OH, NO! FLEAS!

A major concern for dog and cat owners at during the summer months of the year is FLEAS! Controlling fleas is easier if you only have a light infestation.

In addition to many retail products these are some home remedies you may want to try:
Diatonaeous earth: a non-toxic, easy to use, white powder that kills the parasites by dehydrating them. Sprinkle the DE liberally on the dog, his bedding, the yard and anyplace else on the dog or cat has access to (i.e. under couches). DE is odorless but does create dust. If used in your carpets, vacuum it up in about 3 days.
Organic Flea Collars: usually some mixture of eucalyptus oil and penny-royal. Make your own with a shoelace and a bottle of eucalyptus oil from the druggist. Renew collar as needed. $6 will buy enough eucalyptus oil to treat one dog for 3 years or more. In a severe situation put a tiny drop of oil on the dogs paws and tail to repel fleas (note some oils when sold in a pure form may be toxic to pets - NEVER use pennyroyal oil in its pure form).

Do Brewers Yeast, Garlic or Sulphur work? The answer is a definite maybe. For many years, in the southeast, I used a product with essential fatty acids and sulphur called LYTE. The dogs looked beautiful and I did have very few fleas. In South Carolina that is a rare feat indeed! At the same time I used a garlic oil capsule. Which one worked? I don’t know, but I do know that neither one did any harm and the dogs looked and felt great.
Finally, premise control is a must when fighting a flea problem. Be sure to treat the yard at the same time that you treat your pet. It must be on the same day, otherwise your problem will not be solved! The most cost effective way to treat the yard is a liberal covering of DE. Five percent set in powder works farily well but is not totally non-poisonous.

Fighting fleas is not easy, but your pets will be healthier and most appreciative of your efforts.