Flea control: update

Since my last post on natural flea treatment, I'm happy to report that my efforts have been successful! While the fleas aren't gone entirely yet, I'm only seeing one or two a day on Evie right now. I check her a few times a day by combing through her coat, pulling off fleas if I see them (and putting them in soapy water), and spraying her with J&J's Natural Flea & Tick Potion. I also stopped taking her to the dog park, which is sad for both of us, but we've been taking nice long walks instead - I'm sure she misses playing with other dogs though...

The diatomaceous earth seems to be working. I have been sprinkling it on the carpet and furniture when I see a few fleas, and then after a couple days I vacuum it  up. But I think the best solution is to check for fleas with a comb, use the natural spray, and keep the home clean.

A natural war on fleas

Evie has had fleas off and on since she's been living with me, but they haven't been out of control...until yesterday. The night before I noticed she was scratching a lot, but I figured she might have the usual flea or two. However, the next day I found about 15 on her throughout the course of the day, and she had horrible swelling and welts - this meant war. ***update, just saw the vet and she doesn't think the welts are from fleas, as that's not a typical reaction. she thinks it was a random bug bite or allergy to something in the environment. but back to the fleas...

It's hard to track down the source of fleas. They could have laid eggs in my apartment a while ago and finally hatched. Evie could have caught them from our frequent trips to the dog park. I could have tracked them in on my shoes. Up until now, I was able to control them by spraying her with

Super canine: what a vegan dog looks like

(Click on photo to enlarge)

This is 8 month old Evie on a San Francisco beach. As you can see, she has a ton of energy and strength. And she's been completely vegan since she was 11 weeks old.

She's sporting a great harness by Doggles, made with recycled materials

Vegan supplements and condiments

Evie's diet is going very well - she looks and acts like any other Jack Russell terrier (although I like to think she's extra smart). You can read more details about my experience with her in general by clicking here, but today's post is about supplements and condiments.

I'm currently feeding Evie V-Dog, one of the most well-known vegan dog foods. My vet, Dr. Armaiti May, recommends and stands behind their products, and as far as I know it's a very complete food. However, I've been adding some supplements to her food everyday for added nutrition.

1. VegeDog. When Evie was younger I made own kibble with the VegeDog supplement, but now that I've switched her to V-Dog I simply added a sprinkle of it to each bowl of food. V-Dog is meant for adult dogs, so the VegeDog adds a little extra nutrition for puppies.
2. Cranimals. This berry extract adds antioxidants that help fight off urinary problems, has the potential to defend against disease and againg. Plus, it adds a little more flavor.
3. Raw Dog Yummy Sprinkles. This product is a condiment, but it also provides additional vitamins and minerals. Plus, it is made from organic vegetables, fruits and sprouted seeds, so it adds a little variation and extra flavor to the meal.

While it's hard to tell if Evie really likes any of these products, she does finish every bowl of food and is looking great. I'm also not sure how much of a difference they make, but she is full of energy and clearly a very happy dog!

"Meat-free dogs give meaning to Earth Day"

Here's a great article from the Examiner: Meat-free dogs give meaning to Earth Day. It features my friends David Middlesworth and Armaiti May.