How to Win the Fight Against Fleas Naturally
Getting flea control right is worth it for the little people in your life, two and four-footed!
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So I just erased a large portion of this article that I wrestled and agonized over. We have all had so much stress lately, the last thing I want to do is add to the long list of worries that keep you up at night with a depressing recital of the dangers of flea and tick products.
BUT, if I can convince you to make this one change in the way you care for your dog, it will be worth it putting you through a bit more angst right now. If I can encourage you to learn safer ways to control fleas without using products that could harm you, your pet, and the children who hug and pet and sleep with the family dog I will have done my job which is to help you navigate your puppy safely through to becoming a healthy adult.
If you don’t read anything else I’ve written, spend some serious time on this chapter which is written from my heart to help not only the pets we all love but the people we love too ❤️
There are safer ways to to control fleas and other pests on your dog.
Not only your dog will be healthier, but you will avoid exposure to the toxic swamp of products marketed to rid dogs of fleas and ticks at any cost; even if it means poisoning the kids to do it!
I had a call from a frustrated lady this morning who rang me to ask what in the world she could do to keep fleas and ticks off her two dogs without using questionable monthly insecticide drops or collars. I was reminded of how difficult it is for pet owners who are trying to balance keeping insects off their pets but are tired of having to resort to toxic products to do it.
“I’m afraid to use the stuff from the vet’s office on Lizzie anymore. I know it’s not good for her, it’s not good for me either! I was exposed to heavy metals at our antique business for years and have had to work hard to take care of my own health issues. It scares me to give her these monthly treatments but what can I do? They laughed at me at the vet’s office the other day when I told them I was worried about using them on my pets because I knew they were pesticides.”
It has to be one of the most frustrating aspects of owning a dog, the struggle to keep your pet free of fleas, and the other unpleasant insect invader that wants to make your dog’s fur his dwelling place, ticks which can carry Lyme disease.
Does the hapless pet owner have no other choice than to use toxic products on the family pet who then distributes them innocently throughout your home? I don’t know about you, but putting drops on my dog’s coat that will kill insects who simply walk on her body (yikes!) doesn’t seem like a good idea for the long-term health of the pets I love, not to mention the unknown dangers of exposure to those chemicals are something I don’t want to expose myself & my two-footed family to either!
What about the chemical concoction that brags about its ability to:
“Alter the reproductive cycle of insects when they come in contact with your pet.” 😳
Does that not worry anyone else out there? What about OUR reproductive systems or those of the children who play with the family pet?
I’ve spent years researching ways to care for pets more naturally, looking for products that can help control insects and not cause long-term health problems for pets or people. A few hours of reading this evening brought a whole host of alarming new findings to view. I’ll spare you the vast array of research I was confronted with but just in case you don’t think using these products is a problem, read on…
“EPA Warns Pet Owners Of Dangers Of Flea/Tick Products”
“Flea-Control Products Found to Be Infested With Forever Chemicals”
“Popular flea collar linked to almost 1,700 pet deaths. The EPA has issued no warning.” USA Today February 2022
“Avoid products that include synthetic neonicotinoids (like imidacloprid and dinotefuran), which are harmful to bees and may be toxic to the developing brain of young kids. Be wary of flea collars. These products can contain some of the most dangerous insecticides, including tetrachlorvinphos, carbaryl, and propoxur. Use extra caution with tick products. When it comes to tick prevention—or combination flea-and-tick products—the news is even grimmer. Most products designed to repel these buggers include possible carcinogens and nervous-system toxins like fipronil, permethrin, pyrethrins, or imidacloprid.”
-Karen Smith-Janssen (NRDC)
The troubling findings regarding PFAS in flea-control products comes after documents obtained from the EPA revealed the agency has received more than 75,000 complaints linking the Seresto flea collar to harms ranging from skin irritation to nearly 1,700 pet deaths. Yet the agency has taken no action in response to the reports such as recalling the product or issuing a nationwide warning to the public of its potential dangers.
“Permethrin has been implicated as a carcinogenic insecticide causing lung cancer and liver tumors in laboratory animals. There is also a suspicion that it disrupts endocrine function. It can act as a neurotoxin, causing tremors as well as increased aggressive behavior and learning problems. Vectra #D, the new guy on the block, contains 36.08% Permethrins.”
“New Study to find out why such high numbers of Golden Retrievers are dying of cancer.”
