Expert: Herbs, NuVet Plus Supplements, Dog/Cat Food Recipes; ( Marie) - 3/27/2008

Question
Hi, I have a 55 or so lb dog and a 1 year old child. I live out in the country and we have a HORRIBLE flea and tick problem. I use frontline on my dog because I like to keep her inside for parts of the day and while it does take care of the fleas, she still is usually covered in ticks. Although they usually are all dead, I still have to pick them off daily, sometimes more because you know how one year olds are, everything goes into their mouths and I wouldn't want that happening, of course. I looked into trying a different spot-on flea/tick control product that claimed to repel ticks, but it had many poor reviews and was even more expensive. I considered using a flea and tick collar on my dog because I'd heard they work very well at repelling ticks but I then read an article about the dangers of those with small children. I was wondering if you knew of anything more safe and natural that would work to repel ticks.

Answer
Hi Rachel - I understand your Pain!!!  Also, your concern for your child...
Here is a link that will help - This is the only safe alternative that I can find for you...

taken from CARE 2 - GREEN Living: *************


By Annie B. Bond, Care2 Green Living Executive Producer


I dug deep in my herbal formula books for this recipe out of desperation, given that I live in the epicenter of the tick-generated Lyme disease epidemic. I tested the essential oil that is recommended for ticks, Rose Geranium, by putting a few drops—no more!—on our dogs' collars, to see if it would repel ticks. Lo and behold, we went from 20 ticks a day on each dog to none. The second best essential oil for repelling ticks is American Pennyroyal (also called tickweed).

SIMPLE SOLUTION:  
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons vegetable or nut oil (almond oil contains sulfur, a repellent in its own right) 10 to 25 drops Rose Geranium essential oil

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar; shake to blend. Make: 2 tablespoons with a shelf life of about six months.

Dab a few drops on your skin or clothing, making sure to avoid eyes.

Caution: Skip the Pennyroyal if there is anyone pregnant (including pets) in the home, as it can induce miscarriage. And as always, use essential oils with caution as they can burn the skin and harm eyes. Don't use these essential oils around cats.

HELPFUL HINTS:  
Palmerosa is a sister essential oil to Rose Geranium, and also repels ticks. It is cheaper, and sometimes easier to find than Rose Geranium.
Another good repellent that also worked on our dogs, is to eat garlic pills (but don't give garlic to cats). A number of people have written me to say that they have had good luck with their dogs and themselves, by keeping to the garlic pill eating regimen every day.
The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) reported in their winter of 1996 Journal of Pesticide Reform that nymphal ticks are reduced from 72.7 to 100 percent when dead leaves are removed from the forest areas surrounding residential areas.


THANKS FOR THE HINTS - TAKE FROM CARE2 WEB SITE:


Marie of the Doggie Chalet
http://www.apluspetcare.com
NuVET PlUS - Doggie Vitamins
http://www.nuvet.com/81098