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Natural Flea Control
If your pet is lucky, you are aware of the risks and potential dangers of using flea control containing mad-made pesticides. I’m going to assume you are because you’re reading this article. In the world of natural flea control there are several time tested and proven poison free techniques that every conscientious pet owner should be aware of; they are: Flea Combs, Traps, Diatomaceous Earth, and dietary supplements.
Flea Combs are different from a brush, they were designed specifically for the safe removal of fleas from your dog or cat. The Flea Comb’s short, closely spaced teeth, allow it to spread individual hairs and remove fleas and their residue from your pet. The Flea Comb will not prevent fleas of course, but its an excellent tool for removal and monitoring, and should be used regularly.
Flea traps use some combination of light, warmth, and adhesives to trap fleas, and provide you with results you can see. There is a myriad of Flea Traps available on the market. Some are corded, some are cordless, but most are poison. There is at least one exception though. Westham Innovations has made a Flea Trap that is both cordless, and entirely free of man-made chemicals. It has also been shown to collect up to 500% more fleas than the competition, and is said to attract Fleas up to 40 feet away.
Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is Made from the finely ground fossils of prehistoric fresh water diatoms, this all natural product kills bed bugs, cockroaches, ants, silverfish, and most importantly fleas. Diatomaceous is essentially a lethal dust with razor sharp particles that lacerates fleas on contact. And while DE spells death to insects, it is harmless to humans and pets. Using DE is simple. After a thorough cleaning and vacuuming of you home, you just sprinkle DE in your pet’s bed, and your carpet and rugs.
While DE and Flea Traps work well to rid your home of fleas, they do little to prevent them, and that’s where dietary supplements come in. You can use these dietary supplements to help repel and prevent infestation. Fleas hate the flavor of garlic and yeast (nutritional or brewer's yeast). So, by mixing garlic and yeast into your pet's food can render their blood unpalatable to fleas. If your neighbor’s pets don’t eat garlic, you’re golden. Also, please note that garlic has been known to be toxic to cats, and that garlic should be avoided by all pets when pregnant as it may cause a miscarriage.
Every year pets are poisoned, and even killed by the man-made chemicals found inside over-the-counter flea treatments. This is both sad and unnecessary. Please help keep pets safe by spreading the word, and leading by example. Use you Flea Comb regularly so you can spot new fleas before they become a problem. Use chemical-free trapping devices and Diatomaceous Earth to rid your home of existing flees. And remember, dietary supplements like garlic and brewer’s yeast can be used for prevention. If your pet or a pet you know has been harmed by an over-the-counter treatment, please call the National Pesticide Information Center at 1-800-858-7378.