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Pet Flea Control Organic
Diet
Feed pets a balanced, nutritious diet of your own cooking or an organic pet food that does not contain chemical preservatives. Cooking millet and adding chicken makes an excellent dog food. Sprinkle a small amount of food-grade diatomaceous earth (1% -2%) on the pet food daily. Add an additional small amount of brewer's yeast, bee pollen, garlic powder or food-grade seaweed. Excellent commercial products include Natural AnimalHerbal Formula from Eco-Zone and The Missing Link from Designing Health.
Cleaning
Vacuum frequently, rake and sweep dog runs and sleeping areas regularly, pick up and compost pet waste. If the pets don't get natural exercise from running and playing, walk them regularly. It's good for the animals and for you.
Grooming
Bathe pets as needed but only with mild non-toxic soaps. If possible, avoid soaps that contain ammonium laurel sulfate. Herbal shampoos are good, especially those that contain citrus oil or tea tree (melaleuca).. Leave shampoo on pets for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Brush pets regularly and use a flea comb to remove pests. Drown the fleas in soapy water. Shampoos are also now available that contain citrus, neem, and/or tea tree oil. Apply herbal powders of pennyroyal, eucalyptus, or rosemary and other herbs. Avoid using pennyroyal on cats. Treat heavy infestations with diatomaceous earth or citrus sprays and dips. Flea combs are very effective and the least toxic choice.
Outdoor treatment
Dust or spray diatomaceous earth on highly infested areas such as dog runs. Use only as needed to avoid killing beneficial insects. Apply beneficial nematodes to the lawn and all planting beds.
Indoor treatment
Treat infested carpets with diatomaceous earth or boric acid products. For heavy infestations use citrus oil products on carpets and furniture. Dirty, infested carpets should be cleaned by hot water extraction or completely removed from the house.
Note
Remember, DE (natural diatomaceous earth) for pets and pests is not the same as swimming pool DE. Buy DE only from your local organic retailer. Use all products, including organic choices, carefully. Overuse is dangerous and lessens the effectiveness.
Fleas on your pets may not be a big problem now but make a note for later use.
1) put 3 drops of pennyroyal on a nylon collar. This idea may be too strong for some cats. Pennyroyal should not be put directly on cats. Reports indicate that this technique works well even during heavy outbreaks.
2) There’s a new spinosad pill for pets that appears to be quite effective. It is called Comfortis
Spinosad has been formulated into two commercial products registered for use in commercial agriculture, including DowAgros' Conserve SC, and Entrust. Entrust is approved for use on USDA certified organic produce.
There are several home garden product manufactured for use in the United States including Monterey Garden Insect Spray manufactured by Lawn and Garden Products, Inc. and 'Borer, Bagworm, Tent Caterpillar & Leafminer Spray' manufactured by Ferti-Lome. Bonide Products has introduced spinosad in its Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew insect control product line.
The products have practically no odor. Its soil absorption is moderately strong and it degrades rapidly in the environment primarily through photolysis.
Spinosad is also the active ingredient in Comfortis, a chewable flea medication for pets
It is acceptable in the organic program. It was developed from a living organism, has little to no toxicity and seems to work well. It is for sure better than diazinon, Dursban, orthene and the synthetic pyrethroids.
“ Be very careful using these product, especially the liquid ones, because they are deadly to bees.”
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