An ounce of prevention....
It’s that time of year again. Summer is here and if you live in a climate like ours here in Texas, you probably battle fleas and ticks. We’re fortunate that we don’t have any ticks here on the farm (knock on wood). Probably due to our birds (chickens, ducks and guineas.) Fleas, however, are another thing altogether.
We’ve written about flea control before (click here to read our last post about flea control.) Be sure to go back through that post as it discussed breaking the life-cycle of the flea. It’s very important to understand a flea’s life-cycle.
We do our best to stay away from unnecessary chemicals on our farm and prefer using natural and organic strategies for not only our garden, lawn and trees, but also for our animals. But, we understand that chemical preventatives are
sometimes necessary, even though they come with possible side effects! Whatever way you choose to go, as always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
First, focus on your pet's health!
Trees don’t randomly succumb to insects, pests and diseases. It happens because they are in stress and sick.
What does the above quote have to do with our pets? Well, similar to trees and plants, our pets are more susceptible to illness and parasites when they’re unhealthy. Parasites are more attracted to animals with weakened immune systems, poor intestinal microbiome and poor overall nutritional health. The first and most important piece of the puzzle is to make sure your four-legged family member is as healthy as possible, so that some of those parasites might choose to move on to a less healthy, more vulnerable victim!
Below is a terrific video presentation by Dr. Karen Becker, a proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian. She has a terrific approach to animal care and the video is worth a watch if you have time. Pay special attention at 11:04 in the video where she discusses deterrents versus preventatives; and at 12:50 when she shares her recipe for an organic flea and tick deterrent.
Next, use organic methods & common sense!
Here are a few strategies to consider to help control fleas (and ticks) in a more natural, organic way. These methods are NOT perfect. In fact, even using the strongest chemicals, you won’t have 100% success without the risk of negative side effects for your family and pets. But implementing these strategies and staying consistent will help significantly!
- Nutrition/Health - Feed your animals high quality food to keep them healthy. If you provide treats, make those as nutritious as possible as well. And, make sure your pup gets plenty of exercise! You can add things like FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth (it MUST be food-grade) or garlic to food or water to help.
- Cleaning - Breaking the flea's life cycle with regular cleaning, especially vacuuming, is the best way to prevent flea problems. Mop regularly, rake and clean dog kennels and clean sleeping areas often!
- Keep your pup well groomed! - Bathe regularly but avoid chemicals. Use soaps and shampoos that include neem oil, tea tree oil or citrus oil. Brush regularly!
- Apply beneficial nematodes to lawn and garden if your dog will be in these areas.
- Apply diatomaceous earth (MUST be food-grade, not swimming pool grade!) to outdoor lawns. Neem oil is also sometimes helpful.
No, there are still no silver bullets for fleas or ticks - no magic organic or chemical product exists that will completely control these pests all the time and leave the beneficial insects, your pets and your family alive and healthy. Control does however continue to get simpler and more effective.
Lastly, it’s important to note that the enormous use of chemicals to protect our pets from fleas and ticks is causing serious issues in the environment. Chemical wastes are polluting our water supplies and the long-term effects are worrisome, at the very least. We recognize the need to use chemicals at times, but the more we use the natural, organic approach, the better things will be!
