Bri-B? asked:
We just moved to Massachusetts from California and have no experience with ticks. I am looking for herbal, all natural ways to prevent lyme disease in dogs, something I can purchase myself and prepare for them, not prepared pills or chemical solutions. Thanks for any help!
We just moved to Massachusetts from California and have no experience with ticks. I am looking for herbal, all natural ways to prevent lyme disease in dogs, something I can purchase myself and prepare for them, not prepared pills or chemical solutions. Thanks for any help!
Okay, lyme disease is causes by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. When a tick vector bites your dog the bacteria passes into the dog’s tissue and this places the disease causing organism in a nice happy place (to it, anyway). It reproduces and causes the disease. This is how Lyme disease works. There are no herbs that will attack the mechanisms of pathogenesis in this organism. It is susceptible to certain antibiotics, however. The main trick would be to find something that would keep the ticks off the dog. There are many claims about many herbs, but there is not one lick of evidence that any of these claims work.
Also, herbs contain chemicals. Everything living contains, and uses chemicals. We are biochemical ‘machines’ if you will. I don’t see the issue with ‘prepared pills’ if you’re talking about things like insect repellant, or whatever. They’re safe.
Oh yeah, Borrellia is not manmade, and neither are their tick vectors. They are all natural. So by your logic, they have to be safe?
The short answer to your question is simply “no”.
Check into Neem. This is reputed to be an excellent natural repellent for ticks and other bugs. Powdered Neem, or capsules, can be purchased in most natural food stores.
A couple of things: 1) I, too, moved from CA to MA w/ my wonderful yellow lab. She was strong, athletic, super intelligent. In short, our dream dog, and the love of our lives. We got her a Lyme Disease shot, did what we thought was the responsible thing, but as a busy, working single mother of two kids (I was working 3 different jobs and have a disabled child besides) and having moved back to MA b/c I was INCREDIBLY ill w/ diabetes that I had tried to heal naturopathically for over 4 years. That didn’t work either.), I either didn’t hear the vet when he said we’d need to return for booster shots, or I missed an appointment or something stupid and irresponsible like that. Long story short, our lovely Zai contracted Lyme’s Disease and it took years off her life. The first time we knew something was wrong, she literally fell down the stairs head first and couldn’t get up. I had to carry her into the vet’s. She developed terrible joint problems, arthritis and neurological impairment. I KNOW she was in pain and confusion for the entire rest of her life. It was like living with a geriatric dog w/ Alzheimer’s. She died at age 12. I am sure she could have lived to 18 or 20 had she not contracted Lyme’s Disease, she was that healthy and vibrant before she took ill. So my question to you is this: Is a disease this incredibly painful and serious REALLY worth screwing around with??? Once your dog gets Lyme Disease, and it will, guaranteed, MA is rampant with it, the treatment isn’t natural either. It’s frequent courses of doxycycline, an antibiotic, which wipes out their intestinal flora and fauna, and doesn’t kill the spirochetes. It merely puts the disease into a sort of suspended animation, and this only for a while. I’m all about Alt. Med. for myself, for my children, for my pets, for my friends and family and even plants. I’m a natural foods chef, a massage therapist, a Reiki and Healing Touch practitioner, and was vegetarian for 17 years of my life. What I need to tell you, however, is that there is a time and a place for everything under the sun. When we have animals, their best health is our manifest responsibility. Just like you wouldn’t not vaccinate your dog for rabies (as there is NO naturopathic cure for rabies), you also would not not get your dog vaccinated for Lyme Disease here in the East. Some risks are acceptable, some are not. Some things work, some do not. When it is another being’s health and welfare, it is NOT acceptable, nor is it responsible to take risks or to be negligent about their health. To think you can treat, prevent or conquer Lyme Disease naturopathically is not only irresponsible, it’s ignorant and stupidly arrogant. I have to live with the knowledge that my wonderful dog died because I wasn’t responsible enough. Do you really want that on your head and shoulders, too? There. I hope you’re completely “bothered” by now. You needed to be.
Additionally, Neem Oil is in the Melaleucca or Tea Tree Oil Family. Yes, it’s very strong and is highly effective against things like head lice, which is also an arachnid like ticks. This does not mean however, that it is effective against deer ticks. Some people think they can pick the tick off their dog’s coat after walks. This is NOT an effective method, however, because Deer Ticks (which are the ones that carry Lyme Disease) are NOT the same as regular ticks. They are smaller than the head of a pin and are OFTEN missed by the ***** eye, so don’t think you can rely on that method. All it takes is one tick and one bite for your animal to be infected with Lyme Disease for life. Additionally, if your pet brings the ticks into the house, you and your children are now at risk. Do you REALLY want to open that can of worms and be exposed to thinks like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and many other tick-borne diseases?