Here are listed the many recipes, cures, treatments for flea infestation that I could find. This may sound like a weird subject for a recipe site, however, this can be a very serious problem. I, myself, had this problem and we all liked to have gone CRAZY until they were gone! When I needed help, I couldn't find it. And almost everyone, at one time or another, has a problem with fleas. Even those that do not have pets or animals. They just seem to show up for a meal in the spring and don't know when they have worn out their welcome. Surely you will find something below that will help you.
- Use Borax --Mix four parts of Borax with one part of salt, and sprinkle over your carpet. The mixture gets down amongst the fibers, and dehydrates the fleas and eggs, and prevents them re-hatching. Works great, and much more effective and cheaper than "flea bombs." CAUTION - Borax can be toxic to children. This is not a method you'd want to use if you have babies or small children crawling or playing on the carpets.
- Advice from a Vet --As a veterinarian in Louisianna, I have been dealing with fleas for over 20 years. Takes the following steps, fleas will be gone in 45-60 days and will not return.
- Bring the cats to her vet and get a Program injection every 6 months
- Give her dog Prgram (or Sentinel) monthly
- Treat all four pets with Frontline spray monthly
All of these products are the safest fleas products we've ever had. No Premise treatment will benecessary!! The total cost of this program is less than thirty dollars a month. -- Dale P., D.V.M.
- Rock Salt--Put small trays of rock salt under couches or other places where it can't be seen or gotten into by children. I might have one or two in any given room...... The rock salt lasts for years. You may have a few fleas occasionally but not any more infestations.
- Pennyroyal and Cedar --Plant pennyroyal around your yard. Just here and there where the dogs might lie in it sometimes. Put cedar shavings in their dog house, but these need to be changed once or twice a year. Put fresh out just before and after the winter. Allow the pets to roll in dust (they know what they're doing.)
- Garlic and Brewyer's Yeast --Try garlic and/or brewyer's yeast? Purchase capsules of either at health food stores and at some chains of stores. Have pets swallow one a day, the taste/smell will get in their coats and fleas do NOT like the taste. For fleas in the house, place a small pan of soapy water in the middle of the room at night with a small light (tea light candles sitting in the water work well) near the pan. The fleas will jump towards the light and end up in the water. In the morning, flush the water.
- A Little Salt --Use salt on the ground outside the door and on the carpet to kill off the eggs of the fleas. If you are doing this outdoors, you need to be careful not to use too much, too much salt will kill weeds and plants. It is inexpensive and it seams to work.
- Over-all Program Approach --Preventative Ideas: boric acid sprinkled on light carpets and left for 30 minutes, then vacuum. For dark carpets try diatomaceous earth (available from organic gardening catalogues). With the dips, make sure you're dipping long enough. Sometimes it will take several dips within a short period of time to get them all. With the drops that you put on your pets neck, for the dogs--if your dog is over 45 pounds, it takes twice as much drops. Try Bio-Spot, from a farm supply store, at 1/2 the price of the brands the vet sells.
- Natural Repellents and Dips --A mixture of Avon Skin-So-Soft, vinegar, and eucalyptus oil as a bug repellent for humans and animals.
- Natural flea and tick dip: --2 cups, packed, of fresh rosemary and/or peppermint, 1 quart boiling water, 4 quarts warm water. Pour the just boiled water over the fresh herbs and let steep, covered, for 30 minutes. Strain and add the liquid to the 4 quarts of warm water and then saturate the animal. Let it air dry.
- FLEA SPRAY --spray with an herbal mixture of chamomile, valerian, licorice, witch hazel. Prepare an infusion using one tea bag of each herb, and when it's cold, mix it with witch hazel You also can use aloe vera instead of witch hazel.
- PLANTS Cure --Densely grow fennel and basil around the pet area and place some of the fresh herbs in and around their homes (inside theie beds, on the floor, etc.). They called it strewing many, many years ago.
- Mothballs in the Vacuum --The mothballs killed the fleas and the eggs in the vacuum bag.
- Pet Rescue Resource --This is an excellent source of info... I recommend the "best products" and "solutions" sections.
- Change to Natural Diet --Feed your animals a healthy all natural diet. Feed them only raw food. This actually costs far less than feeding premium kibble. It will keep them out of the vet, thus saving you money. Also, add (PURE)APPLE CIDER VINEGAR to the animals food and water. This makes the skin smell and taste acidic to the parasite and will repel them. It repels fleas, ticks and flies. Keeping your dog (or cat) internally healthy by feeding them a healthy diet will naturally repel internal and external parasites. Parasites attack ill and unhealthy animals. For a 75lb dog, add about 2-3 tablespoons to their food and for a 10 lb dog, use about a teaspoon. Add it to the water first, until they get used to the smell and taste, and and then to their kebble if you must use it.
- Advice from an Exterminator --I am an ex-exterminator. I don't believe many pests truly need professional treatment. However, fleas are one pest who does. The eggs of the flea actually attach themselves to the carpet fibres. The way I always did a treatment, was to have the homeowner vacuum the entire rug before I got there. This would stimulate the eggs to emerge from their cocoon ( when they are inside the cocoon, the pesticide will not work on them ). I would then come in and spray the entire, yes every square inch of floor space. The pesticide had to include a growth inhibitor (so the pre-adult fleas couldn't become adults and reproduce). The owners had to stay out of the house long enough to have the product dry. Then, they need to vacuum the rug every day for 14 days. Again, more stimulation and picking up in the vacuum some of the fleas and dead fleas - throw out the bag every day. The pet(s) need to be treated at the same time as the house. If every thing was prepared properly, I was thorough and the homeowner followed through with the vacuuming, I never got a call back for a follow-up treatment. In really bad cases, the outside play areas for the pets need to be treated also. It's not fun, it's not cheap but it works. You do have to be willing to put up with the fleas for 14 days after the treatment. K., in PA .
- Advatage Works for animals that are highly allergic to FLEAS! In other words, when they get fleas, they get sick and bald and everyone is miserable! When all else fails, try, vet recommended, NEW back-of-the-neck treatment, Advantage. Even though it is expensive, it works wonders!
