Natural Flea Control

By Christine Makowski and D.V.M.
Published on May 1, 1985
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You should only try shooting them as a last resort. Hopefully, natural flea control methods can save you the trouble.
You should only try shooting them as a last resort. Hopefully, natural flea control methods can save you the trouble.
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The repulsive little blood suckers will just as happily feed on you as on your dog or cat.
The repulsive little blood suckers will just as happily feed on you as on your dog or cat.

Fleas.

At times they seem to be taking over the world. These bloodsucking pests not only are irritating to man and beast alike, but can also cause severe skin problems in both dogs and cats. Worse yet, as fleas become increasingly resistant to the synthetic chemicals science has produced for their control, pesticide manufacturers are making their products increasingly stronger — and more dangerous — in an attempt to keep pace with the parasites.

As a result of this unhealthy race, household pets are suffering twice: They’re chewed on by fleas, and they’re used as a battleground for the chemical warfare being waged by their well-meaning owners. In fact, I’ve often encountered cases of severe poisoning in dogs and cats due to the overzealous application of synthetic-chemical flea treatments. And many of those poisoned animals still have fleas!

Fortunately, there are effective, nontoxic ways to achieve natural flea control that won’t harm our pets. But before we can attempt them, we must understand the tiny monsters’ life cycle and purpose in nature’s scheme.

The Enemy: A Biographical Sketch

The adult dog flea (either Ctenocephalides felis or C. canis) is a wingless insect equipped with a set of powerful hind legs that enable it to jump nine inches straight up or five feet sideways. Like vampires, adult fleas feed only on blood.

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