flea + tick prevention question?

[laurentourville]

just wondering what people use for flea and tick prevention. i've used frontline before on horse, and it really irritates his skin and makes him a mental wreck for almost a week after i apply it. so, i'd rather not use it. but, horse's lyme test at the vet yesterday came back positive for lyme disease antibodies which means he has been exposed to lyme disease!!! we now have him on doxycycline, an antibiotic, for a month and he got blood drawn for a more detailed lyme test. so, hopefully this will prevent him from developing lyme disease.

i've read that this herbal "concotion" works and was wondering if anyone has tried it:
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
then you put a few drops on the dog's collar...
thanks!

 

[TessaAndSamson]

Awww poor horse! Praying for the best! I haven't tryed the natural idea you mentioned. I always use advantix and it's never been a problem for Samson. I like Advantix the best because it really does a great job at not just keeping fleas away but keeps ticks from biting as well. We like to go camping and ticks are a problem in the summer in our local mountains. I HATE ticks, so nasty! Ticks may still get one a dog that has been treated with advantix but in my experience it keeps them from actually bite and thats the biggest issue with ticks anyways.

 

[sharon white]

There are a couple of non toxic things you can do to provide protection from fleas and ticks. One is garlic in the food. Another is cedar. Get cedar oil and mix a little in water and spray the dog and the bedding, etc, or put a drop or two on the collar. Cedar shavings in the pet's sleeping area also work. If the pet bed pad has a removable cover, put some cedar shavings inside it. Pet supply places also have flea traps, usually with light or heat to attract and destroy the fleas.

 

[froggz]

Be careful using garlic in the food, I've heard that too much isnt good for dogs at all. What I use is a garlic/brewers yeast supplement by naturvet in addition to cedar oils and lemongrass oil.