Parasite and Worm Remedies

Hi Brian,

I have read your post with interest and although I note that it was some time ago that you posted it, I hope you still check in on the forum and will be able to answer my question.

I have found the book you refer to and I wonder if you could tell me if you have tried the 'Zapper' with good results, or have you only had successful results with the herbal remedies?

Thanks in advance,

Regards, Sherrie

Hi, though I have not personally tried Dr. Hulda Clark. 'Zapper' I have heard of them when I was researching for schematics for the Bob Beck device. About the commercially available versions of this device. I do have personal experience. And I would suggest looking into this device as it works very well for me. And I would recommend it highly. The articles are not too hard to find on the web there is a complete series of Bob beck lecturers posted on YouTube. Good luck

We have had the zappers for over 10 years. They work great. We have bought 2 or 3 of them with the individual drivers. They are lightly constructed, so if you sleep with one on, sometimes the wires get ripped out.

I found out on another website that Garlic can be poisonous to many types of animals like cats for example

Just FYI guys I read through this entire post when my dogs had worms and I just wanted everyone to know that I found de-worming meds for dogs over the counter at petmeds.com. I also found them over the counter at the local feed store in the animal health section. I know herbal remedies are best but sometimes just getting the medicine is best for the animal. It was cheap too! I paid 20 bucks for an entire bottle of the stuff and one 120 lb dog (Ihave a great dane and 3 lab mixes) only needs 1 tsp a day for three days! So the bottle will still not be empty after I treat all 4 of my big dogs! Just thought I would help!

The day I found out my dogs had tapeworms I took them straight to the Vet. He gave them a dose of the chemical meds that is made to kill tapeworms, then said to bring them back in in two weeks for another dose. So in two weeks they got the follow up dose as directed. The vet told me that the first dose would kill the adult worms, and the follow up was to take care of the newly hatched eggs.

But the meds didn't work the vet had instructed me to bring a stool sample upon each visit so he could be sure. He took one look at the sample which was loaded with little tapeworm segments that were still moving alive and well. He said the chemical meds he gave them should have killed them and there wouldn't be any visible segments by the second appointment. He then gave them a higher dose of a different kind of chemical med, and instructed me to come back again in two weeks with another stool sample. We returned to the vet with the same results as last time. The vet said these days the worms are becoming immune to the chemical dewormers, and the meds he used are the only two kinds available that will kill tapeworms in dogs.

He then said the only other option was to try natural remedies because giving them an even higher dose of the chemicals would be unsafe and with no guarantee for success. I believe the vet I use is one of the best because he cares more about the animals welfare than the money. He proved this to me by saying (besides being safer for them a natural cure won't cost you out the ass like these drugs are doing.)

So like everyone should do before trying any new or old cure I did lots of research on different things that were said to kill parasites in dogs and in humans as well. Not that I have tapeworms I just thought it would be better to find something that someone used on a person with no ill effect cause some people will feed anything to a dog and say it is safe. Things like Gunpowder I read that article and thought OMG!!! THAT POOR DOG!!! .... Gunpowder burns the lining of the stomach and intestines leaving them scared and the dog will always be in pain for the rest of his now shortened life.

I came across diatomaceous earth on the wolf creek ranch website. Here is a word from the wise never fully trust the info given on any product if the main place giving the info is also selling the product. I fell for it and bought a 20lb bag of the stuff. The bag I bought also had calcium bentonite clay in it. Which is also said to rid the body of parasites. The site said to give dogs under 100lbs 1/4 teaspoons per dog per day and if no results were shown in ten days to double the dose. Now bare in mind I was taking the stuff myself to see if I had any bad side effects and upping the dose for myself before each time I gave my dogs extra. (yes I love my babies that much) 65 days later we were taking a cup a day yes that is one cup for each dog and one cup for me, and their worms had done nothing but gotten worse. They went from having 5 or 6 tapeworm segments in their morning poop to having 30 to 40 in every poop, I stopped giving them the DE seeing how it is nothing more then a scam for the most part. Yet on the other hand it is a good source of minerals. But it will not kill internal parasites even an idiot could see if I was giving a 60lb dog a full cup which is 192 times the recommended dose with no results there is no hope for the product. And also I would never put this on any animals skin because it will dry and irritate on contact believe me I got it on my hands and arms everyday while preparing their food. By this time their coats were very dull and there skin was flaky. The worms were draining the life out of them.

