If you have pets,
fleas will find them and invade your house
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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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Every flea found on your dog or cat may mean that there 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Click to read this informative article on CyberPet
Like to read funny and heartwarming pet stories?
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A collection of humorous anecdotes, heartwarming stories, and slice-of-life tales that evoke a wide range of emotions.
Short stories about life’s humorous, happy, and dark moments. Some of the stories are from my years in nursing, Steve's clumsiness and my cooking disasters might make you spit out your coffee laughing. The stories of my pets will put a warm smile on your face, and the stories about life's darker moments might make you wipe a tear or two. Rainbows and dark clouds are part of life, Without darkness there can be no light. Without moments that make us cry, We can’t enjoy moments that make us smile. Without moments that make us laugh, We can’t get through moments that make us sad. ~Erika M Szabo Available on many sites: https://www.books2read.com/u/3krRvO |
A story from the book
I’ve Got Your Back, Buddy!
It was a beautiful summer day and my hubby and I were enjoying our afternoon coffee on the patio. Miau, our Calico cat, took a catnap on my lap and our Shepherd, Lucky, was snapping at the pesky flies in the shade of the forsythia bush.
We watched the hummingbirds drinking nectar from the flowers on the windowsill. The tiny birds flew lightning fast to their nest on the pine trees in the backyard, carrying the sweet nectar to their young ones.
The peaceful time was interrupted when my hubby’s friend, Carl, pulled into the driveway. He got out of the car, quickly opened the back door and let out his Rottweiler, Crow. The dog ran over to the azalea bushes to relieve himself.
“I’ll put the leash on him in a minute. He just had to go badly; it was a long ride,” he said, and with the leash in his hand, he started walking toward his dog.
Feeling worried, I stood up. Past experiences taught us to be cautious when Crow was around. He was a bully and attacked our gentle natured dog to show her who’s boss when he wasn’t securely tied up on the leash.
I was watching Carl approaching his dog, but before he could get close, Crow bolted and ran toward us. My hubby yelled, and his friend tried to catch the dog but slipped on the grass and fell to his knees. I watched in horror as Lucky cowered behind my hubby.
Suddenly, we heard a loud meow. I saw Miau darting, charging like a bullet toward the approaching Rottweiler. She pounced, let out a furious growl and sank her needle-sharp claws into the huge dog’s face. Crow let out a painful cry and tried to shake the cat off his face. Miau wouldn’t let go and she kept growling furiously.
Carl finally caught up with the Rottweiler and clipped the leash on his collar.
My hubby tried to peel Miau off the dog’s face. After a brief struggle, the tiny, growling and hissing furball pulled her sharp claws out of Crow’s face and let him go.
Hubby put Miau down. The cat puffed her hair, hissed indignantly a few times, and then walked over to our shaking dog. The cat licked Lucky’s face as if she was saying, “Don’t worry about that thug, buddy. I’ve got your back.”
The three of them crossed the rainbow bridge long ago and I’d like to believe that Miau and Lucky have found each other there, too. And I also like to believe that if Crow tries to bully Lucky, Miau is right by her side to protect her best buddy.
It was a beautiful summer day and my hubby and I were enjoying our afternoon coffee on the patio. Miau, our Calico cat, took a catnap on my lap and our Shepherd, Lucky, was snapping at the pesky flies in the shade of the forsythia bush.
We watched the hummingbirds drinking nectar from the flowers on the windowsill. The tiny birds flew lightning fast to their nest on the pine trees in the backyard, carrying the sweet nectar to their young ones.
The peaceful time was interrupted when my hubby’s friend, Carl, pulled into the driveway. He got out of the car, quickly opened the back door and let out his Rottweiler, Crow. The dog ran over to the azalea bushes to relieve himself.
“I’ll put the leash on him in a minute. He just had to go badly; it was a long ride,” he said, and with the leash in his hand, he started walking toward his dog.
Feeling worried, I stood up. Past experiences taught us to be cautious when Crow was around. He was a bully and attacked our gentle natured dog to show her who’s boss when he wasn’t securely tied up on the leash.
I was watching Carl approaching his dog, but before he could get close, Crow bolted and ran toward us. My hubby yelled, and his friend tried to catch the dog but slipped on the grass and fell to his knees. I watched in horror as Lucky cowered behind my hubby.
Suddenly, we heard a loud meow. I saw Miau darting, charging like a bullet toward the approaching Rottweiler. She pounced, let out a furious growl and sank her needle-sharp claws into the huge dog’s face. Crow let out a painful cry and tried to shake the cat off his face. Miau wouldn’t let go and she kept growling furiously.
Carl finally caught up with the Rottweiler and clipped the leash on his collar.
My hubby tried to peel Miau off the dog’s face. After a brief struggle, the tiny, growling and hissing furball pulled her sharp claws out of Crow’s face and let him go.
Hubby put Miau down. The cat puffed her hair, hissed indignantly a few times, and then walked over to our shaking dog. The cat licked Lucky’s face as if she was saying, “Don’t worry about that thug, buddy. I’ve got your back.”
The three of them crossed the rainbow bridge long ago and I’d like to believe that Miau and Lucky have found each other there, too. And I also like to believe that if Crow tries to bully Lucky, Miau is right by her side to protect her best buddy.