# Are raw fed dogs less prone to getting fleas?



## Entwine (Jan 14, 2009)

I've come across this claim several times on different raw feeding websites and was wondering what perspectives DF members could add. 

The claim is that a raw fed dog is less likely to attract fleas. Do you find this to be true or simply an unfounded claim? 

I will add that Misty has never been infested and has only been given Comfortis once when she came inside from a my mom's backyard (which is a half acre of deer-infested wood-sy area) and had a few fleas crawling on her. It was mostly just a precaution. Otherwise, she has never been given a flea preventative and I've never seen any on her. And I live in Texas. (She is, of course, on Heartworm preventative.) She has been raw fed for quite a while now, but she didn't have fleas even on quality kibbles.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

I doubt it. Max never was bothered by fleas on kibble or home cooked and isn't bothered on raw. Sassy was tortured by fleas on kibble and home cooking. I do think the high fat content is very good for the dog's skin and bites might be less irritating and heal faster but don't think there is any repelling going on.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

I've heard this on a cat forum, too, and I have no idea why people think it. I've never had a dog on flea prevention and have never had a dog with fleas. Just recently (this summer) Frag has been started on Bug Of Garlic and was eating raw last winter, but I don't see how it effected him at all.


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## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

I have read it a lot and it usually centers around the sugar in commercial foods that the fleas are attracted to. I have asked my vet and she says she can see how it could work but is not sure if its true or not.


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

The only thing I can think of that might connect the two is that a high quality diet makes for an all around healthier dog and an all around healthier dog is probably going to more resistant to everything, including pests. But that seems a stretch...and would apply to good kibble, too, if it applies at all.


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## philovance (Jan 7, 2009)

Anecdotally many years ago when I only had cats and not a dog, my two cats got fleas almost every summer, sometimes to the point where it was a health hazard. I feed them mainly supermarket canned and dry. Although they got reasonable vet care, I think their immune systems were *very* weak. In 2002 the last of that generation of cats passed away and I started a whole new "family" of two cats and a dog (since succeeded by a different dog after Dylan passed). These animals have always had a diet of high end commercial, raw and homemade, although not every pet gets the same diet (one cat eats primarily commercial and the dog gets as much raw as I can give him).

Not one of these "new" pets has ever had a single flea or tick. I don't know if it's genetics or the improved diet. But the cats are purebred adopted from breeders and the dogs have been nondescript as to breeding.


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

When Auz was recovering from being sick, he had fleas for months. Drove me insane. Since then, nada. No idea if it's coincidential or immunity related, but it was interesting to note.
This past summer (and the summer before that), the papillons would be crawling 2 days after using Frontline and Auz would have none. This summer we didn't have that horrible of a flea issue, but at its worst I found probably 10 on each papillon and NONE on the GSD. Summer before it was nothing to find 30 fleas on each papillon, IT WAS BEYOND IRRITATING. The only cat I had that seemed to have flea problems was Israel, and his immune system was screwed the day he was born (he died at 1 1/2 years old from a blood disease almost a year ago). His blood brother and sister seem to not attract fleas at all. (Again, only a note, but it is an interesting one at that.)
The GSD is black and red. The cats are all black. The papillons are sable with white underbellies, legs and chests. My guess is there's something to the "fleas like white". When I was a kid we had a collie and a black lab. The collies's skin would be MOVING with fleas while the black lab had none. I guess there's a reason why they say if you suspect your house has fleas, wear white socks and you'll attract them if they're there.


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