I had already called around to other Vets in town to see if they had any other chemical meds that my vet didn't carry but they all sell the same thing. This was it for me I had enough so I came up with my own plan of action to me by this time it was WAR!! . And I had lost a lot of ground but I refused to lose the fight. I had some capsules of ginger on hand that I was taking for myself. I counted out 40 of them and took them apart, I then stuffed them with as much fresh ground cayenne pepper as would fit. Then I went to the supermarket and bought the biggest clove of garlic I could find elephant garlic. And by the way I mulled all of this over with my vet before hand and he said this would be safe as long as I didn't do it once a month he then said it would be a good idea to do this twice a year just like I'm describing.

day 1 step 1: I made my dogs fast for one whole day and that night before bed I let them eat as much raw cucumber as they could stand. Raw cucumber seeds will kill parasites. Then I gave them 10 cayenne pills each, and straight to bed we went.

day 2 step 2: I let them munch on cucumber all day as much as they wanted. Then that night before bed. I took the whole big thing of elephant garlic and minced and crushed it till it was a paste I added 4 tablespoons of olive oil and mixed it with two cans of dog food, I also put the ginger powder from the pills in. Then split it between the two of them. My dogs are twins from the same litter and they are the same weight as well. After plenty of water to wash it down I gave them another 10 cayenne pills each, then straight to bed we went.

day 3 step 3: Once again they ate cucumber all day and that night I gave them dry dog food.

day 4 last step. First thing in the morning I gave them each a Child's dose of Castor Oil which is 3 tablespoons mixed with a cup of warm milk. That night they ate more dry food.

Now they have no intestinal parasites and their coats are like show dogs and their skin is in the perfect condition. They have a ton of energy and are even able to think more clearly. I know this because before when they had the worms they acted like they didn't understand any command such as sit, stay, or come. I have raised them their whole life Cesars way. We go on daily walks and practice the basic commands everyday. But when the parasites got bad they didn't care to walk and they wouldn't listen. Now that the war against the parasites is over my Friends are back to their old selves again and they sit and stay with one snap of a finger believe it or not just like Cesar's dog Junior or Daddy.

Please know the steps I took was as a last resort and under vet supervision and guidance. Although it worked perfectly and without any side effects remember every dog is different. So it is best to try the vet first then go from there and make sure to do your homework.

Thank you for your time I hope this helps. James

James the reason you were seeing more tape worms in the stool is because the DE was working. It was eliminating them from the body that's why you were seeing more. The DE was flushing them out of their system. There is no way DE can make Tape worms worse. It will make the skin slightly dry if used constantly to combat fleas and ticks but that is a small price to pay considering what a flea infestation can do aside from what harsh topical pesticides like Frontline and Advantage do.

I have been involved in dog and cat rescue for 28 years and DE definitely prevents fleas, ticks, and worms not to mention the other healthy benefits for your dogs and yourself. It has even been known to lower blood pressure in humans. Please don't encourage people to stop using a tried and true product. DE is wonderful for humans and dogs as well. Just make sure you are using human grade.

Earth Clinic and EC readers, I would URGENTLY need your help. I have 4 cats (the mother and her 3 male children) they have been losing a lot of weight. Two of them I can feel their bones when trying to brush them. I have not seen any worms but I feel they have them. Now I am confused reading all the comments. What shall I give them garlic, cayenne pepper, tobacco, ginger powder, clay power, or diatomaceus earth - Please help me save them ?????

Chispa, I know that a lot of herbs are not usable with cats as their livers cannot tolerate them and thus they could get very sick or die. I have used Diatomaceous earth with my dogs and cats regularly added to their food moistened so it wouldn't get in their lungs but I don't know if it will rid them of worms or not. If you can afford it at least get them diagnosed by means of a stool sample from at least one of them and then research where to go from there. I know none of my cats or dogs have ever lost weight from worms and I have fed them the barf (bones and raw food) diet for years and years so if they were going to get or keep worms from raw meat that should have done it. So a tsp maybe a day in the cats' food I should think wouldn't hurt them but I don't promise anything. I know it is not herbal and is only mineral so in that, it shouldn't hurt them but unless they are getting enough nutrition otherwise they may go down hill anyway. I did once save a very ill stray cat by determining which grass the animals tended to chew on and picked that, washed it, put it in a blender to strain the green liquid that resulted by adding a little water to it in the blender and feeding that to the cat in a eye dropper along with egg yolks mixed with pedialyte. After a few days I started gradually adding in some canned cat food which is the only form of commercial cat food that should be used and he recovered completely. You should research herbs, nutrients, vitamins etc. Though and let us know what you learn please. Hope this helped. I ordered mine from the same place the other place here mentioned, timberwolf something, got a 50lb bag so I've had it so long I forgot the exact name.

