Got Fleas?

Author of Keep Fleas Off

Still using all the chemicals you can find to combat those fleas? Have you done everything outside of trying to shoot the fleas off the dog? You are not alone, there are an estimated more than 50 million households with pets, and yes, most are not just fighting the war against these pesky parasites, they are losing the war. Most people do not realize just how devastating the losses are. If only 10 per cent of these pet owners are treating the yard for fleas, can your imagine the amount of harmful chemicals that is getting into the ground water? These chemicals make their way to the sea where they have been found in fish and the seabirds that feed on fish. Clean water is a valuable resource, we cannot afford to destroy it. Think about all the chemicals put in our water now just to make it "safe to drink"; if you want to believe that it is.

Bathe your pet with a so-called flea shampoo, and you leave behind a petrochemical residue that can be unsafe for the pet and the household. If that is not bad enough, the pet will lick himself and yes, take an oral dose. Go into any grocery store and head for the pet care aisle. If you smell the flea products in the store, you are experiencing a nose full of their off-gassing. Face it, chemicals off-gas.

Perhaps, you think that flea powder is a better choice. Guess again! After holding your poor animal down long enough to sift this disagreeable stuff into his fur, he is going to shake off as much of it as possible, and who could blame him. This fine dust will migrate into anything around, the carpet, the furniture, and maybe even your own hair. It is sure to get up your nose. Maybe this is the universe trying to get you to stop this harmful practice. At any rate, now the flea powder is further out into the pet's fur, clearing the way for the fleas to continue to travel the skin on the pet, biting him and leaving behind debris. At minimum, you have fouled the environment, and you probably did the powdering inside your home. Since we have all probably done it, don't beat yourself up, at least not the first time.

Flea collars are another dangerous choice that we have all made. The poison is right there on the collar for the purpose of rubbing off onto the pet. Will it rub off on anything else, like the hands of a small child, or even your own? You bet! Does your pet sleep in his collar? In your bed? What do you think is happening here? Essentially, we are just rubbing heaven knows what kind of chemicals all over us when we sleep with a pet that is wearing a poison necklace. Should you quit associating with your pet? Absolutely not! Pets are a valuable part of our lives. They offer companionship and teach us a lot as well. Just show them more respect and stop using those awful flea collars.

Continuing your sojourn through the parasite jungle, the veterinarian's office is probably going to be your next stop. Aha! The flea dip. It has to work! Well, why not, it contains a contact killer, and because you got it from the vet you will assume it safe. Maybe it will kill the fleas that showed up on the pet today. Of course, submerging him in this poison means that some of it will be absorbed into the pet's skin. Cats are especially sensitive, and dips have been known to kill some. It makes many sick. If it poisoned or weakened your pet, would you know what to look for? How many hours would you need to monitor your pet? When you pour out the dip, where does the poison go? So many questions, so many freaky answers. This should steer you away from flea dips.

The average pet owner is pretty sure that a flea spray for misting the pet on a regular basis will not only work, but is a real easy solution. Coating the outside of the hair doesn't work because the fleas will travel under it along the skin where the blood cells can be reached. Use this method, only if you want a toxic cloud that will float above the pet for you to breathe, or maybe, it will make its way into your air conditioning ducts and be well distributed throughout your home. Remember that these sprays contain poisons. If we breathe them in, our bodies can store them. Many people will think that this is just the price that must be paid, after all this is a war on fleas! The bigger question here is: "Do you really want your home to become a toxic waste site?" The residue spewed into your environment is going to stay there until someone cleans it up. And depending upon how you go about the clean up, you could just be making it worse, especially if you are using chemicals for the cleanup. Unless you are a chemist, don't assume that it is safe to mix one chemical with another.

Of course, you could always use pet meds, that is, medicine for the fleas that the pet must take. That hardly seems fair! Would you be able to tell how bad your pet feels from the side effects? At one time or another we have all taken a medication that we found to be disagreeable. The problem here is one of communication. The pet cannot tell you that the medicine does not suit him.

So, now you are ready for the weapons of "vast destruction". You go for the big guns. You will start using the poison to the back of the neck. That ought to take care of them, if the fleas come along first, before little hands. Of course, the liquid can be absorbed into the skin of the pet getting into his blood stream and going to all parts of his body. Most hearts and livers don't really require poisons. How about yourself, did you absorb any? Did you breathe in any vapors? Does the product continue to emit vapors? If you can smell it, maybe you already know that the vapors are there. Keep in mind that many of the spot treatments contain chemicals that are known to be neurotoxins. Like most of the population, you did not read the label, nor would you recognize the names of any neurotoxins. And you probably would not know that neurotoxins can affect the brain. Your pet may develop a twitch from a neurotoxin. Don't you wonder if the same thing could happen to you? While the pet is in the most danger from this, the person applying it is not home free! This stuff can rub off and be distributed anywhere in the environment of the pet, affecting any life form in this environment. It is important to realize that the difference between poisons to kill fleas and poisons to kill higher life forms is simply the size of the dose. Since our bodies can store and accumulate poisons from the environment, we have no way of knowing what could be in store for us as a result of exposure to these poisons.