-New York Daily News
Guess what? I used to be part of the problem…
I worked as a veterinary technician in an animal hospital in the southeast for many years, and on a daily basis, I cheerfully advised our clients to use all the latest & greatest pesticide-laden monthly flea drops or pills or collars we had on the shelves.
We routinely used organophosphate dips and shampoos to rid our client’s pets of whatever insects they might be harboring; the veterinarian I worked for didn’t worry about the staff using protective gear; this stuff was safe, right?
Fleas can make your dog miserable.
In those days of blissful ignorance, the mainstream veterinary establishment wholeheartedly endorsed the use of chemicals that I shudder to think of now.
Every month the huge pharmaceutical manufacturers sent a veritable army of salesmen out. Their briefcases bulged with a vast array of glossy brochures and free samples of vividly packaged chemical concoctions each with a more outlandish & frightening claim than the last.
“Fleas and ticks are killed on contact with a treated dog, which means that fleas don't have to bite and ticks don't have to attach to die.”
-K9 Advantix II
Years ago, I decided there had to be a safer way. Too many of my own pets developed cancers. At 8 years of age, then 6, then, unbelievably, my beautiful Cavalier, Agatha at only 4 years of age. With a background in animal care and a growing interest in nutrition and the use of more natural ways to care for my dogs, I determined that I would no longer use chemicals that I believed were going to harm my family or the pets I cared for.
The good news is that advances have been made in the fight against fleas and ticks. Advances in the field of natural methods that finally are often even more effective than the rank and file of products that have been our only resort in the past.
I don’t know about you, but I no longer have enough faith in the pharmaceutical community to take their assurances that these products don’t have profound adverse effects on the pets that I love or on my clients who I care about.
Do your homework, be your pet’s advocate and be ready to accept that natural methods may take a bit more diligence and patience but are well worth the extra effort to protect not only your pet’s health but yours and your family’s health too!
What If Things Are Already Out Of Control?
Fleas love some dogs more than other, strange but true!
Meet Annie, the canine poster child for the first-ever portable canine flea magnet. This little furball has made trying to be “flea free naturally” a goal for her owner but not necessarily a reality, yet!
“I’d love to do flea control with Annie more naturally, but last year was just a nightmare!” said Liz, Annie’s owner.
All this dog has to do is just be outside for a few minutes
and every flea within 100 miles seems to be attracted to her. We even had fleas in the house last summer and I’m petrified to stop using chemical flea control on her but I can’t stand the thought of a repeat performance, can you help?”
First of all, if there has been an infestation of fleas, going natural is possible but if things are completely out of hand it’s going to take some really diligent effort on your part.
If you are reluctant or fearful of jumping off the chemical bandwagon all at once, you can go step by step and still make the transition albeit more gradually.
Start Using Natural Flea Controls While Weaning Your Dog Off Chemical Ones.
If you’re afraid to give up on the monthly drops, how about baby steps to helping your dog repel fleas on her own? Some owners use one application of their chemical alternative to get things under control, then begin implementing safer controls in the 30 day period you’ve just borrowed with those drops. Then take the following steps to do things more safely in the future. Even small changes over time are hugely helpful.
5 Easy Steps to Natural Flea Control
#1 Give Your Dog A Daily Natural Flea Repellant Internally
PetHonesty has a daily chew that packs a powerhouse of natural ingredients that work from the inside out. Delicious taste loaded with dog-safe garlic will make your dog the least attractive dog on the block to the local flea population.
Garlic got a bad reputation for dogs because of a tiny, poorly done study done by five students in Japan about 15 years ago. They did an 11-day study with four dogs who they fed the equivalent of 40 cloves of garlic a day for 11 days! Garlic is too beneficial not to add to your pet’s daily diet. It is a potent flea-repellant and can help rid your dog of internal parasites as well.
Keep in mind it takes time for the compounds in this kind of supplement to work their way into your pet’s hair follicles and skin, starting a couple of months in advance of flea and tick for best results.
#2 Have a great flea shampoo in the house before you need it. If you find fleas on your dog it’s vital to get rid of them asap!
Finding a good natural flea shampoo while avoiding pyrethrins and other toxic ingredients is tough. There are dozens of bad choices, so be careful, I recommend Vet’s Best, and obviously, lots of other people love it too; almost 7,000 4.5 star reviews!
