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PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2003 9:09 am 
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Location: Cisco,TEXAS
I have been searching for ways to treat dogs for fleas. I have seen some post on not putting DE on the dogs/cats but to put it in their food. I don't understand how DE in the food can help with fleas. Can someone explain this? I do understand how it helps with internal worms etc.

Also I can't seem to find where it tells how to dilute orange oil for use as a dip. I have used orange oil on the dogs before but it burned them. I am sure I didn't have it diluted correctly. I don't want to do that again!!

I appreciate any help.


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 Post subject: flea control
PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2003 10:10 am 
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Location: San Antonio,Tx
Bernice,
My two outdoor dogs are flea/tick free as I use only benifical nematoes applied to the yard twice a year just to be safe.

Dogs are seldom bathed, they hate it, but I do sprinkle DE into the Dog's bulk food container to keep the ants out. In addition, I make up a mixture of dry molassas and DE to sprinkle on their food at feeding time once a day. Mixture is 1 tsp DE to 1 cup dry molassas. Add a little whole ground corn meal to keep the mixture dry. They like the taste of the molassas.

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 Post subject: fleas
PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2003 9:01 pm 
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Location: Cisco,TEXAS
I used B.N. last year and they worked great!! This year they didn't work at all. I haven't re-applied because it has been sooo dry and I can't hardly get my whole yard watered in a day and then get the B.N.'s out.


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 Post subject: DE & Orange Oil
PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 1:26 pm 
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Location: Dallas,TX
I used 1/2 oz. Orange TKO to 2 gallons of water on my Yorkie. I burned his skin once, in frustration, using a too strong mixture. I felt terrible, but not as terrible as he did! Lavender oil soothed his burns. You could use a cornmeal bath for that too. In any case, this works better than DE for my dog as his skin dries out if I powder him. Lice-B-Gone works well too and didn't have any ill effects whatsoever. Worked on the cat too. That's what I'll use from now on. Beneficial nematodes are by far the best control, but true you have to keep them moist enough to work. If you apply them and they don't work, they were probably dead. Check them with a microscope or other high magnifier (if you can get one) before you go to all the work of applying them next time.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 2:30 pm 
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Bernice:

I just came back from Lowe's Lumber. They now have an Organic Section in the garden area next to all the chemicals. Although the area is small by comparision, it's a positive start.

They carry "Cedar-Cide" products for one. "C-C" has a flea spray for domestic animals to include Cows and Horses. Safe for kids to be around.
The product contains Cedar Oil vs Citrus.

They also recomend the use of "C-C" granuals for bedding areas.

I'm taking the litrature over to my neighbor who has a new-born. She has been using the 'bug bombs' and running off to the store while the stuff disapates. Her cats are indoor and outdoor type and thus bring in the fleas they collect during the day.

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 Post subject: House treatments
PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 10:35 pm 
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Location: Dallas,TX
Don't forget to vacuum, vacuum, vacuum! Put a little DE on the floor and vacuum it up to start, then hit everything; floors, furniture, under beds, etc. That will help a LOT immediately. You can also spray your floors, furniture, etc. with a mix of 1 oz. orange oil/Orange TKO concentrate and 1 gallon water. That will kill fleas and larvae and it smells great! The smell will go away shortly and so will any other smells you don't care for. I have used this method with great success. It will mess up carpets with natural dyes so watch for that and don't get it on any plexiglass. And I forgot to tell you that you can just add a little ( 1/4 to 1/2 oz.) to the dog's shampoo and wash them down too. I hope you get this under control. I remember how frustrating it was!

Hey, ZIPPER! Take your neighbor some literature about the chemicals in those bug bombs too. She needs to know what she's exposing her family to. Those neurotoxins could be setting that child up for a life of real problems. No mother would do that intentionally. Be a friend and educate her about the bad stuff too. It shocks the heck out of people when they realize what they have been sold. It ought to make her darned mad too. Maybe mad enough to join us! :D


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 11:06 am 
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Location: Cisco,TEXAS
Thanks to everyone helping me out. I had forgotten about the Cedar Cide at Lowes. I will look into that. My dogs are Chihuahua's. They are inside dogs but have the liberty to go in and out as they please by way of a doggie door.
We don't have much carpet except in here in my computer room. Of course when I am in here, the dogs are too. I haven't noticed any fleas in the house. I really haven't had them get on me when I am outside.

Does the Lice-B-Gone keep the fleas off or does it just kill them?

I think my male dog is allergic to the fleas because he scratches so much. He gets sores on the undersides of his back legs. I have used tea trea oil on him once and plan to do it again soon. Also, the shampoo I am using on them has tea trea oil.

