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HomeHOLISTICALLY SPEAKING
( articles from the book " HOLISTICALLY SPEAKING " written by Jerry Soll )
CONTROLLING FLEAS ORGANICALLY AND NATURALLY
In order to control fleas there are three areas that should be treated. Controlling flea infestation is a continious project. There is no quick fix or a one time treatmont to solve the problem. These are the 3 areas that need to be treated , # 1 is on the pet itself , # 2 is inside of your house and # 3 is the outdoor area around your house. You have to treat # 1 and # 2 at the same time or you will not have very good results. We can help you control fleas on your pet and inside of your home. At the present time we do not have anything to treat the outside area of your home , BUT , we are working on it. We will talk briefly about the outdoor area and then go on to areas # 1 and #2.
There are natural organisms called Nematodes which feed on flea larvae and similar such insect larvae. People have had varying degrees of success with these as a way of controlling fleas out doors. Use your computer search engine and you will find information on these and you can see if they are of any benifit to you. We are not fans of chemicals as they are toxic to the environment and the insects develop an immunity to them in a short period of time. They also kill the good bugs along with the bad.
d-LIMONENE PET SHAMPOO
First of all what is d-Limonene ? d-Limonene is the major component of the oil from the citrus peel. When citrus fruits go through the juicing process , the oil is separated from the juice and distilled to recover certain flavors and fragrance compounds. The bulk of the oil is left behind and collected. This is food grade d-Limonene. After the juicing process , the peels are conveyed to a steam extractor. This extracts more of the oil from the peel. When the steam is condensed , a layer of oil floats on the surface of the condensed water. This is technical grade d-Limonene.
d-Limonene is approved by the F.D.A. as a food additive , and also meets the ( G.R.A.S. ) standards ( generally recognized as safe ) also set by the F.D.A. It is approved by the E.D.A. as an insecticide. When d-Limonene comes in contact with an insect it breaks down the waxy layer of the exoskeleton , this is the hard waxy shell of the insect. The wax then gets into the breathing pores of the insect and it is killed. It also kills the eggs and the larvae. The citrus fragrance is also a natural insect repellent. Insects do not like the fragrance of citrus. How often do you see an orange that has been harmed by an insect ?
Why do some flea shampoos work and others do not ? The answer is that insects develop immunities to chemicals and pesticides. They work until the insects tolerance to them build up and then they are immune to them. So , the manufacturers increase the strength of the chemical pesticide. Then they work for awhile until the insects tolerances increase and their immunity is increased. So it goes on and on. Not only do the chemicals no longer work to kill fleas and other insects , there are also two other important facts to consider. One is all of the increased strength toxic chemicals you are putting on your pet and the other is the effects on the environment.
Natural products like d-Limonene work on a mechanical basics so that insects can not develop immunities to them. Another point to think about is working with the chemical products. If you shampoo your pet every couple of weeks your contact with the toxic products is fairly small. But , if you are a professional groomer or other similar person you are working with this stuff 40 hours or so a week. It has a long term effect on the people who are around it all the time. d-Limonene is not harmful to people , animals or the environment , and insects can't develop an immunity to it.
Wet the pet's coat thoroughly with warm water. Apply the shampoo along the back bone and start working with the head area first and work your way backwards towards the tail. If you start to shampoo the pet in the middle area first the fleas will come forward and seek shelter around the eyes. So by starting with the head area first you help prevent this. Be careful not to get the shampoo into the eyes , if you do rinse the eyes with some water. Use enough shampoo to make a good lather. It is important to leave the shampoo on the pet for 5 - 10 minutes so that the citrus can do its job , a minimum of at least 5 minutes.
If the pet is difficult to shampoo you can apply the shampoo , lather it up and then let the pet run around or what ever it wants to do. Then rinse it off 10 or 15 minutes later. It takes the citrus a minimum of 5 minutes to do a proper killing job of the fleas , eggs and the larvae. It also conditions the skin and the coat. If the pet has dry , scaly , itchy skin conditions , flea or other insect bites the citrus does a wonderful job of helping it heal. Not in all cases , but in general it does a pretty good job of healing various skin conditions. The citrus conditions and leaves the coat in its best natural appearance. Pet odors are eliminated and a pleasant citrus fragrance is left.
