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Holistic Hound - Flea Prevention

Flea-Free, Naturally

Fighting Pests Without Poisons

By Amy Carlton

 

For some lucky folks, longer days and higher temperatures signal

sun-drenched, carefree summer days. But for dog lovers, warm weather means

flea and tick season, time to be ever-vigilant protecting our pooches from

parasites.

 

Fleas and ticks are more than just an itchy nuisance - they can cause

serious health problems for our pets and ourselves. Ticks can carry

debilitating illness like Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Fleas can spread tapeworm. Dogs may also be allergic to flea bites and get a

skin condition called flea bite dermatitis.

 

There's no shortage of flea control products on the market - foggers,

shampoos, collars and dips, plus the latest " spot " treatments. But many of

these contain dangerous chemicals like organochlorines, organophosphates and

carbamates. According to Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for

Dogs and Cats, these chemicals in large doses can cause breathing problems,

tremors, vomiting, skin irritations, permanent nerve damage and death. Some

dogs experience hair loss and sores around the neck from flea collars, plus

the chemical fumes given off by the collars can negatively affect everyone

in the house. The drug in the anti-flea pill Program (lufenuron) can

concentrate in breast milk, which may cause lethargy, diarrhea and

respiratory problems in puppies, according to Celeste Yarnall in Natural Dog

Care.

 

Unfortunately fleas reproduce so quickly, those that survive the chemical

barrage have developed resistance to insecticides. We haven't reduced the

flea population so much as built a better flea.

In response, flea products have become increasingly complicated. For

example, the new monthly " preventatives " like ProSpot are placed on the skin

and absorbed into your dog's blood. When fleas bite your dog, they ingest

the insecticide in the blood and die. Unfortunately, this means your dog has

a steady stream of poison in her blood, and the fleas all have to bite her

before the product works.

 

Luckily, rather than surrounding your dog with a cloud of chemicals, you can

choose from a multitude of remedies that are simpler and safer to use.

Flea-Fighting Foods

 

Pests and parasites are attracted to dogs that are already weakened by

disease or chronic illness. A robust, healthy dog is just not appetizing to

bloodsucking critters. The biggest key to flea and tick prevention - and to

your dog's overall health - is good nutrition. A healthy diet of fresh foods

will do a lot to keep pests away.

 

During flea and tick season, you may want to add nutritional supplements to

better keep pests at bay. One commonly touted flea repellent is brewer's

yeast, which is rich in B-vitamins, but there are conflicting reports on its

effectiveness. Brewer's yeast is a by-product of the brewing industry, and

is generally considered not to be of very high quality. Dr. Michele Yasson,

a holistic vet in New York, suggests using nutritional yeast instead, and

only during flea season, not year-round. However, many dogs are allergic to

yeast products. If your dog reacts poorly to yeast, stop using it. Make sure

your dog gets enough B Vitamins from other sources, like organ meats,

sardines and cottage cheese.

 

Garlic, on the other hand, is almost universally accepted as good natural

flea prevention. Add fresh minced garlic to your dog's meals, 1/4 clove to

two cloves daily, depending on the weight of your dog. Start slowly - some

dogs can be sensitive to garlic, leading to flatulence and diarrhea. You may

also use high-potency garlic tablets.

 

Herbal Help

 

Pitcairn recommends making a flea and tick repellent powder from equal parts

of the following dried herbs (or as many of these as you can find): rue,

wormwood, eucalyptus, rosemary, fennel and yellow dock. Mix the herbs

together in a shaker-top jar, and apply sparingly to your pooch, making sure

to get at the base of the hairs along the back, neck and belly.

For tick prevention, groom your dog regularly to remove mats and loose fur

(where ticks love to hide). Then dust the fur with herbal repellent before

hikes in woods or fields. Always groom your dog when you return from

tick-infested areas, to remove any critters before they have a chance to

bite.

 

Essential Oils

 

Plants produce essential oils as their own survival technique to repel bugs,

according to Kristen Leigh Bell, certified aromatherapist and proprietor of

Aromaleigh, Inc. This makes essential oils great pest repellents for animals

and humans, too.

 

The oils used should be dilute (not full-strength or " neat " ). You can squirt

a few drops on braided cotton or twine for a " rechargeable " collar.

Essential oils are also available in shampoos, sprays and soaps. Application

will have to be done more often than once-a-month flea drops, because the

scents will fade.

 

Keep in mind, just because something is " 100 percent natural " doesn't mean

it's safe. Pennyroyal oil is a component of many natural flea and tick

products, but Bell strongly cautions against its use. According to Bell,

pennyroyal oil (a highly concentrated form of the herb) contains neurotoxic

ketones and liver-damaging hepatoxins that can lead to death or cause

pregnant bitches to abort. She explains pennyroyal is inexpensive to produce

in mass quantities, which is why it may be so popular in flea control

products. Bell says there are many essential oils that are not as strong as

pennyroyal, but work just as well to repel fleas and ticks.

