Other Routine Chemical Treatments

Canaan Dogs are survivors, adapted to live in a harsh environment. They are not, however, adapted to tolerate an onslaught of foreign chemical compounds that tax their immune system and weaken their constitution. We are judicious in our use of pharmaceuticals and choose instead to utilize homeopathic remedies and herbs when necessary.

Heartworm
These are parasites transmitted by mosquitoes. They live in the heart and lungs which if left untreated can cause heart failure and/or death. Veterinarians usually insist a puppy be put on heartworm preventative at the final visit for vaccinations (16 weeks) and then administered monthly for the rest of their lives. These would include HeartGard®, Sentinel®, and Revolution®, to name a few. The latter two also claim to protect against flea problems. If an animal contracts Heartworm, the treatment can be toxic as it is a very high dose of the preventative given all at once.

At Renegade Canaan Dogs, we previously administered Ivermectin (the active ingredient in HeartGard) once monthly in the summer months. Through research and discussions with other holistic minded breeders, we now understand the life-cycle of the heartworm is a sensitive one that is temperature dependent. We suggest owners research the Heartworm extensively, as the requirement for preventative is significantly less than once a month. We strongly urge owners to have their dogs screened for Heartworm bi-annually (even if you are using a preventative).

Fleas & Ticks
Veterinarians generally suggest a monthly flea and tick regimen be instituted at the final visit for puppy vaccinations (16 weeks.) This treatment would be continued monthly for the life of the dog. Products such as Frontline®, Frontline Plus®, Advantage®, Preventic Collars®, and the like are often available at your veterinarian's office.

At Renegade Canaan Dogs, we generally do not have a problem with fleas or ticks. Because our dogs are fed a fresh raw food diet they are not an attractive host to external parasites. Especially when fresh garlic isadded to the diet. In the rare occasion we have a heavy tick problem, we will treat the dogs with Frontline once to manage it. Not all of our dogs tolerate frontline well, so it is only applied to those that do. Generally, this takes place in the Spring and the Fall. In other seasons, a spray consisting of diluted Avon Skin-So-Soft and a few drops of Tea Tree Oil keeps the external parasites at bay.





We do not proclaim to be health experts or veterinarians. We suggest that you do your research and decide whether a limited vaccination lifestyle makes sense for your pet.