Although citrus is a natural product some pets may still have allergies to it. So if you think your pet may be allergic or have an allergic reaction to citrus or any other type of shampoo do a small test area on a paw or similar area before you shampoo the whole animal. Animals can be very , sensitive , so it is better to be safe than sorry.
To do a really excellent cleaning and conditioning job , shampoo the pet a second time. The first time removes most of the heavy dirt and grime , the second time does a really deep cleaning and conditioning of the coat. You will only use a fraction of the amount of shampoo you used the first time and will get 3 - 4 times the suds. Some citrus shampoos are formulated so they do not really suds a lot the first time , they clean. It rinses out much easier and completely this way. Lots of suds does not mean that it is cleanng , it means that is making a lot of suds. It is just a sales gimmick , more smoke and mirrors.
One of the major causes of dry skin on animals is the use of dish soap for shampooing the animal. Dish soap does an excellent job of removing dirt and grease from dishes ( that is why it is called dish soap ). When it is used on an animal it removes the natural oils from their hair and skin. The skin becomes dry and itchy and the pet starts scratching. You take your pet to the vet and sometimes a lot of expensive tests are done and the cause is never really determined. And , it could all have been prevented by not using dish soap. Some times when some one else besides you shampoos your pet , take your own shampoo and have them use it so that you know what is being used on your " BEST FRIEND ".
Harsh flea and tick shampoos are another cause of dry skin. If the fleas and ticks haven't developed an immunity to the chemicals and are killed , the pet is still left with dry skin. Some times the dry skin is caused by the chemicals or a bad skin condition is made worse. The fleas are gone , but now your pet has a skin infection.
Most d-Limonene shampoos that are on the market contain 5 % d-Limonene and could be considered as a PROFEEIONAL STRENGTH shampoo. They should not be used on animals unless they are at least 12 weeks of age , it is simply to strong to be used on them. In order to kill fleas , eggs and the larvae the d-Limonene shampoo must be at least 1 1/2 - 2 % in strength. Any thing weaker will not do a proper killing job. SO if you try to STRETCH the shampoo by diluting it , do not do it more than 2 or 2 1/2 times or it simply will not do a proper job of killing the fleas. Any thing stronger than 5 % is to strong to be used on animals the size of a dog or cat.
NOW , we come to a special situation. What do you use on puppies and kittens that are under 12 weeks of age and get fleas ? Young animals from new born to age 12 weeks get fleas and ticks , BUT there is nothing on the market to use on them. Small dogs are another situation. A small dog ( a dog under 10 pounds ) can have VERY SINSITIVE skin and the 5 % shampoo is just to strong to use on them , even if they are 3 or 4 years old. The same goes for cats in general. The 5 % can cause the dog or cat to break out with a rash or they get little red bumps on them. There are a few d-Limonene shampoos on the market that are FORMULATED specifically for these " SPECIAL NEEDS " animals , but it is hard to find them , and they are not readily available. So if you find it consider yourself fortunate because you have found a special purpose product that is not very common. When you shampoo very young animals make sure that you KEEP THEM WARM by drying them with a towel , and then wrapping them in a towel. This shampoo also works very well on head lice.
There are several uses for d-Limonene shampoos. If your pet is sprayed by a skunk , the use of d-Limonene neutralizes the skunk odor. If you have a d-Limonene dip use that first and leave it on for about 10 minutes. Then rinse it off and shampoo with the stronger 5 % PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH shampoo and leave that on for about 10 minutes before you rinse it off. If the skunk spraying was severe you may have to repeat the process.
While we are on the subject of fleas one of best things you can do is to use a flea comb. A flea comb is just a fine toothed comb , comb your pet daily. They love the attention and it keeps their coats looking good. Have a bowl of hot soapy water handy and as soon as you have a flea on the comb dunk it in the hot soapy solution. If you hesitate and look at the flea it will jump off and be in your home environment.
DAILY CITRUS FRAGRANCE and CONDITIONING SPRAY
Insects do not like the smell of citrus , by daily applying a light spray on your pets stomach and back and then lightly rubbing it in , your pet has a citrus fragrance on it that helps to repel insects. It is not 100 % effective , but it works pretty well. It also makes your pet smell nice. It works very well keeping fleas , ticks and mosquitoes off of your pet.
As an example , lets say that you have a bowl of grapes on your kitchen table. Insects and gnats would be attracted to it. But , if you have a bowl of oranges they would not come near it. Insects do not like the smell of citrus.
