Simple Tips for Safe Flea Control

I've used Brewer's Yeast w/garlic for my cats and dogs daily for the past 15+ years successfully. I won't go into the long story of why I began using it but the results of the first use was so successful and saved me so much money that I haven't stopped using it.

I live in Arizona USA and summers can be terrible for pets with all of the fleas and ticks. While my neighbors and their pets are suffering, my pets, my yard, my home are all free of fleas and ticks.

Frequently, when I take my dogs for walks, they'll pick up ticks. For this I use Frontline religiously every month to kill the ticks and to keep them from laying eggs.

In the house, I also use the electronic pest repellor Riddex Plus. I've used that since 1992. Before then, I had my home and yard sprayed monthly for insects and mice. Since using Riddex, no creepy crawlies stick around. Any pest that crawls on the walls or walks on the floors and ceilings just leave the house after a day or so. Riddex does nothing for flying insects until they land somewhere. So, although I see an occasional bug inside the house (ants included), they just don't stick around after a day. I like using Riddex because they don't kill the insects, just sends them away. I may not like pesky insects but I don't like killing them either. And I didn't like having my home or yard sprayed with chemicals.

Since 1992, I have not had to do anything about insects and rodents in my home or yard and my pets have all remained relatively pest-free...even while my neighbors' yards are infested during the flea and tick season.

PS Riddex has worked just as well for family members for whom I bought them. If the home has been heavily infested with roaches for a long time, it may take 2 or 3 months to see the last of them. But it's worked in every instance. I would never be without Riddex again! It's so much cheaper, safer, and easier to use than all of the flea and tick

I raise Boston Terriers, a very small operation, mostly out of
my home.Its very hard to see fleas on them as their black markings
are SO BLACK. I use a lot of Avon's Skin So Soft bath oil. The
fleas hate it, and so do mosquito's! Im an avid gardener and I use
it also. I give my dogs bath's in it, and also just spray them with
it. It really WORKS!!Bonnie Wallace

I use a quart spray bottle of 1part apple cider vinegar and 4
parts water with fresh rosemary left to steep. Sometimes I put a
few drops of tea tree oil. Good thing I've never used it on the
cat! I spray our very large dog before he goes out and sometimes
when he comes in at the end of the day. I also use this as our
mosquito repellent =) Once the vinegar dries you can't smell
it.

I have always used camphor spirits on my pets - both cat and
dog. I mix a bit of it in shampoo and give them a bath. It kills
the existing fleas, plus discourages any new ones from coming
along. I keep a bottle of this in our first aid kit because it
kills chiggers on humans too.

The FrontLine liquid you put on the back of your cat's neck will
continue to kill every flea that bites it. Over the course of a few
weeks every flea in your house should be dead. Also, sprinkling
Borax Mule Team laundry powder on your floors and carpets will kill
fleas. Just vacuum them up a day or two later. You can do this
every couple of weeks for a month or two and your flea problem
should be eliminated. If you live in a "high flea" area, then I
might combine several months of FrontLine with the Borax. Once you
have a killing frost (if you live in the north) the fleas will stop
coming into your home from outside.

What is the best product to spray for fleas? I bought front line
for my cat and that seems to have worked for her. But now I have to
get rid of the fleas in the house.

TEA TREE OIL IS TOXIC TO CATS!In response to the first comment
about Tea Tree Oil as a treatment for fleas: PLEASE read all the
information on this website: www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm I came
very close to using it on our cat after reading the first comment
on this website until I ran across the afore-mentioned website and
read how toxic it is.

I read about using baking soda in the carpet, so I tried it.
Kills 2 birds with one stone. Not only does it dehydrate the fleas
like D-Earth but it also deodorizes. Sprinkle into carpet, leave at
least 24 hours, and vaccuum.

We use diatomaceous earth. Because we do not allow animals in
the house, we've never had a flea problem inside. But living in FL,
there are unwanted flies and fleas outside. The DE works alittle
slower than some other remedies, but it does work and it's
completely safe for all our animals: cows, chickens, rabbits, dogs,
cats,guineas, sheep, fish, and goats. I also dust alittle on the
kids socks and shoes when we go outside to feed everybody. That way
we don't get hitchhikers inside!

