Copyright Published by: TRO Productions. In association with TCK Publishing. Produced by: TRO Productions

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2 FLEAS BE GONE A HOLISTIC VETERINARIAN S GUIDE TO NATURAL FLEA CONTROL FOR CATS AND DOGS WRITTEN BY: CHRISTINA B. CHAMBREAU, D.V.M., C.V.H. Copyright Published by: TRO Productions In association with TCK Publishing Produced by: TRO Productions Disclaimers And Legal Notices Both the author and publisher of this book have strived to be as accurate and complete as possible in the creation of this informational product. While all attempts have been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, there is no warranty either expressly stated or implied of 1

3 complete or permanent accuracy. After all, knowledge does evolve and change. The author and publisher, and any subsequent distributors of this work, also assume no responsibility for any errors, assumptions, or interpretations you might make as result of consuming this information. You are solely responsible for how he/she chooses to understand and/or make use of this information. Please use prudent judgment in attempting to apply any strategies, exercises, or other recommendations suggested herein. Any perceived slights of specific persons, peoples, or organizations are unintentional. This book is also not intended as substitute for professional veterinary advice or treatment when these may be needed. If you believe expert advice or treatment for your pet is needed, the services of an appropriate professional should be sought. The suggestions for flea control and increased health in your pets mentioned in this book are in no way a substitute for good veterinary care, especially with an integrative practitioner Each pet is unique and may react differently to suggestions made herein. Bottom line: you are 100% responsible for how you interpret and make use of the information in this book. So please do so wisely. 2

4 WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK Fleas, fleas, fleas! How can we help our pets and ourselves become free from fleas, from the allergies they produce, and from all that itching? One reason I wrote this book is so you and your pets can live happier, healthier, pest free lives. My name is Dr. Christina Chambreau and I have been successfully using integrative (holistic) approaches in my veterinary practice for over 35 years. Most of the pets I treat in my practice never need chemicals or pesticides to become flea free. They are very healthy and most live long, happy lives. Early on in my professional career, when I practiced exclusively as a conventional vet, we battled fleas all the time. We used chemicals to kill fleas in the house and also on the pets. Often, my clients would ask about possible health hazards from the chemicals. With my limited understanding back then, I told them that hazards were rare. Now I frequently have clients coming to me because their pets are ill for days or weeks after using conventional flea treatments. They want to find holistic, natural means to both restore health and avoid the use of pesticides. In spite of all the pesticides used today, some of which may cause harm to our pets and our environment, fleas still persist. Veterinary journals contain articles in almost every issue on how to encourage clients to use enough chemicals in the house, yard and on their pets to break the life cycle of the fleas and prevent even one flea from invading your home. Most of 3

5 these articles say that when chemical treatments fail, it s because the house and yard are not treated aggressively enough. Most veterinarians realize that fleas adapt and mutate to each new chemical used against them. Therefore, even with concerted efforts, the chemicals used have to be constantly changed in order to keep fleas at bay. And this can be expensive. There are effective, inexpensive, and very safe ways to keep your pets flea free that don t involve pesticides. These more natural approaches can even improve your pet s health in general. And that s what this book is also about. In the late 1960s, when I was a teenager and worked as an assistant in several conventional veterinary clinics, we relied mostly on bathing to control fleas, along with some chemical flea sprays. A few clients had to occasionally set off flea bombs to rid their homes of fleas. In those days, only a few cats and dogs were allergic to fleas and to the chemicals we used to treat them. Some would develop skin problems, but most just had minor itching that quickly resolved. However, by the time I graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 1980, large numbers of cats and dogs were having severe allergic reactions to fleas. And the fleas often became resistant to the chemical protocols commonly used against them. We also began seeing secondary illnesses from using topical flea chemicals and collars. I was very frustrated at that time, as I had few alternatives to offer my clients. Non-chemical approaches, such as bathing and flea combing helped to some extent, but not enough. 4

6 THE KEY INSIGHT: DEEPER HEALTH ISSUES The second and perhaps most important reason I wrote this book is to show you how fleas can be a sign of deeper health issues within your dog or cat. As I began treating pets with homeopathy and other holistic approaches in the 1980s, I began to notice that the cats and dogs who never seemed to get fleas were much healthier in other ways. Holistic veterinarians were beginning to suspect that flea infestation could be an early warning sign of deeper health imbalances. So we started turning our attention to improving the overall health of the pets. And as overall health improved, flea infestations subsided or were eliminated completely. Even when a few fleas were found, allergic reactions and other bothersome symptoms were rare. You have probably noticed that some pets in a household get infested with fleas while others in the same household are never affected. Sometimes your house is full of fleas, yet your neighbor has not seen any. This is because like all predators, fleas seek out the weakest, least healthy targets around. Fleas seem to like toxic blood. However, sometimes even very ill pets (those with diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.) will not attract fleas, while some young, active cats and dogs will. Each pet has his or her own unique weaknesses, so careful observation is critical. Fleas move from one area to another, so not seeing any fleas may not always reflect good health, just no fleas in the neighborhood. For this reason, it s important to stay vigilant and use the type of early warning system you ll learn about in this book. I am excited to provide you with this knowledge 5

7 about how to combat fleas naturally, so you won t have to resort to a constant stream of expensive, potentially harmful chemical products. As a holistic veterinarian, I ve seen many negative reactions and even some deaths from flea chemicals. People often bring their pets to me after they had very bad reactions to flea treatments. Others come to me for help because they were scared to use these products or they want to be more protective of the environment. As a result, I ve been teaching people better ways to think about, live with, and be totally free of fleas for decades. Now, by virtue of this book, I can help you and many others who are deeply concerned about natural healthcare for their pets. The third reason I wrote this book is to help eliminate confusion. Many of you wanting to use natural approaches may feel confused by the many companies and individuals selling natural products for repelling or killing fleas. Flower Essences, Essential Oils, nutritional supplements, herbs, Chinese herbs, soaps, flea tags, crystals and more have all been recently marketed to help control fleas naturally. There are also many blogs with different home formulas the author has used successfully. In addition, protecting the environment has become increasingly important to many people. Replacing petrochemicals and chemical pesticides with naturally occurring products and improving pet health in general makes much more sense. Some of these recently popularized natural products work very well. Others seem to be useless. In this 6

8 book I ll let you know my own personal recommendations and how to choose among new products as they are introduced. 7

9 HOW YOU AND YOUR PETS CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS BOOK The holistic goal is to find natural ways to keep fleas from becoming a problem for you, your family, or your pets. This book introduces you to many sustainable, practical, inexpensive and healthy ways to prevent and eradicate fleas in your home and on your pets. It will help you decide which natural products to try, and then know what is helping the most. Even more importantly, this book also gives you tools to improve the overall health of each of your pets. You can benefit from this book: 1. If your dogs, cats or you are suffering from flea bites or skin allergies this book will show you how to minimize flea infestations and build your pets health so there will rarely be skin problems or recurring flea infestations; 2. If nothing you have tried to eradicate fleas is working this book will give you dozens of tips, treatments and other suggestions for how to have a healthy, flea-free dog or cat; 3. If you are worried about potential toxic effects to your dogs, cats, or your children this book will free you from the need for toxic treatments and preventatives; 4. If you want to help the environment by not using chemicals unless you have to this book will help you live a more sustainable life and lower your carbon footprint; 8

10 5. If you are confused about which flea products are safe or which are the best for you to use this book offers a new perspective on how to evaluate safety for you, your pets and our planet as a whole; 6. If you are spending too much money on flea control products this book will teach you how to make free light traps, find free or affordable long term solutions and use inexpensive natural products; 7. If you prefer natural health approaches you will be thrilled by the solutions offered in this book; 8. If your approach to life is to build up health, rather than merely try to get rid of symptoms you have definitely come to the right place. In addition, reading this book will also teach you: 1. How to understand and then interrupt the flea life cycle; 2. Early detection methods; 3. Natural ways to treat your house and your yard; 4. Topical products for your cat s or dog s skin; 5. Oral treatments to repel fleas; 6. Most importantly, how to improve the overall health of your cats and dogs so fleas just will not like them. The most important way you can benefit from reading this book is by experiencing a major and lasting shift in your thinking. 9

11 Many more people are beginning to realize today that just treating symptoms alone may not be the best approach to health. For example, the famous oncologist, Bernie Siegel, discovered that chemotherapy worked best if the patient s mental and emotional states were aligned with the treatment. He encouraged people to do whatever would give them the most positive outlook. Other practitioners recommend laughter, or diet, or natural supplements along with chemical treatments. Still other people observed that when deep health is achieved, there are fewer bugs, illnesses, diseases and physical deterioration over the years. The same perspective will help you and your pets as well. Does the media teach you this type of healthy perspective? No way. What do the manufacturers of flea control products tell you in their TV ads? In one way or another, they all say Our drug or treatment will quickly stop the fleas or your pet s symptoms. Even though they may mention many side effects, they assume you are more concerned about the short-term flea elimination than the possible long-term health consequences. Advertisers are committed to selling their products. They also want veterinarians to promote more of their products. Their business goal is to get you to use their products year around and to use multiple products from their company. Even proponents of natural treatments often advertise the miracles and quick results that can be achieved, as they think this is what will have you buy their product. Many companies advertising flea solutions provide glowing testimonials of 10

12 satisfied people and pets. And they are right each product can help specific individuals. Unfortunately, the product will not help all pets, so maybe it won t help yours. In addition, some treatments, even natural ones, may be weakening your pet s overall health. Some cats and dogs show no signs of illness at all when given chemical flea treatments. Others instantly become very ill, and still others are just not well after getting chemical treatments. Many people who feed their pets a raw food diet and add a few supplements may never again see a flea, while others may have to try many of the following suggestions to have their homes become flea free. Each pet is different, just like each person is different. Some people can eat a lot of garlic or take B vitamins and not attract mosquitoes. Some do nothing special and never get bitten. Some cats or dogs are flea magnets, while others, even in the same house, never see more than one or two. Your goal is to build up deep health so fleas will just ignore your cats and dogs. In the midst of a flea attack, this can be very hard to remember. It is important to find holistic veterinarians with whom you can work to help you remember that even during a flea invasion, your goal is to build deep health. These alternative professionals will have a variety of different tools to help you do this (Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Chiropractic, Herbal therapy and more). Also, you ll want to keep track of each treatment tried, watching and recording all symptoms, to help you focus on the long-term goal of developing true health. Using a journal can make this easier. You can find one for 11

