Alternatives to parasite treatments

[blueskypink]

I had a lecture from a fellow dog walker yesterday about 'poisoning' my dogs with monthly parasite treatment. She uses garlic, apple vinegar and other natural things to prevent parasites. I was quite dismissive but now I'm wondering if I was too hasty? I don't want flea infestations or my dogs to suffer from the effects of things like lung worm, but equally I don't want to overload my dogs with dogs toxic nasties.

Absolutely BiteyShark I agree most of my clients do prefer the chemical option but as a society we do need to consider the impact of decisions made today. And as said previously how will I survive without the income from these treatments

Do not be under the illusion though that medication is not causing effects on your dog

My dog has no obvious side effects just as the medication I take has no obvious side effects. All medication is about risk benefits so there is no illusion there. I apply the same principles to both of us and I am sure people could argue I should use 'natural methods' on myself as well but my choice is not to.

By the way I am firmly in the camp that vets are a business and of course need to make a profit to keep going. Without profits we have no vets and without vets who would treat our pets.

Hardworking my point re months of damage was in relation to the fact that by worm counts companies own admissions larvae are not counted and that some forms of larvae can be in your dog for months before they mature into egg producing adults and thus can be picked up by worm counts. Therefore if my dog has been wormed monthly he won't have had those larvae in him developing for months.

Yes it would be wonderful if there was a perfect solution to worms (and ticks and fleas) but there is not. And until there is I will continue to worm, as per veterinary advice I receive from my vet - who I do trust to make decisions that are the best choice for the animals in question, and not the best income option, (I did not trust the original vet surgery I tried, to do that).