Garlic can be toxic to dogs in high doses- onions(from the same family) can kill a small dog. Garlic is an extremely effective anti-parasitic and it does help a lot with fleas and ticks but should be used more as a maintenance program in small daily doses. I'm not sure about diatomaceous earth- it may help to cleanse the colon a little but it certainly cannot be relied on by itself- as we know parasites don't dwell in the intestinal tract alone they live in your pets blood, liver, kidneys, heart etc. As well. You can give your dog black walnut and wormwood tinctures- it is easy to hide the drops in wet food. Dr. Hulda Clark recommends introducing some parsley into the diet beforehand to make sure the parasites get flushed out promptly as you cleanse. You begin with the black walnut slowly increasing the dose depending on your dog's weight. Then you introduce the wormwood, and eventually clove powder which needs to be freshly ground and is the only thing that will kill the eggs. A pet parasite program needs to last at least 3 weeks to kill all stages- egg, larva etc in your pet and MUST be repeated on a regular basis as pets are constantly exposed to new infestations no matter how well you take care of them. Many people will follow up the initial cleanse with a monthly dose for 3 or 4 days usually around the full moon which seems to be when parasites are most active. It is REALLY important to do this on a regular basis as chronic parasite infections can cause all kinds of other health problems. Pumpkin seeds can help to sweep them out as well (i imagine the cucumber works similarly). Always be careful what you put into your pets make sure you do your research as occasionally certain foods/herbs which are safe for humans may have adverse/toxic effects on cats and dogs- particularly cats.

I'd like to comment on the lady that used the DEarth for worm removal. The idea is to see more worms in the stool when doing a cleanse. It was obviously working. You have to rid the body of the worms and obviously the dog was full of them. Don't stop the treatment. You want to see results. Just like in a human. If you take a product like ParaGone, it will take time for the worms to leave your body and the only way is through your stool. You might see many worms but keep on the protocol until there are no more. You might need a break here and there but it could take 6 months to a year to see a result.

I wonder if the clay didn't provide some B vitamins too? Cats are supposed to be more prone to parasites when they lack proper B vitamins particularly B1.

Next time try diatomaceous earth internally for the worms and outside for the fleas! It's non toxic, but don't you or them breath it as it is irritating to the lungs.

I have tried garlic for dewormer on my akita border mix, seemed to work for a while but then the worms took over. Meanwhile I was working on processing some terra cotta clay for some project, I had a stainless steel bowl with water in it for washing the clay off of my hands and tools. The bowl sat in the mud room, and I caught the dog drinking the water. I stopped her and told her it was no good, but I still left it there and later I came back to find she had not only drank the water but had also eaten the heavy clay out of the bottom of the bowl. She cleaned it!

So the dog took it upon itself to eat the clay. I will wait and see if the worms go away. Maybe the dog knows Best! I will try to post the results of my observation.

Buy dewormer for round worm from Walmart, costs about $7. Give teaspoon full to average 10 lb cat in food like tuna fish, mix in. Repeat in two weeks and should nip the cycle of reinfestation. Garlic and brewer's yeast is used to ward off fleas who dislike scent and taste of pet so leave. Good to add to food. Cats lick and swallow fleas when bite them and then eggs hatch in their bodies feeding on food, nutrient supply. Keep cat bell on collar on cat as deters them from catching rodents, birds as they hear em and flee so can't eat em! Also keeping home clean by weekly dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, washing bedding where pets lie including your bed spreads, comforters, couch, chair covers, blankets helps. Also weekly brushing dog, cats, wiping dander off them with a wet paper towel and drying them also helps as does allowing cats to have either scratching post inside or access to trees otside to keep nails trimmed so when scratch selves don't get cut which could get infected. Monthly nail trim of dog as well. Keep lawn mowed in winter and eliminate clutter both in and outside home where fleas may hide as well as mosquitos(pots full of standing water, etc. ) In warm months deflea pets by using some method you can afford. I use Walmart product and is fine, once a month. Has 3 vials in it for like $6. Take advantage of your local free rabies clinics in the summer.

