getting rid of fleas

Since she mentions they are using oils in that spray, and they also say it is safe for cats, I did some looking around to see if Dr. Becker had addressed this topic of essential oils being toxic to catspets. I found this article:

_http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/05/14/dr-shelton-on-pets-essential-oils.aspx

The most relevant parts (my emphasis):
As some of you know, I’m a wildlife rehabilitator. Twenty years ago, the woman I apprenticed under said,

“You know, if you have really stressed wild animals coming in, just put a few drops of very pure pharmaceutical grade lavender oil on a cotton ball, tape it outside of their cage, and you will see an overall calming effect.”

I have done this trick with lavender oil for years. It’s tremendously effective. But suddenly I had people gasping and saying, “Oh my gosh! There’s not a cat in the room when you’re doing that, right?”

A Controversial Treatment

I started to get a little panicky thinking I might be causing harm with my use of lavender oil.

I asked Melissa if she’d received feedback from others in the veterinary community about the supposed dangers of using essential oils around animals.

Dr. Shelton’s experience has been similar to mine. She’s contacted regularly by others in our profession with questions like, “How dare you even recommend that you could do this [use essential oils] around cats?”

Melissa has been using essential oils in her practice for about three years now, but before that, she was cautious about even using a diffuser at home with her own cats (she has over a dozen at the moment!).

She would watch her kitties very carefully for reactions to the diffuser. And she ran tons of bloodwork to reassure herself they were healthy.

Then Dr. Shelton noticed that her Munchkin cat spent a lot of time at the diffuser, lying next to it. In fact, she actually delivered a litter of kittens right next to it. And it occurred to Melissa that her cat was certainly smarter than most humans when it came to how her body responded to the oils in the diffuser.

But Melissa continued to check blood and urine in her cats and monitor them closely. Over time she felt confident no abnormalities were developing and she began to relax with the idea of essential oils around cats.

Then it occurred to her the kitty probably didn’t lay next to the diffuser just because she liked it, and that there were certainly more compelling reasons driving her to be close to it.

The Quality of the Oils is Paramount

I asked Melissa whether she thinks the information about essential oils and animals comes from those who are simply misinformed, or is there an element of fear mongering involved.

She believes it’s a little of both. She’s done her own research on reports of toxicity from oils, hoping to learn why some people can successfully use them and others are so dead set against them.

And from her research, she has determined it comes down to an issue of the quality of the essential oils used – just as many things in veterinary medicine come down to quality. For example, pet food. When we see pets that have become ill thanks to a poor diet, we recommend the owner upgrade the diet as soon as possible. We don’t outlaw all pet food because there are low quality brands on the market – we just pick a better food.

Dr. Shelton says it became very obvious to her that there are just as many variations in the quality of essential oils as there are in brands of pet food. She has her own brand preferences based on the quality of the oils. As a holistic vet, when she finds a product that is safer or more effective, that’s the one she uses and recommends to clients.

When it comes to essential oils, what Dr. Shelton has found is a lot of people jumped on the bandwagon initially because it was a natural remedy. But the majority of those folks had no knowledge of essential oils, or how to distinguish a high quality grade from a lesser grade of oil. She has discovered even companies that are big warehouses for essential oils don’t understand about testing the quality of the oils, or how to evaluate an oil at all. They just warehouse them.

There’s a lot of misinformation out there was well. Dr. Shelton has spoken directly to people with cats that have been damaged by essential oils, so it does happen – just not as often as many people think.

Melissa has met or knows of thousands of people who use essential oils successfully, and only a few that have had major problems with them.

I asked her if in her experience, problems from use of essential oils were primarily a purity or potency problem, or a mishandling problem.

Dr. Shelton believes it’s a quality problem (for example, a five-dollar bottle of essential oil purchased from the local drug store is mostly likely a poor grade oil), and also a mishandling problem when the person gets the oil home. She can usually trace a problem with an essential oil back to it being a synthetic oil, a poor grade oil, or a situation of misuse by the consumer. For example in one instance, a bottle spilled and a cat wound up basically covered in essential oil.

For what it's worth. It doesn't address at all the question about cat's livers being unable to process some oils, so I'm still a bit nervous. Why don't they provide a link to the 2006 study that showed their product to be safe?


[Edit to deactivate link and add the following:] Here's a Dr. Becker article about dealing with fleas, which agrees with much of what has been said so far:

_http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/08/12/natural-strategies-for-a-fleafree-itchfree-pet-this-summer_2620_.aspx
The pupa stage is the most problematic because the cocoon is quite resistant to agents that can kill fleas in the other stages of the life cycle.

