Wim, many people are worried about ticks transmitting Tick Borne Diseases to their pets, and trying to find alternative methods of keeping ticks and fleas off their pets. Certain things can be used on dogs – like essential oil mists – that I’m not sure I would use on a cat.

I saw your post at Hpathy last year about homeopathic tick and flea repellents. Below is a condensed version, and I think it may have been you that posted it! Anyway, I posted this over on the Lyme board where I hang out sometimes:

"I usually prescribe homeopathic Sulphur for this situation.

This remedy has the reputation for making the skin less attractive to fleas [and other biting bugs] and in that way deterring them from living on the dog/animal.

To maintain the right degree of acidity (pH value) give 1 dose of Sulphur 30x once a week for 6-8 weeks approx. (longer if necessary) and it’ll chase away all kinds of skin parasites.

One dose is 1 tablet or 3 coarse pellets/granules for small dogs and 2 tablets or 4-5 coarse pellets/granules for bigger dogs. (Coarse tablets are #35 pellets).

At times of high risk, it’s possible to give Sulphur 200c, dose 3 times weekly (same dose as mentioned above)."


A lady in Switzerland (who has Lyme Disease) started using the Sulphur for her cat. Apparently, her area is endemic for Tick-Borne Encephalitis and her cat often has ticks on him. I want to quote part of what she wrote and see if you have any suggestions or comments. (She is talking about a cat here):


"I would like to share a VERY INTERESTING STORY about sulphur homeopathic to my poor cat.

I had given the 30 K sulphur for 2 days before I left to a trip. Then when I came back, about 1 week later, I found so far 49 ticks on him. He's still got some left.

The first 35 ticks I got on day 1 were alive. I started giving the homeopathic sulphur, both the D30 and C200. The second 6 ticks I pulled off next day, I dont' remember, I just burned them before looking closely. I gave him more sulphur homeopathic again. Then yesterday, I took 8 ticks (he's still got some left), and interestingly, they looked dead. I put them in a glass and waited.

They usually move their legs when they're pulled off. Nope, there were only 2 tiny ones moving (these were ON THE BODIES of the big ticks, but were not attached to my cat). I frequently see a 'phenomenon' here with my cat that almost all big ticks come with at least one small ticks attached to their bodies. I wonder why, it's a VERY COMMON thing. The smaller ones won't be attached.

I didn't see my cat today to pull some more ticks and check if they live or not. But I WONDER IF THE SULPHUR homeopathic (or not) KILLS TICKS??? Or I coincidentally killed all of them while pulling them off? They look intact though.

I hope I'm not going to kill my cat with this experiment. But this was extremely exciting!

I find Korsakov formulas especially interesting because of individual's different needs of homeopathic potencies and because homeopathy ceases to work if you insist using same potency long (a few weeks, in my experience). Because of heterogeneity, it'll take longer (in theory) to get 'resistant' to the formulas K than H (my homeopath's explanation, or at least, how I understood).

Look at the trial I'm doing with my cat and myself with this sulphur. We'll have to use the same potency for a long time (whole tick season!) so I have fears it can work well in the beginning, and lose effectiveness after a few weeks."


(I don’t need explanation of the K and H methods of making remedies, and I understand the European potency designations - like D is equivalent to X - are often different than what we have in the USA.)

Anyway, does it take awhile – or a few doses – before the Sulphur will repel the ticks?

Do you think it was the Sulphur that caused some ticks to die, or just coincidence?

Any other thoughts on prevention of ticks on pets would be appreciated.

Tracy

Hi Tracy,

Potencies C and K are equal in strength. They are both C potencies.

What is said above about these potencies (different action) is incorrect.

Homeopathic Sulphur isn`t used to repel ticks, but only for the very tiny parasites such as fleas.

Sulphur in potency doesn`t kill any parasites, but only makes the skin of the animal (far) less attractive for them, so the dead ticks you mention are just a coincidence.