Recently, there were more than 28,000 sites, on just one search engine, on the internet related to pesticide poisoning from flea products. No matter what the reasons were, the poisoning happened because the products were available, and a reasonably logical person thought them safe for use. We readily accept whatever we are used to seeing. Harmful flea products are in the mainstream of our lives. Just go to any big food store, home improvement store, drug store, pet food store, and yes, even the Walmart, and you can find an arsenal for combating fleas.

Until 1990, I used everything available for flea control. After many bad experiences, I realized that I was declaring chemical warfare on my pets, my home, my yard, the environment, and on myself as well. Knowing that this had to stop, if I were going survive, I set out to find a pesticide-free way to keep fleas off my cats. My first step was to eliminate everything that had not worked for me in my war against fleas. So, I had to forget all the flea products that I knew about. Living in Florida, meant combing off the fleas every hour if the cats went out on the screened porch, but I did it, in addition to wearing out a good vacuum cleaner. After a couple of years of trial and error, I developed a simple, cheap, and safe method that is so effective that the cats seem to be "invisible to fleas". Not only am I happy to be able to keep fleas off my cats, but I feel good about giving up my life of crime against the environment.

There are many sites on the internet where you can find out all the names of the harmful chemicals used in flea products. Anti-pesticide groups offer a lot of valuable information, as does the NRDC (National Resource Defense Council) and the CDC (Center for Disease Control). Even some animal rescue organizations post warning against certain products. Personally, I think that the terms KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN and WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER HANDLING should give us the clues we need. Plain and simple, do not use these products, there is something unsafe about them. Trust me, the manufacturer is not just adding this information to make the label larger. There had to be a law somewhere that forced them to put these warnings on. Restrictions of this sort don't surface until harm has been done, and until a lot of action has been taken by environmental groups. Your best course of action is to do the research yourself. Do not wait for the mainstream (corporate) media to inform you about what to use to keep fleas off your pet. The information that they decide you should have is influenced by advertising dollars from the chemical industry.

Visit the NRDC flea product information sites and some Anti-pesticide group sites. They can be real eye openers. While you are looking at their sites, I hope you will take a few minutes to visit the KEEP FLEAS OFF site at: http://www.liquorman.net/keepfleasoff/.

I suggest that you download information concerning the flea poisons, and use it as a guide to help protect your environment. After all, we are not just what we eat, but what we absorb through our skins and what we breathe into our lungs. Once a substance gets into your bloodstream, it has access to every cell that you own. One of the few powers, that you still have, is the power to control the environment in your home, USE IT!

Nell is an artist (clay and glass), origionally from NC, and has lived in Florida for 20 years. Currently, she has two cats, one raised from a rescued kitten and the other adopted from the pound, when the cat was four years old. In addition to her art, she works part-time testing computer software systems.

---

Lyme Disease in Dogs

It is hard to get an early diagnosis of lyme disease in animals including your own dog. The first sign of lyme disease in humans is a rash, well; animals do not develop... Read More

Things You Should Never Feed Your Dog

Sadly, there are several household items which we tend to take for granted that are potentially very hazardous to your dog's health. It is especially important to be aware of this because as... Read More

Introducing a New Puppy into a Home with an Existing Pet

It was November and I had spent 3 months searching for just the right puppy. Finally we had found what we considered to be the perfect one. Luckily she was already 7 weeks... Read More

How To Install An Emergency Brake On Your Horse

Imagine being on a horse and he bolts. You pull those reins to slow him down but it's no use. He resists and the fence posts go whizzing by you as you panic... Read More

Parachromis Managuense

Parachromis managuense has a bad reputation, just like many of the other large predatory cichlids. This reputation is largely undeserved, and besides, the positive sides of these fishes more than make up for... Read More

Lyme Disease Treatment in Pets

Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics, because the disease is caused by a bacterium that is introduced to your pet through a bite from a tick carrying the disease.Antibiotics will be taken... Read More

The Secret That Keeps Horses Trainable!

As you likely know already, horses have at least 10 times our strength. If they also had our intelligence, they would probably be riding us humans. Fortunately, horses cannot reason like human beings... Read More

Why Does My Cat Drink Dirty Water?

