If you have pets, fleas will find them
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Fleas, just like cockroaches, become more immune to the popular commercial flea control chemicals with each generation.
Every flea found on your dog or cat may mean that there are approximately 30 more living in your home.
A single flea can lay as many as 60 eggs a day. The lifespan of a flea is about 90 days, but the hibernating cocoon can survive for a year.
Controlling fleas does require some effort, but there are safer and effective ways to control fleas than chemical-based commercial flea control products.
Controlling fleas on your pets with the aid of chemicals:
Warning and precautionary statements on flea repellents and treatments:
Avoid contact with eyes, skin or clothing.
Keep out of reach from children.
Dust released by the collar is a cholinesterase inhibitor. This produces paralysis and then death in insects.
Most American families are using some kind of flea and tick repellent, exposing their pets and children to toxic chemicals. Thousands of pets get sick or die as a result of chronic, low dose exposure to insecticides. Although there are countless pets and even people suffer the ill effect of flea treatments, finding alternative methods can be very difficult.
There are many natural flea repellents and treatment on the market. Herbal flea collars, shampoos, and sprays. Most of them are harmless to your pets, but some might not be.
Every flea found on your dog or cat may mean that there are approximately 30 more living in your home.
A single flea can lay as many as 60 eggs a day. The lifespan of a flea is about 90 days, but the hibernating cocoon can survive for a year.
Controlling fleas does require some effort, but there are safer and effective ways to control fleas than chemical-based commercial flea control products.
Controlling fleas on your pets with the aid of chemicals:
Warning and precautionary statements on flea repellents and treatments:
Avoid contact with eyes, skin or clothing.
Keep out of reach from children.
Dust released by the collar is a cholinesterase inhibitor. This produces paralysis and then death in insects.
Most American families are using some kind of flea and tick repellent, exposing their pets and children to toxic chemicals. Thousands of pets get sick or die as a result of chronic, low dose exposure to insecticides. Although there are countless pets and even people suffer the ill effect of flea treatments, finding alternative methods can be very difficult.
There are many natural flea repellents and treatment on the market. Herbal flea collars, shampoos, and sprays. Most of them are harmless to your pets, but some might not be.
Enjoy stories of my dogs and cats
The stories are narrated by Carrie Wimmer, and some of the stories are included in my short story collection, Rainbows and Clouds
Toxic products masquerading as natural:
Even if all the ingredients in a flea repellent product are natural, this doesn't ensure that they won't be toxic to your pet. For example, d'Limonene, which is derived from citrus peels and found in many natural anti-flea products, can be highly toxic to cats.
Herbal flea collars, though they don't contain the poisons that conventional flea collars do, come with the same warning: “Do not let children play with the collar.” If it's not good for your child, why would it be good for your pet?
Some natural flea sprays and dips contain synthetic Pyrethrin, an insecticide derived from the African chrysanthemum. Pyrethroids are synthetic derivatives of pyrethrins. Both are commonly used in conventional preparations, which make the product sound innocent because it's derived from a flower. But pyrethrins alone can be toxic to animals.
Other natural ingredients are known to cause allergic reactions or have toxic effects in some animals, including Tea Tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, and Pennyroyal oil.
Even if all the ingredients in a flea repellent product are natural, this doesn't ensure that they won't be toxic to your pet. For example, d'Limonene, which is derived from citrus peels and found in many natural anti-flea products, can be highly toxic to cats.
Herbal flea collars, though they don't contain the poisons that conventional flea collars do, come with the same warning: “Do not let children play with the collar.” If it's not good for your child, why would it be good for your pet?
Some natural flea sprays and dips contain synthetic Pyrethrin, an insecticide derived from the African chrysanthemum. Pyrethroids are synthetic derivatives of pyrethrins. Both are commonly used in conventional preparations, which make the product sound innocent because it's derived from a flower. But pyrethrins alone can be toxic to animals.
Other natural ingredients are known to cause allergic reactions or have toxic effects in some animals, including Tea Tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, and Pennyroyal oil.
What can you do to control the flea population in your home, without using dangerous chemicals?
The best way to check your pet for fleas is to comb your pet with a fine-toothed flea comb, especially over the lower back near the tail base.
Combing your cat or dog daily with a flea comb is an important part of flea control, as well as bathing the animals regularly. There is no need to use chemical flea shampoos in my opinion. A bath with a gentle soap that won't irritate their skin and adding a teaspoon of vinegar is sufficient to eliminate existing fleas.
The best way to check your pet for fleas is to comb your pet with a fine-toothed flea comb, especially over the lower back near the tail base.
Combing your cat or dog daily with a flea comb is an important part of flea control, as well as bathing the animals regularly. There is no need to use chemical flea shampoos in my opinion. A bath with a gentle soap that won't irritate their skin and adding a teaspoon of vinegar is sufficient to eliminate existing fleas.
If your pet has fleas, there is a good chance that your house being infested as well.
You can trap fleas by placing a dish of soapy water under a night light near where your pet sleeps and placing traps the same way throughout your house. Fleas are attracted to warm light and will drown in the soapy water.
If you place only water in the dish without soap, the fleas will simply jump off of the water surface. This works for adult fleas only, but with diligence, can be effective in reducing the flea population. Fleas already residing on your pet will not leave, so you will still need to flea comb and bathe them with a mild shampoo (even a baby shampoo will work, as fleas don't survive well in soapy water).
Fleas lay their eggs everywhere - in carpets, curtains, upholstery, animal bedding, cracks, and crevices. Destroying the flea eggs by thorough weekly vacuuming and frequent washing of animal bedding goes to the source of the problem and will help eliminate the flea population in your house. After vacuuming, be sure to replace the bag right away and take the old bag out of the house. Keeping clutter on the floor to a minimum also will deprive the fleas of hiding places.