There are also free pet food food banks at your local ASPCA if you are low income. Get pet insurance as your pet ages as gradually the pet bills will grow but don't have to. Rescue groups like Animalkind in Hudson, NY in Columbia county offer free veterinary care on Sundays including free spay, neuter, other shots for cats, kittens. Department of Social Services pays $20 towards spay, neuter of dogs and friends of animals has certificates you can get for free spay, neuter of your pet. There are plenty of agencies to help ets in NYC.

Your local veterinary hospital will treat healthy pets for maintenance check ups to prevent anything serious. Get apt. Insurance if renting so you can get a nice apt. In good area even though normally doesn't allow pets as covers liability and any damage to apt. Is what landlord wants to prevent. If is covered then shouldn't be a problem so yolu don't have to live in slum or give up pets like so many do. Treat your pet with home remedies and as cheaply as possible and when in doubt go to internet and pet forums like this for answers but consider source and make an educated decision before yoiu act. Caution is best and do nothing when in doubt. here's to your pet's health!

-Ann

pet pro(former owner of pet sitting, boarding, grooming service in Westchester county, NY) Ann has had dogs, cats her whole life and used to ride, show horses.

P.S. recommend book from Prevention Magazine for Pet Health as contains many helpful pet tips, treatments for training, health treatment, etc.

I worked for a vet for a number of years, he told me the only difference between store-bought dewormers and prescription is the dose. If you buy the meds from the store, double the dose and it is the same as the prescription dose from the vet. Hope this helps.

Can someone tell me how much ground cloves to put in dog's food for a 41 pound dog please? She she a small # of roundworm eggs. How long should I use the cloves? I am also giving 1/2 tsp finely ground pumpkin seeds per day. New at natural de-worming, so please advise!

Interested in how you use DE for their ears?

I take about 1 tsp of D.E., lift up the dog's ear flap, put the D.E. in, put the flap back down and rub it all around. Keep fleas & ticks out! I call it "ear massage time" when I give them some, which is 2x/day. I will also rub some D.E. all over their bodies, but not every day; it can be very drying to the skin. This is not true of dogs' ears though.

Be sure to hydrate the cat well….massive constipation if not careful. I would take 1/2 tsp once a day for a cat under 15 lbs. good luck! It works!

You need to do some more research on DE. De shouldn't be used as a stand alone prevention, or treatment.

I use diatamaceous earth (or dirt as I affectionately call it) with all my animals. I have horses and cattle who get 1oz/day in the spring and fall and 2oz/day in the summer to help with fly control. The nice side benefit is I also have less problems with parasites when they are on this. I also give it to my pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, geese, alpacas, dogs, and cats. it works great and the farrier even comments on how little pest problems we have compared to other farms, which is nice to have few flies with all the animals. Also because of the effect on parasites and our local weather I only have to strongly deworm about 2x per year instead of deworming every 8 weeks for the horses and such.

I wanted to add I give my horses and dog DE for parasite control. I've taken it myself from time to time, too. It's very important to know that there is a Food Grade DE ....and there is diatomaceous earth product that is sold for use in pool filters. That product is toxic. Be sure to buy Food Grade diatomaceous earth.

my dog is susceptible to tapeworms, even with flea medicine. he's 6 and gets tapeworms once, sometimes twice, a year. i was tired of spending $75.00 each time i went to the vet for the pill. plus, i wanted to give him a natural treatment. i tried the pumpkin seeds and they worked okay. i read about diatomaceous earth and thought i'd try it. i'm so glad i did! it worked wonders. my dog is 90 lbs. so i gave him 2 heaping tablespoons in his food and later that day his stool had pieces of dead tapeworms and 1 live one. the next day i gave him 1 tablespoon and later that day his stool had only dead pieces. the third day (today) his stool was clean. so it only took two days. i gave him another tablespoon today just to be safe and i think i'll continue for another day or two just to clean out his system, but thank you for this wonderful suggestion. oh, and it costs just cents per tablespoon! nice bonus.

Hi I read your response to the Diatomaceous Earth remedy for worms, and I was wondering, where can one buy DE at? My kitty who is about 5 or so weeks old has worms :(

I live in San Antonio. You can get diatomaceous earth at feed stores. They carry dewormers as well.

