Vampires of the Dog World

Fleas are good at their job.  In one day, a single flea can bite your dog more than 400 times and can consume more than its body weight in blood.  A female flea can lay hundreds of eggs on your dog.  These bites can cause some major problems including flea allergy dermatitis—an allergic reaction to proteins in flea saliva. This is something I know about first hand as our Golden, Jesse, is very allergic.  Flea bites can also, in extreme cases, cause anemia.  Don't think that you are immune to their bites.  Besides making itchy little marks, it has recently been reported that a family in Oregon came down with the bubonic plague from fleas they picked up from their dogs.  Yes, people do still get the bubonic plague.

In addition to fleas, ticks are, in my opinion, the most disgusting of pests.  Tick bites can give your pet such infections as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. And ticks can give those same infections to you.

There are many vet approved oral and topical treatments for controlling both fleas and ticks and we have used many of them.  Discuss with your vet which products are right for your dog. 

About 4 years ago we had a major problem with ticks.  While we were using the appropriate topical treatments that included tick controllers, we were still over run with ticks.  We found two natural products that worked very well for us and I’d like to share that information with you.

The first product we used for indoor control was diatomaceous earth.  It is a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder.  It has a slightly abrasive feel and works by cutting into and breaking down the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate.  It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate cockroach and flea infestations.  This is worked into the carpet or put into corners where ticks like to hang out when they are not crawling on you or your dogs.  Make sure you use the human grade and not industrial grade.  This can be purchased on-line.

The second product we used was for the yard.  Beneficial nematodes are underground pest hunters that control over 250 different species of insects that spend some part of their lives underground. They are a very efficient organic insect control method and kill most insects before they become adults. They are small microscopic worms that live beneath the soil.  They like moisture so once applied you will need to keep the lawn watered if it doesn’t rain for a while.  When a beneficial nematode attacks an insect larvae or grub it enters the body of its host. Generally within 48 hours that host insect will either die, be physically altered or unable to produce.  Beneficial nematodes are sold in packets which can be stored refrigerated for about a week. When you are ready to apply them, you simply mix them with water and spread them on the soil.  I recommend using a sprayer or watering can for application.  Be warned you can’t see them.  Ours came on a wet sponge in a zip lock bag.
 
The use of these two natural products cured our tick problem and we have had no reoccurrence since then.  The diatomaceous earth comes in a large container and is more that you will probably need.  Both products worked well for us and we would not hesitate to use them again knowing they are safe and effective. 

Just remember. . . .Enjoy life – have fun with your dog!