas increase it, but I was already giving the big dogs about 6 pills and I really had a hard time getting them to eat it. I kept the dogs out of the trails, only Lakota was out in the in the woods. She picked up those tiny "seed" ticks on her legs. I had a flea problem and had no choice but to treat with spot on.
So once again I limit Lakotas trail exposure, since she's white it's easy to spot them. I had to pick one off this am in the middle of our run. When I get home I check her. My other dogs won't be in the trails till frost.
 
#29 ·
I am all about holistic I just fear ticks so much I use K9 Advantix II. One of my family members HORSES got Lymes disease last fall, so the ticks here are dangerous and I dont want to risk it. I wish I had the confidence in it that you brave souls are, but after putting a horse down I can't bring myself to do it.
 
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