Who doesn’t love garlic? Well just as we do, our pets do to. Lucky
garlic has many roles to help us live a long happy life. Dating back
to almost 2500 BC, garlic has been use in a multitude of medicinal
practices. In early Chinese medicine it’s been known to help with
fevers and with inflammation. In ancient Greek and Roman, it’s been
documented to help against infection, high blood pressure and
digestive problems.  These days we know that garlic is also an
antibacterial, antiviral and anti-carcinogenic properties. It also is
a great help to prevent upper respiratory infections.

The first step to fighting fleas we must learn their life cycle. Fleas
can lay about 60 eggs per day. Resulting to about 400 eggs in a life.
The life span of a flea is about 90 days. During its life, a flea can
hibernate as a larva in a cocoon for about a year before hatching.
Fleas prefer to lay their eggs in dark damp places. They are able to
jump up around 9 inches high and 5 feet to the side. Fleas can also
transmit tapeworm. When flea larva feeds on tapeworm eggs, the eggs
start to develop in the flea. Now when your dog or cat eats that flea,
that’s when the tapeworm can continue growing in your dogs intestine.
Which starts a whole different problem. It has been proven that fleas
are becoming more resistant to chemical products. Manufactures are
making them stronger and stronger every year. Garlic is a natural
alternative for our pets to this problem.

Apart from all the great things garlic is good to are health for. It
is also a natural insect repellent which helps to fight off fleas.
They need to survive by eating a blood meal which can cause a great
deal of discomfort and pain to your pet. Itchiness, extreme skin
irritation and infection can all come from a flea infestation on your
pet. Garlic extract is a safe way to add garlic to our pets diet.
Fleas can’t stand the smell of garlic on your pets skin. Once it is
added to your pets diet and they smell his skin, they will jump off
immediately. Some times if garlic is given raw, it can be toxic to our
pets. You should always consult with your veterinarian before using
garlic extract. Their are a number of reasons that it could not be
good for your pets health if they are diabetic, pregnant or before
surgery. It also has anti-coagulant properties and can lead to anemia.
You should always give the appropriate dose of the product depending
on your pets weight. Smaller animals need a smaller dose then larger
ones. You can apply the garlic extract directly into your pets mouth
or onto their food twice a day with the help of a dropper or syringe.
Consult your veterinarian if you notice your pet having
gastrointestinal irritation (i.e. heartburn or gas) which can be a
side effect from using the garlic extract. Unfortunately just like us,
they might have a bit of bad breath.

Garlic has many health benefits and now luckily can also help us win a
few wars on fleas. Also remember to clean your pets toys, bedding and
sleeping area, which might mean your whole house, if faced with an
infestation. If fleas are found on your pet, It’s probably likely they
are in your home as well.

Author : Chantal Christopher