Next to having children, having pet especially small ones is quite easily one of the most daunting of tasks. Loving them with all your heart means worrying about them/for them becomes a constant affair and you’d do anything to keep them safe, healthy and happy. What could possibly make the situation even more challenging, is if the pet is very dear to your child…you’d realize how precious the little furball’s life is.
Much like children, small animals although adorable to bits, have a weaker, more fragile immune system then their older/larger counterparts which basically means they are more susceptible to health threats. But sadly when it comes to health care, animal aren’t as fortunate as humans. Recognizing how different/delicate the body of child is, we have pediatrics to turn to. But animals…they just have vets. Sure some vets specialize in treating small animals, but truthfully from my own experience, finding a good one is like searching for a needle in a hay stack.
Another issue to be aware of is how sometimes, even medication itself can be harmful to your pet, which is why on many occasions you’ll find that vets try to avoid giving any or too much medication to treat small animals. So that basically means exposure to common ailments such as ticks or fleas could be more life threatening to a small animal like your rabbit than it already is on normal cases. Usually if it’s a dog or a cat you’re talking about, a normal flea or tick infestation/infection can be solved with the right medication/repellant. But if it caught onto your rabbit, hamster or say guinea pig then it’s a whole different story because those medications can’t be applied on them!
So what then? Well I say try something natural and safe – something that you can whip up at home. Here’s a little trick I use at home to keep my pets safe from ticks and fleas.
Honestly I do turn to frontline when there is a real issue with ticks, but when there isn’t, this is the formula that is safe on even the small animals. Furthermore, you can apply/spray them onto your clothes, upholstery, linen, etc – places that ticks and other parasites might cling onto to really rid of house of the infestations
Essential Oil
I do believe there are many other oils you can opt to use but the following 3 are what I have used before effectively:
- 1. Peppermint
- 2. Rose Geranium (I use this one because it smells fabulous and it’s great for their skin)
- 3. Basil
Mix about 10-15 drops of oil into about 500ml of water and apply to your pet avoiding the sensitive areas like the eyes. In general the mixture won’t leave any marks or stains on fabric but it’s always better to test on an inconspicuous area before you go all out.
