blog entry

Licked Fleas!

Scratch me, scratch me, scratch me!

I did it. I think I finally figured out how to outsmart the fleas in my house. No small feat either! They’ve been winning the game since April (well, that’s a total understatement — they’ve been winning for more like a millennia or so). Now some people can just infiltrate their home with chemicals and the fleas be gone! But I’m not a chemical kind of gal. That’s mostly because of Bonzai Moufassa — my 12 year old MinPin. Bonzai has seizures and has one very sensitive little immune system. So we’re an all natural family. Over the years I’ve learned a LOT about all natural healings and living. The pups only eat real meat (mostly raw) and we only use supplements for the little aches, pains and illnesses along the way.

Wanna know how I beat the fleas? Well, I tried about a zillion all natural remedies but the results were mediocre at best. But here are a few things that are working. Keep in mind, it’s always best if you can get and stay ahead of the fleas. If you are starting now, you do have an uphill climb but this will help – promise! Oh, and I’d commit to doing most all of this vs. just taking one idea and trying it alone. It’s sort of a package deal.

First of all, make sure your pet’s immune system is strong. If your pet is older and/or sickly  then get that immune system some help. Those fleas will bother them a lot less if their immune system is 100% healthy. We give Bonzai a supplement called Dog Allergies Relief. Zip me a note if you want to know more about this (kellis@leifers.com).

Then mix some Nutritional Yeast Flakes in with your pet’s food. If they only eat dry food, try mixing some up with warm water and pouring it on the food like gravy. You can get the nutritional yeast flakes at most any health food store and probably your local grocery store. Your pet should really like the taste. And, if you want to give them double protection, also give your pet a clove of garlic or garlic capsule. Garlic and nutritional yeast give them extra vitamin B which tastes nasty to fleas — plus, you wont’ have any vampires to deal with later! For small dogs and cats, a teaspoonful of nutritional yeast flakes and a small clove or garlic capsule daily should be enough. For larger breeds give them up to one fourth (1/4) cut of nutrition yeast and a few big cloves or two garlic capsules each day. Bonzai cannot tolerate the garlic but he loves the nutritional yeast.

Baths. Even though bathing your pet is a topical treatment it will help relieve the itchies. And, it does not have to be with any medicated shampoo. Any shampoo that makes lather will drown the fleas. Now, I would use an all natural shampoo that does not have detergent in it. This way you can bathe him often without drying out his skin or your hands.

If your goal is to keep him free of unknown and outside chemicals, then try not to use those flea pills or flea treatments. This may be necessary but last resort — especially if your pet is older or is sickly or susceptible to illness (weak immune system). His little body just cannot process those chemicals well and they can end up doing more  harm than good.

Next, work on your house. After vacuuming we put down (sprinkle then sweep into the carpet with a broom) orthoboric acid — sounds terrible I know but it pretty much harmless to you, your kids, your pets. Experts say it has the toxicity level of table salt but... you should not eat it nor should you inhale a bunch of it – okay? The orthoboric acid dehydrates adult fleas and flea larva as they move around the floor. There is no odor and once it is swept into your carpet, you will not see it. Try not to vacuum again for a couple of weeks.

That’s it. Well, I’m sure there is even more we can be doing — but this is definitely working.  

Always anxious to learn more proven remedies so please let us hear from you.