The only way to eliminate pupa is by vacuuming them up and disposing of your vacuum’s contents right away. Even if you manage to kill all the adults, eggs and larvae, if you don’t get rid of the pupae, you’ll have more fleas in short order as the adults hatch from the pupae.

It takes about 45 days of diligent effort to fully resolve a flea infestation.
 
Over the last two years, the fleas here have become very problematic. The vacuuming works well for the house, but the source of the problem is outdoors and on the pets themselves. We have tried most of the natural remedies for around the outside of the house, but with limited success.

I had to resort on two occasions, to using a chemical treatment on the dogs. The poor buggers were chewwing their backsides off and needed some relief. I still hate using chemicals on them though and have not treated the cats for a few years now. One of our cats used to react badly to the frontline and would take off after it was applied.

So I did a bit more reading on the subject of flea control, found a few things that I hadn't read previously and thought I would share.

The pet protector disc http://www.fleadiscs.com/ is claimed to work by producing scalar waves. For it to be effective, your pet must be flea free before it is fitted and they also claim it takes 7 - 20 days to work.

Wondercide http://www.wondercide.com/sprays-for-dogs-cats/ is a spray on flea killer and repeller consisting of cedarwood oil and hydrated silica, claimed to be safe for dogs and cats. I was especially interested how they claim to have made it safe for cats http://www.wondercide.com/is-cedar-safe-for-cats/.

Beneficial nematodes http://goodbugshop.com.au/zencart/index.php?main_page=page&id=10 are microscopic worms that target fleas and other pests. You mix them with water and apply them through a watering can around your yard.

Colloidal silver is the last thing I would have thought would kill fleas. However this lady http://louellanelson.com/2012/07/09/no-fleas-silver-aces-out-flea-meds-finally/ stumbled upon this effect when adding it to her cat's water. She claims to have been flea free for 18 months using 5-6 drops in their water daily. Here is a testimonial from another lady colloidalsilversecrets.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/even-more-unusual-uses-for-colloidal.html who claims to have no fleas after adding CS to her pets water, as well as a bloke who sprayed his dog with CS and got rid of fleas. There are loads of testimonials for CS http://thesilveredge.com/colloidal-silver-for-dogs-cats-horses-reptiles-and-other-pets.shtml#.VKZtl8nvRL0 use on cats, dogs and a variety of animals. It is used for all kinds of ailments, internal and external and I am yet to find a negative report on it's use, but will keep looking.

There are mixed reviews for the pet protector and wondercide. The beneficial nematodes are interesting, but it is probably too dry here for them at the moment.

Having used CS on myself, I decided to try the cats and dogs with it. They were each tested for skin reaction to the CS (with a small amount of Suttons brand CS 16-20ppm), with no negative reaction noted. From there, they each were given CS with their food daily (cats 1 drop, dogs 4), again no negative reaction. I watch them carefully and would like to keep them on CS for a couple of weeks to see if it does work for fleas.

Using any treatment on animals constantly is always concerning and I would much prefer to use them cyclically and only when necessary. If anyone knows of a problem using CS on pets, or has tried any of these treatments above, it would be great if you could share.
 
Dang, will01, I'm sorry to hear that. :mad: Fleas were absolutely one of the worst and most irritating problems I've ever dealt with. It sounds like you have a good handle on the direction to go though.

will01 said:
Colloidal silver is the last thing I would have thought would kill fleas. However this lady http://louellanelson.com/2012/07/09/no-fleas-silver-aces-out-flea-meds-finally/ stumbled upon this effect when adding it to her cat's water. She claims to have been flea free for 18 months using 5-6 drops in their water daily. Here is a testimonial from another lady colloidalsilversecrets.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/even-more-unusual-uses-for-colloidal.html who claims to have no fleas after adding CS to her pets water, as well as a bloke who sprayed his dog with CS and got rid of fleas. There are loads of testimonials for CS http://thesilveredge.com/colloidal-silver-for-dogs-cats-horses-reptiles-and-other-pets.shtml#.VKZtl8nvRL0 use on cats, dogs and a variety of animals. It is used for all kinds of ailments, internal and external and I am yet to find a negative report on it's use, but will keep looking.

This is fascinating. I was just about to start giving my dog CS (or rather nanosilver) in her water to help with arthritis, but am still doing research to make sure it's all good. So far, it appears to be. I wouldn't have expected it to work on fleas either, but that's very interesting. Apparently pathogens can't replicate in the presence of silver ions, so perhaps it's similar with fleas, like they require something that silver counteracts. I'd be curious to hear the results of your process...