 

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What You Should Know About Flea and Tick Products

 

 

 

HSUS

Protecting your pet from fleas and ticks is an important part of caring for your

pet responsibly. Although there are many brands of over-the-counter flea and

tick products available at supermarkets and pet supply stores, it is critical to

read their labels, and consult with your veterinarian, before using them on your

companion. These products may contain ingredients that could harm pets and

children.

In November 2000, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a report

called Poisons on Pets: Health Hazards from Flea and Tick Products (see link

below). The report demonstrated a link between chemicals commonly used in flea

and tick products and serious health problems.

The Chemicals

The ingredients to be wary of are organophosphate insecticides (OPs) and

carbamates, both of which are found in various flea and tick products. A product

contains an OP if the ingredient list contains chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos,

phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon, or malathion. If the ingredient

list includes carbaryl or propoxur, the product contains a carbamate. According

to the NRDC, the potential dangers posed by these products are greatest for

children and pets. There is reason to be concerned about long-term, cumulative

exposures as well as combined exposures from the use of other products

containing OPs and carbamates.

The Products

The NRDC's report lists flea- and tick-control products marketed under the

following major brand names that have been found to contain OPs: Alco,

Americare, Beaphar, Double Duty, Ford's Freedom Five, Happy Jack, Hartz,

Hopkins, Kill-Ko, Protection, Rabon, Riverdale, Sergeant's, Unicorn, Vet-Kem,

Victory, and Zema. To protect their pets and children, consumers should consult

with a veterinarian before purchasing over-the-counter (OTC) products.

The Effects

According to the NRDC, there are studies that show OPs and carbamates can harm

the nervous system. Children can be especially vulnerable because their nervous

systems are still developing. For pets, the data is limited, but according to

NRDC, many companion animals appear to have been injured or killed through

exposure to pet products containing OPs. Cats are particularly vulnerable, since

they often lack enzymes for metabolizing or detoxifying OPs and can ingest OPs

by licking their fur.

What about the EPA?

Each year, millions of Americans purchase over-the-counter flea and tick

products believing that they couldn't be sold unless they were proven safe. But

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did not begin to review pet products

for safety until 1996. There is a substantial backlog of products waiting to be

tested, so many pet products containing potentially harmful pesticides still

make their way onto store shelves.

Last year, after reaching an agreement with manufacturers, the EPA announced

that the OP chlorpyrifos—also known as Dursban—would be on a fast track for

a phase-out. A second OP, diazinon, is also on the way out. An agreement between

the EPA and manufacturers set the phase out at December 2002 for indoor-use

products (including flea and tick products) and December 2003 for all lawn,

garden, and turf products.

Reducing the Risks

The HSUS recommends the following precautions be taken to reduce the risks to

pets and humans during the flea season:

 

Use alternatives to pesticides to control fleas and ticks: Comb your pet

regularly with a flea comb, vacuum frequently and dispose of the bags

immediately after use, mow areas of the lawn where your dog spends time, wash

pet bedding weekly, and wash your pet with a pesticide-free pet shampoo. In

addition, to protect cats from fleas and ticks, as well as a host of other

outdoor hazards, cats should be kept indoors at all times.

 

Always consult a veterinarian before buying or using any flea or tick control

product on your pet.

 

Never use flea and tick products designed for dogs on your cat, or vice

versa.

 

Remember never to apply pesticides to very young, elderly, pregnant, or sick

animals unless directed to do so by a veterinarian.

 

Always read the ingredients, instructions, and warnings on the package

thoroughly.

 

Avoid OP-based products by looking for any of these active ingredients:

chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon and

malathion. Avoid products with carbamates by looking for the chemical names

carbaryl and propoxur on the label.

 

Consider using a product with insect-growth regulators (IGRs), which are not

pesticides. These will prevent the next generation of fleas but will not kill

insects already on your pet. Common and effective IGR products include those

made with lufenuron (found in Program® and Sentinel® and available by

prescription), methoprene (in Precor®), and pyriproxyfen (in Nylar® and

EcoKyl®).

 

You might want to consider several relatively new topical products, available

through veterinarians, that are insecticides designed to have fewer toxic

effects on your pets.

 

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EPA Pesticide factsheets for flea/tick products

 

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick.htm

 

 

 

Kathleen <kathleen wrote: What do you suggest for fleas on

animals?

 

 

 

 

 

I believe in compulsory cannibalism. If people were forced to eat what they

killed, there would be no more wars.

Abbie Hoffman

http://www.freewebs.com/tcfactory/ecosolidarity/freeclick.html

 

 

 

 

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