- Natural Dog Health Remedies Monthly Newsletter Issue #101

Published: Mon, 04/01/19

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Naturally Healthy Dogs

Issue #101

April 01, 2019

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In this issue:

Pet-Safe Weed Control
Say Goodbye to Artificial Scents
Recipe - "Green" Cleaning Spray
Product Pick - Detox Gold for Dogs

Pet-Safe Weed Control

Spring is officially here!

With spring comes W.E.E.D.! How do you keep your yard free of weed? Do you use weed killer such as RoundUp or other herbicides?

A recent jury in the U.S. ruled that glyphosate-based weed killer RoundUp was a substantial factor in causing lymphoma in a man in California.

Research has also found that exposure to herbicide-treated lawns has been linked to significantly higher risk of bladder cancer in dogs.

So... how can we kill weed in our yards without killing ourselves and our pets?

Essential Oils To The Rescue

Research shows that some essential oils are potent weed terminators. Among them, cinnamon, clove, and orange essential oils are proven to be effective weed killers.

Here is a recipe that you can try:

You need:

1000 ml (about 4 cups) white vinegar (20% potency)
30 ml orange essential oil (citrus sinensis)
15 ml cinnamon essential oil (cinnamomum zeylanicum)

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a sprayer. Get a good industrial sprayer for this purpose. Don't use those cheap plastic ones as the oils will destroy the plastic.
Spray at the hottest time of the day. As this mixture will kill all plants, avoid those that you don't want to kill! Spray only the weed. Because the mixture is so potent and concentrated, you only need to spray the weed once.
Once it dries out, you can let your pets out on the yard.

Note:

The key is to use pure white 20% vinegar. It's stronger than the original white vinegar, which is about 5% potency. You can get 20% vinegar on Amazon or home hardware stores.
Be sure to wear gloves when handling the above mixture - cinnamon oil is skin irritating.
If your yard has some really hard-to-kill weed (e.g. poison ivy), add 15 ml of clove essential oil (Eugenia caryophyllata) to the mix for added potency.

(Want to learn more about using essential oils safely with dogs? Get my Aromatherapy for Dogs eBook!)

Say Goodbye to Artificial Scents

Spring is also a time for spring cleaning. Many people want to make their homes smell clean and fresh, but they resort to using products with artificial scents.

The problem is, many such products contain chemicals that can have a detrimental effect not only on humans, but more severely, on our fur kids, who are much more sensitive to scents than we are.

Some of the chemicals used in artificial scents have the potential to cause cancer and brain damage in people, and it's reasonable to assume that they are harmful to pets as well.

A research by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested 43 common chemicals found in household products, and discovered that dogs have higher levels of these chemicals in their bodies than people do. Some such chemicals are from fabric softeners, dryer sheets, air freshener plug-in, etc.

What kind of adverse reactions can these chemicals cause to your pets?

Symptoms to watch out for include:

Sneezing
Runny nose
Eye discharge
Itchy skin

But more seriously, these chemicals can cause long-term adverse effects such as liver toxicity, which in turn can affect the digestive and immune systems. Over time, organ failure and cancer may also develop.

In order to make yourself, your pets, and your home toxin-free, consider making or buying household cleaning products with all-natural ingredients. Some simple natural ingredients include:

Baking Soda - Can be used in either homemade cleaners or just sprinkled right on the surface to be cleaned.

Lemon Juice/White Vinegar - Can be used to help remove grease, mildew and hard water stains.

Essential Oils - Can be used in homemade room sprays, diffusers, etc. for natural scents. (Visit this page to see how to diffuse essential oils safely around dogs.)

Wool Dryer Balls - Instead of dryer sheets or fabric softener, throw a few wool dryer balls in the dryer. They work really well! I like to add a drop or two of Lavender essential oil to the balls and the laundry smells so fresh and natural.

As you can see, we really don't need synthetic fragrances or scents, so say goodbye to them forever!

"Green" Cleaning Spray

This cleaning spray is easy to make and can be used to spray countertop, table top, etc. All three essential oils are anti-microbial and support the immune system - not to mention the aroma is uplifting and refreshing!

You Need:

3 oz (90 ml) water
2 teaspoons liquid castile soap
a dash of white vinegar
5 drops peppermint essential oil
15 drops lemon essential oil
15 drops mandarin essential oil

Directions:

Add to a 4 oz (120 ml) spray bottle.
Be sure to shake each time before spraying.

Product Pick - Detox Gold for Dogs

Detox Gold for Dogs

Spring is a good time to detoxify your dog from toxins and chemicals as well. (Spring cleaning from the inside out!)

This natural herbal formula contains detoxifying herbs such as burdock, red clover, nettle, and more.

Regular use of this formula can help the dog's body systems to eliminate toxins and chemicals from the body.

Until next time, enjoy Spring cleaning!

"Intelligent dogs rarely want to please people whom they do not respect."

~ W. R. Koehler