Rediscovering Nature-in-Health and Health-in-Nature
Killing Mites, Ticks, Lice, and other Banker-like Parasites
Hair Loss in Squirrels
Squirrels lose hair for a variety of reasons. Many people assume that when they see
a squirrel missing patches of hair, that it has contracted mange. Mange in squirrels
is caused by a tiny mite called Notoedres douglasi. They're similar to mites
that cause scabies in humans in that they cause intense itching, but there's no report
of squirrel mange ever being transmitted to humans! Healthy squirrels can usually recover
from an infestation of mange, but it can take a considerable amount of time, and a
lack of hair covering can leave squirrels at the mercy of the weather especially in
winter!
Another cause of hair loss in squirrels is a fungal infection called dermatophytoses.
The squirrel doesn't actually lose its hair, it's just that the fungus causes it to break
off at the skin. Most fungus like warm, moist environment to grow, therefore dermatophytoses
is seen in warm moist climates, and during unusually wet periods. A squirrel can recover
from this fungal hair loss as long as it's immune system is in good shape. A sick or
immune compromised squirrel may not be so lucky!
Dietary insufficiency, or poor diet, is another cause of hair loss in squirrels. A severe
lack of calcium will cause poor hair growth and/or cause the hair to fall out. This
is especially true in squirrels that are kept in captivity! Special attention need to
be paid to the diet as well as daily exposure to natural light or sunlight.
Following closely on poor diet is the condition called metabolic bone disease. Hair
loss and loss of calcium from bones are the characteristics of severe Calcium deficiency.
Squirrels rapidly develop a condition called rickets, and will lose the use of their
rear legs. This causes them to shuffle when they try to walk and their bones become
quite brittle and prone to breakage. Left untreated, metabolic bone disease will advance
to permanent nerve and bone damage and heart failure. Poor diet and metabolic bone disease
is treatable as long as it is caught in the early stages. Foods rich in calcium and
calcium supplementation are a must in all captive squirrels!
The last potential cause of hair loss, especially in Gray or Fox Squirrels, is a hereditary
defect. There are some Squirrels born missing the hair growing chromosome, just as there
are some born missing the pigmentation chromosome, (Albino Squirrels,) These hairless
squirrels never develop hair. It's rare for them to survive in the colder climates, and
difficult at best to survive even in warm climates due to the fact that they are not
recognized by their kind and are often rejected and even attacked or killed.
All dietary causes of hair loss in Squirrels are very easily treated through feeding
a proper diet and insuring that there is sufficient quantities of Calcium and essential
vitamins in their diet. Through working with Squirrels and researching natural products,
I've been able to improve on some tried and true recipes for squirrel food supplements.
One major improvement that I found was the addition of Organic Raw Coconut Oil.
Unprocessed Coconut Oil is rich in a substance called Lauric Acid which is a natural
anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral substance. You can read about the effect
of this amazing substance on Candida Albicans, a common yeast type organism at
http://candida-albicans-cure.com/coconut-oil.html#R2. Since I've added Raw Coconut Oil to my Squirrel Supplements, my Squirrels have grown out hair that feels as soft as mink!
Hair loss in squirrels can be a problem! But, I've found that improving the diet of
affected squirrels, and adding the right natural products to what they eat, goes a long
way toward solving most of the problems!
—"Hair
Loss in Squirrels" by William Sells, who owns and operates Squirrel Haven Rescue
and SquirrelNutrition.com,
which are dedicated to providing free squirrel advice, recipes, and products for the
care, protection and maintenance of a healthy squirrel population.
Types of Mange
"There are two main types of mange, demodectic and sarcoptic. They are caused by different
types of mites. Mange, especially the sarcoptic strain, is more likely to be a problem
in animals with compromised immune systems — puppies and kittens, older animals, and
generally unhealthy animals."
