# Brewer's Yeast and Garlic for fleas?



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

All of a sudden the dogs are eat up with fleas. And they're not due for Frontline for another week.

I just ordered some Brewer's Yeast and Garlic tablets for them. Has anyone tried this? 

Hubby cut down my humongous rosemary shrub and I am going to put some of it in the doghouses. 

Any other natural alternatives to get rid of fleas?


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

Hadn't heard about brewer's yeast, but I've only heard good things about garlic for pests. We use it on the goats. My dog won't eat it...didn't even think about tablets! 

We are a week out from the next frontline too and the pup is covered in them all ready. Looks like it's back to treatment every to weeks until the little buggers die down. I haven't found a good alternative treatment. Hopefully there will be more good suggestions here!


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Garlic by itself works well, brewers yeast can cause issues in dogs that are sensitive. Garlic takes 2-3 weeks to get into the system and work, but works very well if you can remember to give it daily. I use it daily on my dogs food (we feed raw) mixed with kelp. It does not take much. As an example, I take a shaker of garlic powder and dump out 3/4 of it, then fill the rest with granulated kelp leaving enough room to shake to mix. Then I sprinkle thier food daily, the amount you would to season meat before baking. A couple years ago, I was busy running a ***** out of state to be bred (who then decided to go out with the trip) and left feeding the rest of the dogs to my teenage son. He neglected to "sprinkle" for those few weeks. I soon noticed fleas on all the dogs except for the ones I fed or was off being bred (they went with thier raw and sprinkles). I treated all the dogs with a spot on from walmart (my dogs do fine with it) while I restarted "sprinkles", but I know that only lasts about 2-3 weeks tops- though by the time it wore off, the garlic kicked in. I have been using garlic for flea control for 5 -6 yrs and that was the only time I have had fleas on the dogs...even when the cats had them as they dislike garlic and there was fleas in the house- no fleas on the dogs. It does not work well for tick or fly control though....for flies I do use chemicals...I use Bug block (I think) its in a purple bottle and lasts for 14 days after you treat for a few days. For ticks, I keep the grass cut short and the dogs out of the tall grass...if they are going hiking or to the woods with me or into tall grass, I spray them with diluted skin so soft and it lasts for several hours.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Hmmm...we've always put garlic in the horses' feed to ward off flies in the summer. It works for them...wonder why it doesn't work on dogs?

Like I said, I ordered four bottles of Brewer's Yeast with Garlic for the dogs. I sure hope none of them are sensitive to the Brewer's Yeast!!!


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## Guest (May 28, 2009)

Garlic was a complete bust for fleas with my dogs. They got it every day for months and still developed a horrific case of fleas. The Frontline took care of them on the dog so now I'm having to deal with them getting into my shop. Wish they made a Frontline for me!

.....Alan.


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## Willow101 (Feb 20, 2008)

Many years ago a Great Dane breeder friend went the brewer's yeast route for fleas. What she found it that it worked for some dogs and not for others. Try it and see what happens. If it works...great...and if it doesn't then you really haven't lost much as both brewer's yeast and garlic are good suppliments for a dog anyway.

One thing that many people might forget....if you have a flea problem you also have a tape worm problem. If the flea preventative that you use requries the flea to bite the dog to be killed, then even with the preventative you will have to routinely worm for tapes.

Willow101


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

One word of caution...garlic in moderate to high amounts can cause heinz anemia. I would not use more than a minimum amount for flea control.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

The dogs get Frontline treatment the first of every month. And they are also treated with Ivermectin for worms (this is their heartworm treatment as well). We buy it at the Farmer's Co-op and give the dosage our vet recommended. 

I am hoping the Brewer's Yeast with Garlic pills will help them get through the entire month flea free. Looks like we're going to have a really bad flea problem this year! Hubby is wanting to spray them with Adams and put flea collars on them on top of the Frontline and Ivermectin. 

I, however, don't want to saturate them with chemicals...which is why I'm looking for natural remedies.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

It is safe to use Frontline or Advantage more than once a month. In heavy infestations, they recommend using it every 2 weeks until the infestation is under control.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

That's what our vet said, but I still hate dosing them with chemicals.