Non-homeopathic Sulphur (the yellow Sulphur powder) is sometimes said to kill ticks but I haven`t seen any proper proof yet. Would be a funny sight as well if we powdered our pet yellow all over time and again......

Regular grooming and checking and mowing the lawns/pastures regularly, as I mentioned earlier for the horses, is still the best prevention and perhaps a safe tick repellent from your vet.

Also see : http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/fleas-ticks.html (Scroll down to Ticks)

Also see : http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/pests/bites.htm

Wim

__________________
Homeopath for people and animals.
(Sorry, Wim no longer works here.)

Ledum in 200 potency can help to prevent ticks I have used in many times and always observed that the number of ticks are reduced.

Interesting, Mose - this is the second time I've heard this in less than a month - even the same potency. I see that you are from Germany, and I heard this from someone in Switzerland, so perhaps the information is just now getting to the USA.

I sure like the idea of using Ledum since it should also offer some protection from infection if you are bitten!

Reduction in ticks is good, but all it takes is one that is infected.....

From everything I've read, it sounds like the trick is to make yourself or your pet smell like a plant or a flower - scents like Eucalytus, Rose Geranium, Lilly-of-the-Valley, and some Cedars can be very effective. But caution is always in order when using plant 'oils' on cats as they can be toxic.

Hard to believe such small bugs can cause us so much misery.

Tracy

Yes Ledum is often used here in Germany for Ticks and you can take is as a tip and I have seen it often and it works. You have to give them 200C every month and I can promise you it works.

Regards

Dr. Mose

Thanks for the tip, Dr. Mose.

Tracy

Dear Tracy
A bit off subject here but did you ever try a autonosode (using a drop of your own blood with proper succussions applied)for these tick ailments (lyme),sorry if this was discussed already.

GT

__________________
"Great ideas often recieve violent opposition from mediocre minds"...................Einstein

Mose, I just heard from my friend in Switzerland who is 'experimenting' with the 200C Ledum on her cat. She reports that her cat is coming with fewer ticks than before. Unfortunately, she is also using a couple of other things on her cat, so isn't quite sure which thing is helping....

Hi, Gina -

Yes, when indicated I make up a new batch of "blood remedy". Sometimes I have very strong positive reactions to it, other times there is very little reaction. If I would just quit having all these 'acutes' pop up - the latest is Athlete's Foot.... so, I'll be dealing with that for a time... I keep hoping that these acutes are actually part of the layers that need to be peeled away....

Also, I cured a cold with a 12C remedy made from my own nose mucus not too long ago when no other remedy stood out or helped at all. Three doses of my "nose nosode" and I was 95% well. Amazing.

Tracy

Dear tracy
Nice to hear

Regards the foot fungus,its most likely the side effects from antibiotic use (did you not mention a while ago that extreme powerfull antibiotics are used for lyme)

GT

__________________
"Great ideas often recieve violent opposition from mediocre minds"...................Einstein

Gina, fortunately I never went the allopathic route with Lyme Disease so never treated with antibiotics. But yes, most people I'm in touch with are convinced that if there is any cure for Lyme at all, long-term (years) antibiotics are the ONLY way to do it.

Glad I did some research before I believed that.

I'm sure I picked up the Athlete's Foot from the person I share my shower with. Come to find out, they have had 3 bouts of Athlete's Foot in the past 8 months and didn't bother to tell me.

I didn't think it was A.F. for a long time - sensitivity and itching in various spots can be a real problem with Lyme. My feet only itched at night. But I developed hard areas on my toes on one foot - almost like scar tissue or calluses - and finally, my toes began to peel. Then I knew....

(And would you believe that none of my acute prescribing books have Athlete's Foot or fungus listed in them at all?)

Anyway, looks like both Graphites and Silica are helpful with A.F. as well as 'calluses, on toes' (Murphy's Rep.), so I'll go read some in my Materia Medica to see which might be better.

Grrrr. I'm now disinfecting the shower every day with a Shaklee product, and my socks are getting the treatment, too.

Tracy