A Holistic Flea/Tick/Mite Treatment And What Mange Is.

Are you having trouble with fleas, ticks or mites? This time of year the fleas are out in full force, and so are the ticks. You can see these two, but the mites you would need a microscope for. Usually you will find them in the ears. But mites also can be seen in skin scrapings done by your vet. Mites are the cause of Sarcoptic and Demodectic mange. Also, this year has been one of the worst for ticks that I have seen in a long time. I found a holistic remedy for these 3 pesky parasites. It is cinnamon. Yes, cinnamon.

Cinnamon has sulphur in it. Ticks, fleas and mites hate sulphur. By putting a teaspoon of cinnamon on your dog's food once a day, you can supplement your flea/tick program without harming your dog.

Also, if you have a dog with itchy skin and nothing seems to work, try putting one capsule of fish oil on your dogs food every 3-4 days. You can find these capsules at Rite-Aid, GNC or any health food store. The oil will give your dog the added oil they need to alleviate the dry skin. Mix it up well in their food, though, as it smells like fish. Most dogs don't like fish.

Just a little information on the mites. The mite that causes Scabies is microscopic and this can be spread rapidly between dogs and on to humans. It is characterized by intense itching and hair loss, especially around the areas of the ears, elbows, legs and face. The second type, the Demodex canis, is also microscopic and lives in the hair follicles. It causes thick, red skin and hair loss. Eventually, it can cause the formation of pustules in the infected hair follicles.

This first signs of Demodectic mange in young puppies are small patches of hair loss around the eyes, forehead, muzzle, and forepaws. Dogs with this type of mange should not be used for breeding, as it is hereditary. Skin scrapings done by a vet can determine the type of mange, or what is causing the skin problems your dog may be experiencing.

Spring Check-Up For Your Dog.

Hello everyone! Seems like winter is finally on its way out. This means that it is time to be thinking about flea infestation and mosquitoes that carry heartworms. I am going to start with heartworms. Following the bite of an infected mosquito, young heartworms enter the bloodstream of the dog and actually mature within the canine heart. Symptoms are: tiring easily, chronic cough, coat loss and weight loss.

This is a very serious problem and can be treated with drugs to destroy the worms. But, preventive medicine is a better means on control. There are 2 things you can do: screen your dog against mosquitoes, and regularly give him heartworm preventive pills that you can get from your vet. But before your vet will give you the medicine he has to perform a blood test on your dog to make sure no heartworms exist.

Now I would like to mention those pesky fleas. Even though some of us think of the flea as not a big deal, it is! An infested dog suffers from blood loss and itchy skin, and can even contract tapeworms, which spend part of their life cycle in the flea. Dogs with fleas generally lose areas of hair, especially in the lower back, neck and inner thighs. Fleas are looking for a meal, and they will try to find one on a human, too. Bathing your dog with a flea shampoo or using a dip after using a regular dog shampoo is effective.

A very important thing to remember. If you are going to use a dip, make very sure that you use a regular shampoo. The reason for this is that if you use both (flea shampoo and dip), it would be too toxic to your dog and could possibly cause a severe life-threatening reaction. The best preventive is the between the shoulder liquid that you can get from your vet. The over the counter products work, but do not kill eggs or larvae, even though it says they do. They do not have the extra ingredient that the vet uses and sells. It is too strong to be sold without a prescription. I will have more tips on getting your dog ready for spring. Thanks for visiting.