Choosing A Perfect Pet Shampoo.

Just like in humans good grooming habits are good for our pets. Grooming is important for many different reasons. For instance it allows you and your pet to spend quality time. It also is important since it improves your pet’s health and last but not least it allows you to know what your pet likes and what it doesn’t. The skin is the largest organ which plays a great role in immunization. If the skin is tampered with, your pet can be exposed to infections.

Finding a safe, effective and perfect pet shampoo can be both hectic and fatiguing.  Some ingredients used to make these shampoos cause dangerous reactions which might consequent to your pet getting sick or worse. At times many antagonistic reactions are frequency dependent meaning that one might not be using the shampoo long enough to see a bad reaction.

Before making changes or additions to your collection of shampoo, it is vital to consult with your pets vet. This is significant since it will enable you to get the correct ingredients that will be perfect for your pet. It is thus important to read the ingredients and know what you are exposing your pet to. This ingredient will make way to your pet’s skin and thereafter to the pet’s blood stream. Products with colloidal oatmeal, burdock, comfrey and boswela sooth and relieve itchy skin.

Like humans dogs have different kinds of body types: normal, dry and oily. It is thus imperative to find out your pets skin type before you proceed to buying pet shampoo. Skin flaking may indicate dry skin while oily skin is indicated by a ‘residue like’ feel when you run your fingers on your pet’s coat. If it has neither of those, then the skin type is normal.

When choosing the perfect pet shampoos avoid synthetic ingredients. These ingredients can irritate and aggravate the skin of dogs with allergies. At times the residue left behind on the dogs coat can cause itching. Making sure that there are no artificial fragrances and colors added to the shampoo is essential.  Natural skin moisturizers like vitamin E, aloe Vera, and honey and tea tree keep the skin moistened. While chamomile, lavender, eucalyptus and citrus have a nice fragrance.

Just because it is good for human hair, it doesn’t mean it is safe for your pet. Human shampoos contain chemicals that are too harsh for your pet’s delicate skin. They tend to irritate and dry out your pet’s skin. Pets eliminate toxins differently from humans. While human sweat them out, pets eliminate the through their kidneys and bowels.  Hence what is good for humans might have adverse effects on pets.

The perfect pet shampoos have their pH balanced. They are more in tune with natural balance of acid in pet’s skin. A dog’s skin has a pH of 7.5. The thin acid layer on the pet’s skin serves as a barrier that prevents e entry of bacteria and viruses. It is vital to find a shampoo that will not decrease or overly increase the skins ph. So ideally the pH should be between  6.5 to 7.5. If the shampoo is acidic it may diminish the hair quality removing valuable oils resulting to dry, irritated skin and a dull coat

Shampoos are used for cleaning, thus removing unwanted grime from the kin and the coat. But it is important to seal the coat afterwards. This prevents oils and hydration from escaping. Using a conditioner after shampooing closes the hair cuticle and restore hydration, moisture and elasticity. Though like pet nutrition it is difficult to pin point a certain product as the best for all the pets.

Organic Insect Control Is a Healthier Way of Growing Your Garden

Insects are a big challenge to any gardener, especially for those who prefer to grow their produce organically, and are wary about using chemicals to control insects and bugs. In the first place, knowledge about the insects and bugs that are found in garden can come in handy, when you are looking to eradicate or control them through organic insect control. You can also consider using biological control as a means that is quite effective in dealing with garden pests.

Among the various insects for which control is sought by most gardeners are:

• Beetles
• Aphids
• Cut Worms
• Caterpillars

Beetles attack plants when they are in the larval stage and are in the form of white grubs. Their multiplying population results in the roots of plants getting eaten, while leaves will show signs over time, of having boreholes. Manual removal of these grubs is the best way of removing this pest infestation, but an organic solution that works just as well is an enzyme cleaner that has peppermint mixed with it. Enzyme cleaners can be obtained from many suppliers, but can also be made at home with some brown sugar and orange and lemon peels. The items have to be mixed with water and the container shaken vigorously till the brown sugar dissolves. The gas that forms has to be allowed to escape and the resulting enzyme cleaner allowed to ferment for three months before it is used. Birds can be attracted to gardens with feeders and other berry bushes. They are natural enemies of the beetles and will eat a number of insects.

