Why We Treat for Parasites Monthly (and You Might Want to as Well)

I’ve been procrastinating on writing this post for a while. For some reason, the mere thought of having parasites is considered horrifying. But the reality is—most of us probably have them.

If you eat raw vegetables, have pets (or spend time around people who do), enjoy sushi, walk barefoot, or have been bitten by an insect, chances are, you’ve been exposed to parasites. Meanwhile, my friends overseas are shocked that most people in North America don’t routinely treat for them.

I’ve tried every natural remedy you can think of—oregano, black walnut, wormwood, cloves, and the list goes on. Not only do most of these taste awful, but none of them worked for me.

Our Family’s Parasite Protocol

In our household—myself, my husband, and our dog—we do a parasite cleanse on the 1st of every month, no testing needed. It’s no different than giving pets monthly Heartgard. In fact, if you check the ingredients on a box of Heartgard, you’ll find they’re the same as what we use—just significantly cheaper. With our method, both ingredients last for years and still cost less than six months of Heartgard.

Here’s what we use:

1. Pyrantel Pamoate

This has a mild vanilla-banana flavor that we all tolerate well.

• Amazon 16 oz: Link

• Amazon 32 oz (better value): Link

2. Ivermectin

• Amazon 8 oz: Link

Yes, the label says it’s for sheep—but ivermectin is ivermectin. The key is adjusting the dosage correctly (details below). Even with all three of us taking it monthly, one bottle lasts us years. Out of caution, we replace it when it expires to ensure potency, but it's still incredibly cost-effective.

⚠️ Warning: This stuff tastes nasty! We usually mix it with pyrantel pamoate to mask the flavor. You can also mix it into yogurt, kefir for yourself or your dog, or juice (but not for your dog).

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Dosage & Frequency

• First-time treatment: Take doses on the 1st, 15th, and again on the 1st and 15th of the next month.

• Ongoing maintenance: After the initial cleanse, take it on the 1st of every month.

• If re-exposed: If we know we’ve been exposed to parasites, we switch back to bi-monthly dosing for two months before resuming our regular schedule.

The reason for the initial bi-monthly doses is that these treatments don’t kill parasite eggs—only the hatched parasites. To break the cycle, you need to eliminate the newly hatched ones before they can lay more eggs.

I have been asked to give sample dosages. Please note that you need to adjust for your weight using the chart below:

Maggie 55 lbs. gets 6 drops of ivermectin drench

Myself over 100 lbs: takes 12 drops ivermectin drench

Mark near 200 lbs: takes  20 drops ivermecting drench

(Sourced from DogAware)

Final Thoughts

Parasites are more common than we think, and treating them regularly has become a simple, routine part of our health regimen. If you've never considered it before, it might be worth looking into!

Raw Dog Food Recipe - For Our 56 Lb Golden Retriever Maggie

Our precious Golden Retriever had bad allergies. We tried so many different kibbles and nothing helped. We transitioned her to cooked dog food which helped a bit for a while but it never completely fixed the redness and itching and soon, she was scratching so bad she had open sores! All of my research said that other people who had experienced this same thing had turned to raw dog food and it fixed it! We figured we would give it a try and are SO HAPPY that we did. Not only did it fix her allergies but, she loves it! If you don't want to go 100% raw, I want to encourage you to at least try supplementing some of your pet's kibble with a raw egg or some canned seafood or maybe some raw meat. You do need to have a good variety to get your pet all the vitamins and minerals it requires but it really isn't as intimidating as it sounds. Below is what we do with Maggie. I hope it encourages you to start your journey to a healthier, happier pet.

BASE FOODBASE FOOD
2 x 4 to 5 lb roast, chopped1 x 4 to 5 lb roast, chopped
4 lbs ground beef2 ground beef
3 lbs ground turkey2 lbs ground turkey
1 lb ground pork or ground chicken or chopped chicken with no skin (optional)1 lb ground pork or ground chicken or chopped chicken with no skin (optional)
1 lb liver, chopped1 lb liver, chopped
2 generous handfuls of blueberries2 generous handfuls of blueberries
 
With her food (do NOT mix in ahead of time)With her food (do NOT mix in ahead of time)
ROTATE SEAFOODROTATE
Frozen Smelt - add in 3 or 4 every day or so with any of the seafood below. We get this from our local Chinese SupermarketFrozen Smelt - add in every 3 or 4 every day or so with any of the seafood below
canned salmoncanned salmon
canned oysterscanned oysters
canned mackerel (drained and rinsed and stored with water)canned mackerel (drained and rinsed and stored with water)
canned sardines
canned tuna (skipjack is lower in mercury)
canned sardines
 
Raw egg - every breakfast

Steps

Mix all of the base food - we freeze 1.4 lbs in quart bags and she gets .35 lb per mealMix all of the base food
Add in the seafood only at the time of serving (rinse utensils to not contaminate)Add in the seafood only at the time of serving (rinse utensils to not contaminate)
Supplements in am and pm mealsSupplements in am and pm meals
2 squirts of apple cider vinegar
2 drops vitamin E2 drops vitamin
E
2 squirts of apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp of Guts & Glory
small scoop green lipid mussel
¼ tsp of guts and glory
2 scoops of bone meal¼ tsp of bone meal

¼ tsp of kelp

Notes

PROPORTIONS PROPORTIONS
80% base meat / turkey / chicken / pork80% meat /turkey / chicken
10% organ – 5 to 10% liver, 2 to 5% heart, spleen or kidney, heart, tripe, pancrease, lung, brain, eyes, sweet bread (or Guts & Glory) and green tripe or the green lipid mussel 10% organ - 5 to 10% liver, 2 to 5% heart, spleen or kidney, heart, tripe, pancrease, lung, brain, eyes, sweet bread and green tripe or the green tripe powder
10% bone (use powder) 10% bone (use powder)
blueberries 

blueberries
To maintain her weight she gets: To maintain her weight she gets:
.35 lb of the base (am & pm) ½ lb base (am & pm)
seafood of the day (am & pm) 
Her supplements
.4 lb of seafood (am & pm)
1 egg per day 
Plus various vegetables and a few fruits 

Homemade Dog Food for ~$20/month

This is the recipe that I make for our Golden Retriever Maggie who is 60 lbs. I watch the sales for meats and usually find whole chicken for $0.88/lb and then add any other meats I have gotten on sale from my freezer.

