Although natural care products / removed URL / for dogs are generally safe, there are still potential risks and side effects to consider. Some dogs may be allergic or sensitive to certain natural ingredients, causing skin irritation or other adverse reactions. Additionally, natural products are not regulated the same way as prescription drugs, so it's important to research the product and manufacturer carefully to ensure their safety and effectiveness. Always follow the product instructions carefully, and start with a small amount to monitor potential reactions. Finally, consult with your veterinarian before introducing any new products, especially if your dog has a preexisting health condition or is taking other medications. Taking these precautions can help ensure the safety and effectiveness of natural care products for your furry friend.
Effective Insect Repellent!
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@rocky1 ooh wow, poor girlie. Glad she's ok, that sounded nasty. I think because of the cyclical nature of it, Flash must just be very sensitive to an insect that appears this time of year, so hopefully after a few weeks, it'll be business as usual again but I'll have a look into the Natural Defense Spray you suggested, thank you
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@patty thanks so much for the suggestions
really appreciate that. I'll look into the Garlic Spray, although Flash is determined to try and lick off any repellent I put on him 
, so would the garlic not pose a potential problem being ingested? The saving grace I have with the itching is that he has monthly Cytopoint jabs to 'turn off' the itch antibody (all to do with his environmental allergies), so thankfully, he doesn't actually appear to be too bothered by them on that front.....otherwise we'd have squealing hysterics I'm sure! He's not one to hide how he feels about anything lol! Thanks so much again -
@zande Thanks so much Sally. What you said about the other breeder having a dog that was only affected by something over the border makes sense, as with Flash it's definitely only for a specific few weeks, the same time of year every year that he's bothered, so he must just be sensitive to an insect that appears this time of year, the same as the dog you mentioned only being sensitive to a bug found over the border! Thankfully he doesn't actually seem too bothered by the bites in terms of itching (he's on Cytopint at the moment for environmental allergies so it 'turns off' the itch.....we did try him on Piriton first of all - and learned the same way as you not to mention it was for a dog! - but it sadly didn't seem to help him), which is a bonus and hopefully whatever the nasties are that he is sensitive to, will disappear in the next few weeks. Really appreciate your suggestions and reply, thank you.
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@roojuice said in Effective Insect Repellent!:
so would the garlic not pose a potential problem being ingested?
On the contrary ! Basenjis love garlic and mine have all always had an odourless garlic pill every day.
The liver I dry off and use as treats when they are free running and come back to my call is always boiled with cloves of garlic in the water. And I've never heard complaints about their breathe when they kiss !
Garlic wards off evil spirits, don't you know !
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Essential Oils such as Peppermint are commonly used to rid the home of all manner of insects. Eucalyptus Essential Oil is also an Insect repellent and also works on Fungi. You need a carrier Oil like Jojoba or Frankensence for the base oil. There are tons of sites about essential oils but you want to go to a Homeopathic site for research. Essential Oils can be had at Vitacost in the US. I use them to keep my Horses insect free. When I had my B I used that because Lymes disease can kill your pet no matter the species. Lavender Oil is great for itching and removing inflammation.
Best of luck to you and there is always a way to solve a problem. Vets often disagree because they lose money when you don't buy toxic products such as Frontline.
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@zande ARE YOU KIDDING ME? They wouldn't sell you Piriton? I went to look it up to see what it is... it's freaking Chlorpheniramine. It's over the counter in bottles of 300 even. Unreal. Vets here tell you to use it or benedryl. Pardon me I just looked..::::Chlorpheniramine Maleate 4 mg Anti-Allergy Tablets, 1000 Count::
I have also used Neem spray and found it really helps.
Debra
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@zande Love that it also keeps Vampires at bay! Anything natural cannot hurt and in most cases it actually helps as you have stated here!
Antigone
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@debradownsouth Neem is from India and it is great for the coat and nails. I take it for my Hair and my Nails. I have never seen it in a spray bottle. I will try to find it.
Antigone
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@antigone Health stores carry it. Simply put in spray bottle with water or other liquid to dilute so you can spray.
Debra
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@debradownsouth Thanks! I have it and will dilute it.
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@zande Some Pharmacists will refuse to fill an Rx if you call in a day early for a refill. My B had seizures when she was 12 years old. It took me a ton of effort because the Rx I had was from the Vet. I was furious so I said that State Law requires you to fill my Dog's Rx for the Phenobarbital. I filed a complaint with the State and one Pharmacist was fired. I was just very worried about my little girl and I was not going to put up with any crap about having a Prescription from an animal Doctor refused. Sometimes you just have to be nasty.
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@antigone thanks very much for the recommendations. I'll go and do some searching for the peppermint and eucalyptus oils.
The only reason I queried the garlic is because there seems to be so much conflicting info here in the U.K. as to it's toxicity for dogs. I always found it a godsend for the horses on lots of levels and I know many people use it for their dogs too but my vet says it's poisonous?! I'm guessing if it's used in low quantities like @Zande says for boiling treats up in etc then it's ok. So confusing, especially when you're stood in a dog supplies store and the owner is telling you it's toxic and yet sells it in tablet and liquid form lol!
