I hate ‘em, you hate ‘em, your pet hates ‘em. That’s
a lot of negativity to throw out unto the world. But hey, fleas suck! Here
are some basic tips to help deal with this persistent critter. One general
rule of thumb is that the more healthy your pet is, the less likely that
you will have a severe infestation of fleas. A parasite will usually seek
out weaker animals because they have a lower ability to combat their presence.
The most important immune building tool that you can give to any living
creature is a good diet. Healthy, natural dog food is
crucial to long-term wellness. (Here comes the shameless plug) So keep
feeding those critters their
Sojourner
Farms holistic dog food. One problem with many
conventional flea treatments is that the level of toxicity is so high that
you can actually make your
animal
sick
from
the constant barrage of synthetic chemicals. As result you may keep having
the fleas come back for more and more once the chemicals wear off. Read
the warning labels, and trust me, you won’t even want to touch the
stuff let alone attach it to your beloved animal’s body. If you have
an animal dealing with skin problems, it can compound the problem even
further. I have talked to many people that have had skin explosions with
their animals following a flea dip or the use of a topical powder. It can
quickly make a bad situation much worse, and make your pet absolutely miserable.
So what can you do? The following two tips should be helpful for most minor
to moderate infestations, It may also be helpful for severe infestations,
but the consult of a good holistic
veterinarian is highly recommended.
Severe infestations can be an indicator of other dog
health problems. The
most important tool you can purchase to fight the good fight is a flea
comb.
Not only
is it a really cheap, non-toxic solution, but it removes both fleas and
the eggs that hatch and hatch and hatch, and hatch. The comb is best used
for short-haired animals, but I do know of people that have shaved the
coats of their animals so that they can comb through the fur. Your goal
here is to break the hatching cycle of the flea. In the height of summer
that cycle is every two weeks. In conjunction with combing you also will
need a natural flea powder to apply to the fur as a repellent. Most better
pet stores or health food stores should have a product that will work.
Begin by combing every day for at least 14 to 18 days, twice a day. If
you miss a day those eggs can hatch and the cycle starts all over again.
Have a bowl of water on hand so you can dip the comb in the water to remove
any eggs or fleas into it. Follow the combing with a light application
of a natural flea powder. Even with natural flea powders please read the
warning label. If you can’t find a natural powder, give this recipe
a try. Slice 2 whole lemons with the peel and add to 1/2 gallon of near
boiling water for a few minutes. Allow to sit at room temperature overnight.
Sponge or spray on the liquid daily, rub onto the skin and allow to dry.
It will repel the fleas and is also very good for the skin. Continue to
comb two or three times a week for the next couple weeks. If all is well
then drop to 1 time a week until the first hard freeze (or year round if
in a warm climate.) It is also important to vacuum weekly, especially in
the areas that your pet sleeps. You should dispose of the vacuum bag after
each use so that you don’t continue to have fleas hatching in your
vacuum. It is also important to launder your pets blankets, pillows and
other related items on a weekly basis. Wash and dry with high temperature
settings and you will kill both the fleas and the eggs. For severe in-home
infestations I recommend giving the folks at Flea Busters a call to learn
about their safe home treatment options. You can reach them at 1-800-743-3532
and they’ll tell you where their products are available. If you are
persistent, you can rid your critter and your home of these pesky critters,
naturally, and save your hate for the politicians.
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Sojourner Farms. All rights reserved.