Hang in there! You have my utmost sympathy for having to deal with this. :(
 
Jonathan said:
Dang, will01, I'm sorry to hear that. :mad: Fleas were absolutely one of the worst and most irritating problems I've ever dealt with. It sounds like you have a good handle on the direction to go though.

will01 said:
Colloidal silver is the last thing I would have thought would kill fleas. However this lady http://louellanelson.com/2012/07/09/no-fleas-silver-aces-out-flea-meds-finally/ stumbled upon this effect when adding it to her cat's water. She claims to have been flea free for 18 months using 5-6 drops in their water daily. Here is a testimonial from another lady colloidalsilversecrets.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/even-more-unusual-uses-for-colloidal.html who claims to have no fleas after adding CS to her pets water, as well as a bloke who sprayed his dog with CS and got rid of fleas. There are loads of testimonials for CS http://thesilveredge.com/colloidal-silver-for-dogs-cats-horses-reptiles-and-other-pets.shtml#.VKZtl8nvRL0 use on cats, dogs and a variety of animals. It is used for all kinds of ailments, internal and external and I am yet to find a negative report on it's use, but will keep looking.

This is fascinating. I was just about to start giving my dog CS (or rather nanosilver) in her water to help with arthritis, but am still doing research to make sure it's all good. So far, it appears to be. I wouldn't have expected it to work on fleas either, but that's very interesting. Apparently pathogens can't replicate in the presence of silver ions, so perhaps it's similar with fleas, like they require something that silver counteracts. I'd be curious to hear the results of your process...

Hang in there! You have my utmost sympathy for having to deal with this. :(

Yeah, I just feel so sorry for the animals putting up with the damn things, day and night. Hope this treatment works, or I can find something that does.

As for using CS for arthritis in dogs, I did read a testimonial about a guy who claimed to have success with CS, but can't seem to find it. My oldest dog is 14 and also suffers arthritis, so hopefully the CS might help him.

There seems to be little in the way of clinical data for CS use on dogs and cats. The main safety issue, according to this site http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/colloidal-silver-diy-treatment-for-dogs.html seems to be renal issues. So as long as the animals eliminating organs are functioning properly, CS use should be relatively safe. Having said that, I am no Vet and there is always the possibility of reactions in various breeds and individuals. That people have reported leaving whole bowls of undiluted CS out and having their pets consume it all with no ill effect, gives me confidence in treating my own animals with CS.

Here is a link http://thesilveredge.com/studies.shtml#.VKvIQ8nvRL0 to some studies on CS. I found this one http://thesilveredge.com/study-colloidal-silver-where-does-it-go-when-you-drink-it-how-long-does-it-stay-there.shtml#.VKvJa8nvRL0 interesting, as it shows the body's ability to eliminate the ingested silver and not accumulate (even if there was only one subject in the study). Also interesting the studies on it's anti fungal/bacterial effect in the GI tract. As you say, a fascinating subject.

As for my own pets, I will carefully continue the trial and report results as I find them :).
 
It's been most of 3 months now since trialling CS for fleas and thought I would report my findings. It's hard to say if CS affects the fleas at any of the growth stages, simply because of the sheer number of fleas here at the moment. Even with the comfortis applied to the dogs, they are still being bitten and can be seen scratching.

One effect the CS has had, confirmed by others as well as myself, is the condition of the animals coats. They are very soft and shiny, with this effect noticed around the 3-4 week mark. The difference in their condition is comparable or greater than when switching from a commercial to a raw diet. My guess is the CS had a positive effect on the internal parasite cycle. Even under this heavy flea pressure, all my furry mates are showing remarkable body condition. I have also applied CS to the floors in the house after vacuuming, hoping it will help break the flea egg cycle. The animals have today been taken off CS, as I would not like to use it continuously. No Ill effects were observed during the treatment.

With the large number of fleas present, I have also tried a number of other ideas. Beneficial nematodes were applied to an area of the lawn of around 25 square metres. Once again, hard to say if they worked due to the number of fleas and that they only work on flea larvae. Fortunately, we have been getting regular rainfall since applying the nematodes, which is key to their establishment. Unfortunately, the cost to treat the whole yard was prohibitive.

The most effective way to reduce the adult flea population was by using homemade flea traps like this http://4fleas.com/?p=198. Some nights, the traps would have up to 50 fleas in them, but would average around 25 - 30. Now, some weeks later, they catch about 8 - 12.

