Scary statistics are printed at the end of the page in an excerpt from the Environmental Working Group: (Read the full article, Polluted Pets: Chemical exposures and pets’ health here) Then you’ll know why we should all seek natural methods of flea control.
Here’s How You Can Control Fleas Naturally:
- Clean dog. Frequent brushing for your dog means that you have a closer eye on what’s happening. Brushing is not only an intimate or playful time with your pet, but also allows you to do a quick examination for any health issues. Bathe when necessary using safe, non-toxic shampoos and essential oils. Chemical flea killers can harm your dog. Try lavender and tea tree oil or lemon oil and eucalyptus. In more serious situations when you detect an infestation on your dog, dust very lightly with diatomaceous earth. This will kill the fleas quickly by dehydration. It can also make your pet’s skin feel a little itchy from dryness. Rinse out with plenty of water after a couple of days.
- Clean house. Vacuum often using a vacuum with an ultraviolet light built into the vacuum. The light has been shown to kill fleas and germs with brief exposure. We use one made by Oreck.
- Instead of carpet cleaners and powders, try a little diatomaceous earth again, this time in critical places around the home. Make a barrier at doors and cracks, or sprinkle onto carpets in areas where you think the fleas are. Vacuum up later. Try not to use too much and avoid inhaling the dust.
- Supplement your dog’s diet with garlic capsules and brewers yeast every day. Fleas don’t like it and it’s good for the dog.
- Support a healthy immune system. Healthy dogs have fewer flea problems. A naturally healthy immune system fights infestations and is more resistant to the itchy toxins from pests.
Here’s the excerpt from the Environmental Working Group:
Bladder cancers in dogs and the use of insecticides and herbicides. In a case-control study of bladder cancer in household dogs, cancer risk was significantly increased by the use of topical insecticides. For 1-2 topical applications per year, bladder cancer risk was increased by 1.6 times, while more than 2 applications per year the risk was 3.5 times greater (Glickman 1989). As the authors noted in their publication, in addition to active insecticides, flea and tick dip products contain up to 96% organic solvent carriers such as benzene, toluene, and xylene, all known carcinogens, which could act as additional risk factors for bladder cancer (Glickman 1989; Kelsey 1998). A more recent study demonstrated that the risk of bladder carcinoma was significantly increased among dogs exposed to lawns or gardens treated with both herbicides or insecticides (7.2 times greater risk) or with herbicides alone (3.6 times greater risk), and was also increased for dogs exposed to lawns or gardens treated with insecticides alone (1.6 times greater risk), compared with dogs exposed to untreated lawns (Glickman 2004).
Oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats and the use of flea control products. In a study by epidemiology researchers at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, flea control product use and canned food intake were significantly associated with risk of oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats (Bertone 2003). Further, the same group of researchers noted that household tobacco smoke increased the risk of both oral carcinoma and malignant lymphoma (Bertone 2002, 2003). In addition to concern for cancer risk, acute toxicosis in cats from flee control products has also been reported (Linnett 2008); and anti-flea products used regularly on cat’s bed or bedding have been linked to a high risk for hyperthyroidism (Olczak 2005).
