# Bug Off Garlic Users



## BowWowMeow

I know several of you started your dogs on Bug Off Garlic this year (my dogs have been on it for 6 years). 

Any problems with ticks? 

What about fleas?


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## katieliz

no fleas, no ticks. nyet. nada. good stuff!


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## BowWowMeow

I thought maybe we could gather some unscientific data here on this board since many folks are seeing adverse reactions to the topical stuff.

My dogs have been on it for 6 years. 

In 6 years I have found 1 tick total on a dog. We spend a lot of times in the woods and tall grass. 

In 6 years I have had one flea infestation in my yard and my dogs did get fleas. Other than that I have only ever found one flea on all dogs total.


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## Kayla's Dad

> Originally Posted By: katielizno fleas, no ticks. nyet. nada. good stuff!


Ditto. Used it with advantix on Kayla until last fall. Use it exclusively without advantix/frontline/etc with both dogs since then and we have spent a lot of time in the local regional parks. So far so good.


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## phgsd

I started using it this spring. I have never found a flea on my dogs (knock on wood), so there's no change there. Ticks are bad here, before the Bug Off Garlic I'd pick one or two off the dogs every couple of weeks. Since I started using it...I have not found a single tick embedded on any of the dogs. I also got my parents using it on their dogs, and I don't think they've found any ticks either.

Not very scientific but I am happy without ticks!

I haven't used any of the topical flea/tick stuff for years, but when I did, the ticks didn't seem deterred by it at all. I didn't notice a difference between when I used it and when I didn't...I realized I was putting poison on the dogs and never looked back.


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## ChancetheGSD

I started my dogs on it a few months ago and everyone was doing great keeping fleas/ticks off them (Actually only had a problem with ticks before. Didn't have a flea problem when I started them.) until I let my grandmas dogs sleep with me ONE night and Chance picked up 3 or 4 hitch hikers from her dogs. I brushed them out and thought they were gone but when I spent another day at her house a week later he picked up 3 more. I haven't seen any since getting them off (But also haven't been back to her house) and pray there aren't any but just in case I did end up using Advantage for the first time (After the first few were found but apparently it didn't keep the second 3 off) and now I've just been using Springtime garlic and apple cider vinegar in his food and each night I comb lemon water through his coat which seems to be working. Even the vet couldn't find any today so hopefully the little dfhsdkfasd are gone. >_<

I wouldn't consider my situation an actual flea problem though, just a few who hopped on from being around 5 flea infested dogs. I don't think they were biting and if they tried, I'm sure he tasted awful.

Though I've had luck keeping ticks off! Lol! Before I started I found a few on Chance after we'd go into the woods/tall grass areas and since using the Bug Off I haven't found any.


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## BowWowMeow

Bump for more responses.


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## Chantell

I am interested in this... I have googled it , is this what you all use? http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/148/2


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## BowWowMeow

Yes, that's it. I've been using it for 6 years but I knew some people on this board started using it this year so I wondered what kind of results people were getting.


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## Brightelf

Bump-- i'm also curious to hear what people think of this, and what sort of results they have had with it!


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## BowWowMeow

Bump again. I know more people are using this!!!!!!


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## DancingCavy

I started using the Bug-Off Garlic in March as I heard that CT was known as being super-tick-heavy. Risa has been getting it 6 days a week since (with the exception of a week when she was having GI issues again). I'd never used any sort of flea/tick preventative with Risa before. Never saw a flea or tick on her in Montana or while we lived in New York.

This year was pretty much the same. Never saw a bug on the Mutt. Though I'm not sure we ever were often in really tick-heavy areas. I do know one of the places we went for a 3 hour walk was a ticky area. But I never saw a tick.









If nothing else, Risa thinks garlic is super awesome. She drools in anticipation of getting it.


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## Lynn_P

I've used this product for the past year now...same results as everyone else....AWESOME product. We are always out in fields tracking and around wooded areas every weekend. I have NOT found one tick on any of my dogs this year. Last year while on Frontline, I use to occasionally find ticks on them. I LOVE Springtime's products.


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## M&J

We started it this spring and found two ticks on Rudy. Stopped using it around August and you guessed it, fleas last week.
We're back to Bug Off.


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## BowWowMeow

> Originally Posted By: M&JWe started it this spring and found two ticks on Rudy. Stopped using it around August and you guessed it, fleas last week.
> We're back to Bug Off.


It takes 3 to 4 weeks to build up in their system so don't expect it to help for a while. I've had the best luck with the NEEM dip/shampoo plus the spray for fleas.


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## Raziel

Sound like good stuff!
And you dont use ANYTHING else on them?
My dog has a HUGE problem with fleas. Nothing seems to work on him.
Maybe Ill give this a try!


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## GSD07

I used Bug Off since February till now and it worked very well, no ticks (we do have a lot of ticks here especially along the river and in the small pond with tons of high grass and different vegetation). I am very happy with the results and with the idea that I don't need to put pesticides on my dog. 