13 either your cat or dog at this website: Also you can check out my blog ( where you can find additional support materials and be inspired by others success stories. We will talk about this approach to building deep overall health in more detail later in this book. The important point to be aware of right now is that it s usually not enough to just focus on the fleas alone. To summarize what you will learn from reading this book: 1. The life cycle of fleas; 2. Key steps to staying flea free; 3. How to choose your approach - chemical or natural treatments; 4. Best flea prevention - improving the overall health of your pets; 5. The early warning system - flea combing & light traps; 6. Treating your yard. 7. Treating your house. 8. Treating your pets - topically and internally. 9. Steps to improve the overall health of your pets. 12

14 10. Encouragement from other holistic veterinarians. 13

15 CHAPTER 1: THE LIFE CYCLE OF FLEAS Understanding the flea life cycle will help you make smarter decisions about treating your pets, house and yard. In this opening chapter, I will take you through the three main stages in the life cycle of a flea: the egg stage, the larvae stage, and the adult stage. Let s use an iceberg analogy: What you see above the water are the live adult fleas. What is below the water are poor health, larvae and eggs in your yard and in your house. Merely giving a bath to kill the adult fleas on your dog is chipping at the ice above the water that you can easily see. Eliminating the larvae, making your house inhospitable to fleas, and improving the overall health of your pets is melting the iceberg at its core. In brief, the life cycle of fleas can be summarized as follows: 1. An adult flea hops on you or your pet, spits onto the skin then sucks blood. 2. The flea then poops (emitting small black gritty particles you can see called flea dirt). 3. The female flea lays white slippery eggs (lots of them) that slide into cracks (anywhere). 4. These eggs hatch into larvae that live a few weeks, eating organic debris and flea dirt. 5. The larvae spin a cocoon that survives against most treatments for up to a year. 14

16 6. Finally, vibration (walking into that beach rental); heat; or carbon dioxide (mammals breath) triggers the adult to emerge and begin looking for a warm blood-filled body to latch onto. Fleas are in the order Siphonaptera. There are over 2,000 species of fleas in this order. Two types of fleas infest all pets. Ctenocephalides felix is the most commonly found flea in North America, infesting both mammals (cats, dogs, humans, etc.) and avian hosts. Pulex irritans is the main flea attacking people (and there is a homeopathic remedy available that is made from this flea more on this later). THE EGG STAGE Now for the itchy details. Adult female fleas spend most of their time sucking blood and laying eggs on the pets or people they inhabit, because they need to eat a phenomenal amount of blood. The newly emerged adults must find a blood meal within a few days or die. A female flea eats times her body weight while she lays large numbers of eggs during her 100 day lifetime. Different experts estimate that 500 to 5,000 eggs are laid during an adult female flea s lifetime. Some product manufactures use the higher numbers, mainly to scare you into purchasing more products by having you imagine there are thousands to millions of adult fleas that will be infesting you, your house and your pets. To lay the most eggs, the female needs to stay put and not be scratched off by the host, not be drowned by a cat s tongue or a dog s swimming, or by being groomed or combed off by you. Then the eggs and larvae need to survive at 15

17 every step of the maturation cycle to become an adult flea. It is a hard life and few eggs actually make it to become adult fleas. To extract blood from their host, fleas first spit into the place where they are going to bite to dilute the blood enough to suck it into their throats. The saliva released during this process is what causes most allergic reactions in pets or people. The allergic reactions, in turn, cause much of the itching leading to skin damage from the scratching. Thus the bite of even one flea, for a sensitive person or pet, can result in severe skin problems that can last for weeks to months. This sensitivity can be eliminated by returning the pet to health with holistic approaches. A healthy animal can be bitten by a flea or two and not have more than a mild temporary itch. When your pet is exposed to an allergen (fleas, foods, etc.), they produce a specific IgE antibody that binds to mast cells in the skin. There may be no reaction the first year or two. With re-exposure, the allergen binds to the IgE specific antibody. If the binding degranulates (i.e., activates) the mast cell, itching results. Each pet seems to have different thresholds of IgE needed to trigger itching. Each year can cause increased reactions, more IgE and mast cell degranulation and increased itching. Again, a healthy dog or cat will have a higher threshold, therefore less likely to have the degranulation of the mast cell. Both the actual bite of the flea and the adult flea crawling around on the skin can cause some of the itching, but most is due to allergic reactions to the flea saliva. Often the quick snap of the head of your pet along with one or two nips at the skin indicate an actual flea biting or a flea moving around. That can 16

18 be the trigger for you to pull out the flea comb and start examining for fleas and flea dirt. Constant nibbling, scratching, red skin, eruptions are probably caused by an allergy to flea saliva or to other substances. NOTE: Never assume fleas are present merely because your dog or cat is scratching, or even nipping at their skin. Use the flea comb and find the evidence. Too often, people inappropriately apply a chemical treatment (see the story later about Joey, the Beach Cat ) or spend a lot of time with natural treatments simply because they see a lot of scratching. There are many other causes of itching, so again, that flea comb gives you critical information. Flea eggs are very small, round, whitish and slippery, easily falling to the ground, especially where your pets spend most of their time. One study found that over 60% of flea eggs fall to the ground within 2 hours of being laid. They easily slide down into cracks, deep into the rug, furniture and dog bed cushions. Flea eggs need humidity and warmth to hatch and can lay dormant for years. Only rarely will you see flea eggs. In the 30 years I worked in veterinary clinics, I saw flea eggs less than a dozen times. Every time it was on a pet with a severe flea infestation with hundreds of adult fleas. In the many classes I teach, through online questions I receive, and in my consulting practice I am frequently asked if the flea eggs from an infested house (maybe one you have just visited) will be transported to your companion pet or to your home. They will not. They usually lie undisturbed in the deepest cracks and recesses of couches and rugs. In addition, because they are so slippery, even if one somehow fell onto you or your 17

19 pets, it would just slip right off. Do not worry about eggs moving into your home. What many people think are flea eggs on their pets are really flea feces. The flea s stool is black from sucking then digesting blood, just like your stool would be if you had a bleeding ulcer. Often real dirt, especially if you live in an area with rich, black soil, or if your dog likes to roll in used coffee grounds, could be mistaken for flea dirt. One way to tell real dirt from flea dirt is to moisten the black debris you obtain from your pet. If it turns red it is flea dirt. Any pet with a large number of fleas may turn the bath water red from all the melting flea dirt. Don t panic. This can be very useful as once the rinse water is clear (after starting out red) you know that all the flea feces, therefore probably all the fleas, have been washed off your pet. THE LARVAE STAGE The next stage, the larvae stage, is where fleas are most vulnerable. They must eat organic debris (their favorite food is flea dirt) within one week or die, as they have no hard shells or cocoons to protect them. The safest places for them are dark and moist locations, so they tend to live at the bottom of grass stalks outdoors, or at the bottom of carpet fibers or in corners, closets and under cushions in your home. This is why super cleaning is important to take away the vulnerable larvae s food source. Most experts on flea control, even environmental ones, say to keep your grass cut very short to decrease the humidity the larvae need. This is not very effective (dry enough to kill larvae 18

20 would kill your grass) and frequent mowing is not environmentally sustainable. Later you will see better ways to manage your yard to prevent fleas. Larvae live 1-3 weeks (sometimes longer), and then spin cocoons which are virtually impregnable and can survive for up to a year. Inside the cocoon, the larvae become pupae. If the cocoon is broken, or something triggers the immature pupa to emerge, over 95% still make it to adulthood in controlled environments. Some experts say vibration, heat, carbon dioxide and moisture seem to trigger the next stage, the adult, to emerge from the cocoon and once they emerge, they can jump onto a host within minutes to begin the life cycle again. Other sources say only mechanical pressure and heat are triggers for emergence. THE ADULT STAGE Since they jump very high for their size (7 10 inches) and are super long distance jumpers (10-15 inches), the newly emerged adult fleas can jump from the floor to you or your pets when triggered to emerge. They can even jump from host to host if they smell or sense a weaker pet with tastier blood. Relative to their body size, fleas are in the top 3 of all jumpers in the world. TAPEWORMS Fleas are also the intermediate stage in the life cycle of tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum) and dogs and cats eat the fleas as they nibble to get rid of the irritant, or groom themselves, so they will ingest larvae that will grow to large worms in their intestines. Part of knowing the life cycle is that 19

21 within a month of seeing fleas, you may see tapeworm segments in the stool, or moving around the anus, or even dried up on your furniture. These appear to be small grains of rice, especially as they dry. They start out white, but can become a light tan as they dry out. (See the topical section for more information.) 20

22 CHAPTER 2: KEY STEPS TO BECOMING AND STAYING FLEA FREE Now that you understand the life cycle of fleas, you will soon see how to prevent and eradicate them by using multiple methods chemical and natural. Here are some important steps you should follow: 1. Build the overall health of all your cats and dogs so they will not have allergic reactions to the saliva and actually will be repellent to fleas. 2. Use an early warning system (flea comb or light traps). 3. Use oral repellents (garlic, brewer s yeast, flower essences, etc.), tags or collars on all pets early in the season. (Sources for all products mentioned in this book can be found at 4. Flea comb all your pets frequently to keep flea dirt off them and to know if fleas are there. Remember that just seeing your pet scratching, even excessively, does not mean fleas are present. 5. Vacuum and mop your home frequently so there is no organic debris and flea dirt for the larvae to eat. 6. Use mechanical means (bathing, flea tag, Diatomaceous Earth, Borate, light trap) to kill and repel adult fleas. Remember that they can adapt to become resistant to chemical treatments. 21

