Q. I seen your answer to someones question about fleas, and I was interested in your response about lavender and teatree oil. I was just wondering if you mixed it with shampoo or what? I have some teatree oil, but it's obviously very oily and strong smelling. Could you tell me how your administer it to your animals? Also, anyone else's suggestions on flea meds/remedies would be helpful :)
A. The answer is don't! I don't know about dogs, but you should never use any essential oil on a cat. It can be toxic. Eucalyptus and Pennyroyal are the worst, I believe, but none would be good.
Certainly not full strength, but to be safe I wouldn't even use a diluted form.
Below is my flea treatment plan from my blog:
1. Treat the cat. Go to your vet and get either Advantage or Frontline Plus (I went with Advantage).
2. Get yourself a "flea comb" and comb your cat at least once per day. Have a bucket with dish soap in it handy to dunk the comb in and to collect the hair. Fleas can't jump out of the slippery soap. No point in combing them out only to have them jump back on your cat. Flush this down the toilet, pour it down the sink, or dispose of it away from your house.
3. Treat your house. Options are a borate powder product or something that uses diatomaceous earth. Fleabusters (BP), Fleago Natural Flea Control (BP) or Flea Away Natural Flea Powder (DE). Put about a tablespoon of this in your vacuum cleaner bag (or you can cut up a flea collar to put in there. Just follow the directions which will vary by product, but in general you'll sprinkle on the carpet and vacuum up and also sprinkle into cracks and crevices. (I chose Fleago because it's less expensive than Fleabusters. I may also try Flea Away in time).
4. Vacuum as often as possible. Before vacuuming, stomp around the house. This will bring the fleas to life because they'll think there's a tasty morsel out there. Then vacuum those little bastards up. Be sure to use your attachments to vacuum as many cracks and crevices as you can - they love to hide out there.
5. Wash any pet bedding in hot water, and you'll want to be particularly diligent about vacuuming/treating areas where your cat hangs out.
6. Treat your yard. Even if your cat doesn't go outside, fleas may enter your home if they exist in your yard. There's a small chance that you or others may bring fleas in the house with you (although this is unlikely). Get hold of some nematodes to spray in your yard. I believe you only have to do this once per year. These little creatures will eat the flea larva. As one website put it, these critters are too small to hug, but they deserve it! (I had to order this online; I wasn't able to find a place that sells them in my area and didn't feel like calling every place in the phonebook).
Things not to do: Don't use any essential oils on your cat, particularly anything with pennyroyal or eucalyptus. They're toxic to cats. Don't use flea collars. Don't give your cat any garlic/yeast formulations. Don't give your cat lemon baths.
You're going to want to continue treating your home as directed, whether that be sprinkling once per week or once a month. Continue treating throughout flea season (when it's warm). You can stop during the winter months, but start up again in the spring. You'll nip them in the bud!
The key is to treat the environment, not the cat. If you do that, you may never have to apply another flea product directly on them again.
Certainly not full strength, but to be safe I wouldn't even use a diluted form.
Below is my flea treatment plan from my blog:
1. Treat the cat. Go to your vet and get either Advantage or Frontline Plus (I went with Advantage).
2. Get yourself a "flea comb" and comb your cat at least once per day. Have a bucket with dish soap in it handy to dunk the comb in and to collect the hair. Fleas can't jump out of the slippery soap. No point in combing them out only to have them jump back on your cat. Flush this down the toilet, pour it down the sink, or dispose of it away from your house.
3. Treat your house. Options are a borate powder product or something that uses diatomaceous earth. Fleabusters (BP), Fleago Natural Flea Control (BP) or Flea Away Natural Flea Powder (DE). Put about a tablespoon of this in your vacuum cleaner bag (or you can cut up a flea collar to put in there. Just follow the directions which will vary by product, but in general you'll sprinkle on the carpet and vacuum up and also sprinkle into cracks and crevices. (I chose Fleago because it's less expensive than Fleabusters. I may also try Flea Away in time).
4. Vacuum as often as possible. Before vacuuming, stomp around the house. This will bring the fleas to life because they'll think there's a tasty morsel out there. Then vacuum those little bastards up. Be sure to use your attachments to vacuum as many cracks and crevices as you can - they love to hide out there.
5. Wash any pet bedding in hot water, and you'll want to be particularly diligent about vacuuming/treating areas where your cat hangs out.
6. Treat your yard. Even if your cat doesn't go outside, fleas may enter your home if they exist in your yard. There's a small chance that you or others may bring fleas in the house with you (although this is unlikely). Get hold of some nematodes to spray in your yard. I believe you only have to do this once per year. These little creatures will eat the flea larva. As one website put it, these critters are too small to hug, but they deserve it! (I had to order this online; I wasn't able to find a place that sells them in my area and didn't feel like calling every place in the phonebook).
