annafaie
Cool Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:40 am
Location: Richardson, TX

Food grade Diatomaceous Earth

I found this info online and wondered about your take on their methods. I am trying to kill fleas in my yard, house and on pets organically and as inexpensively as possible.
"Food grade diatomaceous earth is great for internal and external parasite control. The mineral and silica content seems to increase feed utilization. Reported to kill 75% of flies and fleas that come in contact with it within 72 hrs. "


Here's the link with the full article: [url]https://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/no_flea.html[/url]

Thoughts?

cynthia_h
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Posts: 7500
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 7:02 pm
Location: El Cerrito, CA

I cannot read the linked article; it's been "negatived"--light-colored text on a black background, the opposite of normal type.

It's difficult enough for me to read negatived text on paper, but impossible to do so on a screen.

Re. the general idea about non-toxic flea/tick control...

We live in an area where the required consecutive 3 days of sub-freezing temps (required to kill flea EGGS) rarely occur. Therefore, flea populations burgeon without any natural controls. I flea comb my two cats regularly, and I "flea check" them every day. "Flea check" means that I take the flea comb and run it through the fur on their heads and necks. If I find fleas, I comb the whole cat. If not, I stop.

Re. the dogs...because my male dog was raised in terrible conditions for his first 22 weeks of life, I believe that his immune system has been permanently compromised. He has itchy skin, thin spots, chews on his fur, etc. 9 or 10 months of the year. I bathe him once a month or more often, if he needs it. I have coconut shampoo, oatmeal shampoo, and a medicated shampoo, Etiderm, which smells terrific and seems to soothe him. For about two days...During the worst of his hot-spot attack, last Thanksgiving through New Year's, I bathed (and dried! :shock:) this 100-pound dog twice a week to help keep him comfortable.

My vet recommended that, even though I practice "least-toxic" methods with all my animals, I go ahead and use spot-on topicals on the male dog. The vet (who has seen all of my cats since 1978 and all of my dogs, beginning in 1998 with dog #1) has observed that allergic dogs do better on the spot-ons than they do without, even though he can't cite any studies for me. However, he is an excellent diagnostician and veterinarian, so we're using *sigh* a name brand spot-on for both dogs. (The girl, 9 years old, began having skin difficulties last September.)

I administer milk thistle in capsules the day of and for two days after application of the spot-on, to help the dogs' livers process any toxins.

Re. the house: when we lived in Berkeley, we had outdoor/indoor cats and terrible flea problems. I became a real believer in

--hot-water laundry
--frequent vacuuming, even of furniture
--frequent changes of vacuum cleaner bags
--bathing my cats when flea combing wasn't enough

I haven't used DE for flea control yet; I'm extremely reluctant to apply *anything* to Vergil's skin, given how reactive he is...if I needed to, I wouldn't mind applying it to the carpeting, where we have such, but if fleas suddenly attack one of my animals en masse, that animal gets a bath ASAP. I've worked in grooming shops + bathed my own cats all my life, so my technique is good and those fleas are GONE. :twisted:

Was there anything specific in the article? Sorry, but I tried the first couple of paragraphs, and even after writing this response, my eyes still feel quite strained.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Cynthia, Are you aware of this website: https://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/acvfordogs.html

I don't know for sure that it works, but there does seem to be a lot of testimonials for the use of Apple Cider Vinegar. Couple of years ago, I drank 2Tbs ACV per day for the whole summer and I wasn't bitten by mosquitoes and stable flies/midges as much as I normally am. I was also using home blended shampoo and soap as well as bug spray so I can't say which or all of the remedies were effective.

cynthia_h
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Posts: 7500
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 7:02 pm
Location: El Cerrito, CA

ACV goes in and out of "fashion"; I tried it on my first male dog when he had an outbreak of skin problems, but it didn't seem to help, and he didn't like it in his food.

Current boy dog will eat food THEN taste it. So I can try ACV internal again, but am very reluctant to apply anything new or different to his skin.

Thx for the link!

Cynthia

annafaie
Cool Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:40 am
Location: Richardson, TX

Does anyone know where I can buy food grade DE locally? I found a website that sells it for $11 but shipping is $11 on top of that so I'd like to avoid shipping costs if possible. I've tried Home Depot and no luck. I live IN the city, so to speak, so the local "feed store" isn't really ideal.... Any DFW metroplexians (yes, I made that word up) out there know where I can buy Food Grade DE locally?

Thanks!

annafaie
Cool Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:40 am
Location: Richardson, TX

Well, I answered my own question....I can get it at Elliott's Hardware in a 10lb bag for $12.96!

paul wheaton
Full Member
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Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:32 pm

If you live in an area with flea trouble, the best solution to controlling fleas is to not have carpets.



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