23 7. Keep fleas out of your yard with nematodes, flower essences, cedar oil or other means. 8. Use natural topical treatments when needed. 9. Consult with an integrative, holistic veterinarian if you are still seeing more than a few fleas, or there are skin ailments in any of your pets. This means there is a specific energetic imbalance that needs to be addressed. 10. Use chemical treatments only when all else has failed, and then only for one or two doses. 11. Always remember that seeing fleas, means looking for what is out of balance in your life and that of your pet. Here are some steps for your early warning system and early defense system: 1. Use a light trap (explained later) anytime you go away overnight during the flea season, taking your pets with you or if you have frequently had fleas in your home. 2. During the flea season, or if you hear of friends with fleas, begin to flea comb, belly check for fleas and butt check for flea dirt. 3. Put on a healthy repellent tag if you have had or anticipate flea problems. 4. Continue to build health in general. Most importantly, view the process of flea prevention as fun!!! Or at least as a great chance to bond more with your pets flea 22

24 combing, feeding great food, exercising, bathing, and treating. Fleas are a great incentive to keep your home squeaky clean. Building health is always a great goal, so the joy of years with no fleas in your flea comb and none seen in your light traps means you are on the right path to a long and healthy life for your pets. Sad to say, often we get busy and do not take the time to allow our pets to nurture us. They are always ready for an hour walk, or kitty play time, or snuggle times when we really focus on them. Often we relish them being near us while we attend to other matters (even TV watching). So knowing we need to be flea combing and treating can actually encourage us to focus on our pets, thus improving our well-being and theirs. 23

25 CHAPTER 3: CHEMICAL OR NATURAL TREATMENTS? Wait this is a book about natural flea control, so why am I talking about chemical means to kill or prevent fleas? First, you are surrounded by media advertising, promising you a quick fix squeeze this gel or give this pill. The goal of conventional veterinarians is total extermination of fleas by continued use of flea chemicals year around. They know that just topical or oral monthly treatments are insufficient, and it is essential to treat the yard, house and pets repeatedly. What they do not know is that chemicals are not needed to be completely flea free. To help you choose the more natural way, it is useful to see the differences in the natural and chemical approaches. Second, there are times when natural methods fail or circumstances dictate a quick fix may be best. Understanding how to use chemical pesticides and their negative consequences to pets, people and the planet helps you choose when and if to use them. Learning about the potential negatives may help all family members agree to use the slightly more time intensive natural approaches. CHEMICAL CHOICE Too often we go for the kill. We are scared by our pets itching and the loss of hair associated with scabs and red skin. And we are not able to sleep at night because of their itching. Or the fleas are biting us and we are scared to walk barefoot in the 24

26 house. Or fleas are biting us and our children during the night in bed. Ads appear every hour on most TV channels for the quick chemical fixes. Your conventional veterinarian, doing her best with the training she has, prescribes chemicals and drugs to treat the pets, house and yard. We are encouraged to use the chemicals year-round so we never see a flea. Often we are so worried that we do not question our veterinarian about recommendations like vaccines, flea, tick and heartworm preventatives. One choice for flea control, then, is to apply a chemical monthly or use an oral medication on a monthly basis even if you see no fleas. You carefully read and follow the warnings about not letting the topical chemical touch you or your children - but wait it is touching your cherished pet family member! But then the fleas mutate to become immune to the chemicals, or after several treatments the pets have a negative physical response, or you begin to worry about the use of petro-chemicals and pharmaceuticals that can harm our pets and the environment. Recently I met an incredible cat named Joey when visiting a relative in New York. He was so agile and active that he jumped the garden gate regularly to visit the beach across the street. A friend came in, wondering where he was since the beach goers were asking for him. A search found him flat out and limp under a bench on the deck. As I began to examine him I saw an oily spot on his neck. Oh, I just put on some flea prevention because he was itching the last few days. I only use it 2 or 3 times a year when he is itching. He has never been 25

27 sick before. I got some mild dish detergent and scrubbed the oily spot then rinsed it well. Luckily I had some Rescue Remedy with me (every person needs to have an emergency flower essence with them) which I rubbed on his feet, ears and down his back. I did Reiki (again, all of us would be healthier and have healthier pets if we were trained in Reiki, Quantum touch, Reconnective Therapy or other energetic modalities) for 5 minutes. He stood up, shook himself, then walked over to the gate. While he could not jump over the gate, once I opened it he trotted across the driveway to the beach with good energy. In 2013 a colleague reported that a very ill middle-aged cat had to be hospitalized after receiving a second ever dose of a topical flea treatment 3-4 days before (months before, the first dose apparently caused no harm). She was not eating, lethargic, and had a very low white blood cell count. Some cats and dogs show no illness when being given chemical flea treatments and preventatives, others instantly become very ill. Still others, like Joey, become ill on their 4 th, 15 th or 30 th application. Still others just seem happier and more active when these treatments are not being used. Some people feeding their pets a fresh food diet and a few supplements never see a flea, while others, equally committed to the natural approach, have to try many approaches to stay flea free. Sometimes we do need to use the chemicals, but knowing there can be side effects, we take steps to watch for problems and minimize the number of treatments. A client with two fairly healthy, middle-aged cats had a difficult last trimester of her pregnancy, then put the cats 26

28 outdoors when she had to rush suddenly to the hospital for a short stay. When she and her husband came home with the newborn, they let the cats back in and suddenly there were fleas everywhere. The fleas bit the two adults, who were also afraid to put their baby down on the floor or even on chairs. They spent one week bathing the cats and using natural approaches, while sleeping little (colicky baby and trouble nursing). Though there were fewer fleas, they needed to use a quick kill chemical treatment twice. Had they been using a flea preventative early on (like Shoo Tags) they may have had no problem. But since the cats had been healthy and they had never seen fleas before, they would not have thought of this. The cats showed no negative effects to the chemicals used and the next summer they had no fleas. What are the studies now showing about the safety of chemical treatments? Inactive as well as active ingredients have now been linked to serious health effects. (See the appendix for more details.) Sometimes chemicals do not work and over time, as the fleas mutate, new chemicals are developed and sold. The production of these chemicals may also harm the environment. This book will not cover which conventional chemicals to use because they do change. With integrative approaches you may still need, on occasion, to use one of these killers and your integrative veterinarian (or a conventional one) will be able to inform you of the best choices for that year in terms of safety and efficacy. Usually your pet will experience no problem if chemicals are used rarely, so if there is a reaction just treat it holistically and move on. If you have been trained in the holistic energy modality Reiki, use Reiki on 27

29 the chemical before administering it. This may prevent or lessen side effects. HOLISTIC CHOICE Today we are focusing on more natural ways to keep fleas off our pets and out of our yards and houses. Most importantly the focus is on ways to improve your pet s immune system so their blood just doesn t taste as good to the fleas and so there is improved health in general. Although this approach may be more time consuming, there are many benefits: 1. Improved health and a longer life. 2. No worries about possible toxic effects of chemicals on you, your children, the environment and your pets. 3. Often less expensive. 4. The daily hands on care deepens your relationships with your companion pets. 5. A lower environmental footprint to help our planet. Remember that the presence of fleas indicates your pet is not completely healthy. This is another reason to not use chemical preventives unless you must. If you see fleas, you know you need to work on the overall health of your pets. If you are using the chemicals monthly you will be missing clues to low health status. NATURAL STEPS TO BEING FLEA FREE: 1. Improve general health and the immune system of your pets; 28

30 2. Early Warning System and early protection; 3. Treating the yard in ways that are safe to you and the planet; 4. Treating the house & car keep the indoor environment squeaky clean, using mechanical (not chemical) ways to kill the fleas; 5. Treating your pets (sources for all products mentioned in this book can be found at a. Supplements b. Repellent tags c. Bathing d. Rinsing e. Topicals on the skin f. Crystals e. Building true health to permanently prevent major flea infestations. Always you have the choice for either natural or chemical treatments to keep you and your pets flea free. In the 27 years I have lived in Maryland with 8 cats (and a few stray cats and dogs I found a home for), I have never had to use a chemical treatment. Rarely have I needed to do more than use a flea comb for a week or two. 29

31 In the first few years, when I was still feeding mostly processed canned food (good quality) and some fresh food, I would have some summers where I needed to use a flower essence on the cats, and to mist it around the house and yard, as well as flea combing for several weeks twice during the summer. None of my cats ever had allergic reactions to fleas. As I transitioned over to a raw food diet, even Molly (who had a chronic respiratory condition I could not completely cure) never had more than one or two fleas. When I saw a flea on Ed (last time 5 years ago) I put out a flea trap and never saw a flea again, so that was just a transient, not the beginning of an infestation. I know Maryland is not the humid south, but many cats and dogs in my neighborhood have consistent flea issues. Some of my clients, who follow every health guideline, are still plagued by fleas and flea allergies, so we always have more to learn and try. If you have flea problems, keep reading this book for many more things to try that are healthier than chemical approaches. 30

32 CHAPTER 4: THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPROVING THE OVERALL HEALTH OF YOUR PETS The presence of fleas is usually a reflection of the underlying lack of health with your pet, which can be attractive to fleas. Some very ill pets do not attract fleas, while some apparently healthy ones seem to be flea magnets. A very healthy pet on a great diet is unlikely to get fleas. The best way to prevent fleas is to improve the immune system of your pet through nutrition, exercise, no or minimal (none after first year except rabies) vaccines and holistic treatment. By not using monthly flea treatments you will have another clue to the health of your pet(s) since the presence of fleas indicates a weaker immune system and you will not be facing potential toxic reactions to chemicals. Dr. Jeff Levy, DVM, an excellent homeopathic veterinarian, echoes this, saying: "Have you ever wondered why some cats and dogs have severe flea problems, while others are hardly bothered by the little pests? Fleas can be viewed as an indicator of a pet's general health. Parasites in general, and fleas in particular, are most attracted to the weak, unhealthy, or very young pet whose immune system is not functioning well. The long-term solution to a flea problem is to reduce your pet's susceptibility to fleas by improving his/her health." There certainly are exceptions (one pet on chemotherapy or with terminal kidney disease may not get fleas and an apparently healthy young dog does get fleas). 31

33 NOTE: See Chapter 11 for some early warning signs of health imbalances in your pets. You ll be able to read more later in this book about building health. I suspect, however, that you probably bought this book because you have a flea problem now and want to learn more about natural, safe and effective solutions. So let s see how to eliminate these pests quickly, and then you can begin working on building better health. 32

