Even with the cooler winter temperatures, ticks are already awake at 7°C. These blood-sucking parasites such as ticks and fleas seek their meals on our dogs and cats. Every year when spring starts, the season of ticks and the ritual for tick prevention cannot be avoided. Ticks can transmit diseases that pose a danger to humans and animals.
The danger of ticks to humans, dogs and cats
The tick belongs to the bloodsucking ectoparasites. They lurk in bushes and grasses on paths or forest edges and wait for their opportunity. As soon as a suitable host passes, they drop and cling to his/her coat or clothes. They look for a suitable place to suck blood. During this process, diseases can be transmitted from the tick to the host. Lyme disease is one of the most well-known diseases, but more and more dogs are also suffering from anaplasmosis. Even for humans, the tick can be very dangerous, because we can also suffer from Lyme disease or tick-borne encephalitis. While previously warned against ticks in the southern regions of Germany, they have spread today in the north. The mild winters contribute to the rest, because ticks are hardy and can tolerate minus degrees for quite a while. It is a fact they can be found nationwide.
If you take action early and support your pet with tick defence, you will be prepared at the start of the season. We recommend that you take a holistic approach. In other words, to combine odour-related protection from the outside and strengthening the immune system from the inside.
We recommend that you search the dog after each walk for the bloodsuckers and remove any ticks attached to your animal immediately. Daily screening of your pet for ticks is therefore of great importance, since the pathogens are only transferred from the tick to the host after 12-24 hours of solid attachment. If you are not sure how to do it properly (for example, with the help of a tick card or tweezers), please do not hesitate to ask. If the tick is removed incorrectly e.g. the head of the tick gets stuck, it can have dire health consequences for your dog!
Naturavetal® Info
Our natural feed supplements, which can provide nutritional support for parasite defence, can be combined very well with products for external use. It makes sense to offer external and internal support, especially in regions where there are a lot of ticks. If this is not enough, you can also combine other products. If you have any questions, please contact our team of experts.
Our defence programme for dogs and cats at a glance
For feed-related support, you can use Canis Extra Egyptian Organic Black Cumin Oil, Canis Extra Brewer's Yeast and Canis Extra Organic Coconut Oil, for odour-related defence withDefence Complex and Coat Spray - we have the right concept for you.
Cats can also be supported by regularly mixing Felins Plus® Organic Coconut Oil into their food. For external, odour-induced defence against ticks and other pests, use our Felins Plus® Defence Complex.
To promote a strong skin odour in dogs
Canis Extra Defence Complex
Our Canis Extra Defence Complex promotes a strong skin odour, which is particularly beneficial during the tick season, especially if the dog often goes swimming. During a 3-week basic phase, the defence complex is slowly absorbed into the metabolism, transported through the body and evaporated through the skin (please follow the application recommendations). After completion of the basic phase, Canis Extra Defence Complex can be applied 2-3 times a week. In this way, a healthy body odour can be promoted, even if the dog goes swimming regularly. Canis Extra Defence Complex can be given to young dogs from the age of 6 months.
Canis Extra Defence Complex - for application to the antihelix ear cone
Canis Extra Defence Complex is absorbed into the skin and is therefore particularly suitable for dogs that swim a lot or play in water, as it does not wash off so quickly.
Natural care for the dog‘s coat providing a fresh strong odour defence through the skin, especially during tick season
Canis Extra Coat Spray
Canis Extra Coat Spray can be sprayed directly onto the dog's coat to treat unpleasant coat odours. It takes effect after the very first application, neutralising unpleasant odours and giving the coat a new freshness thanks to its purely natural formula. Our coat spray is easy to use and has a refreshing effect - it promotes protection through the coat in the warmer seasons and takes care of coat impurities such as dirt or faeces. Our coat spray soothes the skin and strengthens the skin's own protective barrier.
To promote a strong body odour in cats
Felins Plus® Defence Complex
Felins Plus® Defence Complex promotes a strong skin odour, which is particularly beneficial during the tick season. Small amounts of the oil are rubbed onto the antihelix ear cones daily for 3 weeks. During this basic phase, it slowly enters the metabolism, is transported through the body and evaporated through the skin. Once the basic phase is complete, our Felins Plus® Defence Complex can be applied 2-3 times a week.
