Whether your pet stays inside or goes out, taking precautions to keep parasites and pests away from our furry friends is every pet owner’s responsibility. If you're doing research and consulting a veterinarian, you are making an informed decision that will ultimately help your pet live a long and happy life. Here are some other things you can do to protect your pet against common pests and parasites.
Natural Parasite and Pest Remedies
There are plenty of chemical treatments available at pet stores and from a veterinarian's office. A majority of chemical treatments work well to get rid of the problem plaguing your pet. However, chemical dosing of your pet might cause side effects like hair loss and fowl chemical smells.
Natural parasite remedies include feeding your pet pumpkin seeds to get rid of intestinal worms. Cucurbitin is a chemical found in pumpkin seeds that is proven to paralyze the intestinal worms that plague our pets. Dogs Naturally Magazine recommends grinding seeds up and mixing them into your dog's food. Food that contains high levels of salt might hurt your dog, so be sure to fetch the pumpkin seeds from your store that are uncooked or raw.
Flea Remedy
The average female flea is reported to lay between 20 to 20 eggs each day she is in your home. If your pet is suffering from this annoying and itchy situation, then you could try the natural remedy of using an oil-based product before using chemicals. Tea tree oil is reported to get rid of flea infections when diluted in coconut oil. PetMD recommends shampooing your pet after using this home remedy. Try an all-natural pet shampoo, or try making an oatmeal based shampoo yourself. Tea tree oil has been reported to be dangerous for some breeds of cats, however, so use caution. Always check with your veterinarian if you're unsure.
Get Rid of Parasites and Pests
No matter what happens, it's important you get rid of the problem plaguing your pet before it gets out of hand. A parasite or pest problem left untreated at your home can cause serious issues in your life and your pet's life. See if you can get scheduled for regular yearly pest services. If the natural methods of removing the undesirable creatures aren’t working, take a look at BestVetCare.com for other popular remedies, like Frontline for fleas and Heartguard for heartworms. Remember, do what is humane for your pet, and give them a lot of love along the way.
Pests can really live up to your name if you let them, but with a few simple prevention strategies in place, you won’t have to worry about your pet being itchy all year long.