34 CHAPTER 5: EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS: FLEA COMBING & LIGHT TRAPS Start now if you have any concerns about fleas with these three easy steps. FLEA COMBING AND SEARCHING FOR FLEA DIRT Buy a great flea comb with the teeth positioned super close together. Buy several so they are in easy reach wherever you are sitting. Your local pet store (holistic or regular) should have a selection of good ones. Hold the different brands in your hand, as certain handles may be more comfortable for you. Use the flea comb regularly (one to three times a day once you have seen fleas) to detect any fleas or flea feces (tiny dark black, gritty, debris which turns red when wet). You will often see the flea debris before seeing the fleas themselves. The flea comb can also be used to remove fleas, especially on cats and small dogs who do not like baths. On dogs, you will commonly find flea debris on the back, just in front of the base of the tail. If a dog has very thick hair so the flea comb cannot get down to the skin, you may find the scratch for dirt method easier. Have your dog stand with its rear over a white surface paper, pillow case, white floor or table. Scratch the area just in front of the base of the tail, scratching deeply to stir up any debris stuck on the skin. Brush towards the tail with your hand or a brush so any debris will land on the white surface. Then look at the debris. If it is 33

35 brownish black so you are not sure if it is dirt or flea dirt, moisten the debris if it turns red, it is flea feces. Cats may have flea dirt both at the tail base and behind their ears. Fleas and flea dirt can be found anywhere on the body. I have had clients bring in a dog with a mild skin irritation (a kind of scabby eruption) on the abdomen that looks like flea dirt, but nothing falls off. Remember, flea dirt will be loose and turns red when wet. On cats or dogs, the area with thin hair on the abdomen may let you see fleas scurrying around. Often they congregate around the neck of cats. If your pet hates being flea combed, check the type of comb you are using. Some have teeth with sharp edges. If your pet has not been trained to allow you to groom them, and enjoy the experience, you will need to gently begin training them. The best way is to start training them as babies to let you comb them, groom them, and look in their ears, eyes and mouth. One trick to having your cat or dog let you flea comb it for 5 to 10 minutes is to be very slow and gentle with them. Keep your voice soft, take just one or two strokes with the flea comb, then look on the comb for fleas while you gently stroke your pet. These steps may be needed more with cats and small dogs. Stay attentive to what your pet is feeling and stop just before she/he gets uncomfortable. Have a regular routine to search for fleas and ticks. Pick a time, preferably in the evening when you pets are settled in 34

36 for the night. Don t worry if they have to go out later for a brief time to go potty. 1. Start by telling them what you are going to do and that they will get a treat at the end. 2. Look at (and around) their eyes as fleas can be attracted by tears. 3. Move to just behind the ears and around the neck, as cats and some dogs attract fleas here. Use the flea comb. If the hair is too thick, part it to look for fleas or flea dirt. Use a flashlight or headlamp if your light is not great. 4. Move down to the back, searching and flea combing as much as possible. 5. The top of the hips to where the tail joins the back is an area where you are likely to find flea dirt. On light colored pets you will see the black specks easily. Use the flea comb to pick them up. On darker pets you need to vigorously scratch the back near the tail, brushing everything you have stirred up onto a white cloth or paper as described above. 6. Then examine the belly of your dog or cat, looking for fleas scurrying around. Because the hair is thin there, you can usually see the fleas moving, even on dark colored pets. 7. Now you reward your pet with a game, catnip, a food treat, your attention, anything that your companion loves. Fleas have an amazing hopping ability so they can hop right off the flea comb and into your couch or rug if you are not quick and vigilant. You can dip the flea comb into Kleen Green or 35

37 other enzyme products and the fleas die on contact. One method is to do your flea combing outside, or in the shower or sink. Another is to have a bowl of soapy water or alcohol beside you so you can dip the flea comb with the fleas into it. The soap prevents the fleas from jumping out. Or you can have a cloth moistened with soap or alcohol to press the fleas into. Some people just squash the fleas on the comb. I like to let the flea know that I respect it s right to live but need to have it not be on my animals and in my home. Do not panic if one flea escapes. You are treating the house, so be sure to treat the room where the flea escaped and that flea will probably die. Remember they need to eat frequently and die if no meals are available in 22 hours. (Sources for all products mentioned in this book can be found at If you find fleas or flea dirt, you need to treat the house, yard and pets, then move into the next steps to improve their health. FLEA TRAPS LIGHT TRAPS Flea traps are miraculous when they work. I have never figured out why they only work in some houses and not others, or at some times and not others. The premise is that fleas are attracted to heat or light, then you use a method to trap them soapy water or sticky paper. Studies have shown that fleas are attracted to light in wavelengths of nm. They are more attracted to yellow-green than white lights. They will travel up to 26 feet to get to a light, especially if it is an intermittent one (though it usually works fine with a regular bulb). They are attracted to heat, so a light bulb 36

38 putting out heat helps. Some people have put the bowl of soapy water or sticky paper on a heating pad. Or do all of the above! While you can purchase $50 light traps, homemade ones (free) seem to be equally as effective. I once picked up an old beagle who had been dumped on the roadside and brought her home, fed her then went to bed. She slept at the top of our steps. In the morning I realized she was full of fleas hundreds of them, so I put her outside with her food before taking her to the clinic to be bathed and find a new home she did get a new family and lived several more years. I put the flea trap in my office, down the hall from where she slept. The first morning 30 fleas were in the saucer filled with soapy water, then 10, then 1 for a few days, then none. The two years that I have seen one or two fleas on my cat Ed, the flea trap yielded no fleas. This showed me that the fleas on Ed were merely accidental visitors, not an invasion. These flea traps can be a great early warning system. Set several up around your home when you and your pets are going on vacation. When you return home, put on a pair of while socks with the bottoms of your slacks tucked into them (or wear shorts or a dress) and walk through every room in your home. As you check the flea traps and unpack, check your white socks for flea dirt and actual fleas. Set the trap especially if: 1. You have had fleas in past years and it is not freezing winter; 2. Anytime you have seen fleas on you or any pets in your home; 37

39 3. Your neighbors have seen fleas or you have had visitors with fleas. 4. You are ready to move into a new home that had dogs and/or cats, even if the landlord says it was sprayed. If you see any fleas in your traps in the water, on the sticky, or on your white socks get going with treating everything. Flea traps are the safest and least expensive way to eliminate adult fleas from the house when you know you have a flea problem. 1. Set up bowls on every floor, or in sectors of your home until you see which bowls attract fleas and focus just on those. 2. Place the soapy water bowls or sticky paper where your pets will not interfere. You could put a basket or cage over the lamp and bowl/paper or just keep your pets out of the rooms when the traps are set. 3. If mosquitoes are a problem in your home, remember to change the water in your traps daily so mosquitoes will not breed in the bowls. Continue setting your flea traps until no fleas have been seen for a week or you get tired setting them. One client who had severe flea issues after moving into a new house used them for 10 months straight, even though there were no fleas after the first two months. 38

40 FLEA TAGS Another wonderful, safe, early prevention against fleas (and ticks, mosquitoes, and other bugs) are tags coded with the vibrational pattern of each bug. Tags you attach to the collar have specific electromagnetic fields to repel ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, fleas and other insects. Many practitioners and clients have used them, though some have said that metal tags work better than plastic ones. If they are put on in late spring, or before the time you normally find fleas - they can be very effective. If they get caught on something and fall off, or you are worried about that, you can sew them into a cloth collar, or tape them flat onto the collar and they still work fine. Because of my concern for health damages from electromagnetic frequencies (cell phones, WiFi and especially Smart Meters used to measure electric usage in your home), I have researched these and feel they are safe. Several companies make these tags and they all seem equally good Shoo Tags; Only Natural Pet Easy Defense Flea & Tick Tag for Dogs & Cats; Pawtect. There are also tags with chemicals to prevent fleas, so you want to avoid these. Always read the product ingredients before purchasing, even for ones I recommend. Several companies use essential oils in collars, for topical use, and one has it in a tag Bug Bam. Supplements, flower essences, garlic and yeast can be started as an early prevention if you are worried about fleas because you have had them in the past, or a neighbor had them, etc. 39

41 These are covered in detail in a following section. (Sources for all products mentioned in this book can be found at THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS TREATING EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME Once you see fleas on you, in your home, or on one of your pets, the key to eliminating them is to treat the yard, the house/apartment/car, all the pets and even yourself at the same time, and repeat treatments as needed to break the life cycle of the fleas. Since fleas are survivalists, they may hop a ride on your clothes even if your cat or dog never goes outside. You will be the judge of when to begin the intensive effort. If you see one or a few fleas, you may just continue to flea comb, have the light trap out, put on the Shoo tag you had forgotten to buy or increase the use of supplements. Or if you ve had significant problems with fleas before, finding one flea may mean you get started on all fronts. Maybe you wait until you have seen fleas for a week, or have actually seen them in the house before you begin to treat everything. As with many things in life, there is no correct answer. 40

42 CHAPTER 6: TREATING YOUR YARD When I was a conventional veterinarian, I complacently said, Treat your yard. Well, there are yards and there are yards. Some have acres of yard, others a tiny spot behind a townhouse. Some have neighbors whose pets are inundated with fleas, while other neighbors are using too many chemicals. Some have grass, some natural weedy greens, rocks or gardens. Some cats and dogs roam all over the yard, some seem to hang out in one area. This chapter covers a wide variety of treatments, so you can tailor the treatments to the need. As holistically oriented people, our goal is not to kill every flea in the world. We want our pets and ourselves to not get bit by fleas, nor have allergies to them. Building the health of your yard with few to no petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides, planting native species and encouraging natural insect populations will go far to prevent an overabundance of any pests, and an acceptance of some of them. Again, if your pets are really healthy, fleas will just not want to jump on them and they will not develop allergic reactions to a few flea bites. When my small hillside garden started wilting from the formic acid put out by too many ants, I started digging them up and moving them. The plants still did not thrive too many ants. Then I told the ants that I would use chemicals to kill them they were all gone by the next day and 20 years later there are none in that area. Other ant hills I have left as they do not seem to affect the plants, and their population is not growing. Why do I rarely see fleas (one flea every 2-3 years until 2016 when my cat suddenly had 20 fleas in one combing) when 41