Ingredients

4 lbs ground beef4 lbs ground beef
1 whole roasted chicken 1 whole roasted chicken or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
turkey, lamb, pork or other meat ground or cubed (optional)turkey, lamb, pork or other meat ground or cubed (optional)
1 C rice1 C rice
carrotscarrots
broccolibroccoli
spinach, optionalspinach, optional
celery, optionalcelery, optional
Shredded cabbageShredded cabbage
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped6 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Steps

Dice up all the fresh veggiesDice up all the fresh veggies
Brown the beef and drain off most of the fat in a colanderBrown the beef and drain off most of the fat in a colander
WHOLE CHICKEN: Pull out the organs (neck, gizzard and liver) from the cavity. Throw away the neck. Put the organs and the whole chicken in a large pot and 3/4 cover with water (to make a broth with 6-8 cups of water). Bring to boil then turn down to a simmer.WHOLE CHICKEN: Pull out the organs (neck, gizzard and liver) from the cavity. Throw away the neck. Put the organs and the whole chicken in a large pot and ¾ cover with water (to make a broth with 6 to 8 cups of water). Bring to boil then turn down to a simmer.
CHICKEN BREASTS: Put in a pot with about 6 C water (to slightly cover) and bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmerCHICKEN BREASTS: Put in a pot with about 6 C water (to slightly cover) and bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer
When cooked (about 1 hour for the whole chicken and 35 minutes for chicken breasts), remove chicken and let cool enough to handle. Remove all the bones, skin, etcWhen cooked (about 1 hour for the whole chicken and 35 minutes for chicken breasts), remove chicken and let cool enough to handle. Remove all the bones, skin, etc
Add 1 cups of long grain brown rice to the broth and let simmer for 25 minutes, then add all the veggies and cook another 20 minutes.Add 1 cups of long grain brown rice to the broth and let simmer for 25 minutes, then add all the veggies and cook another 20 minutes.
When veggies are cooked, only then divide veg/rice mixture between two large pots. Mix in meat and eggs evenly between the two pots. If needed, simmer to get any remaining liquid to absorbWhen veggies are cooked, only then divide veg/rice mixture between two large pots. Mix in meat and eggs evenly between the two pots. If needed, simmer to get any remaining liquid to absorb
Let cool and put in individual quart baggies and freeze.Let cool and put in individual quart baggies and freeze.
We still feed about 3/4 to 1 cup of kibble with about 3/4 cup of the homemade x twice a day (feel the ribs to know if their weight is good and adjust the quantity accordingly). I think dogs need the crunch of the kibble to keep their teeth clean. It also makes it easier to transition to just kibble if we can't give her the homemade food (due to traveling or she has to stay at the vets, etc.) I also think variety is good.We still feed about ¾ to 1 cup of kibble with about ¾ cup of the homemade x twice a day (feel the ribs to know if their weight is good and adjust the quantity accordingly). I think dogs need the crunch of the kibble to keep their teeth clean. It also makes it easier to transition to just kibble if we can't give her the homemade food (due to traveling or she has to stay at the vets, etc.) I also think variety is good.

Notes

Quantities are estimates but you want to shoot for the mix of 70% meat, 20% veg, 10% rice  

How To Make Eggshell Calcium Supplement For Your Dog - Fast & Easy

 If you feed your pet homemade food, you need to be sure to supplement calcium. You can buy a supplement like this one or you can make your own. This is a very simple recipe and unlike most supplements, doesn't flavor the dogs food.

Ingredients

One dozen or more eggshellsOne dozen eggshells

Steps

Collect washed eggshells in the refrigeratorCollect washed eggshells in the refrigerator
until you have a dozen or enough to fill a cookie sheet.until you have a dozen or enough to fill a cookie sheet.
Eggshells will begin to dry while in the refrigerator.Eggshells will begin to dry while in the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread the eggshells on a cookie sheet and bakeSpread the eggshells on a cookie sheet and bake
10-15 minutes.10 to 15 minutes.
If you washed the eggshells shortly before baking, allow extra baking time. Eggshells must be completely dry before grinding.If you washed the eggshells shortly before baking, allow extra baking time. Eggshells must be completely dry before grinding.
Grind the eggshells in a clean coffee grinder or a blender until all large pieces are ground to a powder. A mortar and pestle is also a great way to grind to a powder.Grind the eggshells in a clean coffee grinder or a blender until all large pieces are ground to a powder. A mortar and pestle is also a great way to grind to a powder.
Store in a lidded jar in the fridge.Store in a lidded jar.
Give 1/8 tsp per 10 lb weightGive ⅛ tsp per 10 lb weight
Since we also give dry kibble food, we only give 1/4 tsp in each meal for our 60 lb Golden Retriever (as the dry kibble is also supplemented and you don't want to give too much and cause hypercalcemia).