—"Can
Tea Tree Oil Kill Mange Mites?" by Clyde Cohen (May 30, 2011)
Life-dismissive Species-ism from an Inhumane Bird-fetishist
"The larger the squirrel population in an area, the more likely it is that mange will
spread through them. This can be seen as nature's way of keeping the population at optimal
levels and culling the weakest squirrels from the gene pool."
—http://www.birdseedery.com/mange.html
Reminiscent of the force behind Nazi doctors? The American population has been dumbed-down
as to their practitioner-heirs in Big Pharma (direct corporate descendents of I.G. Farben)
and the brothel of "expert"-doctors manufactured by the American Medical Association to push
drug-toxins into human and other lifeforms. The AMA was founded by John D. Rockefeller. Yep... him!
If nothing else, the psycho-"attitude" is certainly a justification for generalizing
suffering... and this from a commodified-Nature "lifestyler" (a pseudo-lover" of nature
and life). Anyone who uses a "gene pool" argument knows little about the works of Charles
Darwin, and is just reciting the falsification of his work by espousers of a "dog eat
dog" world... run by and for psychopaths through this imposed and enforced "natural" hierarchy.
The Big Lie drips from far too many ignorant lips, which are run by an outsourced mind.
Treating with tea tree and/or neem oil
"Topically applied tea tree oil can be useful in treating certain skin and ear conditions.
It is important that it be extremely diluted because it can cause an allergic reaction.
Even in its diluted form, it can be irritating to some individuals. Tea tree oil is
highly toxic and can be deadly, especially to cats. It should not be ingested. Although
an extremely diluted tea tree oil solution will probably not hurt your pet's skin, it
can still be dangerous because the animal is likely to ingest some while grooming or
biting its skin.
While tea tree oil is not generally regarded as a safe or effective treatment for mange,
neem has a better track record. You can use neem leaf, diluted oil or shampoo. Again,
cats are sensitive to this, so it is better to use the milder neem leaf or shampoo that
is rinsed out. Diluted neem oil can be used on dogs' skin to combat mange. Watch out
for products that contain both neem oil and tea tree oil as these are inappropriate
and can be dangerous to cats."
—"Can
Tea Tree Oil Kill Mange Mites?" by Clyde Cohen (May 30, 2011)
Treating with Seabuckthorn oil (a/k/a, "Seaberry", "Buckthorn berry")
Neem and Lavender
"These two essential oils comprise an herbal remedy that effectively battles the mange
mite. It is mixed one part lavender oil to one part neem and ten parts almond or olive
oil, and applied to the affected areas twice daily."
—"Mange
Treatment in Squirrels" by Lonnie Gratz
Treating with Lavender Oil and Boraxo
1) Wash area affected with Boraxo solution 3-4 times per day.
2) Soak with hydrogen peroxide 3-4 times per day.
3) Mix grapeseed oil and lavender massage oil (1-ounce of oil to 15-18 drops of lavender
oil), and, 3-4 times per day apply and massage-in liberally to the affected area.
The lavender oil not only is natural, it has anesthetic properties for itching, smells
good, is relaxing for your dog, and is an antiseptic. It also interfers with the larvae
stage reproduction of the mange. I don't like the products available with all the side
effects, so I told the vet that I'll research my own. As a nurse massage therapist for
mothers-to-be and infants, researching everyones advice and research on the actual bug
itself, I came up with this. It's less irritating to our little family members, inexpensive
and I love the smell and massage time with my pets. And best of all, it works!"
—"Treatment for Demodectic Mange" by Denise from Palos Heights, Illinois (August 16, 2009)
Treating with Borax and Hydrogen Peroxide
"The best cure for dog mange is to mix a 1% hydrogen-peroxide solution with water and
add borax. Dissolve thoroughly. Wash the dog with it once a week. Do NOT WASH THE solution
left on the dog with ANY WATER. Do not wipe the dog dry. The solution will take effect
on mange. The treatment period should not be longer than a month or two. The dog will
probably not be resistant as the treatment is painless. This has worked well for me."
More Exact Measurements
[Excerpted from various emails on our Reader Question & Answer section.]