43 some of my neighbors see fleas often? Luck? Healthy cats? Healthy yard? Create the healthiest possible yard, then use flea deterrents only when needed. Several websites on flea control say you should keep your grass cut very short as the larvae like to hide in moist, dark areas. I disagree with this advice. In my experience, keeping your grass short will not decrease your flea population. If you are dealing with a major infestation of hundreds of fleas and everyone is covered and you are ready to resort to chemicals, it may help to cut your grass very short for a month or two. It is not good for the planet to do this on a regular basis. BENEFICIAL NEMATODES Most outside treatments, even diatomaceous earth, may harm good insects as well as fleas. Since ants eat flea larvae, think twice before you kill ants. A good product safe for most beneficial bugs is made from dehydrated nematodes (very tiny worms) that you mix with water and spray on your yard. These nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae) eat flea larvae and pupas. They don't upset the normal and helpful bugs and bacteria in your yard. There are many versions of this popular product, and most pet stores, veterinary clinics and internet stores carry one or more brands of nematode sprays and give you directions for local application times. Because nematodes only eat the flea larvae, it s an effective way to prevent them becoming adults that would come near your home and hop on you and the pets. Of course, your dog or cat could still pick up adult fleas (if not healthy) when on walks or outside your yard. 42

44 Good enough, you say, but I have a three-acre yard! Reducing the number of fleas in the areas where your pets spend the most of their time can help decrease the number of fleas in your home. If you have acres of yard, then spray merely those areas where your pets spend the most time as well as a barrier zone around the house. If this is not working, you may need to spray more. Or you may spray cedar products (more later) on the edge of the yard and nematodes in heavily used areas. Another trick on a very hot and sunny day when your dog will not be in the yard is to spread black plastic over the area your pet hangs out to bake the flea larvae (other life cycle states are resistant, so you do need to repeat this treatment). Knowing the proper times to apply the nematodes and paying attention to the expiration date are critical. Do not merely buy the product the first time over the internet. Go to a clinic, small pet store or maybe a local garden center with very knowledgeable staff who can tell you: 1. When to apply; 2. How often to apply and how to actually do it; 3. What weather conditions mean you need to re-apply amount of rain, or temperatures, for instance (in dry conditions they do not work well, so we are lucky that few fleas live in arid climates); 4. When this product has expired (may not be the actual date on the bottle). EAT THOSE FLEAS! The most sustainable way to eliminate fleas is to have free range chickens, turkeys or guinea hens. They love to eat fleas (and ticks) so your pets will have none. They also eat 43

45 grasshoppers, Japanese beetles and mosquitoes. When a local free-range chicken farm started, they kept the small flocks near the house and their dog had no ticks. When they moved the chickens into outlying pastures, their dogs got ticks. Because their dogs were healthy, they did not get fleas with or without the presence of chickens. Guineas in particular are relentless insect-eaters. The Guinea Fowl Breeders Association reports that 65 percent of its members have noticed radical declines in tick populations after they began keeping guineas. Even a lot of suburban and even urban areas do allow chickens (or have no rules against them). The bonus is eggs for you and your pets and fertilizer for your yard and garden. Guineas are great watch pets as well, though neighbors may not like their noise. Just keeping them in a pen will not work they need to have time to range or you need to use a chicken tractor that you move from place to place. Some breeds of chickens need to eat much less grain, which keeps down your costs (Icelandic are one). ESSENTIAL OIL PRODUCTS Wondercide is 90% silica (which is dehydrating in itself) and 10% cedar oil, which repels fleas, ticks and other bugs. Colleagues of mine are successfully using Wondercide as a perimeter spray, especially to keep ticks out of the yard. Because it is mostly cedar oil, it is totally safe for pets, plants and water. One concern, even with Wondercide, is that people or animals can become sensitive to cedar (or of course any substance), so when there are skin reactions in you or your animals, see if it 44

46 connects to any topical or environmental product you are using. My concern for all these products is environmental sustainability, so you need to evaluate the components of each product. Wondercide does use 1 or 2 chemicals to make them easily dissolve in water. They are made from corn (bad for the environment due to GMO issues) and have a hint of being carcinogenic at super high levels (ethyl lactate and sodium lauryl sulfate). While there are some safety concerns, it is only for very large amounts of use. Again, once your dogs and cats are super healthy you will not need to use them. Nature Barrier is a granular product of multiple oils to repel insects on a cellulose base. It is very aromatic. They are excellent for mosquitoes, so I would use this if you had a dog birthday party or a lot of visiting dogs who may bring over fleas and ticks OTHER YARD SOLUTIONS An environmentally sustainable product that is super safe for animals and humans is Kleen Green, made with enzymes (protease, amylase, cellulose, lipase) that dissolve the shells of many insects or cause them to molt prematurely. One problem is that using this in the yard would kill good bugs as well as fleas, ticks and flea larvae, so it would be best for small areas where the animals spend a lot of time, or near a fox den or areas you think are generating the fleas. Natural Genisis also carries a good Diatomaceous Earth product and many other human-safe products for bugs based on their enzyme technology. 45

47 Diatomaceous Earth read more about this in the next chapter. I do not encourage its use in the yard as it kills good bugs along with the fleas. Soil test your yard and if it needs lime, or could tolerate lime, this can be used to dehydrate the fleas. Citrus Spray: citrus peals, any kind, broken up and scattered over the house and yard helped some people. Others put citrus peels into the blender with water, making a spray liquid for carpets, dog bedding, yard and even to spray on the dog (cats do not like the smell). Neem Oil has been used for centuries as an anti-parasitic as its odor is repellent and the azadirachtin works to prevent reproduction as well as hinder feeding ability. Again because it is non-specific for fleas or ticks, I would use it in high flea areas only. Flea Free, from Green Hope Essences, has been successfully used in a very spiritual way to treat the yard. I have had success in the early years when I was still seeing fleas on my cats. You stand in your yard and mist some of the essence, asking the fleas to please stay out of your yard. The same can be done in the house. Other companies also have 100% safe flower essences that can be used in the same way (Spirit Essences, Anaflora and more). 46

48 CHAPTER 7: TREATING YOUR HOUSE AND CAR Remember that the flea larvae are the most vulnerable stage and must eat organic debris, especially flea dirt. They live in dark, moist areas. Flea eggs are tiny, white and slippery, easily picked up by your vacuum cleaner. Adult fleas will be vacuumed, trapped in the flea trap, desiccated by mechanical means. The cocoons are not vulnerable to anything, which is why you need to continue some vigilance for several months (the light trap, occasional white sock walks, powders or sprays in cracks and corners and the best early warning the flea comb). I am giving multiple suggestions in this chapter as there is no one successful approach to flea control until your pets are super healthy and your yard in good ecological balance. FLEA TRAPS The flea traps we talked about before are essential for eliminating adult fleas as well as having an early detection system. If you have fleas, be sure to use one form of the flea trap (experiment to see what works best) in multiple rooms in your home and continue their use for several months after all fleas are gone (to catch those new ones now hatching from the cocoons) and when you are on vacation with your pets away as well. If you have had significant fleas, I would use them for at least a year. 47

49 VACUUM Vacuuming is also great for treatment, as well as a key early prevention step. And it is almost free! Remember the larvae eat flea feces and other debris, so the cleaner the house the less they have to eat. You can eliminate up to 50 percent of flea eggs in a single pass with a vacuum," says Michael Dryden, professor of veterinary parasitology at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Some of his experiments showed that vacuuming provided the same level of control at the pupal stage as a synthetic pesticides. Dryden recommends vacuuming carpets at least once a week or as often as every day during peak flea season, usually middle to late summer. I would suggest this only if you actually have a flea infestation or very allergic pets or people. Other studies on vacuuming have shown 90% of eggs and 50% of adult fleas are removed from carpets; 20% larvae and 40% eggs; 95% of adult fleas. Pay special attention to any areas where your pets may lie and remember to clean underneath sofas and chairs. Also vacuum cushions, pillows and between crevices on upholstered furniture (and wash if possible). For those with wood floors, vacuum the cracks very carefully as the eggs and larvae can easily hide there. Again, this is why we need multiple approaches. You may not be able to vacuum all the cracks, but other approaches will either address the floors or the newly hatched adults. If fleas, or flea dirt, are on your pets, vacuum daily and carefully. Keep 1T borax (or diatomaceous earth, salt or Borate powder) in your vacuum bags so the eggs you vacuum 48

50 up do not hatch and crawl back out. Or discard each bag with each use (not as good for the environment). If you have severe or recurrent problems with fleas, the best thing to do is buy a water canister vacuum. BORIC ACID PRODUCTS Remember our goal is to mechanically kill the fleas, so something that dehydrates them is effective. A commercial company, Flea Busters, used to have franchises all over the United States. Now these come to your home companies are only in limited states. Check their website to see if one is near you they do the work and you get the guarantee. Their powdered product is for sale in many places (and their website) so you can apply it to your own home with the same year-long guarantee. Benefits of their product include needing only small amounts (finely milled) and lasting a long time as it clings to the carpet and furnishings even when vacuumed (statically charged). With careful application it will go into the cracks and crevices of a hardwood floor. No part of the flea cycle will hang out on the slippery part of the wood or tile floors. The neutral ph is safe for carpets. Of course you want to carefully follow their instructions to get the year-long guarantee. Vacuum carefully, cover electronic equipment, spread the powder everywhere focusing on areas your pets spend the most time. If carpeted, use a broom to brush the powder deep into the rugs. For other floors, brush into the cracks, crevices and corners. Then vacuum any loose powder. If rugs are steam cleaned, you need to re-treat. 49