It works great on indoor pets that only go outdoors for a little while. If the animal is outdoors all of the time or most of the time , it breaks down. Especially in humid climates. If you are in a dry climate it lasts a lot better. The pet rolls on the ground and gets into things etc. and the spray is not designed for that. It is formulated for indoor pets that go out side for a short period of time. You might have good luck using it on animals that are mostly outdoor pets. Any thing is worth a try , but keep in mind that it was designed for indoor animals. As they say . your milage may vary.
Another important thing to be aware of , is the fact of , was this product made using FOOD GRADE citrus or not ? Pets are always grooming themselves. If they ingest any of this product , you want to make sure that the manufacturer used FOOD GRADE citrus , so make sure that it is , you have enough to worry about.
CITRUS FLEA and CONDITIONG DIPS
A citrus dip has the advantage over a shampoo in that it doesn't have to be rinsed off. Because it does not contain any soap. In fact it is better if it is left on and not rinsed off. By not rinsing it off your pet has a strong citrus fragrance on it that will help to repel fleas and other insects. Also the citrus fragrance makes them smell nice.
There are different brands on the market made by various companies. Since this product will probably not be rinsed off make sure that it is made using FOOD GRADE citrus , so that if your pet ingests it while grooming there will not be any problems.
Also look for a product that has a d-Limonene content of 50 % or more, In a dip you want to make a formula that is about 1 - 1 1/2 % in the final solution after it is mixed. In shampoos you have a higher d-Limonene content. The dip is a different situation , here you do not want or need the higher content as you do in a shampoo , two totally different applications.
There are products on the market that claim to contain at least 100 % d-Limonene content , and they probably are. That is not the point d-Limonene is ( orange oil ) oil and water do not mix , they separate. In order to get the oil to mix with water and to stay mixed in a solution together for a long enough period of time you need a third ingredient called an EMULSIFIER. This allows the d-Limonene and water to be mixed together and to stay in a solution long enough to do its work on the animal. BUT , it must be mixed well just before applying it , other wise it will separate. If you are using a hand sprayer it is a good idea to shake it fairly often as you are using it.
Some dogs and most cats don't like to be bathed , so dips come in handy for these applications. These types of dips are not to be used on animals under 12 weeks of age. Also , dips of a stronger percentage of d-Limonene are not recommended for cats , as they are very sensitive animals. If you think your pet may be allergic to citrus or have an allergic reaction , do a small area as a test before you do the whole animal. Try it on a paw or some other small area as a test. Avoid eye contact , if it gets in the eyes , flush with water.
The citrus in the dip works just like the citrus in the shampoo. It breaks down the waxy shell of the insects exoskeleton , the wax gets into the breathing pores and that kills the fleas or other insects. It also takes care of the eggs and larvae and conditions the skin. If the animal has dry , scaly , itchy skin , flea or other insect bites the citrus helps to heal it in a majority of the cases.
If your pet gets sprayed by a skunk the dip does a great job of neutralizing the odor. Leave it on for at least 10 minutes and then rinse it off. Then shampoo with the 5 % PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH shampoo and leave that on for 10 minutes and then rinse it off. If it was an extremely strong spray you may have to repeat the procedure.
Using a wash tub or something simular will help you from wasting the dip. If you mix the dip and just pour it on the animal it will run off onto the ground and be wasted. By using some type of tub what runs off is collected and can be put back onto the animal. Place the recommended amount of dip into a gallon jug or bucket. Put the water in first and then add the dip to it. By doing it this way you reduce the chances of the dip being splashed out and getting into your eyes. Mix well and then pour it over the animal. By using the tub what runs off will collect in the bottom of the tub. Use a wash cloth or a rag and rub it into the animals coat. You want to saturate the fur and make good contact with the skin. Make sure you get all the hard to reach areas like under the legs and around the base of the tail , this is where the fleas and other insects like to hide. Some people like to use a one gallon pump sprayer. There are a number of different methods that people like.
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH ( AS A FLEA POWDER )
Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of single cell algae . They are mined in various grades for several uses. Use only FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth in your home and for your animals. Diatomaceous earth that is used for commercial purposes comes from the same sources , but it is processed at very high temperatures and things may be added to it. It is used in swimming pool filters and other commercial applications. If you go into the Garden Department of the major home improvement stores you will see boxes of Diatomaceous Earth . This is not FOOD GRADE , it is for swimming pool filters etc. Stay away from it , it can be harmful to you and your pets if it is not handled properly.
