Mommy Bear Posted May 11, 2008 Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 I was recently on the phone talking to a man at Dog Treats, an on line company that sells "natural" remedies in the form of treats. I was interested in their Scratchbuster biscuits as Mungo is an itchy little bugger. Anyway - I had phoned to ask how many of the treats he should be given a day for them to be effective. He said 3 a day to start with and reduce to 2 as they becam effective. Claimed a customer said her Westie had come off steroids as a result of being fed these biscuits. But what he said that really surprised me was "dogs don't get fleas unless they live on a farm or with cats". I have never heard anyone be so specific about fleas. I have never treated my Newfoundlands to prevent fleas and in twenty years have never had any. My vet is OK with this a) because the doses would be so high and b) "no flea could get through those coats and live". What do you think ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emma_pen Posted May 11, 2008 Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 I disagree with the dog treats man and your vet's second point. Fleas live everywhere and on all animals, and they'll certainly thrive under a Newfie coat if they had them. I have shaved a Newfoundland who was heavily infested. I'm not telling you to treat them, but I'm telling you that they certainly can and will have had fleas at some point. What ingredient do these biscuits contain that is supposed to be an aid to itchy dogs, out of curiosity? The person making them evidently isn't that knowledgeable if they thin kthat only farms & cats carry fleas LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted May 11, 2008 Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 But what he said that really surprised me was "dogs don't get fleas unless they live on a farm or with cats". What do you think ? that would surprise me too, do suburban gardens not get hedgehogs foxes or badgers ect, i know mine does Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murtle Posted May 11, 2008 Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 Garlic I think deters fleas??? so it may be that?? But I disagree with the view that they won't get them..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy Bear Posted May 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 http://www.dog-treat.co.uk/scratchbuster-more.html Looks like brewers yeast and garlic are the "active" ingredients. Good point about the hedgehogs, foxes etc pheonix. Well I suppose we are all entitled to our own opinions but I think I take his with a pinch of salt. Don't envy you having to shave a Newfie Emma. I have spent the last two days clipping our brown bitch who has a very very thick coat and suffers in the heat. Grumpy old bitch is not impressed !! I think she will be a "work in progress " for a couple of days yet!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKYSIAN Posted May 12, 2008 Report Share Posted May 12, 2008 Don't know if what he says is true, but I too have never de-flea'ed any of my dogs and they've never had fleas. In Sidney and Coopers case I'd of thought any bug would struggle to live with the amount of salt water they wallow in most days but Tiz and Cromwell don't go in the water so I don't know what protects them against them. I know every tick I've taken off Sidney is always very very dead even if it's just grabbed hold!! I give my horse garlic everyday as it deters the flies around him in the summer so I guess that's the likely ingredient in the bix to deter fleas also?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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