Herbal Protection For Dogs: Keeping Pests and Parasites Away Holistically

Herbal Protection For Dogs:
Keeping Pests and Parasites Away Holistically

Here in South Florida, we have two seasons- hot or hotter, wet or wetter. When you live in a year-round warm climate, you definitely have a mosquito, bee, flea, tick and other bug season- it just happens to be a year-round season! In my opinion, this is reason enough to consider additional herbal protection for dogs.

But for me, there are even more reasons to implement herbal protection for dogs.

First, the flea and tick preventative I use doesn’t prevent pests from biting or bothering our dogs. This means that preventing bites is especially important to me… and if a product provides herbal protection for dogs that prevent bites in the first place, it’s worth adding to my arsenal against pests and parasites.

Second, since I spend so much time outside with my dogs snapping photos of them with street art, I definitely want to provide as much protection as possible, which is another reason I’ve been thinking a lot about safe, non-toxic, herbal protection for dogs.

And then there’s the recent discovery of the Asian longhorned tick* here in the U.S…

Is There A New Tick Species We Need To Battle? Maybe, Maybe Not…

There is a new tick species- the Asian longhorned tick- that has recently been discovered in the U.S. and it is reproducing rapidly and appearing in more and more states.

The Asian longhorned tick*, AKA the longhorned tick, is native to East and Central Asia, including China, Japan and Korea as well as some Pacific islands including Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.

Since the Asian longhorned tick has been discovered in the U.S., it has invaded several states, including Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

*I’d like to stress that the discovery of the Asian longhorned tick in North America is a developing story and we don’t yet know the extent of its population, all the locations where it’s living and what, if any, diseases the longhorned ticks here in the U.S. can transmit to dogs (or humans for that matter). At this moment in time, no ticks have been found to carry any diseases that are transmitted to dogs, but that may change with more testing and research. I’m sharing this information so you can prepare and be proactive. There is no definitely no need to panic!

What We Know About The Asian Longhorned Tick

While there are many things we don’t know about the Asian longhorned tick that is quickly spreading across the eastern portion of the U.S., there are some things we DO know:

Longhorned ticks reproduce asexually, which means that females do not need a male to reproduce.
The female tick clones itself and can lay up to 2000 eggs.
While traditional North American ticks can take up to 2 years to complete the entire reproduction cycle, the Longhorned tick takes only about 6 months.
This can lead to larger tick infestations in a shorter amount of time.
The Asian longhorned tick can successfully survive freezing winter temperatures by burrowing underground.

What Else You Should Know About The Asian Longhorned Tick

Unlike other tick species, who prefer a specific host (animal species), the Longhorned tick will feed on almost any animal.
They have been known to feed in such high numbers that they can completely exsanguinate the host animal (exsanguination is literally bleeding an animal to death). Here’s a disturbing story about one sheep in New Jersey!
In its native regions and areas, the Longhorned tick can transmit tick borne diseases such as SFTS (severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome), which can cause a low platelet count and multiple organ failure. It’s important to note that while SFTS has been an issue in other countries, there have been no reported cases of SFTS in the U.S.!
The Longhorned tick also has the potential to carry Lyme disease, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Borrelia.

Again, this is a developing story and more information about the Asian longhorned tick will become available in time as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other researchers can fully study the Asian longhorned tick here in the U.S. and any potential diseases it can transmit to dogs, humans or both. So instead of panicking, let’s prepare and be proactive!

THIS EDUCATIONAL POST ABOUT HERBAL PROTECTION FOR DOGS IS SPONSORED BY DR. HARVEY’S. I AM BEING COMPENSATED TO SHARE MY HONEST OPINION AND EXPERIENCES WITH DR. HARVEY’S HERBAL PROTECTION SHAMPOO AND HERBAL PROTECTION SPRAY. I ONLY SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT PRODUCTS THAT I USE AND FEEL IS BENEFICIAL TO DEAF DOGS AND MY READERS. DR. HARVEY’S IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF THIS ARTICLE.

How I’m Adding Herbal Protection For My Dogs

Since I live in an area where bugs, pests and parasites are a year-round threat, and since there is now a new tick species invading the U.S., I figured that this is a perfect time to step up my game in protecting my dogs from bugs and pests with herbal protection for dogs.

In addition to the oral parasite prevention I give my dogs, I have turned to Dr. Harvey’s for extra protection!

This summer I began to use Dr. Harvey’s Herbal Protection Shampoo and Herbal Protection Spray for dogs.

I chose these holistic products because they are non-toxic, free of all chemicals and are made with all-natural herbal extracts. The specific herbs that are included in these blends are believed to ward off pests and prevent bites. Some examples of these herbs include:

Catnip Oil
Citronella Oil
Cedarwood Oil
Geranium Oil
Eucalyptus Oil, and
Organic Rosemary Extract among others

Herbal Protection For Dogs: Keeping Pests and Parasites Away Holistically with Dr. Harvey's

Portrait by Bryn Nowell of A Dog Walks Into A Bar

About Dr. Harvey’s Herbal Protection Shampoo and Spray

Dr. Harvey’s Herbal Protection Shampoo is completely organic, free of all toxic chemicals, is gentle to the skin and coat, and, when used consistently and in conjunction with Dr. Harvey’s Herbal Protection Spray, will help protect your dog from bugs, pets and parasites.

Dr. Harvey’s Herbal Protection Shampoo is also free of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), which I especially appreciate since SLS can cause damage to the eyes, respiratory problems, skin irritation and diarrhea among other serious health issues.

Dr. Harvey’s Herbal Protection Spray is made with herbal extracts in a base of Witch Hazel, contains no synthetic ingredients and gives your dog a pleasant, herbal smell. Simply spray it on your dog, your dog’s collar and leash before and after walks, hikes or other outside adventures. NOTE: When applying to the face, use your hands to rub it on your dog. Be careful not to get it in your dog’s eyes, nose or mouth.

I find both Dr. Harvey’s Herbal Protection Shampoo and Spray to be very effective at keeping pests away from my dogs. Importantly, I can provide this herbal protection for dogs with nothing more than a soothing bath and then a quick spritz before and after we spend time outside.