Asking for information

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-09-1999
Asking for information
2
Wed, 04-14-2010 - 8:21pm
Does any of the ladybugs have a home remedy to kill fleas on dog's ? If you do would you please tell me what it is. We had a emergency come up and and had to dip into the the doggy funds thinking I had 2 flea pill's left. I thought wrong. I would really appreciate any help on this one. My 2 fur babies would really appreciate it.
Thank you for your help.....ellie-mite
Avatar for blueyz_13_2000
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 04-15-2010 - 12:02am

Here's some information I found:

FIGHT NATURE WITH NATURE
Hidden among the many synthetic pesticides on the market today are three organic flea fighters. The first group of these consists of two varieties of pyrethrin that are derived from the flower heads of several types of oldworld chrysanthemums; their pesticidal properties have been utilized for centuries.

A much newer natural agent— d-Limonene — is a by-product of the citrus industry and carries a mild, grapefruitlike odor.

But it's the third of the three natural pesticides that is the safest and that offers the greatest hope. While both pyrethrins and limonenes are much less toxic than the synthetic organophosphates and carbamates, they should still be used with caution. There's only one pesticide—natural or otherwise—that's a specific for insects and completely safe. Di atomaceous earth is a type of fossilized algae that resembles chalk dust. The fine, sharp-edged particles attach themselves to and penetrate the waxy coating on a flea's shell-like exoskeleton, causing the little bloodsucker to dehydrate and die.

FORMULATING A BATTLE PLAN . . .
Treatment of your home must begin with a thorough cleaning. Frequent vacuuming of the house—especially pet areas—is necessary to keep fleas at bay. Pay special attention to dark, damp places where fleas may have deposited their eggs. After vacuuming, the cleaner bag shouldn't be left in the closet, since the flea eggs it contains can hatch and reinfect your house. Empty the bag and burn the contents, or seal the sweepings in a plastic trash bag and dispose of it properly.

Next, wash your pet's bedding and finish off any six-legged survivors by tumbling the wet bedding in a hot dryer. Diatomaceous earth or powdered pyrethrum—both of which can be found at herb outlets or lawn-and-garden shops (or check with your veterinarian)—should then be sprinkled on the clean pet bedding, as well as on carpets and floors, and worked in with a broom.

Unfortunately, in cases of severe flea infestation it may be necessary to "bomb" your house with a commercial insecticide to annihilate the adult fleas before a natural-insecticide program can be implemented effectively. If you find yourself faced with this necessity, take the time to search out a bomb that contains either pyrethrins (natural) or resmethrin (one of the less dangerous synthetics) as the active ingredient. These are the safest of the "bombers"—but nonetheless, follow the directions on the container exactly . After this initial treatment, an ongoing natural flea-control program should preclude the necessity for further chemical "fogging" in your home.

Controlling fleas on your pets requires endless attention; it's never a onetime or occasional thing. Also, it's important to keep in mind, and learn from, the fact that parasites do have a function in nature's scheme of things—to weed out and finish off unhealthy members of the various host species.

You may have noticed that some animals seem always to be infested with parasite—so fleas, worms, ticks, etc.—while others (even in the same household) have only occasional and relatively minor problems. The reason for this can often be found by comparing the general health of the animals' skins. Skin is the fastest-growing organ of an animal's body, with the outer layer of cells being replaced every three weeks. Optimum nutrition is essential for healthy skin; if your pet is not properly nourished, the skin will be the first area of its body to exhibit problems.

Dry, unhealthy skin causes itching, as well as more severe reactions to fleabites—the skin sometimes actually falls apart and bleeds. In such cases, the fleas have a picnic. They don't have to work (that is, chew) to extract their measure of blood, and so appear in huge numbers. If this happens to your pet, it's important to realize that the fleas didn't cause the skin ailments—they only worsened a previously existing situation. With this in mind, I've solved the flea and skin problems of numerous dogs and cats simply by improving their diets.

In addition to proper food, frequent grooming is essential to keep fleas away from your pet. Shampooing with a mild organic lotion soap will kill many fleas by drowning. Afterward, a lemon rinse will tone the cleansed skin, leaving a residual citrus odor that will help repel fleas for a while.

To make such a rinse, slice one whole lemon and drop the slices—peeling and all—into a pint of very hot water. Allow the lemonwater to steep overnight, then remove the pulp by filtering or straining. Sponge the lemon rinse onto your pet's skin and allow it to air-dry (don't towel). This treatment is nontoxic and can be repeated daily until the skin condition improves.

There are several herbal sprays, shampoos, and flea collars whose odors repel fleas. Pennyroyal, citronella, rosemary, and wormwood, which are the most common ingredients in these natural treatments, can be found at health food stores and lawn-and-garden shops (or ask your veterinarian). If you'd like to go the budget route, simply purchase dried herbs and make your own flea repellent. All of these herbs are nontoxic and can be used daily. (Caution: Any time you use a flea repellent—natural or otherwise—be sure to put the treated pet outside for a few hours so that the fleas won't reinfest your home as they abandon ship!)

A CLOVE A DAY KEEPS THE FLEAS AWAY
Many dogs and cats seem to benefit in the fight against fleas from the addition of garlic and brewer's yeast to their diets. When these substances are metabolized, an odor (and flavor) that fleas find very unattractive develops in the skin.

One to three fresh garlic cloves-pulverized and mixed with food—may be administered daily. (But keep in mind that garlic will have the same effect on your pet's breath as it does on yours.)

The important flea—control ingredient in brewer's yeast is thiamine (vitamin B,). A level of one milligram (1 mg) of thiamine daily for each five pounds of your pet's body weight is ideal. For an average-size cat, this would translate to one teaspoon of brewer's yeast; for a large dog, you might administer one tablespoon of brewer's yeast supplemented with a B-complex vitamin pill. Brewer's yeast can also be dusted on externally as a flea powder. (If your pet licks some off, there's no harm done.)

A third important flea-fighting dietary supplement is zinc. This mineral is essential for healthy skin, but is lacking in many pets' diets. Use chelated (pronounced key-lated) zinc: 10 mg daily for cats and small dogs; 20 m:: for larger canines.

These dietary supplements will require close to a month to build up to flea-fighting levels in a pet's skin. So start them in the spring—right now—before you find yourself in the midst of a severe flea invasion.

Good luck!!!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-09-1999
Thu, 04-15-2010 - 4:06pm
Thank you for your help. I went to the feed store to look at some stuff. I mentioned the di-atomaceous and the people who own the store and a customer all had a cow. They told me it is bad for humans and animals to even breathe any dust particles. I went home and called my vet and finally my daughter in-law who is a vet tech and they both had the same reaction and said the same thing. Anyhow thank you for your help. I'm gonna check out the other 2 you mention. Hope you have a good day......ellie-mite