Flea Problems have EVERYTHING to do with DIET & HEALTH

Then what brands of food would you suggest?  Also what if you have a dog that has issues processing the higher end foods?

Firestorm -- that is a commercial.  Don't even bother with it.  We all know feeding a better diet results in a healthier animal ... those claims are backed up by the very same people who want you to buy ...

The principal behind that post was that if you give your dogs what nature intended for them to have--raw meat or  top of the line dog food, fleas and ticks are not attracted to them.  Makes me wonder why deer, squirrels, birds, etc that do eat exactly as intended DO get fleas and ticks  Seems to me the same rule would apply to them.  They are getting the real thing, not some manmade food and still get the critters. I do think certain things you feed your dogs may cut back on fleas and ticks on some dogs, but no all by any means.

Thus far I have found problems feeding Harley anything other then purina one.  He has vomited diarhea...I cannot see how putting his body through hell to only feed him what is better but in reality isn't because he has health issues for weeks afterwards.  Mind you I do a very gradual change.

Thus far I have found problems feeding Harley anything other then purina one. He has vomited diarhea...I cannot see how putting his body through hell to only feed him what is better but in reality isn't because he has health issues for weeks afterwards. Mind you I do a very gradual change.

 
AMEN. Mine  Golden Retrievers are on Purina One also.  KayCee was on Purina Puppy Chow, the the Dog Chow, and when she had knee problems, surgeries, recovery, etc she put on to much weight and it did take Science Diet to get it off her, and then I put her on the Purina Fit & Trim until recently.  Honey, our adopted golden was on the Fit & Trim with Honey (she is a regular pig when he comes to eating).  Buck was on the Puppy Chow and then the Dog Chow.  however, about 4 months, at age 10 1/2, he developed a kidney infection found during his "old man physicals  He was on the Science Diet k/d for 3 months and his kidneys are find.  I then put them all on the Purina One--senior for Buck at my vet's suggestion.  I decided to go ahead and put the girls on the Purina One weight managment.
 
I have taken a real bashing for using Purina, but i don't care.  It is what works for my dogs.  I tried Buck on a 'better food" several years and he threw up  every meal for 4 days and i decided that was it.  As long as my dogs act and look good and get great physicals and blood work, etc, then they will stay on Purina.  I will not subject them to possible intestinal problems, developing a reaction to foods, etc by trying every food on the market  I have been told my dogs "survive, not thrive" etc.  They might not even survive if I start messing around changing foods.  Mess up their immune system and they could develope any number of things, including the horrid AIHA that took my Hunter 3 years ago this month.  It  was brought on by ProHeart6, but food can do it if a dog's immune system is not good.
 
So I say this--if you baby is doing well on Purina and he likes it and it agrees with him, then stick with it no matter what others tell you..  I add cooked meat or fish and cooked veggies each day to my dogs food and they love it. They eat breakfast with only the kidbble (usually), but the cooked stuff is added at night.  You could try adding a little cooked meat and if it causes problems, back off and stick with what you are feeding now. Sometimes "better" is not really better.

I'm sorry, good diet can help, but will by no means totally eliminate any and all parasite problems. There are many more factors, including geography, weather and good old luck. My dogs haven't had a flea or tick in years, but we have had occasional years where the problem was epidemic. Most years, I pick more ticks off myself than off my dogs. If you have a chronic problem, look at diet. But occasional fleas & ticks are perfectly normal in many parts of the country.

My sister worked a a vet clinic for years. She said the same thing. There's good years and bad years for fles and ticks. And I haven't heard of a diet or supplement yet that can reliably prevent heartworm infestation.

We have had no problems with ticks at all this year.  But fleas have been a different story.  A few years ago we had a small problem with ticks, but our neighbor next door had more than a problem.  You could see the suckers crawling on their sidewalk, their patio, their dogs were covered.  It was horrible over there.  I did spray our yard about once a month, but that didn't even work for them.  they had to have pros come out and do it.
 
You really have to check into things you read.  On another forum, a health one at that, one posted that two of her friends cured their dogs of heartworms by giving them DE.  I knew that could not be right.  DE is used on animals for intestinal worms, but not heart worms.  you read their ads and they say it can be used for the round worms, etc, but no mention of heartworms and you can bet your last dollar if it took care of heart worms, they would be adversting in big bold letters and making a killing.  On another forum one claimed she cured her dog's luxating patella by giving him Ester C.  My one golden had both knees operated on for this condition and I understand it well enough to know that it is not "cured" by EsterC.  Maybe it helped, but it sure didn't "cure it."
 
You are right about so many things contributing to fleas and ticks and even mosquitoes.  They would attack my Mom unmercifully while hardly bothering my Dad at all.  And they greatly annoyed us kids, but not near as bad as Mom.    And you are certainly right about heartworms, nothing but the prescribed meds will prevent them.

Sandra its good to know I am not the only one here using Purina and it works rather well for my dog.  I am glad we have so many choices for food, but I still swear by use what the dog does well on and not to make them sick only to feed a "better feed".  Better is only better if the dog can process it.  I am considering trying the pro plan selects or atleast trying the Salmon flavor for Harley and see if that is any better.

OK, I guess I'll be a bit of a descenting voice here.  Since I've been feeding Innova and homecooked our flea population has gone from mild to zip.  The first summer we lived in Savannah, GA, and yeah, the sand fleas down there are BAD.  Then we moved to NW MI.....very sandy area, high sand flea population and they found ME when I'd cut the grass, but never get on the dogs.  I've now gone two full summers without Frontline without a single flea, and I only applied it 2 or 3 times in the something like 10 month summer in GA.
 
Can I PROVE that diet helps with ticks and fleas?  Heck no.  But I can draw my own conclusions based on my own experience.

Purina is the junk food of junk foods in my opinion. 

I feed what works and I have my own opinions of Purina and your opinion will not change my opinion of what works for my dog.  I have tried other dog foods and they don't agree with my dog.  There are some people on here that probably will never admit to what they feed because of the backlash they would receive.  There are a few of us here who do tell what we feed and why.  If my dog is sick because of a "better" food then I guess it is not better for him.  Each dog is an individual and there is no perfect dog food for all dogs.
I do not judge what people feed for it is not for me to judge and tell them.  I think that everyone here is only trying to do the best for their dog by doing what works and we have tried other foods that haven't worked.  I gave up after 3 different brands and went back to what worked.

Don't take the bait Firestorm.  I don't like Purina either, but, there is no disputing that it works for a LOT of dogs, and works well.

I switched to 1/2 home cooked and 1/2 commercial raw last fall. This year I only had to use Frontline Plus once all year. Normally it is about four times a year, which is what MIL who lives two blocks away did this year. So....maybe that's an added benefit.

I only posted from two sources that I could find rather quickly. There are PLENTY of sources out there that will totally back this information. Even try going to [linkhttp://www.onlynaturalpetstore.com]www.onlynaturalpetstore.com[/link] and read what they have to say about fleas. They have experts on hand and they say the exact same thing... DIET is everything. Yes, of course you still have to supplement.... plenty of omega fatty acids, brewers yeast and garlic. Also natural herbal flea shampoos/conditioners and sprays that will REPEL whatever fleas do happen to jump on them
 
Hey... think what you want. Obviously there is alot of truth to this. My dogs are living proof it's true and works.  Remember, your dogs have flea problems.. Mine don't and neither does anyone else I know of who feeds quality food and uses supplements. If you want to keep having to buy frontline and watch your animals suffer... keep feeding them Purina and whathave you and keep fighting the problem.