Ted replies: "A definitive recipe is add 1-2 tablespoons of Borax per 500 cc. of 1%
hydrogen peroxide solution.
To make a 3% hydrogen peroxide into 1%, roughly get one part of 3% H2O2,
plus two parts of water.
Then, apply them on the dog.
Wash with this solution daily, no rinsing.
If it doesn't go away, I have found mites, or mange to have a large "beehive" hidden
somewhere. In which case, quarantine the dog in a small area that is 100% sterile."
"Approximate measurements are 1 bottle of 500 cc. of 3% H2O2,
plus 1000 cc of water, plus 3 heaping tablespoons of Borax.
Stir until most of Borax is dissolved. The Borax is past the point of saturation here,
so you will see some Borax around. Technically, the concentration is around 1.5%
H2O2, and this is a bit stronger because, by the time we finish
with it, the H2O2 gets reacted with other things, and by the time
we used it, it usually ends up near a 1% solution anyway."
"You need to get put as much Borax until it no longer dissolves in a pail of water and
forms a precipitate.
This is a saturated solution of Borax.
Add H2O2 to about 1% concentration to a pail of water.
Soak the entire dog, several times.
Keep the dog wet for some time.
The Borax will destroy the eggs from laying under the skin which causes the mange.
Get some solution and spray or use this to wipe all floors so the dog will not get
re-infected.
Repeat this every week when bathing.
This is not a perfect cure, but my dog now no longer has mange. My dog was completely
cured.
You can try other chemicals such as sodium perborate, which is more convenient since
you don't need to add the hydrogen-peroxide."
"The solution (borax or preferably sodium perborate) is to be applied AFTER the shampooing
and rinsing.
The sodium perborate should remain on the dog after the bath.
You will not rinse this at all. It must remain on the dog throughout the day so that
it will act continuously on the bugs."
"However, I do recommend a less toxic form of Borax, which is sodium perborate if you
can find one. The secret is that Borax (plus hydrogen-peroxide) will work better then
most other remedies I have tried, this includes mineral oil or neem oil. No, neem oil
does not kill the mange as effectively as sodium perborate; I have tried it. In my
"mange colonies", commercial brands don't kill the insects. Hydrogen-peroxide DOES NOT
KILL mange, I USED IT SIMPLY AS A CATALYST for ordinary Borax in case you cannot obtain
sodium perborate. Mineral oils simply prevent oxygen from reaching mange, but that didn't
stop it. I have tried naphta, bentonite clays, DMSO, potassium permanganate, lighter
fluid, etc. They all worked temporarily, but it just came back. I must make a strong
statement that the formula (Borax plus H2O2, or sodium perborate)
works bests and it has a broad spectrum. You can use it to control mange, mites, fleas,
and lyme disease (initiated by those crawly insects). I have actually compared side-to-side
with neem oil, mineral oil, apple cider vinegar, and others here in Bangkok, and this
is the most wide-spectrum cure I have found. Borax prevents denaturation of DNA/RNA
in dogs, and I currently use this as life extension for dogs. For example, a ribose
sugar, deoxyribose sugar, and various sugars that cause accelerated aging in dogs can
be slowed down with supplementation of dogs indirectly when you do the Borax wash."
"Prepare peroxide 1% solution.
Add 2-3 tablespoon of Borax to that cup.
Stir and wait for a couple of minutes for the Borax to dissolve. The formula doesn't
require an exact science. It is important to add enough Borax until the solution is
no longer soluble, and well past saturation."
"... the reason why it is not working is YOU CANNOT RINSE THE DOG OF Borax and peroxide
solution with any shampoo or water. After bathing the dog, keep the dog that way, no
drying or rinsing. This is why the dog has not improved. Also, Borax is added DIRECTLY
to the 1% hydrogen-peroxide solution, and no water is added separately, otherwise, the
solution is too weak."