You know that cats should always have a supply of water, especially if you are feeding them dried food. There on your nice clean kitchen floor is a bowl of nice clean fresh... Read More

Do You Know About Boxer Dogs?

Boxer Dogs Information - What Are Boxer Dogs? Boxer dogs are great all around dog breeds, distinguished canine and the coolest, most lovable dog out there! Boxer Dogs are medium-built and strong breed... Read More

Training Your Dog For A Happy Healthy Life

Adopting a dog is a lot of fun, but it can also add a lot of responsibilities to your life. When you become a dog owner, you take on the responsibility to make... Read More

Dog Food - Which Diet is Best for Dogs?

Why The Food You Give Your Dog Matters!If you're like most dog owners, you probably assume that commerical dog foods with brand names that are easily identifiable - Purina, Iams, Pedigree, etc. -... Read More

Care for Your Dogs Ears

I have had Goldens and Black Labs for many years, and they are well known for ear conditions. But remember, no matter how efficient you are in caring for your dog's ears, serious... Read More

Tropical Fish Breeding for Beginners - Guppies and Swordtails

Breeding tropical fish can be a lot of fun. Try your luck at breeding livebearers such as guppies or swordtails.Equipment Needed: Breeder Box or Breeder Net Breeding Grass 5 or 10... Read More

How To Get Your Horse From Pulling Back While Tied

Some people have horses they don't dare tie. Why? Because they break their halters and/or crossties. So what is a person to do in their horse training practices?My first suggestion is to get... Read More

How to Make Your Cats Life, and YOUR Life, Happier - Training Your Cat

Imagine that you are scolding your cat for scratching at your new furniture, and Kitty is sitting staring at you. Suddenly you realize how silly you look and how futile your scolding is.... Read More

Clown Loaches

Scientific Name: Botia macracanthus Other Scientific Name(s): Cobitis macracanthus, Botia macrocanthus Common Name: Clown LoachClown loaches are very popular aquarium fish; however they are not always easy to keep successfully since they easily... Read More

Pet Doors: Giving Your Pet Freedom to Come and Go as They Please Helps Solve Behavior Problems

Pet DoorsAre you considering installing a pet door for your pet? If so, you are in luck. Pet doors are becoming more common and more available. In fact, installing a pet door is... Read More

A Guide to Antique Bird Cages

It has been said that everything old is new again. So it is with bird cages. Antique bird cages are a popular addition to many houses and apartments. They fit in with many... Read More

How To Set Up A Quarantine Tank For Tropical Fish

Do I Need A Quarantine Tank?Ah, yes, the often dismissed but very necessary part of the tropical fish hobby, the infamous quarantine tank. Do you really need one to be successful in this... Read More

You Should Teach Your Puppy Proper Chewing Behavior

As much as you may love your cute, new puppy, if she chews on everything in sight--including you--she will not be cute to you for very long. Puppies that are left to their... Read More

Brushing Up On Dog Grooming

Is your dog due for a makeover? Has she been enjoying the great outdoors a little too much? Here are some simple tips for helping your dog put her best paw forward.It all... Read More

5 Things to Know about Animal Rescue Groups

Over the past decade, breed rescue groups have become a major force in dog adoptions. These rescue groups limit their effort to a particular breed of dog including purebreds. This is a help... Read More

A Beginners Guide to Lovebirds

Lovebirds are so named from the way they sit close to each other, not because they are in love with each other. Lovebirds can and do mate for life, but it doesn't happen... Read More

Disaster Preparedness for Pets - A Guide for Pet-Care Business Professionals

June is Disaster Preparedness for Pets month ? but if you're a pet-care business professional it's always a good time to make sure you've got a plan in place to administer to the... Read More

How To Get Your Horse To Obey You and Look To You For Instruction

In the animal kingdom there is a pecking order. Richard Shrake points out that it's a lot like the military. He ranks in the pecking order go from General down to Private. The... Read More

Does Your Dog Need Puppy Prozac?

Is your dog up to dirty no good again? Did he eat your socks? Knock your drink off the coffee table? Chew through your favorite vintage record album? Should you invest in Doggy... Read More

Stop Your Dog From Pulling You Down The Street

From the first day of life on a leash, most dogs learn that by pulling on it, they get to where they want faster. Its the behavior that so many dog owners struggle... Read More

Glow Light Tetra - A Lovely and Peaceful Member of Your Community Tank

Brings live to your community tanksMany freshwater fish-keepers have a warm spot in their heart for a little fish with a big name, the 1 ?-inch hemigrammus erythrozonus? or mush easier to say,... Read More

Wooden Bird Cages

Gone are the days of boring bird cages. Today's bird cages are trendy. They are stylish. They make a statement about the owner's taste and lifestyle. Bird cages can blend in artfully with... Read More