Safer Flea Control

Purrrr We had a mild winter here. When dem fleas and ticks wakes up dey is going to nom us kittehs most fiercely.

Before you consider using over-the-counter (OTC) flea control products, I'd like to show you some links.

• HSUS> Flea and Tick Product Ingredients: What You Should Know

  The center reported that pyrethroid spot-ons also account "for more than half of 'major' pesticide pet reactions reported to EPA over the last five years—that is, those incidents involving serious medical reactions such as brain damage, heart attacks, and violent seizures. In contrast, non-pyrethroid spot on treatments accounted for only about 6 percent of all major incidents."

• EPA> Safety tips for pet owners: This is a long list of precautions to take when using pesticides on your pets. MUST READ!
• EPA> How children come in contact with pesticides: "Children can come into contact with pesticides stored or applied in their homes, yards, daycares, schools, parks, or on pets." Does your child hug your pet? Do your pets groom one another? If so, they may be eating the pesticides!

Have you had a bad experience with flea and tick products? Please leave a link to your bloggy if you have one or to a video of symptoms. Blog or tweet this post. We must protect our furends!

A sampling of alternative Flea control products that DON'T contain poisons. CAVEAT: We are regular people. This is not veterinary advice. PLEASE consult your veterinarian before applying anything to your pet. Over-the-counter flea control products can be deadly.
Victor M230 Ultimate Flea Trap An electronic flea trap.  Fleas are attracted by light and heat, then get stuck on a glue pad. Be sure to buy extra glue pads. I keep this under the bed year round so I can tell if the fleas are coming back.	Dr. Pye's Scanmask 7 Million Live Beneficials Apply to the lawn and garden. These microscopic worms eat fleas and other pests. They don't harm helpful insects or earthworms.	MiracleCoat Flea Comb Use this fine-toothed comb to comb out fleas. Drop the fleas into a glass of water that you've squeezed a drop of dish soap into. Yes, it's labor-intensive, but it's safe and many pets enjoy enjoy the attention. It's a win-win!
D/EARTH - diatomaceous earth (12 oz) ASK YOUR VET! Must be food grade. Made from the hard silicon fossils of microscopic creatures called diatoms, food grade D/EARTH is non-toxic to dogs and cats. We sprinkle it in da rug behind and under furniture where "bug bombs" can't reach.	KAL - Yeast Flakes, 22 oz flakes ASK YOUR VET! Brewer's yeast is a natural flea repellent. Sprinkle it on your pet's food to make them unpalatable to fleas. It's also a great nutritional supplement with lots of B vitamins and chromium.	Vet's Best Natural Flea + Tick Home Spray ASK YOUR VET! This herbal formula repels fleas and ticks. Be careful to get the one that specifically says it's safe for cats. The bottle is similar.