Natural Approaches to Dealing With Pesky Fleas

Home
>
Pet
>
Natural Approaches to Dealing With Pesky Fleas

Natural Approaches to Dealing With Pesky Fleas

Problems with Commercial Flea Killers & Traditional

Flea Bite Treatments

***Chemicals that act as poisons are strong enough to

kill fleas, but the long term effects on pets are

unknown, although they are probably not safe to

use. (Employees manufacturing these products must

wear protective clothing and use respirators.

Plus, the product labels warn against skin contact.

So,if the chemicals are potentially harmful to

humans,they are probably not the most healthy

product for pets. )

***Prednisone & other corticosteroid drugs used to

give relief from flea bites help to stop itching &

inflammation. But, they also suppress a pet's

immune system and have possible long-term side

effects: water retention, liver or thyroid damage,

hypertension, obesity, & heart attack.

Healthy Alternatives

***Strengthen your pet's immune system:

Eliminate food allergens from the diet, and

supplement the diet with a well-balanced

essential fatty acid (EFA), probiotics (bifidus

& acidophilus) & digestive enzyme supplements.

EFAs help to make your pet less attractive to

fleas, and digestive supplements carry nutrients

throughout the body & help to breakdown & remove

waste materials that may lead to food allergies.

***Herbs

-Add a pinch of garlic powder to food.

-Add apple cider vinegar to your pet's water.

-Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon dried Nettle onto your

pet's food (helps to reduce allergic response).

-Add to food or squirt into pet's mouth a low-

alcohol liquid tincture of Dandelion Root,

Burdock Root, or Red Clover (helps eliminate

wastes & supports immune system).

-For severe flea bite allergies (red, inflamed,

itchy skin), licorice serves as an anti-

infammatory. Also, an aloe juice can help to

heal & to relieve itching. Directions: Add

one cup aloe juice to 4 parts water. Pour the

cool liquid onto affected areas of your pet's

coat.

***Environment Treatment

Since fleas spend 80% of their time in the

pet's environment, not on the pet, apply herbal

products to your pet's environmental areas

(bedding, etc.). Look for products that contain

extracts and/or oils of eucalyptus, citronella,

juniper, cedar, citrus oil, or Canadian fleabane.

(Citrus oil & Canadian fleabane contain d-

Limonine which can kill fleas.)

***Bathing

Bathe with a good, mild herbal pet shampoo

formulated to bring relief and remove fleas and

body wastes from the skin.

Only use shampoos meant for pets, not humans.

(Human shampoos are often too harsh and may

contain allergens that worsen a pet's allergic

condition.)

Also, don't shampoo too often or irritation &

dryness may occur.

Deena Caruso, author, teacher, & distributor of natural pet products Helps pet owners create healthy, happy pets. To receive FREE "Pet Pointers" Newsletter, go to: http://www.healthyfoodforpets.com deecaruso@cox.net Ph: 760/758-7963, 877/877-0665

In The News:

New Zealand Herald
Pet sitting gets boost from the web
Fall River Herald News
Instead of putting pets in kennels, Dog Vacay brings together dog lovers with casual and professional dog sitters to provide an affordable experience for pets. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) By Sue Manning The Associated Press When you travel and have to ...
Doggy couch surfing? Website has lodging for dogsKVAL
Website has lodging for dogsWorcester Telegram

all 38 news articles »

Neato XV-21 Pet & Allergy Automatic Vacuum Cleaner
PC Magazine
Picks up an astonishing amount of dust and pet hair. Simple to use. Easy to clean. Programmable. Doesn't work well on tight corners. Very loud. Dated design. The Neato XV-21 does an excellent job of picking up pet hair—but it's no replacement for a ...

PetProductNews.com
How to provide for pets in case of owner's death or an emergency
Fort Worth Star Telegram
And for many local pet owners, that can mean leaving their furry loved ones behind as they head out of town for a week or maybe even a month. Try as pet owners might to plan accordingly for impending time away from their pets, they might not always ...
Pet Expo Efforts Raise $12000 for Pet Care TrustPetProductNews.com

all 2 news articles »

New York Times (blog)
Thinking of Feeding Your Pet a Homemade or Raw Diet?
Patch.com
Pet food recalls can spur people to make pets' meals themselves, but doing it right is important. By Kim Campbell Thornton Henry is one of many pets available for adoption at Orange County Animal Care. Orange County Animal Care With all the recent ...
Raw Pet Food DebateAll Pet News (blog)
The Raw Food Diet for PetsNew York Times (blog)

all 3 news articles »

Five Pet Place Unveils Luxury Brand; Extensive Collection of Designer Products
Albany Times Union
Five Pet Place, a company specializing in producing attractive and functional products for cats, today revealed its extensive collection of Pet Accessories for the Home™ at fivepetplace.com -- an advanced e-commerce website where consumers can build ...

and more »

KDRV
Marlins Pitcher Mark Buehrle and Wife Jamie to Kick Off Dual Pet-Adoption ...
Sacramento Bee
By Adopt-a-Pet.com MIAMI, May 25, 2012 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Miami Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle and his wife, the noted companion-animal activist Jamie Buehrle, will launch two initiatives to help homeless pets--one local, one national--at ...
Pet of the Week: HoneyKDRV
Shelter Renovations Cause Shortage of Space for PetsBeach Bulletin
Domino and Snow Bird Need New HomesPatch.com
Aiken Standard
all 20 news articles »

Don't forget about your pets
Houma Courier
By Thad Angelloz What happens when a hurricane evacuation is ordered and you have pets? With many residents counting their pets as integral members of their family, officials say they should also be just as important in overall hurricane planning as ...
Be prepared: 10 ways to help you survive the next hurricaneDaily Comet

all 10 news articles »

Newmarket ZBA grants variance for pet crematory
Seacoastonline.com
By Melanie Gray NEWMARKET — For many, the death of a pet is like the loss of a family member. "It's emotionally hard for all people," said William Morgan, owner of Angel View Pet Cemetery and Crematory in Middleboro, Mass. "Sometimes it just pulls ...

and more »

OregonLive.com
Happening this weekend: Pet-related events you can attend
OregonLive.com
Pets Uncorked: Visit participating Oregon wineries and contribute to a new animal shelter in Newberg. At Duck Pond Cellars, Terra Vina Tasting Room, Terra Vina Willsonville Vineyard and other participating vineyards, 10 percent of the tasting fee will ...

OregonLive.com
When it comes to courage and spirit, tripod pets have a leg up
OregonLive.com
A generation ago, three-legged pets might not have, er, stood a chance in the veterinarian's office. An animal that was hit by a car, born with a birth defect or suffered from cancer might have been more likely to receive a humane euthanasia rather ...

Google News