We don't have fleas here so I don't know how it works on them. 

I use joint supplements from Springtime as well, I really do like their products.


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## BowWowMeow

> Originally Posted By: Angel RSound like good stuff!
> And you dont use ANYTHING else on them?
> My dog has a HUGE problem with fleas. Nothing seems to work on him.
> Maybe Ill give this a try!


I've never used any of the pesticides on my dogs. Actually, I take that back: years ago I used some noxious flea tip stuff on my dog but in the past 20 years I've only used the natural stuff. I also feed high quality food.


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## Karin

You've convinced me to try it! Heidi has been having major flea problems lately and Frontline hasn't done much the last couple times we've used it. Is the Springtime website the best place to get it?


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## Kayla's Dad

> Originally Posted By: Karin Is the Springtime website the best place to get it?


Yes it is and they are currently having a 50% off sale (Buy two get two free on the Bug Off garlic pills). It's pretty easy to plan your purchases around their special offers. Springtime special offers


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## Cassidy's Mom

I've heard so much about it, and finally decided to give it a try. We don't have a huge flea problem, and I've only found one tick ever, but we do walk in the regional parks so it's a concern. I somehow managed not to notice that there are chewable tablets so I did the buy two get two free offer on the granules, but it looks like a slightly better deal anyway. I should be receiving it sometime this week.


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## Karin

Darn! I just ordered it and managed not to see the specials! Does anyone have any preferences as to the granules vs. the chewable tablets?

It's nice to see that others in the Bay Area are using this product. I might try the "Longevity" formula one of these days too. It sounds very good.


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## Cassidy's Mom

Karin, you can probably call the company and see if you can change your order if you want to take advantage of the specials. I don't think it matters which you choose unless you've got a picky eater. Usually chewables are made to be palatable, but my dogs will eat their food no matter what I toss in the bowl, so even if the granules don't taste that great I'm not worried about it affecting their appetites. 

With two medium dogs we'd be going through 8 tablets a day at $.04 each, or $.32 a day. The granules would be 2-1/2 scoops (I'm guessing a scoop is a "serving"?) at day at $.04 per serving, or $.10 a day, a pretty significant savings. That's based on the buy two get two free offer.


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## Karin

I just left them a message. Thanks for the idea! Hopefully, it's not too late to get the good deal. I think I'll stick with the granules for now. I think it will be easier to mix with the food. Heidi is kind of particular about her treats, so I'd hate to have a bunch of tablets that she won't touch!


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## DancingCavy

1 scoop = 1 serving for 60lbs of dog if you're using the granules. Ris gets 2/3 of a scoop since she's about 40 lbs. I've been using it since March and I'm only about halfway through the container!!

As far as taste, I've only ever seen Risa drool for two things: apple and her Bug-Off garlic.







I usually mix it in with some turkey baby food though I'm fairly certain she'd just eat it straight.


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## BowWowMeow

The granules are also more concentrated. Rafi doesn't mind the taste but Chama did so I had to disguise it in canned food. 

Longevity is GREAT! The owners have gsds too!


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## Cassidy's Mom

> Originally Posted By: Murphy-Elperroguapo1 scoop = 1 serving for 60lbs of dog if you're using the granules.


I saw that, but I wasn't sure if the $.04 per serving was based on one scoop equaling a serving. If so, excellent deal! Halo would get one a day, and Keefer a little less than one and a half.


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## BowWowMeow

Rafi gets one scoop a day but only 6 days a week. The conventional wisdom on using strong herbs is that you should take a break one day a week. 

I started him at the beginning of May and he is still on the same container.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

How about a control group? Is that what it's called?







Or out of control group...

Dosed once with Advantage in early May (when the Leetle friends came with even Leetler friends







) and nothing of anything since then. KW, no fleas.


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## balakai

I've been using it since the beginning of July, and I haven't seen a tick since (ticks early on prompted me to start using it) but it does diddly squat for fleas. I took my dogs to my boyfriend's house couple of weeks ago and his cats gave all of their fleas to my dogs. Seriously. And Yoda HATES the taste of the garlic, even mixed in with something else. He still eats, just gives me a LOOK first.

~Kristin


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## Cassidy's Mom

Okay, I have a question - it doesn't say if you should give the daily amount all at once, or split it between meals. What do other people do?


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## Fodder

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomOkay, I have a question - it doesn't say if you should give the daily amount all at once, or split it between meals. What do other people do?


are your dogs taking it dry, or are you mixing it with water?
i don't think it matters, as long as their getting the daily amount in a day. i was giving the longevity all at once because of convenience, but since i add water to it it just became way too soupy and rich, so i began dividing it over two meals. tilden also can't tolerate too much of anything added to his food (he'll get the runs)


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## phgsd

I only feed once a day, so they get the garlic all at once. It gets sprinkled on top of their raw meals - smells strong to me, I was afraid they wouldn't like it but they gobble it up with no problem. I mixed it into the kibble before feeding raw and that worked fine too.