Thanks again, I really appreciate your advice.
If anyone else has anything to add, I would like to hear that too.
Bernice


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 Post subject: Doggie Itch
PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 12:30 pm 
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Bernice,
Your post keeps me thinking about how and why dogs scratch.

1] That's what dogs do. :roll:
2] Fleas
3] They don't sweat, so skin is normally dry. I would assume then, it's like dry scalp on humans. What do we do for that condition?
4] My dogs scratch more during very dry weather. Note: Air Conditioning is a dehumidifier in the house so this may lend to extra dryness on the dogs.
5] When the weather is dry the yard chigers even get me.
6] Since orange oil is a degreaser I'd think it would remove the natural oils from the dog's skin. I need to look at cause and effect.
7] Frequent bathing with soap also removes the oils.

Conclusion:
1] Cedar oil is not a drying agent and if used in the bath it should stay with the dog's coat and skin.
2] Cedar oil then becomes a preventative measure rather than a treatment.
3] From what I've read, the aroma of Cedar oil to an insect is the same as ammonia to a human. Therefore it should keep the insects from populating the yard.

I sure hope this is not fuzzy logic, but that's just the way I see it for now. :wink:

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 Post subject: Cedar
PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2003 12:46 am 
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I agree that cedar should be useful in this way and that orange oil can remove the dog's normal skin oil. After I decreased the concentration it killed the fleas but didn't hurt the dog. I just didn't have any luck with the cedar and good results from the d-limonene. Maybe I had those rare cedar loving fleas? :lol: As far as Lice-B-Gone, I don't think it has any repellent effect, just kills them. Maybe with all the advice you've gotten you will get rid of the problem. Good luck!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2003 2:36 am 
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Location: Garland, Texas
Kathe, I have to agree. Though I love the CedarCide granules and the CedarCide spray for bedding, I have not found it to be very effective for repelling fleas this season. I have tried both spraying it on our Boxer during the bath, and spraying in on a dry coat. The scent is very short lived, so I don't think that there is any residual killing or repelling properties.

Is this a bad year for fleas? Our Boxer has never had them before in the three years she has been a family member. We are 1) bathing her weekly, 2) at least every other day and sometimes daily using a flea comb andor hand picking the fleas, 3) supplementing her feed (a premium kibble) with flax oil, and a brewer's yeast/garlic supplement.
We have also had her on the Missing Link product.

We have increased the vacuuming frequency, but have not as yet used a DE product on the carpet. We are now considering the purchase of a steam/vapor machine.

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2003 9:21 pm 
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Dumb question? :?: Have you put out beneficial nematodes? I had great luck with them. But I had to remember to keep the soil pliable and medina plus and regular applications of molasses seemed to do the trick. Just a thought. I have had less problems this year with fleas, for some reason. Not sure why. But I remember well how irritating a problem it is! HOpe you get rid of the pesky boogers. You might try knocking them back with Bioganic spray since it only attacks insects and is easy on beneficials, and then put out the namatodes to get the rest of them.


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 11:01 am 
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Location: Garland, Texas
Odd isn't it? We've never had fleas until this year, and you are not having any problems? :?

Yes, I have applied BNs this year. I applied them back when we were receiving the little bit of rain we got back in the late Spring, or was it early Summer, it's seems so long ago. :( I have not applied any supplemental watering to the lawn since application. I really can't judge their (BNs) effectiveness. I have mentioned before, this is an organically tended site since moving here 9 years ago, so honestly I would expect some of these organisms to be present. I don't kill all of the fire ant beds on the site for the purposes of termite, tick and flea control.

I'm not familiar with the Biorganic product, but have been using the Flea-N-Tick B Gone product which while effective in killing the pests initially seems to have no residual effects. We just recently purchased the Espree product Citrusil Plus Shampoo. We will be alternating her baths with the Espree product and the TropiClean NEEM Natural Shampoo with Yarrow, Coconut & Oatmeal. For those reading this thread that are not already aware of it, killing fleas is really simple, soap and water will do it every time.

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:20 am 
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I am looking to use orange tko for flea prevention plus ticks. I have 2 mostly inside dogs that have a doggy door so they do go in the backyard often. We live in Mississippi. I was wondering how often I would need to spray this on the dogs? Once a week or once a month? I'm guessing during the summer months probably once a week. Also where and how much?

I have 2 outside cats and I need to know how often they would need this as well?

Everywhere I look it says how to apply but not how often.

Palease help we spend about 400.00 a year in flea/heartworm prevention and I really can't afford that right now but I refuse to let my animals go unprotected.


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