Keep your dog clean; dirty dogs are flea magnets 😞
Always lather your dog twice, from the end of his nose to the tip of his tail. That will allow his coat to be saturated long enough to kill the toughest fleas.
The best $6.00 you’ll ever spend in your fight against fleas, getting a flea comb will be a hundred times better than using your fingers to remove fleas from your dog. Buy a couple of them so you’ll always have a spare.
Rinse thoroughly and use a flea comb to remove fleas from the coat to prevent them from resurrecting and coming back to life after the bath. Trust me, some fleas will do exactly that even with a great shampoo and an inexpensive little flea comb will save you hours of frustrating work trying to remove fleas from your wet dog.
DIY LEMON JUICE FLEA FIGHTER SHAMPOO
If you don’t have flea shampoo on hand PLEASE don’t reach for the Dawn! You can mix up this great smelling and quite effective alternative - the lemon juice adds limonene which kills fleas but is safe for people & dogs.
1⁄4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1⁄4 cup dog shampoo
1 cup Water
Shampoo your dog once weekly with a fresh batch for every session as long as fleas are a problem.
First Things First
There is no magic bullet when it comes to natural solutions, but there are some pretty amazing new developments in the way of natural flea control available today that do a very effective job at combating and safely eliminating fleas. Before you head to Amazon with a list of must-haves in your newfound zeal to make toxic flea control a thing of the past, the first place to begin is with your pet and his environment.
Be Faster Than The Fleas
Start NOW if fleas have been a problem in the past. Don’t wait until you have a madly scratching dog or fleas taking up residence in the house to decide to take steps to make your home and your pets unsavory to the nasty little pests.
Outdoor Flea Control
Think like a flea! Look around your yard for your dog’s favorite spots to lounge. Fleas prefer cool moist dark spots and summertime dogs do as well. You can be sure the fleas will be lying in wait for your dog to arrive. Use your natural flea products in those inviting areas to prevent fleas from setting up camp there.
Beneficial Nematodes Arbico Organics is a small family-owned company that can help you rid your yard of fleas with beneficial nematodes. Easy to apply with a sprayer and garden hose, two applications usually takes care of fleas without toxic chemicals.
FLEA FACTS:
#1 Most fleas are in your environment, not on your dog. The sad truth is for every flea you see there are 30 more lurking in his bedding, cracks in the floor, your rugs, etc. Your vacuum cleaner is a potent weapon against fleas when used vigilantly; every three days or you have a problem, daily.
#2 Use your washer to dispatch fleas and their eggs in doggie bedding or anything washable.
#3 Fleas quickly develop resistance to commercial flea controls, the beauty of natural options is that they stay effective for the long term.
Vacuum Fleas & Their Eggs Away
Let’s talk some more about your new best friend in the fight against fleas; your trusty vacuum cleaner. Turn it into a flea fighting machine with a couple of quick steps and use it often and use it thoroughly.
If you have a flea problem already,
then daily vacuuming is essential for eliminating
the resident fleas and their eggs.
Start with a new bag to ensure excellent airflow and toss a cotton ball soaked with peppermint, eucalyptus, or lemongrass, in the bag to eliminate the pests you incarcerate there.
Vacuum your furniture, your floors & carpets; be relentless, fleas deposit their eggs in corners, rugs, cracks in the hardwood flooring (ick!) eliminate those hidden eggs and you’ll go far in keeping fleas off your dog too.
Diatomaceous earth dehydrates the little beasts and brings about their natural demise. Remember to wear a mask as it is very drying and can be irritating to airways. Sprinkle lightly, a little goes a very long way and you’ll regret using too much as it can be hard to vacuum up. Use on carpets and problem areas, let sit for 3 days then vacuum. It’s safe for pets but leave them in another room while you are applying.
Wash your pet’s bedding in the hottest water it will allow. Remember fleas love to hide and leave their eggs in moist dark places, eliminate them with a trip to the washer!
Run a dehumidifier for two days in the problem areas. Keep the humidity under 50% (fleas can’t tolerate low humidity, it dehydrates them yay!) Vacuum again afterward to remove the little carcasses!
Get a supply of flea traps they will help you know what the flea population in your house is really like, and will help eliminate them 24/7.
With diligence on your part and the help of some naturally safe solutions, pests like fleas & ticks can become a thing of the past!
For more secrets of raising a great dog, visit littlepuppytraining.com