Ted's Update
7/12/2006: "I have reviewed all the dog's mange treatments both by my own tests and by many contributors. It appears that many people have trouble obtaining materials, such as sodium perborate hydrate, so I revised the remedy to hydrogen peroxide plus borax solution applied only once or so every week. The solution of sodium perborate hydrate is very much similar when borax and hydrogen peroxide is added. Some have either substituted hydrogen peroxide with benzoyl peroxide.
The problem about benzoyl peroxide is the upper limit by which you can use it without effect the dog as it is somewhat more toxic if given beyond a 10% concentration. 5% is usually a safe concentration. Benzoyl peroxide because of its toxicity is somewhat of an insecticide, while hydrogen peroxide is not, what it is in the original formulation is that it is a penetrant allowing the borax to go through the skin. Now some did not like hydrogen peroxide due to its limited supplies, so they make use of apple cider vinegar. For me a regular vinegar will do. Both a vinegar and hydrogen peroxide has two similarities. It is both a penetrant and when added with a safe insecticidal material such as borax, which has an toxicity on LD 50 equivalent to that of salt, this is the preferred method. However, one should not use boric acid since there are reported deaths associated with boric acid but not borax.
Boric acid is not recommended for use as it is much more toxic than borax. Borax's toxicity is about 3000 mg/kg, which is the equivalent toxicity to about that of salt. (check wikipedia). The idea is to make a solution of borax so that the solution can cover the entire body and penetrate through the skin of the dog to kill the demodex mites, for example. To use a spot treatment by pure powder will take an infinitely long time as it does not get to it through the dog's skin.
In some cases, people have tried neem oil, mineral oil. Both of these have similar effectiveness, but in different ways. Neem oil prevents the Demodex fleas from laying eggs by modifying their hormones, while mineral oils are moderately toxic only to the demodex eggs, not necessarily killing them. However, both are very limited based on my tests in really killing the insect. You see borax will both kill the eggs, modifying the hormones and their eggs by drying them all at once. The weakness of borax is limited solubility and limited penetration of the skin which you need either vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide (toxic), MSM or DMSO solution. Ideally 10% DMSO should be preferred.
Pine Sol has limited insecticidal effectiveness, being a contact insecticidal, and does not provide lasting killing power once it has evaporated and does not kill living fleas, but it does kill their eggs somewhat. Only a fairly concentrated solution works and it does not prevent re-laying of stray eggs by the dog. In other words, the use of neem oil, mineral oil, benzoyl peroxide, and vaseline will not prevent the recurring of mange since eggs are not just on the dog, but can be anywhere in the house. Therefore re-infection is at issue. The one magic that borax has over its neighbors is that the borax powder that the dogs leaves in the house will kill the eggs even after the dogs no longer has mange and re-infection is therefore next to impossible. However, borax has limited effect on killing the larger mites and fleas, but not mange.
I found that adding 1/8 teaspoon per liter of water of borax added to the dog's water will cause the larger fleas to dry up and die at the same time. My dog for some reason likes to eat something like more than 1 gram of the sodium perborate crystals whenever he feels sick and the fleas just die off. The borax modifies the dog's blood and kills the mange inside out. This is why borax, i.e., sodium perborate, is required for mange, but not anything else due to preventive re-infection of the mange by the powder of the borax that destroys the eggs where the dog sleeps and where it walks around throughout the house.
VASELINE: The problem about using vaseline as an insecticide is that it has limited killing of eggs, but its weakness is that it is not a penetrant, and therefore the frequency of applications will take at least once every other day. Additionally, the hair of the dog will prevent proper application.
Some have went so far as to not use a solution of borax with hydrogen peroxide as a rinse then followed likely, perhaps a borax powder after bath. On the argument of being effective only as a spot treatment. Since dogs do not have sweat glands, not using a rinse will prevent the borax from absorbing into the skin to kill the mange under its skin. So this is not going to work. You need both borax as an insecticide, the water as the solution which to spread it to the skin surface, and a reliable penetrant to get it through the skin, such as vinegar, msm, DMSO, or even hydrogen peroxide. A benzoyl peroxide is both a penetrant and insecticide, but at higher concentration is somewhat toxic for dogs and as a result you are pretty much limited by the maximum concentration not to exceed beyond 5% being a preferred safety. I would prefer to limit myself at 3%.