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## LukesMom

> Originally Posted By: BowWowMeow The conventional wisdom on using strong herbs is that you should take a break one day a week.


Is this true of Longevity also? I started using it in Sept. but not sure if I should skip one day a week. I am also thinking about the Garlic Bug off. My sister has been using the granules and says it really gives her Labs garlic breath after eating.


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## DancingCavy

Risa only eats once a day as well so she gets it with her dinner.







And yes, her breath smells strongly of garlic for quite a while afterward.


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## natalie559

This old thread pulled up on my Google search- have you all continued with the garlic and how is it working?


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## richxd87

Any long term updates from those of you that have been using Bug Off Garlic?


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## NancyJ

my old thread was "my no chem garlic preventive journey"
Still giving - absolutely no issues with blood work - vet said he was one of the healthiest dogs he has seen - I do a full panel every year on him -

Anyway - for cat fleas it does not work for me and I am using Bravecto 

For American Dog Ticks it seems to not work for me but does for other species - last year I ONLY got Dog Ticks. This year with both, no ticks. The predominate species in my area is Lone Star ticks so it seems. 

I have to be careful not to give too much - for my guy bowel tolerance is the limiting factor. I am doing 1 scoop twice a day.


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## NancyJ

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...346-my-no-chem-garlic-preventive-journey.html


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## Traveler's Mom

I have a huge container of Springtime granules in my pantry since Traveler wouldn't touch the stuff from day one. I purchased it over two years ago.
No matter how I tried to disguise it- mixed in something stinky, buried in a treat, dissolved over raw, sprinkled over raw- simply won't touch it.

I thought about buying the caps but hate to make another bad investment and he already gets 2 palmetto plex pills, one turmeric, one apocaps, and one fish oil pill in his food so adding more pills just seems almost wrong. As it is, I usually only give 3 pills in food and the rest in an after dinner treat.


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## Traveler's Mom

Nancy, 
That's interesting about the cat fleas and american dog ticks. Both of those are the bane of our existence down here. I feel a little better now about the garlic rejection.


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## counter

Our dogs started refusing to eat their food with the garlic in it. Now I have 3 big tubs of it in the cupboard and have zero plans to try to sneak it into their food again. I was feeding it with their supplement meal, which is packed full of foods that would help hide the garlic, like raw eggs, salmon oil, chicken blood, etc. Even with all that, the garlic smell and flavor was too obvious, and one by one, day by day, they all stopped eating their supplements. Oh well, at least I gave it a shot. I did the transition as recommended by the company and everything. They're smart dogs. There's no fooling them.


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## CaliGSD3

This stuff works miraculously for my guy!! 100% effective, not only for preventing tick bites, but they dont seem to ever hitch a ride in the first place. The ticks are terrible here where we hike and if he stuck his head in the brush to sniff, id often find up to five sitting on his head immediately after sniffing one freakin bush! lol! I think I started it in May this year, and it started working pretty quickly, and I just use the moderate dose. 
Now hes allowed to sniff and even run through the tall grass and bushes to his hearts content. And he LOVES the taste! Only downside is he has some pretty strong garlic breath.
Ugghh I sound like an advertisement but I am so amazed with how this works, and so happy becasue dealing with ticks grossed me out so much, I would get sick to my stomache lol
-As far as how it works with fleas, I couldnt tell you cause my pup seems to be naturally invincible to them with or without the garlic.


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## Hector3

Some people on a FB group (not really dog related) strongly advised against these supplements that had garlic in them because they said that garlic caused anemia and this is coming from a vet. Tell me anecdotely that's not true?

Because I really, really need something that works.


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## Moriah

Don't give FRESH garlic. Granulated garlic is okay as it doesn't have a component that fresh garlic does that is detrimental to dogs.


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## llombardo

My golden was sick not that long ago(I believe that he ate a flea collar, it never turned up) and when I told the vet about the garlic(Springtime), they did write it down as a possible concern. I only give one scoop every couple days and they were less concerned when I told them the dosage. The biggest question was if it was for humans or for dogs, with the stuff that is for humans being a bigger concern.


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## NancyJ

Hector3 said:


> Some people on a FB group (not really dog related) strongly advised against these supplements that had garlic in them because they said that garlic caused anemia and this is coming from a vet. Tell me anecdotely that's not true?
> 
> Because I really, really need something that works.


I have done granulated bug off for several years now and, with that, annual blood tests and have absolutely normal mid-range values on my CBC and chemistries.


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## Kyleigh

I have been using the bug off garlic for almost a year now (I stop during the winter months since I live in Canada, and NOTHING lives during our winters LOL)

It was NOT effective for ticks at all, but I've never seen a flea or any other bug on her. I use a natural tick repellent that is awesome. 

Kyleigh won't eat the garlic pills as is, but if I crush them up and mix them up with tripe, she'll eat them!


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