I'd like to use it as it's such a great natural product....and as @zande says, if it keeps evil spirits away, surely insects can be no match! lol! If I'm cooking with it, it's a sure-fire way to get Flash in the kitchen with his little snout sniffing the air!! -
@roojuice said in Effective Insect Repellent!:
there seems to be so much conflicting info here in the U.K. as to it's toxicity for dogs
And for many other things.
Dogs shouldn't eat chocolate. Tell that to Deedles who used to sit on my lap and take bits from between my teeth. Or to Firbi who got onto the table and consumed a pound or so of rum truffles I had made for Christmas. I tried everything but he just ate the mustard I gave him to make him vomit and came back for more.
Grapes. Hoover looked smug only yesterday and on the floor were the remains (just the twiggy bits) of a bunch of grapes I'd intended to have with cheese for lunch. She is everlastingly in the greenhouse, eating cucumbers from the vines. Her latest obsession is with the peanuts and seed I put out for the birds. Most of it is in containers hanging from branches of a nearby tree (so I can photograph the birds from my office window) but, aware there are ground-feeding birds, some gets scattered.
No longer. Not while I have a ground-feeding Basenji
Shani was a wino - put a glass of Chardonnay on the floor beside your chair and it was emptied in seconds. Pinot Noir she wasn't quite so keen on but would drink it if there was nothing else.
Over the years I have just accepted that Basenjis are a law unto themselves and remain relaxed about any of their self-imposed diets.
Dogs have more sense (sometimes) than we credit them with. Anything that is really injurious to them - they sniff and ignore.
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@debradownsouth said in Effective Insect Repellent!:
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? They wouldn't sell you Piriton?
Nope - not kidding you, Debra (as if I would !). I could have used the official terminology but figured that as Flash was in UK - 'Piriton' - the name under which chlorphenamine maleate is sold in this country - would suffice. I don't think it comes in bottles of 300 here though !
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@roojuice You should also try the Lavender Oil as it Calms inflammation. I too have horses (4 at present) and have used Essential Oils for years. My VP of my Non-Prof taught me about Essential Oils. She is incredibly knowledgeable and was an Alternate twice for the United States Equestrian Team. What the Horses did not teach me, Lynn did. I have never heard that Garlic is toxic to Dogs or any other animal. I do not trust Horse Vets. My first Vet was Dr. Brendan Furlong who told me that it you give a Rabies shot to a Senior Horse it will kill them. He was always Honest and I have never found another Vet like him. Good luck to you!
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@zande My late Father used to give his Dogs (a Shepherd mix and a Rottie) York Peppermint Patties evey night after dinner. Dark Chocolate does not have a lot of Caffeine and other forms of Chocolate do. It makes the Dog's heart race which is why the other forms of chocolate are not advisable. Dogs do have a sweet tooth!
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@zande
they are definitely a law unto themselves... in every way! Thank you so much for all your help xx -
@roojuice garlic is completely acceptable. Mine often have it
. I make my own liver titbits and include garlic with them. I've never heard that it's a no-no for Basenjis - I don't know about other dogs. -
Grapes kills dogs. Most of the people I know fed grapes as treats before they discovered it can in fact kill them. I go with the "if it's toxic in even small quantities, why risk it?"
Garlic in SMALL doses is not harmful. In large doses it is a problem. Dogs love garlic... many dog foods used it.
From AKC:
How much garlic is toxic to dogs?
Studies have found it takes approximately 15 to 30 grams of garlic per kilograms of body weight to produce harmful changes in a dog’s blood. To put that into perspective, the average clove of supermarket garlic weighs between 3 and 7 grams, so your dog would have to eat a lot to get really sick. However, some dogs are more sensitive to garlic toxicity than others, and consumption of a toxic dose spread out over a few days could also cause problems.<<
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-garlic/Chocolate in enough doses can and does kill dogs. My friend's retriever stole a bag of miniatures, unwrapped them one by one and ate them all. Big dog, not that much actual chocolate, dog was fine. Just don't share if you can help it.
As for Antigone on dark, you have it entirely backwards.
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/chocolate-poisoning-in-dogs
Dogs cannot metabolize theobromine and caffeine as well as people can. This makes them more sensitive to the chemicals’ effects.
How much chocolate is poisonous to a dog?
The amount of toxic theobromine varies with the type of chocolate. The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more dangerous it is to dogs. <<@roojuice
Please trust your vet.
And eucalyptus oil is definitely not good for dogs. The craze in the US for diffusers has resulted in a lot of dogs being poisoned. As a general rule, always check with dog poison sites and err on the side of safety.When ingested in sufficient amounts this oil, eucalyptol, is an irritant to the gastrointestinal system, causing discomfort, vomiting, and diarrhea. ... If your dog has ingested any part of the eucalyptus plant or a product containing eucalyptus oil it is important to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.<<
There is a saying... we do better as we learn better. I've lucked out on dogs not dying from garlic, grapes, chocolate, onions etc before I knew... but who knows how many times they were sick or distressed and I didn't connect? You can't protect from everything, but at least I try with known issues.
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Only trouble is, Debra, I haven't (yet) learned how to get my dogs to read books or to google things on the computer. I know what they shouldn't eat and take every (reasonable) precaution but it isn't easy to counter the wiles of a Basenji intent on trying new things !
OK, I've been lucky but also relaxed !
If they are ever sick or appear ill (very rare occurrence) they go STRAIGHT to the vet with a list of recent menus, activities, haunts etc.