Food Grade diatomaceous earth has a crystalline silica content of less than 1 %. The commercial product has a much higher content and is harmful if not handled properly. It is easy to get the two confused ( let alone trying to pronounce the name correctly ). Do your research , become informed about it. Just don't take some ones word for it. The internet has several articles that will explain its uses in great detail , along with lots of other information. Do your research and make your own decisions , knowledge is power. Diatomaceous earth is approved by the E.P.A. as an insecticide.
From here on for simplicity diatomaceous earth will be called D. E. It has an abrasive action on the waxy outer layer of an insects shell. This is called the exoskeleton , which acts as a container that holds in the insects body fluids. The insect doesn't have blood as we do , for a lack of better words , it has body fluids. The D. E. gets into the insects joints on its many legs and other moving parts , and on the body itself. Once enough of the exoskeleton has worn down to cause the insect to lose enough body fluids , death soon follows. Insects can not develop an immunity to this as they can with chemicals and pesticides , because it is a mechanical action. Why and how insects develop immunity to chemicals and pesticides will be explained in greater detail in another section. Insects are great survivors and adapt to changes quickly.
On your pet apply the powder along the back , under the belly , on the leg joints and on the tail. Basically all over the animal. Rub it in so that the powder gets down onto the skin. A good general rule of thumb is to use 1 teaspoonful of powder for each 10 pounds that your pet weighs. You don't want pat the dog or cat and see a dust cloud , but you need enough to do the job. So experiment and you will find out what is best for your application. If your pet has a severe flea problem and it is the first time that you are using the D. E. apply it every 3 days for a week and then cut back to once a week. The D. E. is not a fast acting product. It is recommended that you use a good natural d-Limonene ( Citrus ) shampoo or dip to kill the fleas , eggs and larvae that are on the pets , then after the pet is good and dry apply the powder. Just using the powder alone can take a couple of days to kill the fleas. The D. E. can have a drying effect on your pets skin if you put too much on too often. So observe how things are progressing , you do not want to cause a dry skin problem. The citrus shampoo is not only a natural insecticide , but it is also a natural skin conditioner.
For a proper flea control not only do you have to treat the animal but also the animals environment. If your pet is an indoor animal and it has fleas you can be pretty sure the fleas are in your home also. When you see fleas in your carpet and on the furniture there are many more fleas in your house at various stages of development.
To control the fleas in your home apply the D. E. to the carpeting at a ratio of not more than a 1/8 of a teaspoon to a square yard of carpeting. The old saying that if one is good , then two is better DOES NOT apply here. If you put too much down you can have a DUSTY SITUATION. Also , you do not need any more than that. Take a broom or a rug rake and work the powder into the carpeting and leave it alone. It takes 48 - 72 hours to get the fleas under control. The powder is very binding an will adhere to the carpet fibers and work its way down into the carpet. Don't vacuum for 48 hours so the powder has a chance to do its work.
When you vacuum you will not remove all of the powder because it binds to the nap of the carpeting. Also it is not necessary to replace the vacuum cleaner bag each time that you vacuum as a lot of people claim. Sure , fleas and flea eggs get sucked up into the bag and so does some of the D. E. , so when the flea eggs hatch , the larvae come into contact with the D. E. powder and that is the end of them. The money you save by not replacing the vacuum cleaner bag each time will pay for the D. E. that you use. Every couple of months or when flea infestation is noticed reapply some more D. E. powder to replace what has been worn out by walking on it or removed by vacuuming. By using FOOD GRADE D. E. you do not have to worry about your children or pets coming in contact with the powder.
It is a good idea to put some powder under the cushions of the couch and chairs , in the carpeting under the couch and beds and any other such places that you can think of. Some people put it in the cracks and crevices around the house etc. If your pet rides in your car with you and you have carpeting on the floor of the car it would be a good idea to put some powder there.
Fleas have 4 stages in their life cycle. The egg , larvae , pupa and the adult. The D. E. will take care of the adults. It has no effect on the eggs , they have to hatch first. When the larvae hatch they dehydrate when they come into contact with the powder. The larvae that survive go into the pupa stage where they form cocoons they stay in until they hatch into adults. By having the powder in the carpeting you will always have some thing there to take care of the larvae and then the pupa when it comes out of its cocoon. The eggs and the pupa can each stay dormant for a period of a year or more. The majority of adult fleas , eggs , larvae and pupa will be found with in 10 feet ofwhere the pet sleeps or lays most. So give these areas special attention. Clean or replace the bedding and apply a lot of the D. E. powder to this area.
