Along with the warmer weather come those pesky critters that are the bane of dog and cat owners everywhere: fleas! As the TV ad says, just one flea is all it takes to start a major infestation. No matter how carefully you try to prevent fleas on your pets or in your home, you may just bring a hitch hiking flea home on your shoes or clothes from a friend’s house, the park, or other source.
There are lots of chemical flea control products are available, but by using these products you are exposing your beloved dog or cat, and your family, to poisonous chemicals that can build up to toxic levels in the body and affect the central nervous system. There are many natural methods of preventing and controlling fleas
Step One: Keep Fleas Out Of Your Yard
The first step in natural flea control begins in your own back yard. Keep the grass mowed short, especially in shady areas that remain moist and damp. Fleas prefer moisture; they can’t tolerate hot, dry conditions.
Next, spread diatomaceous earth over the lawn in areas where your pet is allowed to play. Diatomaceous earth is a natural substance made of the fossilized shells of microscopic organisms. The slightly abrasive dust will cut the exoskeletons of the fleas, and its absorbent properties will cause them to dehydrate. The dust is safe for people and animals to walk on, but take care not to inhale it when you are spreading it on the lawn. It would be a good idea to wear a dust mask and goggles when handling diatomaceous earth.
Landscape your yard with plants that have natural flea-repellant properties, such as lavender, mint, and eucalyptus. Use the stems and leaves to stuff your pet’s bed to make it naturally flea-repellant also. Eucalyptus can be toxic to pets when ingested, though, so be careful not to let them eat it!
Another natural flea-control option is to add beneficial nematodes to your lawn. They will burrow into fleas as part of their life cycle, killing the host. Nematodes pose no risk to animals and people; our body temperatures are too warm to suit them. Place the nematodes in shady areas, since they can’t tolerate the hot sun and this is where most of the fleas in your yard are residing.
Step Two: Make Your Home Unfriendly To Fleas
Keeping your home dusted, mopped, and vacuumed regularly will help prevent a major infestation inside the home. Even if you don’t have carpet, fleas will still live in your upholstered furniture, draperies, and bedding. They’ll lay eggs in cracks in the floor and around baseboards.
Sprinkle some diatomaceous earth or table salt inside your vacuum cleaner bag before vacuuming, to kill any fleas that get sucked inside. If you vacuum without using the dust or salt, change the bag when you’re finished, and put it in the trash can outdoors to keep the fleas from escaping and getting back into the house.
You can trap a number of fleas by placing a dish of soapy water under a desk lamp or night light. Place a trap near your pet’s sleeping area, and in other rooms where fleas are a problem. The fleas will jump toward the warm light and drown in the soapy water.
It takes about two weeks for flea eggs to hatch, and another couple of weeks before they become egg-laying adults. You may not notice a reduction in the number of fleas for about a month, since they are constantly hatching and growing through this 3- to 4-week life cycle. Just keep cleaning, and in time you will notice that there are fewer fleas hanging around.
Always treat your house before your pets if you already have a serious infestation; otherwise, the fleas will jump right back on as soon as the dog is out of the bath. Putting the pets outside isn’t a solution because fleas prefer to dine on cats and dogs, but if there are none around they’ll jump on the family members for a meal. They probably will anyway.
Fleas pose no special health risks to humans, except for the annoying itching they cause, but some people are more sensitive to their bites than others. Fleas can carry their own tapeworm parasites, but must be ingested for these parasites to infect animals or humans. Your dog may swallow a flea while he’s grooming himself, but it’s unlikely a person will swallow a flea unless he happens to jump into your dinner plate (yuck!).
Step Three: Treating Your Pets
Regular daily care can keep your pet’s flea problems at a minimum. Feed your dogs or cats a high-quality food that will keep them in optimum health. A strong immune system will help them repel fleas, and avoid extreme skin reactions when they are bitten. Keeping your pets well-groomed, combing them daily with a flea comb, can remove many of the pesky critters. Keep a dish of soapy water handy to rinse the fleas off the comb and drown them. Bathe your pet regularly, but not more than once a week to keep his skin from drying out excessively.
There are many flea collars, dips, and sprays that contain chemicals designed to kill fleas, but many vets consider them ineffective and are unsure about the adverse effects of long-term use. Flea shampoos are considered harmless enough, since the toxins are rinsed off the skin, although their effectiveness is questionable. Bathing your pet in any mild shampoo for ten minutes will drown most adult fleas; use a flea comb to remove any fleas that don’t rinse out of your pet’s fur.
Bathing with either flea shampoo or non-medicated shampoo may remove fleas, but won’t kill eggs or prevent more fleas from jumping on your dog! The use of oral flea medications is gaining popularity as an effective, long-term method of keeping your pets flea-free. Some oral flea medications are only available by prescription, but some are non-prescription and available through your veterinarian or online. Ask your vet for a recommendation; he/she will know if these medications will interact with other medications your dog or cat may be taking.
Step Four: Chemicals As a Last Resort
If the infestation in your home is already so serious that cleaning doesn’t seem to help, use chemical flea killers as a last resort. Always follow the manufacturers’ instructions carefully so the application is effective (with any luck) and to avoid adding any more toxic chemicals to your home than necessary. Send all family members outside, put the cats and/or dogs outside, and don’t forget your birds, lizards, and other small pets that may be affected by the poisonous chemicals. Cover aquariums so the chemicals in the air aren’t drawn into the water. Use a product that kills eggs and larvae as well as adult fleas, or in a few weeks you’ll have to deal with the problem again. Be sure to let the house air out completely before allowing anybody back inside.
Warnings About “Natural” Products
Many manufacturers are jumping on the organic bandwagon, and offering flea control products that claim to be safe and effective. Understand that “natural” does not always mean “safe.”
Some products contain pyrethrins, a natural plant toxin, that is less toxic that its synthetic counterpart but still is a poison!
Essential oils of oranges and other citrus fruits are often used in “organic” flea control products. Cats do not metabolize essential oils well and the compounds in the oil can be absorbed through their thin skin, building up to toxic levels over time. Never use any essential oils on your cat or allow the cat to eat them! Other natural ingredients that can cause allergic or toxic reactions in cats and dogs include tea tree oil and pennyroyal oil.
Fleas don’t like the taste of garlic, and mixing it into your cat or dog’s food will make their blood less desirable as a meal for fleas, but raw garlic can cause anemia or even death when fed to pets. Brewer’s yeast may be added to your pet’s food to repel fleas (they don’t like the taste of that, either) but can cause allergic skin reactions in some pets.
Join the Flea Fight To Protect Your Pet’s Health!
Fighting fleas can become a full-time job if you let them get the jump on you (pun intended). Allowing your pet to remain flea-infested is irresponsible pet ownership and can threaten the health of your cat or dog by creating serious skin infections and anemia, which can create huge vet bills or even cause the death of your pet. Take care of your pet’s health as well as you would your own child’s. After all, aren’t they just like children to us?
Sources:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/1985-05-01/Natural-Flea-Control.aspx
http://eartheasy.com/article_natural_flea_control.htm
