What do you do for heart worm and tick control?

[Neptune]

after feeding raw for two years I am now starting to worry about the toxins in heart worm and tick & flea treatments.  It is winter in nh so I am taking a break but looking for answers before the thaw.  Just watched a video of a dog who had side effects to heart worm medicine.  Soooo sad!!  

[Olga S.]

I don't give my Zoo any “preventative”. Never did and never will. They also don’t get vaccinations after puppy shots, they eat raw food, that keeps their immune systems healthy because it’s real food, without synthetic, chemical lab-created vitamins and other ingredients; and if they get the heartworm parasite, their immune systems fight it off.  Dogs with healthy immune systems also don’t have problems with fleas or ticks or other parasites. I think healthy dogs don’t make good hosts for any type of parasites, they’re not attractive to fleas, there’s no reason to use the pesticides marketed for flea control either! 

Even if a dog gets the heartworm, it usually takes a few years for there to be any real damage done, so even if you opt not to give the pesticide “preventative” and choose only to test every year or every 6 months (if you’re really paranoid about it), and get a positive blood test for heartworms, there’s no need to panic. You have ample time to treat it (vets will recommend more pesticides, but there are natural and holistic options to). We’ve all been swept into this huge panic mode over heartworms when they’re really not that big of a deal.

Sometimes I use Wondercide’s “Flea and Tick Spray” which is a natural cedar-oil spray that repels mosquitos, ticks and fleas. It’s available from www.wondercide.com, and they also make products for humans and for treating your yard to keep pests away. If you can prevent your dog from being a feast for mosquitos, you don’t have a risk of them getting passed a heartworm parasite. 

[Lynda Kamrath]

I am right with you and don't like giving my dogs any vaccines.  I do give them heartworm pills every month, and of course their rabies shots, but pretty much stop at that.  We sometimes give them flea or tick medicine when it is tick and flea season around here, but that is the topical patch, not collars or internal pills.  You bet it is a carcinogen.  It kills the bugs, but also puts poison in the systems of the dogs.  Other shots, not necessary after puppyhood.  My vet cleared Hondo from any vaccinations because of his liver problems.

[Kate C Pappas]

I don't treat for fleas/ticks or HW and have never seen a flea....lol. Only one time did my friend and I use Revolution as we drove from CA to Texas with our 4 ALDs and were staying at a ranch and knew there was a risk and after considerable research decided to treat them only the one time. Thankfully there were no side affects. You can also broadcast human grade diatomaceous earth around your yard if you have unwelcome critters/bugs. And I believe that RAW fed dogs are not on the menu for fleas etc. I've heard of the cedar spray too and would use it in a heartbeat if needed. Plus it smells good too.

[Lynda Kamrath]

We also use peppermint spray for mosquitoes and there are many down by the creek on our property.  Haven't seen ticks and fleas, however.  Mosquitoes are bad enough.  There are logs of wild animals around here, so we have to be careful and watch our dogs.  They love chasing deer and squirrels and they were skunked on Christmas Eve.