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## cathryn (Aug 7, 2005)

I used Garlic and Brewers yeast powder for our last dog. We also got a vaccume that didn't have a bag, but uses a bowl of water that gets dumped outside when you are done. That worked for us to keep the fleas off the dog and out of the house.

Can someone tell me what problems the brewers yeast causes for some dogs?

Peace-Cathryn


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## Joe123 (Feb 24, 2008)

We use ACV for pets to keep fleas away. 

We put it in the drinking water of our pets.


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## cathryn (Aug 7, 2005)

What is ACV?

Cathryn


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## Joe123 (Feb 24, 2008)

cathryn said:


> What is ACV?
> 
> Cathryn




apple cider vinegar

Sorry for not putting what ACV ment.


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## cathryn (Aug 7, 2005)

Thanks Joe123. I haven't heard of that. How much do you use? 

*Does anyone know what problems brewers yeast can cause for dogs?* I am having a skin problem with our newly adopted dog and I was thinking that it was the bath/shampoo because we are feeding the same food as the rescue was. I did just start giving her BY/Garlic tablets though. Could that cause itching/hot spots & yeasty ears in just a few days?

Does anyone use those pills that you give when you see the fleas? How do they work for you? It has been a long time since we have had a dog so I am trying to figure out what to do with our new one. If it will work for us I would rather address a flea problem with a small dose of insecticide than put a constant dose of it in the dogs system.

Peace-Cathryn


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## Joe123 (Feb 24, 2008)

Cathryn wife uses for big dog 1 tablespoon in water bowl an small dog 1 teaspoon in water bowl.


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## GoldenMom (Jan 2, 2005)

cathryn said:


> Does anyone use those pills that you give when you see the fleas? How do they work for you? It has been a long time since we have had a dog so I am trying to figure out what to do with our new one. If it will work for us I would rather address a flea problem with a small dose of insecticide than put a constant dose of it in the dogs system.
> 
> Peace-Cathryn


The problem with treating the fleas this way is that by the time you see fleas, they have already reproduced, contaminating the environment. You will then have a constant supply of new fleas hatching out. At least when you use a topical it lasts for about 4 weeks, rather than 24 hours.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Lavender is a natural flea repellant, as is penny royal. A cider vinegar rinse will make most fleas drop off. To keep them off, you can make a spray using lavender essential oil mixed with water. Spray it on the dog, underside and legs. As long as he smells pretty the fleas will stay away. I think it also works to keep ticks away. If you don't want to spray the dog, plant lavender plants in a place the dog walks by every day so he will rub against the plant. You can also plant penny royal in the lawn.

And keep grass mowed.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Maura said:


> And keep grass mowed.


You bring up an important point. Fleas and ticks are greatly reduced outside if you keep your grass mowed. The only place my dogs pick up ticks is woods and tall grass. When our tractor broke down one year, we had ticks everywhere. Mowed when it was repaired and the tick issue went away.


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## Willow101 (Feb 20, 2008)

Free range chickens are great flea and tick yard control. Not so great for the livingroom.

Willow101


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Well they help, but my chickens only patroled a certain area when they were free ranging. They stayed away from the dog areas.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

16 dogs equal NO free range chickens here! LOL...

Hubby does keep a large area around the house and garden mowed, but it's impossible to mow it all...especially since we have large hay fields which mustn't be mowed during the Spring when the ticks are worse.


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## Nette (Aug 17, 2003)

I use Frontline, too, but noticed it doesn't seem to be working as well this year. I don't use it EVERY month, on EVERY dog, as I'm trying to be frugal with it. In the past, if I'd start seeing ticks on a dog, they'd get a dose of Frontline. Some dogs were very susceptible to ticks and others weren't. But THIS year...(grimace)...I've seen a flea or two. This is going to require treatment of everybody on a regular basis. I guess because it's been so wet is why fleas might be more prevalent this year? 

With my new rescue puppy, Betty, I'm using "Critter Powder" which I get from the local herb store. I had used this in the past to help a dog with poor coat condition, and knew that it worked. It has garlic, yeast, and some other things. I also use Frontline on Betty, but am just using the herb to supplement.


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