Bury your flea problems with dirt

Bury your flea problems with dirt

Posted on 05. Nov, 2009 by admin in Dog Health, Top Stories

STAFF REPORT
NoDogNo.com

When plagued with fleas on their pets, dog owners often long for a natural alternative to the array of chemicals choking petstore shelves: powders, sprays, shampoos, collars, drops and pills. Could the answer have been lingering in dirt for the last 300 million years.

Perhaps. Allow us to introduce you to diatomaceous earth, dirt-like fossilized remains of one-celled plants whose silica shells act like microscopic razor blades perfectly suited to slashing to death all those pestering flea larvae in your home.

Diatomaceous earth kills more than flea larvae. This desiccant can help combat cockroaches, silverfish, slugs, ants, fleas, beetles and more. Diatomaceous earth works by destroying insects’ waxy protective coating, leaving the pests to die by moisture loss.

Better yet, DE leaves you and your pet’s skin unscathed.

“Sharp and hazardous to the insect, these needles are harmless you humans and other warmblooded animals,” states the Department of Environmental Protection in Montgomery County, Maryland. “The tiny size and razor-like construction of a diatomite fragment is just right to disrupt the life process of insects. The size of warmblooded animals–as well as physical differences– confines the destructive effects of diatomaceous earth to insects.”

But nothing is ever perfect. There are caveats.

If you try DE, make sure to avoid the kind used in swimming pool construction. Only purchase versions intended for pest control. And that means you must follow product label guidelines and warnings.

There’s another letdown to consider before you test DE at your home. DE only works when it is dry. Any moisture, including humidity, will render it ineffective, given fleas a reason to celebrate with reckless abandon upon you and your dogs. This is especially worth noting for dog owners in South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. Yearlong humidity in areas like these means that DE will almost certainly not work outdoors. The longest duration you might reasonable expect in high humidity would be a week, if you’re lucky.

“Even in dry locations, the material will eventually absorb moisture from the air,” states askDEP.com. ”When placed in a closed, dry space, it will remain active under normal conditions for about two-three weeks.”

Dog owners may try small application in their dogs’ crates or bedding. But because some sources have suggested this dirt could harm appliance motors, a saavy owner would be cautious about using DE near appliances or in situations that would require a vaccuum cleaner for its removal.

But even with these issues, the fact that DE is natural and could effective reduce your pet’s exposure to chemicals is enough to convince some green-minded dog owners to give it a try.

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