What do you do when your cat or dog gets fleas?

Advantage, collars, ..., ever think about the chemical damage over time to pets for fleas?

I laid down on a pillow today and a flea crossed my eyelids. I instinctively picked it off and took it to the sink where the water took it down the drain. We quickly pulled out the chemical advantage for our two cats and treated them.

Don't we all reach for some chemical when nearly anything happens in our life. So I began reading about it. Garlic, onion, and brewer's yeast make your body unfavorable for fleas. Wow, maybe I can feed the cats some garlic, onion treats. On further reading cats have a hemolytic reaction to garlic, onions, shallots, and a few other things.

Somewhere in my memory worms are the nature predator for fleas -- sure enough, simple nematodes. Yes, but it must be in a moist environment. Somehow I can't see moist carpet in my apartment flooded with little worms. It does work for the outside. And I found plenty of product in that area.

How about that diatomaceous earth I used for ants a while back and before that for parasites for a friend of mine? Yes, that does it -- dust your pet with this specially shaped earth and it has sharp edges that destroy the fleas, cockroaches, silver fish and a ton of other insects. It can be used in the garden, the home, the fur of the furry critters and even in our digestive system for parasites. This gives new meaning to eating dirt, or even eating worms.

And cats hate baths -- or at least our cats do. Water naturally drowns fleas. Soapy water dishes put where the fleas are abounding can cut the adults out quite a bit.

In fact, some people make flea traps which catch them on a sticky that can be replaced. For every flea you see on an animal (or yourself), there are 30 more waiting in the wings. An adult flea can produce 60 larvae a day. They love a messy house with dirt, clothes, things to breed on. Need I say more?

I began to realize that the diatomaceous earth cost about $16, a trap cost about $16, soap with water is already available, and cleaning the house is sorta free -- all in all it sure beats a chemical solution which means you have to apply it monthly and spend some real money! A box of nematode worms for the yard is about twenty dollars.

So for dinner tonight I loaded up on garlic and onion -- we had black beans with turkey and split pea soup.

David