Things not to do: Don't use any essential oils on your cat, particularly anything with pennyroyal or eucalyptus. They're toxic to cats. Don't use flea collars. Don't give your cat any garlic/yeast formulations. Don't give your cat lemon baths.
You're going to want to continue treating your home as directed, whether that be sprinkling once per week or once a month. Continue treating throughout flea season (when it's warm). You can stop during the winter months, but start up again in the spring. You'll nip them in the bud!
The key is to treat the environment, not the cat. If you do that, you may never have to apply another flea product directly on them again.
Thinking of taking online training for Veternarian tech, Any tips?
Q. I have been looking at some online training for Vet Tech... BUt my question is how do you know how reliable their training is and how reprutable for getting a job... It doesn't say anything about interning and isn't that what a Vet would want, experience? Any thoughts?
A. You want one that is AVMA accredited. The easiest way to get a job as a vet tech is to be registered. You are pretty much guaranteed a position if you are a registered vet tech. Many states require you to graduate from an AVMA accredited tech school in order to take the board exams to become registered.
There are several AVMA accredited tech schools here is their website.
http://www.avma.org/education/cvea/vettech_distance_learning.asp
Any AVMA accredited tech program is going to require you to learn the hands on aspects of the job. For this, yes you will need to find a veterinarian clinic that is willing to teach you these things. Some of the programs will help you find placements and others will not.
The number one thing you need to look for in a tech program is AVMA accredidation. If it doesn't have it, don't even consider going there.
There are several AVMA accredited tech schools here is their website.
http://www.avma.org/education/cvea/vettech_distance_learning.asp
Any AVMA accredited tech program is going to require you to learn the hands on aspects of the job. For this, yes you will need to find a veterinarian clinic that is willing to teach you these things. Some of the programs will help you find placements and others will not.
The number one thing you need to look for in a tech program is AVMA accredidation. If it doesn't have it, don't even consider going there.
Any experienced veternarians online? I want to volunteer at a shelter and want to be a vet when I grow up!?
Q. How do I become a awesome vet. If you have been a vet you can answer too. I want to help animals in a great way, but how?
A. You should see if any Vet offices in your area are part of the BoyScouts of AMerica intern program(not just for boys) where Highschool students can go and shadow at the office, learn to sterilize tools, watch surgerys , and ask questions on current pateints..
My town had one and it was a wonderful program.
Good luck..
My town had one and it was a wonderful program.
Good luck..
How do I become a vet assistant in California?
Q. I'm almost certain you don't need to have much training/school for this (correct me if I'm wrong)
but I'm having trouble finding jobs online
My question is will it be acceptable (and not embarrassing) if I go to several vets, and ask for an application and/or interview?
I'm18 and don't have any experience besides having some pets of my own
THANK YOU, please any information relating to being a Vet ASSISTANT not a technician or actual vet would be helpful thank you again
but I'm having trouble finding jobs online
My question is will it be acceptable (and not embarrassing) if I go to several vets, and ask for an application and/or interview?
I'm18 and don't have any experience besides having some pets of my own
THANK YOU, please any information relating to being a Vet ASSISTANT not a technician or actual vet would be helpful thank you again
A. Are you sure that you want to?
I wanted ot be a Vet until my mom arranged for me to work for one for a summer. After that I was pretty turned off. Its wasnt the blood, it was the harshness of doing things by cost. We had to castrate pigs for the farmer, no anesthetic and no dressings afterward. We had to put pets to sleep just because the owner didnt want them or strays for the city. We had to put to sleep runts of litters because purebred breeders didnt want to even give them away because they would be "polluting the gene pool". We had to bite our tongues when owners were considering whether to fix a broken leg of put an animal to sleep.
BUT if you want to then eat least try to do it in a large town, or better yet for a zoo or someplace where the animals are "worth more cost and effort". You can simply ask to be an assistant. But chances are that if you have no background the best you can hope for is an internship (work for no pay). If you want to get a background to help you apply later then consider volunteering at SPCA or some Wildlife Rescue or even working for a dog grooming place. Anywhere that documents that you have handled animals
I wanted ot be a Vet until my mom arranged for me to work for one for a summer. After that I was pretty turned off. Its wasnt the blood, it was the harshness of doing things by cost. We had to castrate pigs for the farmer, no anesthetic and no dressings afterward. We had to put pets to sleep just because the owner didnt want them or strays for the city. We had to put to sleep runts of litters because purebred breeders didnt want to even give them away because they would be "polluting the gene pool". We had to bite our tongues when owners were considering whether to fix a broken leg of put an animal to sleep.
BUT if you want to then eat least try to do it in a large town, or better yet for a zoo or someplace where the animals are "worth more cost and effort". You can simply ask to be an assistant. But chances are that if you have no background the best you can hope for is an internship (work for no pay). If you want to get a background to help you apply later then consider volunteering at SPCA or some Wildlife Rescue or even working for a dog grooming place. Anywhere that documents that you have handled animals
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