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH ( AS A NATURAL DE - WORMER )
There are 2 types of Diatomaceous Earth , they both come from the same source , but after they are mined they are processed differently. One is heat treated , it is commercially processed and things are added to it. It is used in commercial filter applications , swimming pool filters and other such purposes. Do not use this type as a food additive or for the control of insects. If you go into the " Garden Section " of the major home improvement chain stores you will see big boxes of D. E. , the short name for diatomaceous earth , stay away from this for our purposes of animal care.
Food grade D. E. works in a purely physical and not a chemical manner. So it has no chemical toxicity and parasites can not develop an immunity to it. It has been F.D.A. approved as an additive to animal food not to exceed more than 2 % of the feed. It is used in this application as an " anti-caking agent ". Which means that some animal feed has a tendency to clump or cake together and the addition of D. E. helps to prevent this. ( This is a story all by itsself ).
Basically what we have here is a natural non - chemical substance with the ability to aid in the control of internal parasites. D. E. is a naturally occurring organic substance that works in harmony with the body as one of nature's gifts , in ways that can not always be explained.
D. E. has an abrasive effect on the parasite's outer coating ( it's skin ). This action weakens the parasite and causes it to pass out of the animal in the stool. In some cases the parasites may be vomited up or be digested by the animals digestive juices. It has no effect on the walls of the animals digestive tract or the internal organs , as the body dissolves it. As a matter of fact D. E. contains several " trace minerals " which are very beneficial to the animals system.
There is a time and place for every thing. If your pet is extremely infested and being seriously affected by worms and other internal parasites , we would recommend using a conventional chemical treatment as an emergency measure. This is for its " Quick Knock Down Ability ". All things being considered , taking this course of action is the humane thing to do. As this type of treatment relieves the " Immediate Suffering of Your Pet "
Once this " Extreme Emergency " situation has passed , we highly recommend the milder , non - chemical approach to maintain your pet's health and well being. This eliminates the stress and sickness that are sometimes caused by the " Side Effects " of the chemical treatments.
The recommended daily amount to give a cat is 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon per day , for a small dog give it 1/2 teaspoon each day and for a dog over 50 pounds give it 1 teaspoon per day. If you use dry food put a little water in a glass and add the D. E. to it , let it set for a few minutes until it becomes moist and stir it. Then pour the solution over the dry food as a gravy and it will be absorbed into the dry food. The individual needs of each animal vary. The main thing is that they all need a little each day. So with that being said , adjust the above amounts to your own pets individual needs.
Over the years I have heard and read a lot about FOOD GRADE D. E. being used as a natural wormer , but I have never found any REALLY documented facts. I read reports that were sort of official done by universities and other such type organizations. But nothing that was ever really official. So I started doing my own research and investigating.
D. E. is F.D.A. approved to be added to grain storage at a ratio of about 8 pounds to a ton of grain. It keeps the bugs from destroying the grain when it is stored in the grain silos. As the grain is put into the storage bins the D. E. is mixed with it.
When the grain is removed and ground up and milled to make flour the D. E. is not removed from it. So when ever you and I eat a loaf of bread etc. we get the D. E. along with it and it becomes part of our diet.
I may be wrong on the time period , but from what I have found out it is that the use of D. E. in any major amount or commercial use for this purpose was in the 1940's. It has been used for that purpose for hundreds of years , but not to any extent commercially.
Humans have always had problems with worms and other parasites in their systems in this country. But , around the same time period ( 1940's ) when D. E. was introduced on a commercial basis to our food supply a noticeable decrease in the amount of people that had internal parasite problems also decreased. I find this to be fascinating. It does not take rocket science to figure out that there may be some type of relationship here. The use of D. E. for this purpose has increased steadily over the years and today it is rare to here of some one having internal parasites. It still occurs , but not like it once did.
There are several theories and opinions of why and how the D. E. controls the worms and other parasites. But again , nothing concrete. Except for the fact that it does work , so , if it isn't broken don't fix it. Just accept the fact and let it go at that.
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