This is the time of year many pet guardians have to think about protecting their dogs and cats from fleas and ticks. Because they are recommended by veterinarians and common place to use, many folks don't realize that many flea and tick products are toxic to both their pets and to humans. This excellent article by author Ingrid King (see her full bio below) addresses the use of safer natural alternatives for you and your pets.
How to Control Fleas Without Chemicals
Many of the flea and tick treatments available today contain toxic chemicals that can be hazardous to pets and to people. Even when these products are used according to the manufacturer's directions, these chemicals are not safe for pets or humans. The Environmental Protection Agency, in coordination with the Food and Drug Administrations Center for Veterinary Medicine, is pursuing a series of actions to increase the safety of spot-on products for pets. These actions are designed to help consumers use these pesticides safely. However, many pet owners prefer to not use these products at all and are looking for safer, more natural alternatives instead.
There are safer, natural ways to control fleas. They may require a bit more effort on your part, but isn't that effort worth it if it's safer for you and your pet?
Combing
Use a good flea comb with tightly spaced teeth. Comb your pet daily during flea season and drop any fleas you find into a bowl of soapy water to kill them.
Bathing
Bathe your pet with a gentle shampoo such as oatmeal. You don't need to use harsh flea shampoos - most of them have chemicals in them, which is what you're trying to avoid by not using the pesticide spot-ons in the first place. Fleas tend to accummulate in bedding, so wash your pet's bedding as well.
Vacuuming
Vacuum thoroughly, including on and under furniture and in crevices and near baseboards. Discard the vacuum bag immediately after vacuuming to prevent fleas and eggs from reinfesting your home. Severe infestations may require professional steam cleaning.
Diet
Feeding a high quality, varied diet can help prevent fleas. A stronger diet leads to a stronger immune system, and it is believed that this can contribute to your pet being more resistant to fleas. Pet owners who feed raw or homemade diets have reported that their pets no longer have flea problems.
Maintain Outdoor Areas
Keep your grass mowed and keep shrubbery trimmed short in areas where your pet spends time. This will increase sunlight and dryness, which will help reduce the flea problem. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in your yard to cut down on the flea population. Diatomaceous earth also makes a great natural pantry bug killer, it works for all insects. It's reported to be safe around pets, but don't sprinkle it directly on your pet!
Natural Flea Control Products
There are numerous natural flea control products on the market, but not all of them are safe for pets. In particular, avoid using products containing essential oils such as Pennyroyal, Tea Tree or Citrus oils. None of these are safe to use around pets, especially around cats. The Lavender Cat is an excellent website devoted to scientific research about cats and essential oil safety. The site is currently being revised, but it has some good basic information about why essential oils are not safe to use around cats. Some manufacturers of essential oils claim that their oils are pure and safe to use around cats, but quite frankly, I wouldn't take any chances on statements of that nature unless they're backed up by research by an independent toxicologist.
The National Resource Defense Concil's Green Paws website has a comprehensive directory of flea and tick products, including natural products, and lists ingredients and toxicity warnings.
If you're using natural products to control fleas for your pets, please share with us what has worked for you in a comment.
(c) Ingrid King 2011
Re-printed with permission of the author
Ingrid King is the award winning author of Buckley’s Story – Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher. She is a former veterinary hospital manager turned writer. Her online magazine News for You and Your Pet goes out to subscribers around the world. Her blog, The Conscious Cat, has been called “educational cat nip for the cat lover” and is a comprehensive resource for conscious living, health and happiness for cats and their humans. For more information about Ingrid and Buckley’s Story, please visit www.ingridking.com.
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