I therefore suggest, not to get you lost in the woods, is that whatever formulation you use, always stick with borax and borax derivatives, such as sodium perborate monohydrate being the main insecticidal chemicals for the dog.
Pyrethrum is o.k. but in very low concentration of about 0.1% - 0.2% to prevent skin irritation for the dogs near the skin infection areas. The second mix you need is always the penetrant and the third formulation is appropriate dilutions in water. To provide lasting killing effect, non of these chemicals should generally be non-volatile insecticidal mixtures, which unfortunately most recommended are, with exception of perhaps borax and bentonite. Bentonite causes eggs to dry, so they can be used also, but they have no insecticidal mixture as borax and borax can performs both killing the insect, modifying the hormones to prevent egg laying, becomes a stomach poison for the insect, and at the same time causes their eggs to dry up.
I therefore will remain very flexible about what penetrants you use including hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide (limited concentration), and vinegar. It must be noted that when formulating any mange it must be noted that they must be non-volatile and the chemicals should cause microscopic residues around the house so that re infection of mange is prevented, including mites and fleas.
I think this wraps up the basic theory and application of mange treatment, and hopefully other people will make a more effective formulations in the future at least equal or better than the original formula I have proposed. Just want to tell you that there are many ways you can treat mange, but the issue is one of toxicity, re infection, toxic levels, which portion kills it and how, and which is the penetrant which is the key to it all. Penetrant is important, the chemical must reach the target demodex under the skin. Usually hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, DMSO, and MSM will do that. It must be reminded again that borax, to work most effectively, is to prepare a solution without washing it off, followed by a small amount of borax powder to be applied if you wish. Any other application other than this such as using as purely powder form is NOT going to work."
—"Ted's Most Popular Mange Cure" by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand)
The dangers of treating mange with Big Pharma's Ivermectin
"Mange is typically associated with dogs and cats. However, the mischievous squirrels
frolicking in the yard contract the itchy illness. When Notoedres Douglasi mites infest
a squirrel, it creates a species-specific mange that is not transferable to humans and
pets. [1] When a Sarcoptes Scabiei tic burrows subdermally in a squirrel, she develops the
sarcoptic strain of mange common in household pets and communicable to humans. Contact
between species is infrequent. Therefore, cross contamination is rare, but treatment is
similar.
Treatment is controversial. Squirrels cannot be isolated during the medication period.
Mites hide in squirrel nests and quickly reinfect them, trivializing the efficacy of
the treatment. While treating wildlife poses a challenge, most squirrels in a suburban
or urban environment are semi-tame. Observe them and feed them with ease. Restore balding,
scratching neighborhood squirrels to health with these simple steps:
-
Purchase ivermectin from your veterinarian or feed store. Ivermectin comes in tablets,
intended for canines and small mammals, or in paste. The paste form is marketed as horse
wormer.
-
Measure out the correct dosage of ivermectin. Half the size of a grain of rice is
an appropriate amount of paste wormer. For tablets, doling out the correct dosage
is less exacting, and may require specialized measuring equipment or estimation
as the recommended portion is 200 micrograms per kilogram of animal weight. [3] A
squirrel weighs between 8 ounces and 1.5 pounds, or up to half a kilogram. Therefore,
100 micrograms is the maximum dosage per squirrel. Cut the tablet then pound into
powder form.
-
Mix the ivermectin with enticing food. Corn cobs and bird seed readily attract squirrels.
-
Serve the mixture in an area accessible to squirrels, but out of reach of canines
or small children. A dish placed on a stump or picnic table, or poured into a squirrel
feeder, will attract their attention.
- Repeat the formula once per week for three weeks if horse paste is used. Repeat in eight to 10 days if ivermectin tablets are used.