I gave my cat diatamatious earth for her worm problem. She seemed to get sick and was hacking and coughung alot. So I quit giving it to her. It didnt bother my other two cats at all. Does that mean that it was doing its job??? PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT

To Angela from Scotia, Ny, Usa- PLEASE never give your kitties diatomaceous earth!! I understand it can be inhaled and since it's like tiny microscopic shards of glass, it gets stuck in their lungs! I've heard of people who dusted their cat for fleas with it and it killed the cat!

DE is available in food grade. I've given to my chihuahua with no problems! Found in most garden centers.

Don't worry about your kitties inhaling the earth if you properly mix it in with wet food. It's fine.

Yes it means the diatomaceus earth(DE) was working. As the worms die they release toxins, your cat must have a large amount of worms. However DE absorbs the toxins once u start giving DE you should not stop for at least 3 weeks until all the eggs have died.

I sell DE for a living and can tell you that in it's dry form it is EXTREMELY hazardous long term as it is chemically inert and you can not eliminate it from your body if you inhale it. It is perfectly safe when wet and can not poison you in any way unless you (or your pet) swallow massive amounts which will bind together in the presence of muriatic acid, also known as stomach acid and create a very strong "mud."

Hello all, A dirt poor friend of mine once had a Labrador puppy under a year old that had massive tapeworms. It was just skin and bones. So, not having money to take it to the vet and not wanting to see it die, and not having Diatomaceous Earth on hand, I had him go outside and take some Perlite (garden section of stores) and crush it into a fine, fine powder. I had him make a simple white gravy, mix in one teaspoon into the gravy and put it on his food. This was done twice a day.

Shortly after it started gaining weight, and was back to normal within the month, during which time I had him continue it for, just to make sure any eggs that might hatch would be dead.

D.E. and Perlite are similar in the physical mechanism in which they act upon the worms as an abrasive, killing them.

Gastic acid is a weak solution of hydrochloric acid (0. 5%). The name muriatic acid is a holdover from olden days, and is only used for the 10% concentration used for cleaning bricks. The "active" component of diatomaceous earth is silicon dioxide, also known as silica, the same material that's used for making beverage bottles. At the 0.5% solution level of gastic acid, silica is nearly inert.

As Ben mentioned, MASSIVE amounts of diatomaceous earth can form a dense slurry, but to achieve such an amount, you'd have to force feed it to a dog or cat with no source of fiber, fat or protein to suspend the silica particles.

In worming, DE acts as an abrasive; the rough broken eggshell" structure is large relative to the worms, but tiny relative to the dog or cat and the intestinal wall.

DE isn't selectively absorbent. Any chemical neutralization properties of DE are due to impurities, like calcium carbonate (chalk).

Does it have to be food grade? I would assume. I know lesser grades can be harmful to humans, but what about pets?

Wild Wolf Creek Ranch is the best place to get it. They sell it in bulk and is Food grade. Plus they give instructions I how much.

You must be using pool grade, not food grade DE. You must give you and your pets FOOD GRADE DE. If you find DE and you are not sure if it is food grade, DON'T BUY IT. Be safe and be 100% sure that it is food grade before giving it to yourselves or loved ones.

Please do not ever give your animal ground up perlite. It most certainly is NOT the same as DE (which MUST say "food grade' on it.) Perlite, while slightly similar to DE is not now, nor ever 'food grade' and cannot be safely ingested. EVER.

I always give DE mixed in wet food so there is no chance of the animal breathing it. Of course, I am careful not to breath it when mixing it too.

How much DE would you give a cat in their wet food to treat worms and how often? He is over 13 lbs.

ALWAYS always always FOOD grade. Animals are living creatures and they eat food just like you and I- If it's not FOOD GRADE it's poison to them just like us.

Is garlic really proven to kill parasites and safe for my dog, I noticed a white worm in stool this morning @ poop & scoop time.

Is garlic really proven to kill parasites and safe for my dog, I noticed a white worm in stool this morning @ poop & scoop time.

Hey Edie!

Sounds like you need to worm for roundworms/ascarids.

Garlic alone has many great health properties including antiparasitic properties -but I find it is more effective on protozoans - single celled organisms - and completely ineffective when fed on its own to combat a round worm infection.