51 Many people use borax or baking soda in the same manner. The difference is the fine milling (you could process in the food processor) and the static cling. DIATOMACEOUS EARTH (DE) Most importantly, there are two basic kinds of DE safe and not safe. The not safe kind is used in filters, especially pool filters. It has been chemically treated and can cause health damage to you and your pets. The food grade, garden store or organic DE is what you want to purchase. The downside to the environment is that it has to be mined (so having a healthy pet and yard is the best). It is very inexpensive, so it will save you a lot of money over chemical flea bombs, in addition to being non-toxic. How does DE work? Can fleas adapt to it? Unlike the chemical killers that fleas often become immune to in several years, the geometric skeletons of dead diatoms (fresh and sea water algae) have very sharp edges that cut the flea s exoskeleton, causing it to dehydrate. This is why I do not list DE as a major yard solution. I do not want all the good bugs to be killed along with the fleas and ticks. As you will see, it can also be used on pets. The one possible side effect of even the food grade DE is as a lung irritant, so avoid breathing large amounts of the dust or letting your pets breathe a lot. If you have a very serious infestation of fleas, keep the pets out of the house or out of the area you are treating and wear a mask yourself while applying DE. Once the dust settles, there is no danger. 50

52 There are several ways to use DE depending on the number of fleas in your home. The idea is to have the larvae be in contact with the DE. Larvae look for dark area like cracks, corners, under furniture. When you see the first few fleas, vacuum well then carefully put DE in all those dark, out of the way areas. If adult fleas are jumping up on your ankles and you see a large number on your pets you need to be more aggressive. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth (from organic gardening places or natural pet companies) around the house, especially in the cracks and out of way areas. Focus on each area the pets spend a lot of time beds (need to be washed, too), couches (under the cushions), etc. Let it sit 12 hours or so and then vacuum carefully and mop the hard floors. After vacuuming you can put DE in the cracks between floor boards, work it deep into carpets and in any area where your pets are not sniffing, lying, or playing best not to leave loose powder around. Another way to use DE is to dissolve it with warm water in a ratio of 1 3 teaspoons per cup. Then you can fill a discarded spray bottle and spray hard to reach areas or anywhere. This would be particularly useful if your family has any asthma or respiratory problems. Do test it on different surfaces in your home and let it dry. For instance, it can be slick on tile, marmoleum or linoleum floors and possibly some other surfaces. If not slick or causing discoloration, this can be a good approach for hardwood floors, and the cracks between the boards. DE needs to be repeated frequently (again this depends on your infestation), but at least three times over a month to kill all emerging larvae. 51

53 ENZYME PRODUCT Kleen Green (discussed in yard section) uses enzymes to dissolve the flea exoskeleton, and digest dirt in the house, especially in those tiny cracks in a hardwood floor, or at the bottom of rug fibers. Since the flea larvae eat dirt, this is a great partner to the increased frequency of vacuuming. Totally safe and leaving no residue, preformed enzymes are being increasingly used in restaurants and other commercial settings due to their low toxicity and superior cleaning properties. Many companies carry a variety of these commercial cleaners. Do follow the dilution directions, especially if spraying any house plants, and do a test spray on carpets, furniture or wood floor. Because there is no residual, this will need to be repeated weekly in any area harboring fleas. SALT Salt can also kill fleas and other bugs in your home by drying them out. While I have heard of few people using this method, there have been some successes with it. Some have combined salt with the boric acid products. Others have powdered both in a blender to spread more easily, or dissolved in water (be sure the area, when dry, is not slippery tiles, for instance). ESSENTIAL OIL PRODUCTS, FLOWER ESSENCES AND NEEM Wondercide and other essential oil products have different preparations in a spray or powder to be used in the home and on the bedding. Any of these can be successful and tend to build up over time so less frequent application is needed. 52

54 When you have cats in the home with their super sensitive noses, be observant of their reactions to essential oils. Many feel that the safest oils for cats are Cedarwood, Lemongrass, Peppermint, and Rosemary. I have seen damage in some cats with Tea Tree Oil and citrus oils such as orange and lemon, but mainly when used topically. Another option is to sprinkle powdered Chrysanthemum flowers and vacuum in three days. There are many Chrysantheum products using the possibly harmful Pyrethrins, so it must say only the chrysanthemum flower on the label, not Pyrethrin or other Phyre- prefixes. There are also a lot of chemical copies of the insect repellent esters in Chrysanthemums that can be fairly toxic and not sustainable. Neem oil (see the yard section) can be sprayed on bedding and around the house. You can also mist flower essences (more on these in the topical treatment section) around the house as discussed in the yard section. These applications should be repeated every 1-10 days until fleas have been gone for several weeks. (Sources for all products mentioned in this book can be found at 53

55 CHAPTER 8: TREATING YOUR PETS TOPICALLY AND INTERNALLY First we will learn strategies to remove fleas from your pets, and then we will work on the main goal building the health of all pets in your home so fleas and other parasites will rarely be a problem. The key to true health and a great immune system is a great diet and keeping track of any health problems, especially the early warning signs of ill health in a journal ( For most pets a diet of raw (or maybe cooked) meat from great free-range sources and other fresh foods in the right proportions is ideal. Next best is natural pet food, supplemented with fresh food. Most pets are healthier when fewer chemicals and vaccines are in their lives. More on this later. You have seen fleas and flea dirt! Next steps: Bathe or flea comb to remove the fleas, and then take steps to prevent the fleas. BATHING Baths can be given whenever you see much flea dirt (or fleas). If you see one or two fleas and no flea dirt, just do a good flea comb and exam. If you find no more fleas and no dirt, there is no need yet for a bath. Make sure you have the early treatments in place daily or more flea combing, Shoo tag, light traps and maybe one of the flower essences sprayed on your pet, in the house and yard. I would start by using the Kleen Green enzyme product in the right dilution, and saturate the dog or cat. Because it 54

56 desiccates the flea, most will die immediately. Massage in well, then follow with a shampoo. Many flea shampoos are formulated with herbs or essential oils, or chemicals. In truth, any good quality non-medicated shampoo, lathered up well and left on minutes will remove fleas. If you have pre-rinsed with the enzyme product, you may not need the shampoo to stay on as long (look for the fleas to tell you). Using shampoos made for cats or for dogs is important if you have to repeat bathing frequently since there are differences in skin ph. Do look for companies using environmentally sustainable packaging as their ingredients will usually be the safest. For the rare flea shampoo, it is fine to use any mild soap or shampoo. Flea comb and massage your dog or cat while the shampoo is smothering the fleas. Apply the shampoo to a dry dog for better effect. Sing to your dog or cat, talk silly, laugh and make this fun for all. Rinse two to three times. Be sure to always check for any residual fleas or flea dirt after your pet is dry and remove these, or you will think you are re-infested when you check the next few days. For cats who do not like baths, you can spend the time to remove all fleas and flea dirt just with a flea comb. You can use small amounts of the diluted Kleen Green as you comb (or on the comb). Do not use tea tree oil on cats, even if it is in a shampoo labeled for cats. If the skin of your pet has any bumps, hot spots, or scratches from scratching the fleas, add some Rescue Remedy to the final rinse. 55

57 RINSES Many plants can be made into rinses to use after the bath, or even to spritz on before each walk to prevent fleas from hopping on your dog or cat. Every coat responds uniquely, so find what is best for your individual pet. The next section has many more topical treatments. Steep 2 cups of fresh rosemary in boiling water for 30 minutes, discard the leaves and add a gallon of warm water. When cool, pour over your pets after a bath, or just before a walk on a hot day. Roughen the outside of an organic lemon with a grater, slice the lemon into a pint of boiling water, boil for 20 minutes, and let sit overnight. Or merely cut a lemon in slices and soak overnight. Fresh or dried Lavender, Pennyroyal and Eucalyptus can be either boiled or just soaked as above. Use for dogs only. Neem tea leaves can be brewed for a rinse. Now let s do some things to keep those fleas from coming back. SUPPLEMENTS Any of the following can be started when you see fleas, or early in the summer, or whenever fleas usually appear in your area, or given year around, as all are beneficial for the health of your pets in general. Nutritional Yeast (1 teaspoon for a cat or small dog; up to 3 tablespoons for a big dog), is well known for repelling bugs as 56

58 it is full of B vitamins. Some people just take B vitamins, but pets seem to like eating yeast. Many commercial yeast tablets use specific types of yeast, extra B vitamins, garlic or herbs to make them more effective. Test out what your local holistic pet store caries or order on line. While some scientific studies say this is ineffective, decades of use, in my experience, says it is worth trying. Do not use the Brewer s yeast as the nutritional version is healthier in general. Garlic (1-4 cloves by size) or capsules. There are several commercial products that include yeast, garlic & more. These can be a regular part of preventing fleas and improving overall health. Many list serves and some veterinarians say that garlic causes anemia, along with onions. In the experience of most holistic veterinarians this is not true. I have never seen a problem in 30 years, and most holistic books suggest garlic internally for a wide variety of conditions. Multiple articles promote the use of garlic (Integrative Veterinary Care Journal, Animal Wellness, Equine Wellness, Dogs Naturally, Whole Pet Journal and more). Pet Guard food company has been selling yeast and garlic tabs for over 30 years without any medical problems. Springtime, Inc. has BugOff chewables that have been popular for years. Cider Vinegar, especially Bragg s organic, added to your dog s drinking water makes their skin more acidic and notat-all tasty to fleas. It also helps balance the ph in the body for improved health. Make sure your dog is still drinking the water. Unless you are sure the dog is drinking as much as usual, it may be better to put the vinegar into one meal a day. Different sources list dosages at 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon 57

59 for a 50 pound dog twice a day. Some cats will tolerate vinegar in their food. Since a healthy cat rarely drinks, and a less than healthy one can get dehydrated easily, this may not be the best strategy. Vinegar can also be diluted with water, and sprayed directly on the coat. Some sites say 50/50 dilution, some 1 teaspoon in 1 cup of water you can experiment as it is safe. Many cats hate being sprayed, others love it. TAGS These are really great early in the season if you have had fleas in the past. They are easy to put on, then you do nothing more and may never see a flea all season. There are specific tags for ticks, mosquitoes, fleas and other pests. NOTE: Please refer back to the section on Flea Tags in Chapter 5 for more details. It s important to remember that flea tags may not eradicate a major flea infestation (give a bath for that). They are best used for prevention. Also remember to avoid flea tags containing chemicals. Always read the product ingredients before purchasing, even for ones I recommend. TOPICAL TREATMENTS TO REPEL FLEAS Many topical products are now available. Always apply at home when treating with a spray, powder or after bath rinse as some pets are sensitive to even herbal treatments. Do not use very smelly products if your pet is being homeopathically 58

