Just talking about flea control may make your skin crawl but there’s no need to be squeamish because we’re not even giving those blood suckers a chance! Our focus is on PREVENTION. Be proactive and strengthen your animals’ overall health so their bodies maintain a natural resistance to fleas. How can you accomplish this? Well, it all goes back to quality foods, the right nutrition, and a clean environment.
Making your pet an unappealing host plays a big role in keeping your dog free from pesky parasites like fleas. Fleas typically attack the weakest and most vulnerable animals with low vitality and poor immune function. A nutritious diet is the foundation of health and feeding your dog a well-balanced diet provides the basic building blocks for a healthy immune system.
A properly prepared raw or home-cooked diet with healthful ingredients like sprouted seeds is the best you can do to keep your dog’s immune system healthy and robust. Carna4 All Stages Dog Food is the perfect complement or alternative to home-prepared meals. Carna4 food, biscuits, and topping contain highly biodigestable nutrition as well as digestive enzymes and probiotics that will help your companion get the most nutrition from his food. If you are feeding raw, home cooking, or even a conventional kibble, you can ensure your dog has enough probiotics and enzymes by adding Flora4 Food Topper to their diet. Just sprinkle a little on top of their food to fill in all the nutritional gaps.
There are also some key nutrients that are important to healthy, flea resistant skin. Nutritional sulphur is necessary for the synthesis of collagen, which gives skin elasticity, and the strength needed to deter biting insects. Adequate dietary sulphur will also give your pet a distinct odour that fleas find unappealing. It is important to note however that sulphur is best consumed in the form of whole foods. Inorganic forms of sulphur (sulphites, sulphates, and sulphides) are difficult for the body to use and may cause adverse reactions. In its pure form sulphur is an antifungal, antibacterial and an insect deterrent. Sulphur naturally occurs in abundance in kale, garlic, and sprouted foods including the sprouted flax, lentils and barley combination included in every Carna4 recipe.
Finally, we wanted to leave you with a few helpful tips for flea prevention:
- Garlic and B vitamins make a dog less tasty to fleas. Supplementing with garlic and brewer’s yeast (high in vitamin B1) can help prevent a flea attack. Note: Some dogs can show signs of an allergy to brewer’s yeast.
- Incorporate black walnut leaves and cedar chips in your back yard landscaping. Fleas hate the smell of black walnut and cedar and will avoid setting up shop in your yard. Cedar chips are particularly great to line back yard dog runs because they are also absorbent and reduce odours.
- Keep your grass cut short and rake up all clippings so fleas have fewer places to hang out. Maintain a clean home and vacuum often, especially in areas where your pet likes to lay down.
- Diligence rather than toxins and chemicals is the best solution. Harsh chemicals will only serve to contaminate your home and weaken your companion’s health.
There are plenty more natural solutions to treat fleas but the key should be prevention. Remember that diet plays a surprisingly large part in flea-proofing your dog; so don’t overlook the importance of feeding a high quality all-natural food like Carna4. A strong immune system fostered by a nutritious diet will help you avoid the need for harsh spot-treatments, medicines, collars, powders, dips and sprays. It’s a no-brainer; regular use of these band-aid solutions will only inhibit your dog’s natural defenses. If you have the option, it’s always better to heal with food.