I’ve read in several natural animal publications that certain diets can be used to control fleas and ticks on dogs and cats. Is this true?

The theory is that healthy pets eating all-natural diets are less likely to get fleas, ticks and worms. This is not true, although it is true that healthy pets eating the best diet are more likely not to become ill when infested with parasites.

Many pet owners like to include small amounts of garlic (too much can cause anemia, especially in cats) and brewer’s yeast (a good source of B vitamins) to reduce flea infestation. While controlled studies do not support their use in controlling parasites, many holistic pet owners swear by this natural method of flea control.

Assuming your pet is healthy, I recommend using a natural diet with garlic (about one small clove per 10 pounds of weight for dogs and one small clove per cat) with 1 teaspoon of brewer’s yeast per 10 to 20 pounds of body weight per day.