Felins Plus® Defence Complex - for application to the antihelix ear cone
24 hours before the first application, we recommend testing a small droplet our defence complex on the animal's neck. If no redness or itching occurs within 24 hours, you can then use the product as recommended.
The perfect support from inside to out
Canis Extra Organic Coconut Oil for dogs
Canis Extra Organic Coconut Oil is a versatile all-rounder. Used externally, it can be massaged into the coat as a helpful tool against tick defence, as well as administered internally added to the daily food. If you are planning a walk in the forest and meadow, you can easily rub a small amount of coconut oil in your fingers and massage into the coat of the dog or cat.
The lauric acid contained is perceived as unpleasant by the ticks, so they refrain from attaching itself to the host. Coconut oil also supports internally, a specified amount can be mixed to the feed. Dogs and cats like to eat the coconut oil and inwardly benefit from the many positive properties of coconut oil.
The perfect support from inside to out
Felins Plus® Organic Coconut Oil for cats
Felins Plus® Organic Coconut Oil is very versatile. You can use it externally for coat care, but you can also add it to your cat's food as it can nutritionally support parasite defence. If your cat is out and about frequently, you can simply melt a small amount of organic coconut oil in the palms of your hands before going outside and massaging it into the cat's fur, especially around the neck and face (please make sure to avoid the eyes and nostrils). Experience has shown that if a cat is distracted outside, it will not lick it off immediately, giving the oil some time to absorb.
Lauric acid, is contained in high quantities in our organic coconut oil, it is perceived as unpleasant by ticks, so they avoid it. If fed regularly, it can provide nutritional support for parasite defence. Another advantage is that organic coconut oil has a nice flavour that is accepted and eaten by many cats.
Organic coconut oil is a great alternative for very sensitive animals or dogs and cats that are still very young. It can also be used alongside other products to provide additional nutritional support for parasite defence.
Note - for dogs and cats with longer coats, a small amount of our organic coconut oil should be massaged directly onto the skin, as it could otherwise make the long coat sticky. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and high temperatures can cause the oil to liquefy and become rancid.
The highest all-rounder, natural quality for dogs
Canis Extra Egyptian Organic Black Cumin Oil
Canis Extra Organic Black Cumin Oil has become increasingly popular in recent years. While initially the focus was more on feed-related support for the immune system in the event of immune deficiencies, respiratory or joint problems, its other benefits soon came into focus. Black cumin oil contains unsaturated omega-6- and -9 fatty acids, saponin melanthin, the bitter substance nigellin and thymoquinone. It can have a mitigating/lessening effect on allergies and support healthy intestinal flora thanks to its positive properties. In 2014, 18-year-old Alexander Betz investigated the connection between black cumin oil and the absence of ticks on his dog as part of a student experiment in the "Jugend forscht" competition. The results of the experiment indicated that ticks found the dog less attractive after it had been given black cumin oil mixed into its food as opposed to those that hadn’t been fed it.
Naturavetal® Info
Many plants produce substances to defend themselves against predators. We know them as phytochemicals - secondary plant substances. Essential oils also belong to the secondary plant substances. These can be used (sparingly!) to support the animal externally and internally in its defence against pests such as fleas, ticks or mites.
Black cumin seed oil has a characteristic, intense odour, which indicates the high proportion of essential oils. As essential oils have to be broken down by the liver, black cumin oil should only be cold-pressed and of excellent quality. A few drops, the exact amount depending on body weight, are fed daily for a short period. If your dog is very sensitive or less than 4 months old, we advise against feeding black cumin oil to support the dog's internal defences. Black cumin oil should not be used if liver damage is suspected. An alternative cure is our Canis Extra Extra Organic Coconut Oil. This is better suited to support the internal defences.
