Pets can be a lot of work. Ticks, fleas, mites, and worms plague many households once pets are exposed to wild variants of these pests, or come into contact with another afflicted animal. Since these are common problems, pharmacological treatments have been developed for pets to help treat a wide variety of different health issues.

Unfortunately, these treatments generally come in only one variety. Pets with minor cases of fleas receive full exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and toxins in popular treatment proxies like Frontline. In recent studies of over two thousand pets, cats and dogs that were treated with Frontline or other popular flea and worm “killers” showed an increased risk of developing canine and feline leukemia. The buffers contain harmful chemicals that sink into the pet’s bloodstream to kill fleas, mites, and ticks, but the chemicals are so strong, that they can potentially harm the pet as well.

Natural remedies for fleas, ticks, mites, and worms are not unanimously supported by the scientific community, but many pet owners stand by the fact that they’ve seen an improvement with their pets. Homeopathic treatments include a wide variety of plant oils, herbal remedies, and other naturally-sourced products. Many companies sell branded versions of homemade formulas, but most of the natural pet remedies ingredients can be purchased from specialty grocers like Trader Joes.

If pets eat the natural animal remedies, they won’t get sick as they would if they were to eat the stronger pharmacological remedies. Most importantly, natural petremedies are kid safe. To keep pets strong and healthy, natural pet remedies are a good alternative to the stronger veterinarian option. It is important to note that pet owners should still rely on veterinarians and their prescriptions in order to cure more advanced cases of sickness, infection, or infestation. Natural animal remedies are intended only for minor ailments that can be easily cured from home. Cat and dog shedding and dandruff problems, minor flea infestations, minor cuts and bruises, and scratching can be calmed with a combination of natural oils and herbal remedies.

Pet owners who want to expose their pet to as little toxins as possible should consider using natural remedies as opposed to traditional medicines. Studies have shown that over half of pet owners self-medicate their pets with natural remedies, but there has been no conclusive evidence whether or not these remedies are as effective as prescription-strength formulas.