Try these simple and inexpensive, at-home remedies for your best friend. One comes straight from the Mutterland.
While living in Germany and being braver than usual, meeting an online date in person and hoping to find the love of my life, I befriended a gentleman named Jürgen.
Jürgen was a tall, white-haired, pipe-smoking and smiley character who liked to drink fine whiskey. He lived just over the border from France and knew quite a lot about different regional wines, both German and French.
Though only about seven years older than me, Jürgen was out of my league age-wise, due to his advanced maturity in appearance, mind and outlook. (I tried to make it work with him, but I just wasn't feeling it.)
One big plus was that Jürgen had a basset hound named Ferdinand, so he welcomed my dog and me for visits, walks, meals out, and different experiences, like whiskey-tastings and strolls to woodsy restaurants where we would drink, talk, smoke his pipe and find out if we were compatible. I spent the night at Jürgen's home only once -- not willing to give up my heart, body and soul (a complete package) to the man I knew would never be the one for me. Having slept over unplanned without a meal for my canine pal Jack for the following morning, the occasion arose for Jürgen to feed our dogs.
Sometimes there is only ONE THING that a person with whom we cross paths teaches us.
And besides providing me with the history of the German wine Gewürztraminer, Jürgen taught me about one kind of natural dog dewormers.
While mixing up raw ground beef, leftover potatoes, and other vegetables he pulled from his refrigerator and counter, Jürgen explained the importance of the ingredients.
Saying my dog wouldn't partake in dining on some of the vegetables, I met with a German retort. "Carrot is a natural dewormer for dogs!" Jürgen exclaimed emphatically, forcing the statement to stick in my mind until this day, through every morning's feeding time.
I now appreciate how good carrots are for my dog -- danke Jürgen -- as I chop a whole carrot into rounds and place it in my dog's dish, along with other good things that will trick the dog into chewing up all the orange bites that he definitely would not eat as a standalone snack.
(As my Hawaiian dogsitter always informed me, Jack won't eat carrots on vacation.)
Jürgen was not wrong, though I never doubted him. According to petpartners.com, "Coarsely-chopped carrots scrape the walls of the [dog's] stomach and gut as they are digested, removing the mucus and any parasites that are within it."
It turns out there are many superfoods you AND your dog can consume. For example, pumpkin seeds not only taste good and contain lots of fiber and healthy fats, but are an "extremely effective deworming agent because they contain an amino acid called cucurbitacin. This paralyzes the worms making them easily eliminated from the intestine." (petpartners.com)
Dried coconut is also a vermifuge, which means it helps eliminate worms from the body. Coconut oil can get rid of internal parasites as well, in addition to making your dog's coat shiny and healthy.
Two more tropical and deworming super-fruits are pineapple and papaya. Pineapple can boost your dog's immune system to fight off worms. Papain, found in papaya, also combats the creep-crawlies.
Though it shouldn't be fed to dogs in large quantities, garlic not only acts as a vermifuge on the inside, it acts as a repellent and may help reduce tick and flea infestation on the outside. Those little bugs don't like the smell.
Chamomile, a soothing tea we humans drink to fall asleep or relax helps with bloating and inflammation caused by internal parasites. In tincture form, it can eliminate roundworms and whipworms.
Though I know they're good for me, apple cider vinegar and turmeric don't taste especially enticing. Choosy canines may also snub their noses at both. It is recommended that the ACV be mixed in with your dog's water, and the turmeric put into a coconut oil paste.
There are other "human" foods that are also great preventers of dog ailments, worms, and parasites. Do a little digging (like your pooch would if he could), and research further.
Why dose your dog up with something expensive and toxic that is made in a lab when you can feed him or her something you'd ingest yourself?
NOTE: Be sure to check with your veterinarian before feeding your dog anything that may not agree with your dog. Quantities of the foods mentioned above should be measured carefully to meet your dog's needs.
For detailed information, more beneficial deworming dog foods, and dosages, check out the following sites:
Comments