60 treated. Tea Tree oil is never good to use on cats. Be aware of even subtle signs that your pet, especially cats, are not comfortable with your choice of topical treatment. Also, for very young or very tiny animals, you need to use caution with any product natural or chemical and observe carefully for a few hours after bathing or treating topically. The enzyme product may be the safest for small pets or for very immune compromised animals. If the flower essences are effective, they are 100% safe, so you may want to start with them on the young ones. Diatomaceous Earth (see house treatment section) can be sprinkled along the spine of your pet, then slowly massaged down to cover the entire body all the way to the toes. Do this slowly so powder does not fly through the air in order to minimize inhalation by you and your pets ESSENTIAL OILS Many companies are now realizing the benefit of oils to repel fleas and they are responding to demand from caring parents for alternatives to potentially harmful chemicals. Remember, what works for one dog or cat may not work for another, so try one, then the next. Many commercial companies offer a money back guarantee. Multiple essential oil products are now available in sprays and powders. Since some oils have terpenes that can affect susceptible cats livers, research your choices carefully. I have seen damage in some cats with Tea Tree Oil and pennyroyal. Hydrosols (part of the production of essential oils) have none of the possibly toxic terpenes, so they can be a much better choice. 59

61 Vetri-Repel from VetriScience is made from oils used in the Amazon against insects. One staff person tested it in the summer of 2009 and one bottle kept ticks and fleas away all summer for herself, her two dogs and several cats. It is labeled safe for puppies and kittens. I would still be very cautious using it on cats as they may be offended by the odor of any essential oil. Try a tiny amount first. A few others are: Wondercide s Evolv; Pet Peeve Plus; Green Pet Fleaze-Off; Ectopamine; Tickoff (also has a flea and tick product with the safer for cats oils); You can mix up your own combinations of essential oils. I suggest mixing 1-5 drops of one or more of the following oils into 1 tablespoon of olive oil, grape seed oil or other mild carrier oil. Then add this mixture to 1 cup of water, shake and then spray on your dog. Rose Geranium (good for ticks, too), lemongrass, lavender, citronella, basil, cedar wood and peppermint are known to be effective against bugs of all types. Some veterinarians suggest never using essential oils on cats, others prefer the hydrosol preparation and others have no problem with them. While you need to be watchful for reactions, I find most are fine if they are super high quality. The problems seem to come from the aroma therapy type. If very inexpensive, they probably are not good to use. WARNING: All essential oil products must be organic and food grade. Since your pets will lick themselves, using contaminated oils may harm them. is a good source of current information about essential oils. 60

62 While Neem oil is not considered an essential oil, simply being pressed from the Neem tree seeds, it is often incorporated into the Essential Oil sprays and powders. It can be used by itself in an oil form (rub some on your hands, then ruffle the fur of your pet and rub all over), a shampoo, or a powder rubbed on before walks. Your hands may smell with any of these oils, so do not handle your homeopathic remedies until the odor has completely gone. FLOWER ESSENCES Many companies carry combinations of 100% safe flower essences that can be used internally and topically to prevent and discourage fleas and ticks from staying on your pet. They can also be used in your house or yard as well. Your intent to have the fleas leave without you needing to kill them will make these essences much more effective. I have misted them directly onto my cats or put one drop on my hands then rubbed it gently down the body. I have also misted both in the house and out of doors. In 27 years of personal experience, nutrition, good health and flower essences are all I have ever needed to be flea free. Also I have given flower essences orally, one drop straight or diluted in an alcoholic preparation. If your pet does not like that, dilute 1-2 drops in 1/4 cup of water and give a few drops a day, or put into a separate bowl of drinking water. A few drops can also be put in the food. Flower essences are most effective when used in multiple ways and when your pets are exposed to them many times each day. Flee Free from Green Hope Farms has been the best for my pets, though I have rarely seen fleas. Clients and other holistic 61

63 practitioners have had mixed results, as with any treatment. You need to find the safest method that works for your pets. It also lessens the number of ticks, but does not eliminate them all. Para-Outta-Site from Spirit Essences has been effective both for preventing fleas and ticks, and in eliminating tapeworms (fleas can ingest tiny tapeworm eggs that can develop into infective tapeworm larvae within the flea). When your pets lick at fleas on their body, some can get ingested and lead to tapeworms in your pets intestines. If a person eats an infected flea (usually this is a child) they can become infected as well. Other companies make combination essences that repel fleas, such as Be Gone from Anaflora Essences or Flea from Featherhawk. POWDERS Most of the substances mentioned above can be used in a powdered form: Neem, pyrethrum products made from 100% chrysanthemum flowers; herbs like rosemary; nutritional yeast; diatomaceous earth. You can buy commercial products or raise your own herbs, then dry and powder them. NATURAL/HERBAL COLLARS I have never found collars, herbal or chemical, to prevent fleas. Some people do find them magical. CRYSTALS Putting amethyst crystals in a separate bowl of water has been reported to repel fleas. While I have no experience with this, it 62

64 is reported to be completely safe and worth a try. Crystal collars or harnesses also purport to repel fleas. For walks: If your pet is bringing home a lot of fleas from outdoors, you can spray a light mist of the above natural flea sprays, flower essences or essential oils before walks to prevent the fleas from jumping on your pet. Or sprinkle some of the powders on the coat and rub in. Always check for fleas when they come back in the house with flea comb. Travel Tip: Prepare ahead of time for when you are traveling, since other areas may be loaded with fleas. If you are staying in a house or condo, bring a light trap (and set one up at home while you are gone), shampoo, flea comb, some borate powder or diatomaceous earth for the vacuum and your most effective topical treatment. If you do see fleas, vacuum immediately and continue daily. Before bringing your dog or cat into the rooms, walk through with white socks as the vibrations will wake up any fleas. (Sources for all products mentioned in this book can be found at 63

65 CHAPTER 9: STEPS TO IMPROVING THE OVERALL HEALTH OF YOUR PETS BUILDING HEALTH IS THE BEST PREVENTATIVE Do you ever wonder why your dog has fleas when your neighbor s dog does not? Have you ever had years with no fleas, and years where no chemicals seemed to help? Sometimes this is purely environmental fleas can be active in one area of a town for a few years, then they seem to move to another area. Frequently in my practice, one client would come in and be struggling with fleas, then the next two clients who lived nearby had no flea problems at all. Another reason for this observed variability is the general health of the pet. Vibrantly healthy pets rarely get fleas unless they are exposed to a houseful of fleas. Many pets appear healthy, having no diagnosable illness, yet show many subtle signs of an internal imbalance (you can find this list of these early warning signs in Chapter 11). These pets with internal health imbalances are more likely to have fleas. Building up the immune system and balancing the energy fields can help pets repel fleas as well as live a longer, healthier life. FOUR KEYS TO GREAT HEALTH FEED THE BEST DIET: Most pets thrive, as people do, on freshly prepared ingredients. The best in my opinion is to use locally grown, sustainably raised meats and vegetables. If your pets have struggled with fleas, the long-term solution may be as simple 64

66 as changing to a fresh food diet. My cats are fed 98% raw meat and vegetables from a local farm and never have more than 1-2 fleas per year, if that. VACCINATE THE LEAST: As with people, only some initial vaccines are needed. Distemper and Parvo for dogs, Cat distemper (Panleukopenia) and Rabies are all viral diseases, and vaccine protection for viral diseases lasts a lifetime in most pets. While you need to stay legal with Rabies (usually every 3 years), no other vaccines need be given after the initial set or two. LEARN HOLISTIC HEALING METHODS: Learn about holistic healing methods you can use to boost the immune system of your pets on a regular basis Reiki, Quantum Touch, Healing Touch for Pets, flower essence therapy and many more. If you are seeing fleas, you need to use these approaches more. CONSIDER PROFESSIONAL HELP If your pets still have fleas and have warning signs of internal imbalances, you may need professional help. Holistic treatment with homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM acupuncture and more) or other modalities may be needed to achieve the health level where fleas will not be attracted to your pets. There is no reliable homeopathic "magic flea remedy," as some claim. (See Appendix A for resources to find a good holistic/integrative veterinarian.) 65

67 Sometimes even the best diet and environmental care fails. If all fails and you have consulted with good holistic veterinarians or you have family emergencies use the chemicals. Using chemicals occasionally (every few years) should not seriously undermine the health of your pets or your family (unless an individual is very susceptible to those chemicals). Always be around for several hours after applying a chemical and follow the directions carefully. Be sure to treat the environment along with the pet. Check with your local pet store or veterinarian to know which chemicals are actually effective as the fleas do become immune and new chemicals need to be developed. Reiki can be used on the chemical treatments before giving them to decrease their negative impact. To learn a lot more about building health and to track which flea treatments are most successful and health building, my Healthy Animal Journal ( is the most useful tool you can buy. IN SUMMARY Fleas actually are great they warn us that our pets are not completely healthy on the inside. In addition to building health, there are many natural ways to eliminate fleas. The next chapter features comments from a few holistic veterinarians on flea control. 66

68 CHAPTER 10: TIPS FROM OTHER INTEGRATIVE (HOLISTIC) VETS Cheryl Schwartz, DVM, a teacher of the Chinese medical approach for pets, wrote a wonderful book Four Paws Five Directions A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Cats and Dogs. Holistic practitioners believe that an individual pet has to be in a vulnerable or susceptible condition to have a flea allergy. She describes energy imbalances from the Chinese perspective (blood deficiency of the liver or kidney, with heat and wind). She recommends a healthy diet that includes garlic, carrots, and cabbage. Controlling fleas can be helped with regular vacuuming and various borax type powders. Topically she suggests cedar, tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, and citronella essential oils. Don Hamilton, DVM, one of the leading homeopathic veterinarians, can be consulted by phone and wrote Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs. He agrees there are no easy answers to flea prevention. The most important measure you can take is to strengthen the overall health of the pets good food, lots of love, and minimal stress. Dr. Hamilton recommends diligence to eliminate fleas from our lives. Use of a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar can often trigger the larva to emerge from the cocoon making them vulnerable to desiccating treatments (diatomaceous earth, Borax, Flea Buster s, etc.). He recommends shampoos and agrees with me that you need not use a flea shampoo Any shampoo, lathered well and left on for minutes kills the fleas and washes any few eggs down the drain. Herbal 67