Aphids are soft bodied insects that are found in every garden. They can suck up the sap in a plant and cause it to wither. They also cause the spread of viral diseases, which lead to plants getting discolored, distorted or having their leaves fall off. You can spray them with peppermint soap solution, soap insecticide, or an enzyme cleaner to cause them to drop off and die. Lady bugs, parasitic wasps, hover flies and green lacewings are natural predators that feed on aphids.

The larvae of cut worms eat up all forms of live plant tissue. Handpicking them is essential after which they must be destroyed. These worms and moths are most active at night and this is the time when you can use diluted enzyme cleaner to kill them. Talcum powder can also kill them and act as a barrier to a further population of the worms. Chickens, nematodes and Braconid wasps will prey on the cut worms in your garden.

Butterflies and moths have their larvae in the form of caterpillars. These caterpillars will eat the leaves of any flowering plant or one that grows vegetables. The laborious method to eradicate them is to closely examine the underside of leaves and manually pick them off. Again a combination of peppermint and enzyme cleaner can act as insect control, while caterpillars can also be killed by using wormwood spray or spray containing garlic and red pepper. Chickens and birds do eat caterpillars, and a single chicken can remove as many as 500 caterpillars in a day.

There are a lot of other common materials available in most homes that can be used for organic insect control. A organic pesticide spray made from garlic soaked in mineral oil and fish emulsion makes for a very effective spray for aphids and flies. The solution needs to be diluted. Onion and mint can make effective bug repellents. Milk mixed with cucumber and zucchini can act as a fungicide and destroy any mildew formed on plants. Salt can be used to create a barrier for ants and other crawling insects. Mineral oil and vegetable oils cause soft bodied insects to suffocate.

Apply organic insect control methods for only those plants that are affected, as it may then affect even the insects that are beneficial to plants. These homemade remedies can be quite cheap, but you can look for organic pesticide products if you do not have the time to make them.

Why Use An All Natural Mosquito Repellent?

Many may wonder why they should use an all natural mosquito repellent when there are so many effective ones that can be bought at the local drug store. Store-bought mosquito repellents contain a chemical known as DEET. DEET has been declared safe by the EPA. However, it is not being regulated or tested by the food and drug administration.

The Problem With DEET 

DEET has been known to cause irritation to the skin after it's been applied topically. It can also cause a rash and blistering to occur. These may seem like minor problems, but if you or your child is seriously allergic, it can have major consequences.

According to the E.P.A, eighteen children have suffered adverse neurological effects because of DEET. It has also been responsible for two deaths among adults. Being allergic to DEET can mean a lot more then a rash forming.

Research has corresponded with these reported hospitalizations. At Duke University Medical Center, researchers found a connection in using DEET and brain cell death in lab rats. The rats exposed to DEET Also Suffered from behavior changes.

All Natural Mosquito Repellents Are Easy To Make 

It's easier then ever to avoid the health risks associated with using traditional mosquito repellent. A lot of essential oils are known for their insect repelling effect. Many of these oils have a pleasant smell, so they can also be used as a perfume. These essential oils have been proven effective at repelling insects.

• Citronella 
• Lavender 
• Lemon Grass 
• Clove
• Tea Tree 
• Rosemary
• Mint
• Patchouli 

One you have obtained one of these essential oils, it should be diluted in a base. This makes the smell less harsh, and make the oil easier to spray on. It is recommended that you use boiled or distilled water. You should also include vegetable oil. Witch hazel should be added into every homemade bug spray. It's extremely effective at repelling different insects.

Simply Spray Whenever You're Outside 

This homemade bug repellent can really be used in two ways. You can spray it in your home to repel unwanted insects and you can spray it on yourself before you go outside.

To maximize the effect of the spray, you should keep a few other tips in mind. Mosquitoes are less attracted to sweaty skin. They are also less likely to bite you if you are in motion. If you are going to a tropical location, you'll need a mosquito net. These mosquitoes may carry diseases that the mosquitoes in your home town do not.

They Work 

These essential oils aren't as much of a repellent as the chemical ones. However, they are much less harmful. A spritz of essential oil on your skin isn't going to cause any of the potential problems that DEET can.

When you're looking for a natural way to repel insects, you really can't go wrong with utilizing one of the many essential oils available on Amazon today. It's easier then ever to get the supplies you need. Why aren't you repelling bugs naturally?