It’s about that time of the year when pet owners start to think about flea control during the warmer months. There are a ton of products on the market today, but you should try to avoid products that are especially toxic. Flea collars used to be the item of choice to protect your pet, but people are starting to realize just how toxic these collars are, both to their pet and them.
Flea collars come packaged tightly and they warn you to immediately wash your hands any time you come into contact with the collar. They may even advise that you wash your hands after petting your dog or cat, yet we still strap these on to our pets and let the pesticides leach out into their skin and systems.
Flea collars could contain such insecticides as fipronil, pyrethrins, permethrin, and methoprene. If these don’t sound like something you would want to absorb through your skin, why would anyone put them on a pet? Even all natural flea collars come with warnings, so what is a pet owner to do?
Monitor your pet regularly so that you don’t have to eliminate fleas after the fact. Bathe the pet regularly and check for fleas. Use a flea comb to comb through the fur and check it to make sure no fleas are trapped in the teeth.
All natural herbal shampoos will help with flea control as well. You can also use a Vitamin B1 supplement to boost your pet’s immune system. Be sure to discuss this with your vet before adding any type of supplements to your pet’s diet.
Apple cider vinegar will also help boost the immune system so that your pet won’t be so tasty to a flea. Just a small teaspoon in their drinking water will help and they shouldn’t be able to notice the taste. Some pet owners add garlic and yeast to their pet’s food, but others will tell you it is not safe. Discuss alternatives to flea collars with your vet. Some vets warn against using garlic, while others will advise it.
Many essential oils will help in combating fleas, but some of them are toxic to cats and should be avoided. Eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass are safe to use around dogs. Mixing a few drops in a spray bottle and misting the dogs sleeping area will keep fleas away.
Always try to research the most natural way possible to fight fleas on your pet and in your home. If not only for the animal’s sake, think about the environment. Old flea collars and pesticide containers are thrown away and end up in landfills where they will continue to leach chemicals into the soil around us. If you burn your trash, these chemicals will transfer to the air we breathe.
Fight fleas naturally and use whatever alternatives you can instead of placing a toxic band around your pet’s neck. Your pet will thank you and so will the environment.
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