I also purchased the wondercide and it was effective. It definitely kills fleas, but is expensive to import from the US. It also needs to directly contact the flea to kill it, but does so in a few seconds. I also would be concerned with the cumulative effect of the product, as there appears to be no long term reports of it's use.

At the moment, with the flea problem mainly outdoors, I am considering using a chemical treatment on the yard. Not ideal, but at least it doesn't go on the pet directly. Maybe treating before rain (allowing time for it to become rainfast) would be the way to go, as well as washing the kennels after it has had time to work.

These are my results, FWIW, hope they can be helpful to others :).
 
Cedarcide, or make your own spay with cedar oil kills any pest, diotemacous earth can be sprinkled and vacuumed up, mask is needed cause it's a very fine powder. Food grade diotemacous earth eaten daily for pets and people. Crazy health benefits because is mostly silica which is most important mineral for body and least available in food. Helps hair growth and kills all intestinal worms. Lavender and Rosemary garlic repel inscets also.
 
Just read about fleas not liking the smell of wormwood. Apparently it is recommended to put either fresh or dried (fresh is better) wormwood near a place or under a carpet where animals sleep. Also heard a testimony that it really works. Maybe worth a try.
 
Hi everyone,

I’ve been dealing with a flea problem with one of my dogs for about a week now. It’s so horrible the pup barely gets to sleep.

So, brushing, some lemongrass and cedar wood, apple cider vinegar and a looot of patience, and aloe Vera gel for the scratched skin, along with a special shampoo and sweeping and whatnot. But ran into this video that gave me another direction to explore.

I will be getting the diatomaceous earth delivered today (I hope) and plan on giving it a go, I’ll report back here once I see some results or not.

But anyway I wanted to share with you all:



“Tough on Annoying Pests, Non-Toxic for
You and Your Pets”

Diatomaceous Earth With Organic Neem Leaf Powder
 
I have used DE in the past for fleas. You'll probably need to treat floors/carpeting also if your pup stays inside. DE will also kill other pests you might have. It is not a quick kill but it does work.
 
The only effective way to deal with fleas is to not let their eggs hatch. Flea eggs can lay dormant on house carpets for all winter and then begin hatching in the summers. Thats when you will begin to notice them on your pets. So, its not always something that the pets have just picked up from outdoors. What you are seeing is the culmination of fleas breeding cycle and something that began 12 months ago. The best counter is not flea medicine but below two simple steps-
Give your pet a decent warm water bath with baby shampoo. Baby shampoo is good for sensitive skin especially pets. This will kill most of the fleas inside the pet’s fur.
Next, get yourself a vaccum cleaner with motorised power head brush . Vaccum the carpet thoroughly with the power head which will suck-in all flea eggs.
The fleas should disappear within a month and would never return since the hatch cycle is broken.
 
After a bath, it also helps to use a flea comb a couple times a day (check all pets). Put some dish soap on a paper plate and catch the fleas with the comb and your finger and put them on the soap to prevent escape. Vacuum all floors religiously and wash all area rugs, bedding, pet beds, etc. regularly. Sid is correct--once the flea reproduction cycle is disrupted they should stay away unless more are brought in from the outside. Although it is A LOT of WORK short changing the procedure can allow fleas to return for years. Good Luck
 
After washing my dog with a tea tree shampoo, I then use a tea tree conditioner and comb it through before rinsing. The conditioner traps the fleas...I did the same with the children when they were little and the head lice infestation would make the rounds through primary school!
 
Well, they’re pesky... and resilient!

What I have noticed with the DE is that they seem to be less agile and easier to catch. I’ve done it twice already at night, and when I wake up for a brush of the dogs, they seem to be easier to catch and less reactive.

That’s interesting, the flea life cycle, I think it’s really a matter of discipline and awareness. I’ve been trying to avoid the chemical route, but who knows it all depends on how they continue to respond and whether the situation improves soon or not.
 
I had a flea problem with my 2 cats years ago and it took me weeks to get rid of them. I washed cushions and covers, cuddly toys and throws, and kept them aside in black bags till the fleas were gone (less places for them to hide and lay eggs).
Persistence is key: treat, comb, hoover, treat, comb, hoover, treat, comb, hoover. They will eventually go away.
 
I couldn't find this in the USA, but if you're in Europe, try this stuff:
It's a dimethicone-based spray (basically silicone oil - no pesticides).
You vacuum, empty the vac outside, then spray the vacuumed area liberally with this stuff.
For fleas and their eggs, it acts like glue and immobilizes them.
Works great!
 
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