Feeding example of black cumin oil to support tick defence:
During the tick season, you can feed our organic black cumin oil for 4-6 weeks according to the feeding recommendation and then take a 2-3 week break. During this break you can then feed organic coconut oil if necessary. If you discover a tick on the animal again after 2 weeks, you can start supplementing black cumin oil again. Then generally take a break over the winter. Only when the ticks become active again next year should you start supplementing with black cumin oil. Please get in touch with our team of experts to find out about alternative options for parasite defence
Brewer's yeast for dogs - not just for a healthy shiny coat
Canis Extra Brewer's Yeast
Canis Extra Brewer's Yeast is very popular, especially when it comes to all kinds of skin, coat and claw problems. It contains many B vitamins and enzymes, which have proven particularly useful during the moulting period and it also supports a healthy gut. But that's not all, our brewer's yeast can also make a positive nutritional contribution to tick defence, as they dislike the smell of B vitamins
If you live with your dog in a big city and are rarely out and about where there are lots of ticks lurking, continuous parasite prophylaxis may not be so relevant for you, but of course you should not neglect the subject of coat care. Our Canis Extra Coat Spray can be sprayed directly onto the dog's coat for general coat and skin care. After the very first application, it immediately neutralises unpleasant odours, such as the typical "dog smell", and helping the coat to regain its freshness thanks to its purely natural formula. It promotes a fresh dog coat, masks the dog’s smell, promotes a strong body/skin odour, and dogs can benefit from this care especially during the tick season.
However, if you regularly take your four-legged friend out into the countryside, such as fields, forests and meadows, we definitely recommend a holistic parasite protection approach, through species-appropriate feeding that relieves the metabolism, using our Canis Extra Defence Complex.
Good to know - a naturally healthy diet as the basis for a balanced metabolism in dogs
Every dog comes into contact with ticks sooner or later in its life and the topic of tick prevention is therefore important for every dog owner. However, there are dogs that rarely have ticks and then there are dogs that get a large number of ticks on their bodies after every walk. Of course, the length of the walk and the region in which you are travelling play an important role, but how can it be explained that a large pack of dogs meeting for a joint walk, enduring the same conditions in terms of duration and region, that there are some dogs with no ticks while others are virtually overrun by them?
An explanation could be that the affected dogs are often pre-disposed - they may be generally sensitive, have pre-existing conditions, suffer from intolerances or allergies or are generally very sensitive to food. It seems that these weaknesses contribute to parasites favouring them as hosts. Just like a weakened immune system, an overloaded metabolism can manifest itself in different ways. Some dogs simply smell more doggy, while others constantly have sebaceous residue which you can feel on your hands after stroking.
It is always worth taking a look at the dog's diet and checking whether the current feeding concept is suitable for the dog. An excess of metabolically stressful additives such as synthetic vitamins in the food can overload and stress the organism to such an extent that this has an influence on its body odour. An oversupply of protein can also lead to acidification of the body, which can also influence the body odour. Some dogs develop an increased susceptibility to ticks after being given an antibiotic, this is a clear indication that the intestinal flora has become imbalanced and needs support.
As you can see, there are many different factors that can lead to an increased susceptibility to ticks and other parasites. If you have any questions or need personalised advice for your dog or cat, please get in touch with our team of experts.
Natural nutrition for dogs and cats for a strong immune system
Switching to a natural diet that is free from synthetic additives is always the basis for a balanced metabolism. This results in a healthy, vital organism. The right nutrients are vital for the health of dogs and cats. Genuine, original ingredients and the vitamins and minerals they contain offer the best availability for the body. They have made its development, its strong defence system and its performance possible over the past millennia - which is why species-appropriate food contains only natural vitamins and minerals, without any synthetic additives.
Our Canis Plus® range for dogs, offer a wide choice, giving you the freedom to choose a natural and species-appropriate feed. There is cold-pressed Dry Food, Tinned Complete Meals, Meat Pots or Meal Rolls with home-prepared vegetables/fruit or our Flake Mixes and a source of calcium such as our Canis Extra Organic Eggshell Powder. These are suitable for puppies, young dogs, adult dogs or senior dogs.
For cats, we recommend feeding our Felins Plus® Complete Tinned Meals as the main food, so that the desert animal is always sufficiently hydrated. We recommend that our cold pressed cat food Felins Plus® Poultry & Fish makes up 20% of the daily amount of food. Our tinned meals and our Dry Food can also be perfectly combined with BARF.
You can give your four-legged friend additional support if needed - for example after antibiotics, worming, immune deficiencies, allergies or joint problems. Nature offers a variety of ways to naturally provide dogs and cats with everything their bodies need for a long, vital and healthy life.with natural supplementary feeds for dogs and cats.
Further information and frequently asked questions (FAQ) about natural help with ticks
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by phone. We are here to help you with comprehensive advice. You can reach us Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by phone at 0208 - 531 7804 or mail info@naturavetal.co.uk.
