Flea and tick prevention is absolutely critical for many animal owners. Whether you have a dog, an outdoor cat, a horse, or a micropig, preventing these nasty little bugs from sucking the lifeblood from your little one is imperative to maintain a happy and healthy home. While I do not live in the countryside nor am I often in the woods, I still find myself constantly checking my pets for these angry little insects on a daily basis. Just because my pets reside in the suburbs, however, does not mean that preventing fleas and ticks is not at the top of my list.
If you’re anything like me, you may be looking for alternative ways to prevent fleas and ticks that won’t possibly involve a medication that is toxic to other animals in the household (like many over the counter flea and tick meds are!) After several months of searching, I finally found the regimen that works best for my babies, and it’s completely natural. Yes, you heard correctly, my animals all get a NATURAL flea and tick prevention. There are no warning labels, no signs that say some of the ingredients are toxic, no warnings about ingesting or licking the product, no side effects that include seizures and death. In fact my dogs both EAT their flea and tick prevention, and enjoy every bite.
Looking Beyond Prescribed Products
Let’s first dispel the notion that preventing fleas and ticks can only be done with a veterinary grade and prescribed product. This is absolutely not the case. There is always a way to help prevent things naturally. Part of the process is making sure your pet is on the most species appropriate diet and that they are supplemented properly. My own animals are fed a raw diet and each has his or her own set of supplements required to complete bodily needs. Once they are internally taken care of, your animal should have the best chance at having a higher functioning and stronger immune system. With that in play, flea prevention is easier than ever. 
Think about what attracts a bug to your animal in the first place…the SMELL! These tiny little insects have insanely strong olfactory sensors and can spot their victim from far away. The smell your pet emits will be one of the biggest factors in determining whether or not they become the next host for the tiny monsters. How does one alter smell then? It’s easy. By giving the right combination or herbs and oils, the scent your animal gives off can be changed entirely rather than simply masked. One of the simplest ways to alter the way your pet smells is internally, by supplementing the diet. If your pet is not exactly an easy-going eater don’t fret there are still plenty of topical options that can be used, not excluding a natural flea collar.
Some of these products require daily use, others are weekly, and still others like the flea collar are effective for up to four months. Depending on exposure to the elements can help determine what works best for your pet. My own pets get a daily dose of flea and tick prevention in their food. I also have homeopathic sprays on hand just for good measure in case we decide to venture off on a hike. Seeing as these products are all natural, there is no chance of having bad side effects or overdosing. 
Why is flea and tick prevention so important? Well beside the obvious fact that these bugs are downright gross, they can be a host to any number of diseases, most notably Lyme disease. This ever-growing disease can be absolutely devastating and can also be transmitted from pet to person or person to pet. The way it gets transmitted is through a specific tick. If we can prevent that tick from ever coming into contact with our pets and ourselves, the likelihood of us contracting Lyme disease goes down exponentially. Fleas can cause incessant itching and can spread between animals and their humans. In addition to the scratching, these little buggers can be a nightmare to eliminate. If you do have a bout with fleas, salt and swimming in saltwater is a fantastic way to get rid of them. The salt will dehydrate the insect and they tend to die quickly. Now as far as more advice on how to get rid of fleas and ticks once they’ve invaded your pet, that’s a blog for another day, for now lets focus on prevention!
Prvention Options
Interested in trying out a natural flea and tick preventative? Here are just a few options, take a look and see what fits your budget and your taste! You may note that the first item contains garlic. We realize there is some controversy surrounding garlic and whether or not it is safe for your pet to digest. According to the most updated research, for an animal to experience any ill effects from garlic, a ten-pound pet would need to ingest over 7 cloves. A 75-pound pet would need to ingest almost 7 heads of garlic. Now, I’m not sure about you, but even as much as I love garlic I’ve never had 7 cloves let alone 7 heads. The amount of garlic in the earth animal products is minimal, and would equal much less than even one clove in each serving!
http://fidodogtreats.com/earth-animal-flea-tick-program-dogs-yeast-free-formula
http://fidodogtreats.com/earth-animal-flea-tick-program-dogs-herbal-spray
http://fidodogtreats.com/snooks-flea-tea-herbal-dip
http://products.mercola.com/healthypets/pest-repellents/#sales_box
Photo Credits:
Lucerne Fleas via photopin (license)
Patti’s Pet perfection via photopin (license)
That’s the spot! via photopin (license)
Trinity via photopin&(license)
American Dog Tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say, 1821) via photopin (license)