Forget everything you think you know about fleas…..here is what you need to know to get rid of them.

YOU WILL NEED

• Frontline (can be used with dogs and cats)
• Diatomaceous earth Food Grade (and a dispenser depending on the space to be dusted)
• Cutter Backyard Mosquito Spray. (Keep all pets out of yard until fully treated and dried.)

THE STEPS

• Use Frontline on all pets (if they are ill or on medication consult your vet first)
• If you own your property (or if you have permission from the owner) use Cutter Backyard Mosquito spray.  One can use a sprayer (3 tablespoons of product to a gallon of water) or a garden hose. The sprayer dries quicker and I find it easier to use.  Treating the yard is very important as this is where most of the fleas and larvae live.
• Use Diatomaceous earth Food Grade on your carpets, and or around baseboards (it’s not toxic but can make everyone sneeze) leave for a 4 days or so then vacuum.  This process will need to be repeated in 10 days to remove any newly hatched fleas.
• Repeat Frontline, outdoor spray, diatomaceous earth steps above in 30 days.
• You will still see fleas during this process, but they will be in the process of dying.

THE RULES ABOUT FLEAS – VERY IMPORTANT.

• It is possible to have a flea infestation and not know it, as many pets are not allergic and will not itch to the point of creating hot spots and other typical “skin allergy” symptoms.  Use a flea comb and if you find ANY flea dirt (little black spots) – you have a flea problem.
• Forget the ‘natural organic’ approach, it does not work for a full scale infestation (this is defined as having pets who are covered in fleas, even if they are not itching) I say this as a huge fan of the organic approach – but it simply is a waste of time.
• To get rid of fleas one must understand their life cycle.
• There is NOTHING that kills a flea in its larvae stage….NOTHING.

SO WHAT DO I DO?

• Get a real flea topical, I say real because there are many counterfeit products on the market.  I also recommend to using products that have been on the market for awhile and there is real data as to their effectiveness and side effects. STAY AWAY FROM PRODUCTS SOLD AT YOUR LOCAL SUPERMARKET/CONVENIENCE STORE…..AND FROM CHEAP KNOCKOFFS they are potentially dangerous. Purchase from your vet ideally….yes it’s expensive but worth it.  
• Permethrin is also highly toxic to cats.  Read labels carefully.  Cutter Backyard Mosquito Spray has Permethrin as its active ingredients, and its use assumes that your cats are indoors, and all pets are being kept out of the yard until it’s fully dried.

This should break the cycle.

If one lives in a cold climate, once the temperature drops the fleas should die out, their larvae however can lay dormant in the soil until it gets warm again.

Once the infestation cycle is broken, natural flea repellents can now be used (assuming the yard has been treated and cats are indoors.)  NOTE: Never use essential oils on cats, it is very toxic.

First: The information below is not intended to take the place of vet care or common sense.  It assumes that the pet is otherwise healthy, this information is to be used in conjunction with conventional veterinary care.


Many dogs who have been diagnosed with allergies, can also be suffering from systemic yeast overgrowth.  The typical conventional treatment of antibiotics and steroids only address symptoms not the underlying cause.


Kramer suffered from allergies, but our other dog Auggie tends to be susceptible to yeast overgrowth.


A gut that is affected by yeast overgrowth tends to also develop chronic illness like bladder and ear infections (this also happens with people as well.)  Malassezia pachydermatis is a yeast commonly found in the ears and on the skin of dogs, a healthy immune system, 80% of which is in the gut, keeps them in check.  But once that balance is disrupted the cycle of itching, hot spots, vet visits begin.


So how in the world does this happened and what can be done about it?


This process usually starts with antibiotics -  


Antibiotics are necessary and life saving so I am not saying to ignore veterinary care, but many do not understand the need to rebuild the gut flora after use.  


About two weeks after antibiotic use we start to see ear infections with its smelly discharge (which leads to more antibiotics) itching, hair loss, endless scratching.....blacken skin...sores, hot spots, and a very distinctive stinky smell.  Which leads to more trips to the vet, vague diagnosis of allergies, and or fleas - and expensive vet bought food (with by products ) that the dog will not eat.  

Kramer would eat anything (he once stole tofu) but would never touch the foul smelling expensive prescription diets.


This is the protocol I have found that works for the dogs in my life..

• Get a blood panel done at the vet, make sure the thyroid is working well.   Other illness like Cushing's can also create symptoms like these.
  