69 rinses can repel fleas and good ones are lavender, eucalyptus and pennyroyal for dogs. Lemon rinse is good for cats and dogs. Black walnut leaves and cedar shavings can be used in the bedding to repel fleas. Diatomaceous earth can be used on the pet and in the house. Shoo tags seem safe. Supplements such as brewer s yeast and garlic help 20-25% of pets He does not recommend chemical topical or chemical oral products, citrus products (he has seen several cats poisoned), flea collars, dips, or other chemicals. For the house he recommends cleanliness vacuuming a lot, using boron compounds (Twenty Mule Team Borax needs to be applied every few months), diatomaceous earth and natural pyrethrins (as a last resort). There is little homeopathy has to offer for flea control other than constitutional treatment to improve health and therefore resistance to fleas. The bible of holistic pet care, Natural Health for Cats and Dogs by Dr. Richard Pitcairn, DVM and Susan Hubble has similar information about fleas. They give great explanations for the toxicity of many flea products. They remind us to launder your pet s bedding weekly. Ants love to eat flea eggs and larvae, so do not kill your ants. Twice a year sprinkle safe diatomaceous earth along walls, under furniture and in cracks and crevices that are hard to reach with the vacuum. Jeff Levy, DVM, a homeopathic veterinarian in Massachusetts who also does phone consults, says, Sometimes the susceptibility to fleas and other parasites is so deeply ingrained that even the best nutritional program will not correct the problem. In these cases I recommend homeopathic treatment to address deeper imbalances that are often the 68

70 underlying cause of the problem. Incidentally, your pet doesn't have to be on a homemade diet to be treated homeopathically. It makes sense, though, to first address the more obvious and basic causes of a problem, such as poor diet, before going on to more involved and deeper-acting treatments. 69

71 CHAPTER 11: EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF INTERNAL IMBALANCE IN YOUR PETS EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF ILLNESS IN CATS AND DOGS: BEHAVIOR Fear of loud noises, thunder, wind; barking too much and too long; suspicious nature; timidity; licking or sucking things and/or people; irritability; indolence; eating dog stool or cat stool (it seems to be normal for dogs to eat horse, cow and rabbit manure); feet sensitive to handling ; hard to trim nails; aggressiveness at play; destructiveness; biting when petted too long (cats, especially when petted on rump); hysteria when restrained; irritability; not covering stool and not using litter box (cats); clumsy; slow to learn; too clingy or not affectionate at all. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM Bad breath; poor or excessive appetite; finicky appetite; sensitivity to milk, meat, or any specific food; craving weird things, especially non-food items like paper and plastic; loss of teeth; pale gums; red gums; a red line above where the teeth go into the gum (affecting one or more teeth), ; tartar accumulation; vomiting often; mucus on stools (even occasional); tendency to diarrhea with least change of diet; constipation or hard, dry stools; obesity or thinness; For cats only: thirst a super healthy cat on good food will drink at most once a week and many will never drink since they absorb enough from their diet unless on dry food (no cat should ever be fed dry food); vomiting hairballs (or the hairball gagging 70

72 type of cough even if hairballs do not come up) more than 1-2 times a year. SKIN Doggy smell or odd odor in any species; attracts fleas a lot; dry coat, oily, dull, dry or lackluster coat; excessive shedding; freckles appearing on the face as they age (cats); loss of pigmentation (dogs); loss of whiskers (cats); not grooming well; fragile claws, thick claws; warts; fatty tumors. GENERAL Eye discharge, tearing, or matter in corner of eyes; chronic ear problems waxy discharge, itchiness, frequent recurrence of mites; stiffness when getting up, early hip dysplasia, loss of bounce in their step; inability to jump up to their favorite places, avoiding steps, less playful, shortening walks (do not say Oh, it is just aging. ) TEMPERATURE Sensitive to heat or cold; low grade fevers - healthy normal body temperature for cats and dogs is

73 CHAPTER 12: REVIEW OF KEY STEPS TO ELIMINATE AND PREVENT FLEAS 1. Build up the overall health of all your cats and dogs so they will not have allergic reactions to flea saliva and actually will be repellent to fleas. If you are doing this well, you may never need any of the following steps. 2. Use an early warning system (flea comb or light traps). 3. Use oral repellents (garlic, brewer s yeast, flower essences, etc.), tags or collars on all pets early in the season. 4. Flea comb all your pets frequently. Remember that just seeing your pet scratching does not mean fleas are present. 5. Vacuum and mop your home frequently so there is no organic debris and flea dirt for the larvae to eat. 6. Use mechanical means (bathing, flea tag, Diatomaceous Earth, Borate, enzymes, light trap) to kill and repel adult fleas. 7. Keep fleas out of your yard with nematodes, flower essences, enzymes, cedar oil or other means. 8. Use natural topical treatments when needed. 9. Consult with an integrative, holistic veterinarian if you are still seeing more than a few fleas, or if there are skin ailments in any of your pets. 10. Use chemical treatments only when all else has failed, and then only for one or two doses. 72

74 11. Evaluate any new product you want to try by these three criteria: a) Where do the ingredients come from? synthesized in a laboratory, or gently made from sustainable, organic or ethically wild crafted ingredients; b) do the ingredients have reported toxic or harmful effects?; and c) do you respect the person recommending it? 12. You be in charge of knowing if something is working for your pets are the fleas gone and are your pets feeling happier and healthier with fewer issues? 73

75 APPENDIX A: FINDING AND WORKING WITH INTEGRATIVE (HOLISTIC) VETERINARIANS Find a good integrative (holistic) veterinarian to work with to achieve and maintain optimal health in your pets and you may never need to use any of the flea eliminating suggestions made in this book. An integrative veterinarian is trained in many different approaches, including using conventional drugs and other conventional treatments only when absolutely needed. Working with one of these professionals can increase the chance that your cherished pet can live a long and healthy life and be flea free. There are good ones and great ones, and a few homeopathic veterinarians will consult by phone or no matter where you live all over the world. You can go to association websites for each of the holistic approaches (listed below) and use their referral list to find a trained practitioner near to you or who works remotely. Many veterinarians belong to only one or two organizations, so do look at all the sites. My site, ( has a great article about what to look for in selecting an integrative veterinarian, and how to best work with them to maximize the health of your dogs and cats. (NOTE: some countries do not have association websites so their veterinarians usually belong to one of the more general 74

76 sites, or another country s site. I have listed a few international individual practitioner s websites.) 1. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine: Europe Homeopathic veterinarians (these can often help you by phone if no other holistic practitioners are nearby that you like): Israel - animanvet.wordpress.com/dr-ronit-aboutboul/, Europe UK Indiawww.vethomopath.com/, Australia - kwanavet@optusnet.com.au, vitalityvetcare.com.au/ content&view=article&id=53&lang=en, glenvet@aapt.net.au. 3. Chiropractic Wide range of other treatments: (American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association), S. Africa - Norway New Zealand: holisticvets.co.nz, Canadawww.acreaturecomfort.com/holisticveterinarians.htm, Australia

77 APPENDIX B: SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON PESTICIDE DAMAGE TOXIC EFFECTS OF FLEA CHEMICALS Fipronil: the active ingredient in Frontline is highly toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates, highly toxic to bees, and highly toxic to upland game birds, but is almost non-toxic to waterfowl and other bird species ( Dr. Dobozy of the EPA s Pesticide Division has found that fipronil remains in a pet s system with the potential for nervous system and thyroid toxicity. Other researchers have shown thyroid, liver, kidney, gonads, and nervous system issues in lab pets. Tests on laboratory pets resulted in thyroid cancer and altered thyroid hormones, liver and kidney toxicity, reduced fertility and convulsions ( Imidacloprid: the active ingredient in Advantage, has been found to increase cholesterol levels in dogs, cause thyroid lesions, create liver toxicity, and has the potential for damaging the liver, heart, lungs, spleen, adrenals, brain, and gonads. As a neurotoxin, it can cause incoordination along with labored breathing and muscle weakness. When this drug was tested after its introduction in 1994, researchers found an increase in the frequency of birth defects when it was tested on rats, mice and dogs. In the Journal of Pesticide Reform, author Caroline Cox exposes thyroid lesions as a result of exposure to imidacloprid ( I have personally seen acute illness as a result of using Advantage in some pets. 76

78 Pyrethrin: While Pyrethrin containing chrysanthemums have been used as natural products, the chemicals pyrethroids and pyrethrins in topical treatments such as Spot-On have caused deaths, nervous and cardiac system illnesses. They have carcinogenic effects and may be implicated in aggression and other behavior problems. EPA has been studying topical treatments the last few years, noting that small breed dogs and cats may be affected more than larger breeds as people need to be so careful about the tiny dosage needed, or a dog product being used on a cat Before using, read the label for Frontline (summary of a label): Cats: dermatitis, pyoderma, erythema or alopecia at the application area; facial edema, attempts to rub product off, pruritus, lethargy, incoordination, difficulty breathing, vomiting and loss of appetite. There were reports of death, each with complicating circumstances (NIH - dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=d99f3b1a -fb60-42fc-bce 0-a900650cd608). Within the first year Advantage was on the market, 50 cats died from the product, according to Bayer, as reported to the EPA. 77

79 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Christina Chambreau, DVM, CVH is an internationally known homeopathic veterinarian, lecturer and author. She graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 1980 and began using homeopathy in her practice in She is a co-founder of the Academy Of Veterinary Homeopathy and was on the faculty of the National Center for Homeopathy Summer School for 10 years, and adjunct faculty for the Maryland Veterinary Technician Program for 12 years. Currently she is associate editor for the Integrative Veterinary Care Journal, and does Pet Health Coaching sessions for individual animals. She continues to teach classes to lay and professional audiences on Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced Homeopathy for Animals. She lectures on a wide array of topics and her speaking venues have included the World Small Animal Veterinary Conference, American Veterinary Medical 78