Re: Tick treatment thru brewer's yeast and garlic powder

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Noticed a posting by Kim in reference to a "natural" treatment for ticks (brewer's yeast and garlic powder). Could you give us some more specific details of proportions and such. I also have been told to use Frontline, and it would probably work great. Also costs twenty five dollars for three months (not terrible, but I ALSO prefer the "natural" treatment. What IS terrible, price wise is the twenty five dollars PER MONTH Frontline dosage that was recommended to me for each of my five barn cats. Now THAT

-- Brian McCabe (scout@kanokla.net), April 30, 2000

Answers

Brian,

The Brewers Yeast and Garlic won't totally elimiate ticks, it just helps a heck of a lot. I just put a few teaspoons of yeast (I'm feeding Great Pyrs not cats) and a shake from the garlic shaker on their food every night.You have to let it build up (ie several days to a week) in their system to get it working. I find that lots of B vitamins (Brewers yeast) helps my family as well. I still "pick a few ticks" on the dogs but not many and in my mind it beats chemicals and big bills. YOu don't have to worry about giving your critters too much either. The worst outcome is bad breath!!! Kim p.s. we live in Arkansas, the tick capital!!!

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), April 30, 2000.


I'm a veterinarian and have used or heard about most of the flea treatments around. Brewers yeast and garlic seem to work great on some animals and lousy on others. It probably depends on the dose given, the insect population and the animal's own metabolism. Frontline and advantage work very well again depending on the animal. I've had some pets do great on frontline when advantage didn't work and visa versa. Unfortunately you have to put out a great deal of money to find which one works for you. Sorry to hear that cat frontline in your area costs $25 a month per cat. In my practice that price will get you 3 months worth and I personally think that is expensive. What I do at my house is to wait until flea season is in full swing and then treat half of my animals. The frontlin/advantage kills the fleas within 24 hrs so I feel comfortable waiting until I have fleas. Then I dose my stronger animals and just bathe/powder the others. This way I save on cost and I don't think I'm poisoning all my pets. Hope this helps. It works for me!

-- teresa mandracchia (teresam@ascent.net), April 30, 2000.

Its nice to have a Vet on the forum .I also admire you being a woman .If I had it to do all over again I would go to vet school then have a family .At this point I don't think I would have the time or dedication to do it .Thanks for your input and hope to hear more from you .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 30, 2000.

For those of you who want to try brewer's yeast and garlic powder, start by adding it SLOWLY to your pets' food (or slowly increase the dosage if you're wrestling pills down their throats) brewer's yeast can cause severe stomach distress. By slowly increasing the amount, most animals will be able to tolerate it, and you'll have a good idea who can't. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), May 03, 2000.

Some health food stores sell brewer's yeast and garlic tablets. If I remember right, they're called Pet Guard.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), May 03, 2000.


I have been giving my dog brewers yeast (powdered) and garlic powder for years and he has only had a few ticks every year! It works for him. I give him about one tablespoon of the yeast and a shake of garlic. Oddly enough,the outside cats don't seem to have trouble with ticks. Maybe it rubs off cause they tend to sleep with the dog.

-- Ardie from Wi (a6203@hotmail.com), January 23, 2001.

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