You can trap fleas by placing a dish of soapy water under a night light near where your pet sleeps and placing traps the same way throughout your house. Fleas are attracted to warm light and will drown in the soapy water.
If you place only water in the dish without soap, the fleas will simply jump off of the water surface. This works for adult fleas only, but with diligence, can be effective in reducing the flea population. Fleas already residing on your pet will not leave, so you will still need to flea comb and bathe them with a mild shampoo (even a baby shampoo will work, as fleas don't survive well in soapy water).
Fleas lay their eggs everywhere - in carpets, curtains, upholstery, animal bedding, cracks, and crevices. Destroying the flea eggs by thorough weekly vacuuming and frequent washing of animal bedding goes to the source of the problem and will help eliminate the flea population in your house. After vacuuming, be sure to replace the bag right away and take the old bag out of the house. Keeping clutter on the floor to a minimum also will deprive the fleas of hiding places.
If your house is infested, which means that fleas are jumping on you and bite you, you might want to use these tips to get rid of them:
Sprinkle Borax on your carpet everywhere, leave it for a couple of hours, then vacuum it up.
You might want to try sprinkling salt all over and leave it for overnight if you don't like the smell of Borax.
Another method is, although it might sound far-fetched, is to sprinkle Earl Grey tea all over your house. Fleas don't like the smell of Bergamot, an herb which is mixed with the tea leaves.
You can further control flea infestation through your pet's diet.
Fleas particularly dislike the flavor of garlic and brewer's yeast). Mixing garlic and yeast with your pet's food can render their blood unpalatable to fleas.
Sprinkle Borax on your carpet everywhere, leave it for a couple of hours, then vacuum it up.
You might want to try sprinkling salt all over and leave it for overnight if you don't like the smell of Borax.
Another method is, although it might sound far-fetched, is to sprinkle Earl Grey tea all over your house. Fleas don't like the smell of Bergamot, an herb which is mixed with the tea leaves.
You can further control flea infestation through your pet's diet.
Fleas particularly dislike the flavor of garlic and brewer's yeast). Mixing garlic and yeast with your pet's food can render their blood unpalatable to fleas.
Cat owners:
Cats do not metabolize essential oils well and, in addition to essential oils, cats have known metabolic sensitivities to certain herbal preparations. Because the cat's body does not efficiently excrete essential oils, they can build up to toxic levels.
Symptoms of toxicity include vomiting, dizziness, clumsiness, lack of appetite, lack of energy and shock. In addition, cats have very thin, delicate skin. Essential oils are absorbed rapidly into their skin and enter the bloodstream, overwhelming their systems. Cats dislike strong odors and generally keep away from strong scents, even some of the highly diluted essential oils.
For cats, I would use baths, grooming, diet and environmental flea control instead of chemicals and even natural essential oil flea repellents.
Cats do not metabolize essential oils well and, in addition to essential oils, cats have known metabolic sensitivities to certain herbal preparations. Because the cat's body does not efficiently excrete essential oils, they can build up to toxic levels.
Symptoms of toxicity include vomiting, dizziness, clumsiness, lack of appetite, lack of energy and shock. In addition, cats have very thin, delicate skin. Essential oils are absorbed rapidly into their skin and enter the bloodstream, overwhelming their systems. Cats dislike strong odors and generally keep away from strong scents, even some of the highly diluted essential oils.
For cats, I would use baths, grooming, diet and environmental flea control instead of chemicals and even natural essential oil flea repellents.
Please be aware that raw garlic is known to be toxic to cats.
The use of garlic, as well as onions, shallots, and chives, has been shown to cause damage to feline red blood cells which can result in hemolytic anemia and eventual death.
Raw garlic and onion can also cause ulcers and irritation of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach.
Not every cat is affected in the same way, and some sources suggest a small clove of garlic daily is helpful to cats with flea problems. However, I suggest this as a measure of last resort, which should include observing the animal's ongoing health. If garlic is used, it should be withdrawn once the flea problem is solved.
Use about 1/4 teaspoon of brewer's (or nutritional) yeast daily for cats and small dogs, and ½ teaspoon for a 50-pound dog. Some animals are yeast intolerant and will react with a skin allergy. Discontinue use if this occurs.
Other natural repellents include vitamin B1 (thiamine) and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. (See your veterinarian for the correct amount of a vitamin B1 supplement for your pet.) The dosage of apple cider vinegar is about ¼ of a teaspoon daily in the pet's drinking water. Apple cider vinegar helps strengthen the immune system
The use of garlic, as well as onions, shallots, and chives, has been shown to cause damage to feline red blood cells which can result in hemolytic anemia and eventual death.
Raw garlic and onion can also cause ulcers and irritation of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach.
Not every cat is affected in the same way, and some sources suggest a small clove of garlic daily is helpful to cats with flea problems. However, I suggest this as a measure of last resort, which should include observing the animal's ongoing health. If garlic is used, it should be withdrawn once the flea problem is solved.
Use about 1/4 teaspoon of brewer's (or nutritional) yeast daily for cats and small dogs, and ½ teaspoon for a 50-pound dog. Some animals are yeast intolerant and will react with a skin allergy. Discontinue use if this occurs.
Other natural repellents include vitamin B1 (thiamine) and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. (See your veterinarian for the correct amount of a vitamin B1 supplement for your pet.) The dosage of apple cider vinegar is about ¼ of a teaspoon daily in the pet's drinking water. Apple cider vinegar helps strengthen the immune system