There are natural remedies that you can try - tinctures usually incorporate wormwood or blackwalnut but there are prepared combinations ie 'Para-gone'. Folks use these along with diatomaceous earth and garlic and it has proven effective for some; the dosing can be tricky and these remedies tend to work slowly and depending on the weight of your pet, the bottled products require purchasing multiple bottles of the product for and optimal treatment. That said, the folks whom I know who have reported success in using these natural approaches typically fed exclusively RAW or BARF diets and their pets all got plenty of hours of daily open air, sun and exercise, ie fit and hard bodied canine athletes. Certain remedies such as garlic and DE need to be used continuously, 24/7/365, tend to be effective only when incorporated in a RAW/BARF feeding program, and work slowly over time - so not like using prescription wormers from the vet.

For my own experience, its actually been far cheaper in the long run for me to go to the vet for prescription wormer ie Panacur/Fenbendazole, than to fiddle with using natural remedies over lengths of time, particularly when dealing with puppies and severely infected crisis cases. The fenbendazole works quickly - you see the dog evacuate the worm load that is present [adult worms] within 24 hours, so you know that the damage they are doing is stopped in its tracks; this is particularly critical in severe infections and with tiny pups. Ideally you would worm 3 times, 2 weeks apart, to eliminate first the adult worms and then any eggs that may hatch out after the initial worming.

I would not bother with OTC wormers from the grocery store ie Hartz Mountain products. Worming products available without a prescription that can be obtained online that are effective on roundworms should contain Pyrantel Pamoate. This is often combined with praziquantel [Droncit] to make it cover tapeworms as well.

CAUTION: Its possible to obtain these key wormers in horse products from the farm and fleet supply stores; this approach can be effective if you have an excellent grasp of mathematics and can calculate the required minute dosage needed for a 40 pound dog vs a 1200 pound horse - otherwise this approach runs the great risk of you overdosing your dog can causing great harm!

Read up on how to identify dog worms and the problems associated with these worms here:

http://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Different-Dog-Worms

Dont give the puppy garlic, it is poisonous. You can accidentally make it very sick or kill it.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2&aid=2414

The best thing you can do for this puppy is to either borrow money from someone or give the dog to someone that can afford to take care of it. Sometimes you can work out a payment plan with your vet.

If the dog is vomitting worms the infestation is likely severe, and you are right, it will die. But killing the puppy to kill the worm is not the way to go.

Forgive my bluntness - Rae, you're not the sharpest tool in the shed. I've used fresh garlic, a grain or two, in my dog's wet food for every day of her life with me and she's approaching the ripe old age of 16yrs! I've had her since she was 6mons old, you do the math.

It has cut down on fleas - I don't know about the worm though.

Im referring to the comment about giving the pet away or borrowing money. I have been breeding pits for years. Back in 2000 I got hurt on the job and could'nt work no more. So at that time I had 3 females and 3 males. I could'nt afford the vet bills for worms. I started mincing up garlic and adding it to their food and have been everyday. I have healthy dogs and puppies. I think it is heartless to tell someone what you did. I have a 12 yr old pit mixed, whos my heart and I have been through her getting ran over and me taking her to put her to sleep. I could'nt do it I turned around and went back to get her. Thank GOD I did. She was 1 then and she will make 13yrs old in October.

There is a website called IMOMS.org they are wonderful they help you raise money to get your pets the proper care. Please go check it out. When Felony got ran over they helped me raise the money for her surgery and heart worm treatment right after. I was blessed enough to find a vet who done her surgery for free, so my money was donated back to help another pet in need. Im sorry I went into great details about this, just to let you know that garlic did'nt hurt mine. Plus to let you know there is help and people who care. I would never tell no one to give their pet away:)

Yes theres a lot of myths about garlic. It wont hurt your dog if the right amount is given. Just like if it eats a bit of chocolate it also wont kill it.

As for Rae from Epworth, Ia, Usa replies: "The best thing you can do for this puppy is to either borrow money from someone or give the dog to someone that can afford to take care of it. Sometimes you can work out a payment plan with your vet"

I cannot emphasize what an ignorant and short sighted answer this is. We domesticated these animals because they benefit us well beyond being a luxury. The fact that veterinary care has gone up as much (if not more) than human health care is leading to an epidemic of abandoned or euthanized animals in this country. Not to mention, some vets are cashing in worse than doctors today ($180 to spay a cat!!! ). I've become caretaker of a feral cat colony. Even if I were to destroy or rehome each of the seven cats I look out for - the net result is that I'd have a new crop on my property within 3 months. It's a habitat whether I like it or not.

