Research humidity and flea control and decide if running humidifiers is right for your home
Pet parents who have yard might research beneficial nematodes and decide if they want to use them. Contact a garden center for purchase.
- Wash pet's bedding at least once a week in hot soapy water. Roll up the bedding to carry to the washer so the eggs won't slide slide off. Dry using high heat.
- Comb dog with a flea comb every day. Have hot soapy water nearby to drown the fleas as you comb them out. Flush when done. Flea combs can be purchased at the pet store for 99 cents.
- Frequent brushing and combing stimulate hair and skin health, bringing normal secretions from oil glands onto the skin and discouraging fleas.
- Mow and water lawn regularly. Short grass allows sunlight to penetrate and warm the soil, which kills larve. Watering drowns the developing flea. I know watering can get expensive but folks can recycle bath, laundry and dishwater.
- Ants like to eat flea eggs
- Sterilize bare-earth sleeping spots. If your dog like to sleep or hangout in a certain bare or sandy area, occasionally cover the spot with a heavy black plastic sheet on a hot sunny day. The heat the builds up under the plastic kills fleas and larvae. (keep dog away when dog in this of course)
He also mentions other things to use in the house and on the lawn. He goes on to list several internal and external things for the pet.
In The Allergy Solution for Dogs: Natural and Conventional Therapies to Ease Discomfort and Enhance Your Dog's Quality of Life (The Natural Vet) , author Shawn Messonnier writes that "..flea control must be directed at three sources: controlling fleas on the pet, in the yard, and in the house. Of the three environmental flea control is the most important (and most neglected)..." He goes on to list some suggestions.
Nice healthy point you have taken on flea control to support pet health. Thanks for your great support on pet health issues.
ReplyDeleteThese area really good ideas. Apart form the obvious benefit of not having to use toxic chemicals, you also save money. It's a good option for people who would like to go chemical free in every way that they can.
ReplyDeleteI did not think of using the black sheet of plastic to kill fleas that might be in the bare earth. That's a good idea. By covering all the bases you should be able to drastically reduce the flea population.