• Ideally work with a holistic vet  American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association www.ahvma.org/
  

• On a healthy dog, do a gentle liver detox.  Many holistic vets will do a one time consult over the phone.
  

• Switch to high quality grain free food, it may be necessary to switch to a home made diet for a few weeks (consult a vet for recipes if you chose this path do not Google,)  raw or wet/can as many dry grain free foods still use sweet potato which can still produce sugar.  I personally had great success with Wysong, Dogswell, and Wellness can foods initially.   Its very important to remove sugar (in the form of carbs) from the diet as yeast live off sugar.  Also important is to remove by products, Gluten, Corn, and Soy.
  

• Begin to add high quality (made for people) Lactobacillus acidophilus with meals to replenish gut flora.
  

1. Use a topical like Kramer’s Salve to treat any open skin eruptions and reduce the possibility of infection.
   

• Clean stinky ears daily with a gentle tea tree oil based cleaner for the first two weeks or so after beginning treatment.  And bathe with a tea tree oil or anti fungi shampoo weekly during this period.  I do not recommend the use of Oatmeal shampoos during this time as its a grain.
  

• Be patient - this process works but requires time.  
  

http://www.animalwellnessmagazine.com/?articles=what-you-need-to-know-about-antiobiotics


What you need to know about antibiotics

Shawn Messonnier, DVM in Animal Wellness Magazine.

What you need to know about antibiotics
Chances are, your dog or cat has been on antibiotics at least once in his life, perhaps for a skin problem, or an ear or urinary infection. These common medications are frequently used to treat many diseases in companion animals. While they can be life-saving, they are often used indiscriminately. In many cases, animals are given antibiotics for months to years without having even received a proper diagnosis or follow-up visit!

What are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are made from other living products such as molds. Penicillin is actually produced by the penicillium mold, as a way to prevent bacteria from killing it. In the laboratory, these raw antibiotics are chemically altered to reduce toxicity and the chances of bacteria becoming resistant to them.

Commonly used antibiotics include:
Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid
Ampicillin
Tetracycline
Doxycycline
Enrofloxacin
Trimethroprim-sulfa

How vets choose an antibiotic

Due to many patient and bacterial factors we can’t control, there is no “perfect” antibiotic for each animal or type of infection. Your doctor must make an educated guess as to which one is most likely to cure the disease. A number of factors allow him/her to choose the most appropriate one.

1.    Knowing the disease is actually caused by bacteria, or is likely to be complicated by a secondary bacterial infection.
2.    Knowing the chosen antibiotic is likely to work. This requires a current and thorough knowledge of pharmacology and pharmacokinetics. No antibiotic will kill every bacteria.
3.    The antibiotic should ideally be as safe as possible for the patient.
4.    Whenever possible, the least expensive antibiotic should be prescribed.

Side effects do occur

While usually safe when used on a short term basis, antibiotic therapy is not totally benign. The most commonly seen side effects include vomiting or diarrhea. This can result from a particular sensitivity to the prescribed antibiotic, or from the stomach being irritated by the medication. Giving antibiotics with food usually prevents GI irritation. However, if the antibiotic is meant to be given on an empty stomach, make sure to do so and let your veterinarian know if GI side effects occur.

While not as common as in humans, allergic reactions (such as the penicillin allergy that occurs in many people) can occasionally show up in animals taking antibiotics. Animals that have an allergic reaction to an antibiotic should not be treated with it again (or possibly with any other antibiotics in the same class of drug).

Why isn’t my animal better?

In practice, the most common side effects include a failure to improve and be “cured”, as well as an increased incidence of secondary yeast infections, common with long term antibiotic use (especially tetracycline-type medications and in pediatric patients).

There are several reasons why animals may not get better while taking antibiotics.

1. Incorrect diagnosis
Only bacterial infections respond to antibiotics, so it is important to be sure that the disease process is actually caused by bacteria. Diseases caused by viruses, fungi, and cancer will not respond to antibiotics. Additionally, most gastrointestinal problems, ear infections, vaginal infections, anal sac infections, and bladder problems in cats do not require antibiotic therapy (other than topical or local). Giving antibiotics to animals with these issues will usually not cure them as the problem is not caused by bacteria, or the systemically-administered antibiotic will not enter the infected tissue and kill the infection. Using antibiotics for these problems not only increases the cost of treatment but also the likelihood of antibiotic resistance, a serious problem in health care.

