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Homemade Pest Deterrent for Dogs

Dogs scratching from fleas and ticks

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An all-natural pest deterrent will help a dog avoid a good percentage of the pests they encounter, though not all of them. 

To make it, mix eight ounces of pure water with four ounces of organic, unfiltered, apple cider vinegar, and add 10 drops of neem oil.

Neem oil is not an essential oil; it is an expelled or pressed oil. It is effective because fleas and ticks are repelled by it, and it doesn’t bother pets sensitive to odors. Catnip oil can also be used since it has been proven to be as effective as diethyltoluamide (DEET), the mosquito and tick spray humans use that has a number of toxic side effects. To add extra punch to the mixture, add five drops of lemon, lemongrass, eucalyptus or geranium essential oil. 

Store the homemade pest deterrent in the fridge, and before a dog goes outside, mist them with it, being careful to avoid the eyes. The active ingredients, especially the essential oils, dissipate in about four hours, so the solution may have to be reapplied several times throughout the day.


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Pest Control: Keeping Dogs Safe from Ticks and Fleas

Natural alternatives to protect dogs from ticks and fleas that are both effective and non-toxic. Read More » 

 

In-Print National Content April 2022
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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