And FYI - since these ferals took up regular residence and maintenance, we have no (river) rats, mice, moles tearing up our landscaping while the groundhogs and rabbit population has diminished substantially. A much better solution to moles than burying poison pellets everywhere in my yard.

If you search around the internet and converse with your local humane society, you can often find lower cost alternatives that will keep your animals healthy and happy and not put you in the poorhouse.

Personally, I'm giving the regular DE a try in my feral colony because I like the concept of breaking the life cycle of the parasites. Many wormers eliminate the problem from he animal but leave the eggs around to be snuffed up by the critter that comes along. I'll report back on DE after 3 or 4 months of regular use.

The average cost to spay a human is $7000, upwards to $20, 000 in some cases. Less than $200 bucks to spay a cat is actually pretty paltry. Especially considering a veterinarian has the same amount of schooling, and has to learn about several species instead of just one. And the technique, equipment, etc. is pretty darn similar.

If something as simple and wide-spread as garlic actually prevented fleas- there wouldn't be so many flea medications on the market. There also would be so many flea infestations. This year seemed especially heinous with the little buggers.

What is the right amount of garlic to be mixed in an 8-month old puppy's food to treat parasites and worms?

Hey Dennisdish!

Garlic is dosed by weight:

Here's a guide on the garlic levels safe for dogs per day, based on a dog's weight (1/2 clove per ten pounds of body weight):

Fresh Garlic (from The Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Dr. Pitcairn)

10 to 15 pounds: .5 clove

20 to 40 pounds: 1 clove

45 to 70 pounds: 2 cloves

75 to 90 pounds: 2.5 cloves

100 pounds +: 3 cloves

Source:http://www.petguide.com/health/dog/the-shocking-truth-about-dogs-and-garlic/

What I don't like about the above is that a clove of garlic can vary in size, so .5 of a clove of garlic is kind of a random amount, whereas if it were dosed in grams it would be so much more helpful.

Using garlic to worm an otherwise healthy adult animal or to keep it parasite free is done best using small amounts over time; using garlic to rapidly worm a severely infested puppy with a swollen belly full of roundworms or hookworms [a life threatening situation] would require a large amount over a brief or extended span of time and may cause more harm than good, as garlic in large amounts has a toxic effect. Please be careful if you are using garlic to worm a puppy who has a critical/life threatening wormload - certainly if this is the case traditional wormer from the vet does do an effective job.

What an ignorant comment. Nowadays we have chemical/ prescription meds in the world. There is money to made form prescription meds.Actually Vets can get kickbacks for some meds they prescribe. Herbal and natural remedies were around long before and often work. Without side effects some Rx /OTC meds can cause. ALSO there are agencies in most states that offer spay/nueter service for a pittance. Like 25.00. Contact your local humane society and explain your issue. They can refer you. In Georgia (Cherokee County) We had a huge "Cat Snip" bus that provided this service, incl shots as well, for next to nothing. If states want to control the pet population they have resources such as this. I got my doxie spayed, a rabie shot, and her second series of core vaccines FOR 25.00 Georgia Animal project. Based on income

Hi Jackie, you are so right, vets getting a kick back from drug companies, but what I can you and others there are willing to try more natural to heal our animals. Here in aussie if it doesn't come from the vet it's no good. I don't know how many times I get told I am not a vet nor do I claim to be so I should be not be telling people how to treat their animals. GRRRR

I have been giving my Pomeranian garlic and garlic pills since she was a pup! She is flawless and has never ever had worms! There is no cure like a natural cure! People thinking Big Pharma is the way to go are killing their pets! My dog is on a totally natural regime and is gorgeous with luscious shiny fur and never sick! Afraid you are wrong! 0

My Schipperkee has worms for the 2nd time in 5 months. They were flat before now round. The humane society gave dewormers to both the boy and the girl. They are on Ivermectin and Nextgard they shouldn't be getting worm. They are on artificial grass. I can only think that the mosquito or fleas in the are re introducing the worms. They get their annual check ups faithfully. The boy also tested positive for heart worm and had the shots to clear that up. Any thoughts?

Those studies used dosages far above what you would normally give your dog. In excessively high dosages, it can cause a change in the blood, but it would have to be given in massive dosages. Garlic is safe to give daily and will not kill your puppy or dog when given at the right amounts. I have given my dogs garlic and they have never had any ill effects. Garlic is not toxic to dogs when given correctly.