2. Underlying problems
Animals with allergies, chronic ear disease, and thyroid disease often have chronic bacterial skin infections. Some animals with chronic bladder problems have bladder stones or tumors, and some with chronic GI disease have inflammatory bowel disease. Until the underlying problem is diagnosed and treated, the tissue will continue to get infected and the animal will continue to require ever longer courses of antibiotics.

3. Wrong antibiotic
No antibiotic works all the time. If the prescribed antibiotic does not work, the diagnosis needs to be reassessed. If antibiotics are still required, a different one might be needed. Culture and sensitivity testing will help the clinician choose the correct antibiotic.

4. Wrong dose
Even the right antibiotic won’t work if it is under-dosed. While cultures can help doctors choose the most appropriate antibiotic, what happens in the animal does not correlate 100% with what happens on a culture plate in the lab!

5. Wrong treatment time
Antibiotic therapy shouldn’t be stopped just because the animal looks or feels better. Doing so will often cause a relapse due to bacteria that have not been killed but have just remained dormant. Many doctors minimize treatment time in an attempt to minimize cost. This is usually the case when treating larger dogs with skin infections, for example. Skin infections require a minimum treatment time of three to four weeks (severe and chronic infections may require six to 12 weeks). Antibiotics for skin infections are expensive; the dose for a large dog could easily cost $100 or more for three to four weeks of treatment. To help people out, some doctors only prescribe a two-week course. The animal then relapses after temporarily improving and requires more treatment, which ultimately costs more than if the animal had been treated properly in the first place.

It’s not only doctors who try to shorten treatment time when they shouldn’t. Many people commonly stop antibiotic therapy when their animals begin to “look and feel” better. Doing so will not cure the animal and may lead to a relapse that will take longer (and cost considerably more) to treat than the original infection. It’s therefore important not to stop proper therapy unless directed to do so by your veterinarian.

How complementary therapies can help

A variety of complementary therapies can be used in animals that require antibiotics. They may help reduce side effects, decrease the length of time the medication is needed, or may even be used in place of an antibiotic.

It’s important to work with a veterinarian who is well versed in both conventional and alternative therapies.

Homeopathy

This modality uses dilute substances to treat the animal. Homeopathic “antibiotics” (called nosodes) are dilute remedies containing the bacteria for which they are indicated.  For example, if the animal has a staphylococcal infection, the homeopathic doctor might prescribe the staphylococcal nosode. In effect, this is a homeopathic “vaccine” against the staphylococcal bacteria. The goal is to use the nosode to stimulate the animal’s body to attack the bacteria.

Other homeopathic remedies may be indicated depending on which part of the body is infected. For instance, animals with skin infections might be treated with the staphylococcal nosode (since staphylococcal bacteria are the primary cause of skin infections) and homeopathic sulfur, a good remedy for many skin cases. Your doctor will choose the most appropriate homeopathic remedy for your animal’s infection.

Herbs

Many herbal therapies are considered “anti-bacterial” and can be tried in place of antibiotics (under a doctor’s supervision, of course). The following herbs may be helpful as your vet attempts to wean your animal off antibiotic therapy.

Alfalfa
Aloe vera
Astragalus
Blessed thistle
Coriander
Cranberry
Echinacea
Garlic
Goldenrod
Goldenseal
Sarsaparilla
Tea tree

Nutritional supplements

Olive leaf extract
This substance contains large amounts of oleuropein, which exhibits antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial effects. It is very useful for treating animals with a variety of infections. In my practice, I use it mainly for infections of the ears, skin, and urinary systems. Feeding large amounts of olive oil will not achieve the same effect, since oleuropein is extracted from the leaves before the oil is removed for use.

Probiotics
Diarrhea is the most comment side effect in dogs and cats taking antibiotics. It happens because the antibiotic kills healthy bacteria and yeasts in the GI tract. These microorganisms are very important in maintaining normal bowel health. Supplementing with probiotics (usually given one to two hours after the antibiotic is given) usually prevents diarrhea.

When used appropriately, antibiotics can be life-saving. Unfortunately, they are often overused and misused, failing to cure the animal’s problem and contributing to antibiotic resistance. If your dog or cat suffers from recurring infections that don’t seem to respond well to medication, it might be time to consider a more integrative approach that encompasses alternative as well as conventional therapies.