In addition to soapy water to dip flea combs in when grooming
out animals, when we have fleas everyone wears white socks pulled
up, the fleas are attracted to them and are easy to see and we can
pick them off and dunk them in the water. To prevent them we
sprinkle Borax everywhere (under beds and under large furniture
especially) and then beat it deep into the carpets with a broom or
stick. If we have fleas we simply vacuum them after a few hours, or
leave it in to prevent fleas. The borax dries out the adults and
whetever eggs land on the carpet. We have seven indoor-outdoor cats
and not one flea. Just make sure to beat it deep into the carpet,
don't just leave it on the surface or it can dry out paws and cause
cracking. We also have five outdoor dogs, and a simple treatment of
Advantix (not frontline- no good, and not HARTZ- may cause severe
reactions in cats) clears up any fleas and prevents any ticks. We
live in a forest, and the only time the dogs get fleas and ticks
are when they haven't been treated.

Hello to everyone, Lost Tuesday, I Flea Killer Plus Fogger, this
moring I see flea again today. fogger again!P.S. my sweet dog
8-ball is die 3 three weeks ago; I always put on Frontline plus
every mouth. But I get a cat, set outside she's old 14 old.thank
you

We use pennyroyal soap to wash our dogs. I'm not sure whether it
kills the fleas but is certainly stuns them out which we then pick
out and place in eucalyptus oil. Often though of going into
business making pennyroyal pillows. as anyone heard of placing
"stinking roger" inside dog kennels to get rid of fleas? I'm sure
going to try some of the other tips.

Suggest you go to an old classic, Juliette de Bairacli Levy's
The Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat. Brilliant!

I am always reading that lemons (citrus) shouldn't be used
around cats. D-limonene is a natural citrus extract found in flea
shampoos and rinses. It gets rid of fleas by dissolving their waxy
coating, thus causing dehydration and death.However, some cats and
kittens are extra sensitive and may suffer if flea control products
with this substance are used in an excessive amount.Toxic signs in
cats from d-limonene include: * excessive salivation, * weakness,
and * muscle tremors. Consult your trusted veterinarian immediately
if these or any other suspicious symptoms occur.No toxic effects
from d-limonene have been reported in use on dogs.

In addition to eucalyptus I use diatomaceous earth lavender and
rosemary ad sprinkle it onto my pet.I also put it inside their
crates and around the perimeter of my home to stop all sorts of
insects.

I read a tip in MEN years ago that yielded astonishing results.
take a hanging light, and hang it above a shallow pan of water in
an infested area. a couple of drops of soap, alcohol or detergent
will reduce surface tension, which will make this work better.
close the shades, and turn off all other lights in the room, and go
for a walk or to the local brewpub, or.... when you come back to
check the carnage, you'll be surprised. this method doesn't
eliminate eggs, but if used regularly it could eliminate most of
the adults that are needed to produce those eggs.

For many years we have fed our dog brewers yeast for flea
control. Appears to work well. We feed our 20lb dog six tablets a
day.

My favorite organic pest control for fleas, ticks, biting gnats,
and horse flies for all my pets (horses, dogs, and even myself) is
the time honored tee tree oil mixed with water.A little bit goes
along way (I use just about four or five drops mixed with water in
a 16 oz spray bottle.) Shake and spray on your pets. (Don't spray
it in their eyes! I put a few drops on my hands and wipe it around
their sensitive areas.)I also use this mixed in rinse water for
doggie baths, horse baths, etc.Tee tree oil is also used for
getting rid of head lice. (A few drops in a shampoo bottle works
well.)Tee tree oil is an astrigent, an antiseptic and has a million
uses, both for people and animals. You can find it in any health
food store.

Here in Texas the fleas are epidemic. It is a constant battle to
keep them at bay, and with 7 dogs it can be quite a job! We give
our dogs fresh garlic to help ward them off, and we use
diatomaceous earth both inside and outside the house to kill
insects. We try to do as little as possible in the yard so that we
don't kill all the "good" bugs. In the house sprinkle it on
carpets, around baseboards, under furniture, and inside cabinets
under sinks or wherever pests might be. If you find that it is
creating too much dust when you apply it, just follow with a spray
bottle of water and lightly mist the air as you go. It will cause
the dust to settle and stick to the floor. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
is non-toxic to everything except bugs. However you do want to
avoid breathing the dust, or getting it in your eyes. It is nothing
more than ground up fossilized microscopic diatoms, and works by
scratching the surface of the insects/bugs and causing them to
dehydrate. It is safe to ingest, and works quite well for
eliminating internal parasites as well. We add it to our dog's,
cat's, horse's, and goat's feed instead of chemical wormers. We
even mix some with juice every now & then and drink it
ourselves. And it's great in the garden when pests are present. You
can purchase food grade DE at many feed stores or health food
stores. Do not use the kind for pool filters as it is not safe for
this purpose.