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Flea Control
Many commercially available chemical flea treatments are very toxic, even the
disposal of the package they are sold in presents a toxic hazard. No one wants
to be surrounded by fleas, but before you resort to a chemical flea killer, why
don’t you try a natural alternative first? Here are a few ideas.
1. Try adding Brewer’s Yeast and vitamin B to your pet’s food, some dogs like
it, and some can be induced to eat it with the addition of something smelly like
the water from canned tuna, or cod-liver oil for cats. It will keep their skin
healthy and coat shiny, even if they never encounter any fleas.
2. Cedar shavings bed. Cedar has natural volatile oils that are released by body
heat while your dog sleeps. The scent of the oils permeate the pets coat,
providing a safe and natural deterrent to fleas. Should your pet encounter
occasional fleas, they are unlikely to take up residence in bedding filled with
cedar.
3. Try adding Garlic powder to their food. Some dogs really enjoy garlic added
to their food; try adding garlic powder (not garlic salt!) to your dog’s dinner
one night and see how she or he feels about it. Some dogs will eat fresh garlic,
but dried garlic powder is more likely to be accepted. Cats generally can not be
induced to eat garlic, but it would work if you can get your cat to eat it.
4. Lavender. Insects of all kinds dislike the lovely scent of lavender. You can
add dried lavender blossom to your pets bed bag for additional scent and flea
protection.
5. Herbal Anti-Flea wash; There are herbal blends sold, or you can make your own
by adding Rosemary leaves to a large pot of boiling water. Allow the Rosemary to
steep as the water cools. Strain out the Rosemary leaves, and make sure the
mixture is a safe dog washing temperature. You can also use this infusion to
wash your dog’s bedding and collar; soak it well in the infusion and allow it to
air dry, retaining the scent to give additional flea protection. If your dog
doesn’t like to be bathed, try wetting a face cloth and wiping your dog’s coat
with the mixture. This is really the only option for washing your cat; unless
you have a very unusual cat, it will not tolerate being bathed, but will
probably like being wiped with a moist facecloth.
6. Flea removal. If you pet does encounter some fleas, chances are they’ve moved
in with you. If you vacuum very thoroughly (carpets, furniture, etc.) as soon as
you notice the first flea; and remember to tie the vacuum cleaner bag tightly
and take outside right away. And wash the pet’s bedding and any other fabrics
that might harbour flea eggs right away. Also wash baseboards near where the dog
sleeps. If you take all these precautions you may never have to give your pet a
chemical flea treatment.
Odor Control
Dry Clean your Dog!
Dogs get dirty and sometimes smelly. If you can, it’s probably best to wash your
dog with our Herbal Anti-Flea mix - it will make your dog smell nice, and offer
them natural protection from fleas.
Sometimes, you can’t wash your dog; you don’t have time, or space, or whatever.
(I grew up with St. Bernards… can you imagine trying to wash 160lb. of dog in
the bathtub? ~ Andrea)
Try this: Sprinkle your dog liberally with baking soda. Let it sit for a
few minutes (as long as you can keep your dog still is probably long enough) and
then brush out the baking soda thoroughly. This is safe for your dog’s skin, but
don’t let your dog lick at it; they can not digest large quantities of baking
soda.
This will remove excess oil from your dog’s coat, without stripping it the way
shampoos and soaps can. It will also reduce dog odour.
NOTE: Cats do not need this kind of washing; because they lick themselves
more, combined with their smaller size they can ingest enough baking soda to
make themselves ill. Please do not wash your cat with baking soda.
Young pets have housetraining accidents, removing the odour of the accident can
help deter them from repeating their mistake. Baking soda is an excellent
deoderant for many pet odours; housetraining accidents, spraying cats, and
generally for the cleaning up of all smelly things that come out of/in with
pets. For carpets, absorb as much moisture as possible with a rag, then sprinkle
liberally with soda and vaccume when dry. This also works for furniature. If you
are concerned about the baking soda damaging the colour of the carpet or fabric,
test a small area first. It is very unlikely that the soda will discolour or
fade the fabric or carpet. Baking soda is also good for removing stains from
other types of flooring, with the exception of wood floors, scrub with baking
soda on a damp cloth or plastic scrubber, or old toothbrush. Incidentally, you
can clean your entire house this way, and minimize the risk of pets or children
being exposed to toxic cleaning chemicals!
Litter Box Care Maintenance
Cats’ litter boxes may be the only down side to owning a cat. A cat is a fussy
and fastidious creature; they require clean facilities. Some cats will refuse to
use a smelly litter box. If your cats stops using it’s litter box, check the
odour; if you can smell it, imagine what it’s like for your cat!
If your cat stops using her or his litter box, and you suspect it might be
related to the odour, try the following ideas.
Baking Soda…
Baking soda is a safe and effective deoderant for the litter box. There are
commercially available cat litters with baking soda added, but it’s cheaper and
just as effective to add your own. If you use a biodegradable cat litter you can
still add baking soda; it won’t affect the compost or hamper the
biodegradability of the litter. Mix a few spoonfuls of Baking soda into a fresh
box of litter, stirring it around to make sure it’s evenly distributed. Check
the litter regularly, and remove any soiled areas or debris.
Herbal Deodorants…
There are several herbs with deoderant properties that are safe for use in
litter boxes. You can try Thyme, Lovage, or Peppermint. Try a very small
quantity at first; a scant 1/4 tsp. in a full fresh box of litter. Cat’s have
sensitive noses, and may be put off by strong and unfamiliar smells. If your cat
is not using her or his litter box, a herbal deoderant may encourage them to
start again.
Pet Safe Insect Killer
Pets are poisoned every year by rat and insect poison. If you have an insect
problem and a pet, it’s hard to deal with. How do you kill the insects without
putting your dog or cat at risk?
Try this: Mix equal parts of baking soda and sugar. Leave out where the insects
will find it.
This mixture will kill insects because of the amount of baking soda that they
consume (in relation to their small body size) with the sugar.
Please note: while this mixture is not toxic to animals or children, it can
cause upset stomachs, particularly in the case of smaller animals. It is a good
idea to discourage pets and children from contact with insect killers of any
kind, including this one.
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