Most of us have resorted to using commercial flea control products at one time or another. These products can present significant hazards. They are pesticides, poisons which are intended to kill living organisms. Many pesticides affect a broad range of living things. For example, organophosphate and carbamate compounds (two classes of pesticides commonly used for flea control) act on the nervous systems of insects and mammals in the same manner. When you use these chemicals, you can affect not only fleas, but your pet and yourself as well.
If you think you or your pet has been adversely affected by a pet product containing pesticides, call your regional poison control center for immediate help, and report the incident to the EPA's National Pesticide Telecommunications Network, at 800-858-7378.
Most pesticides are neurotoxic, meaning that they cause the nervous system to malfunction, thereby causing death. About 2/3 of available pesticides function in this manner. Flea control products have also caused reproductive problems in laboratory tests. About half of the available products are classified as carcinogens by the EPA, while one-fourth are known to cause genetic damage in at least one test. Almost all pesticides have environmental concerns.
Per pound of weight, small dogs breathe more air, drink more water, and eat more food than larger dogs. In addition, young puppies are more sensitive than adults because they are growing and some of their organs are still developing. A lesser amount of toxic material per pound can poison a young puppy or small dog very quickly.
There are several ways chemicals enter the body. They may be inhaled and enter the bloodstream through the lungs. They may be ingested by mouth, and enter through the gastrointestinal tract. They may also be absorbed through the skin (and paw pads) through direct contact.
The good new is, that by understanding the flea's life cycle and targeting your management activities, an effective and least-toxic flea control program is possible. Fleas go through four stages of development: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Warm, moist conditions (65-80 degrees F and 70% relative humidity) are optimal for flea hatching and development. A female can lay up to 800 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs are laid both on and off the pet. Those laid on the pet later fall off and accumulate on the floor, in cracks, on furniture, and in dust. The eggs hatch within 2 to 12 days into wormlike larvae. The larval stage generally lasts 1 to 3 weeks, but can exist up to 200 days. The larvae then spin a cocoon and transform into pupae. Pupae remain dormant until they detect a host (by warmth and vibrations) and hatch out as adults. The pupae stage lasts from 1-2 weeks under favorable conditions but can extend to nearly a year. After emerging the adult fleas immediately seek a blood meal. Adults can live 1-2 months without a meal and can survive 7 to 8 months with just one meal. So, as you can see, when conditions of heat and humidity are favorable, fleas can emerge from seemingly out of nowhere to torture your pet. In addition to causing discomfort and skin lesions from allergic reactions and scratching, fleas can transmit tapeworm and bacterial infections.
Vigilance and preventive techniques allow most pet owners to keep flea populations under control without using poisons. An effective program must address the flea at all four stages of development. Vacuuming areas your pet frequents, bathing your pet, washing pet bedding, and combing for fleas can effectively keep your flea population at a tolerable level.
Fleas tend to accumulate where pets sleep. Try to establish a single, regular
sleeping place with bedding that is easily removable and washable. Wash bedding
about once a week to break up the flea life cycle. Pick up the bedding by the
four corners so that eggs and larvae aren't scattered throughout the area.
Keep your lawn cut short and either very dry or very wet. Fleas don't do well in
either extreme. Bathing your pet is an effective control measure. It is not
necessary to use insecticidal shampoos, most soaps will kill fleas. Use a comb
to remove fleas from your dog. Keep a container of soapy water nearby to drown
the fleas in. Dish soap works well. Don't crush fleas with your fingers since
they carry parasites and disease organisms.
Vacuuming floors, carpets, furniture, crevices and cracks once a week is an
excellent means of controlling the flea population. Vacuuming is especially
effective at picking up adults and eggs. The vibration from vacuuming can result
in the emergence of adult fleas from the pupae stage, the newly hatched fleas
are vacuumed up prior to ever meeting you or your pet. Steam cleaning carpet
kills fleas in the adult and larval stages. However, the steam can trigger the
hatching of the remaining flea eggs a few days later but vacuuming religiously
will take care of most of the newly hatched fleas. Vacuum more frequently if the
flea population increases, every 2-3 days during the peak season. After
vacuuming, the bag must be dealt with immediately or the fleas will escape and
re-infest the area.
BIOLOGICAL FLEA CONTROL
Predatory nematodes that prey on flea larvae and pupae as they are
developing in soil are available commercially. The nematodes are mixed with
water and watered in to lawns to reduce outdoor flea populations. Nematodes are
available from Gardens Alive! (812-537-8650) (www.gardensalive.com). Gardens
Alive! is a wonderful source for environmentally friendly, nontoxic home and
garden products. Another good company with information related to flea control
on their website is Planet Natural.
www.planetnatural.com.
LESS TOXIC ALTERNATIVES TO PESTICIDES
Desiccating dusts, such as diatomaceous earth and silica aerogels, kill fleas
by drying them out, causing the insect to lose moisture and eventually die.
Always wear goggles and a dust mask during application to avoid breathing in
desiccating dusts. Cover or remove equipment that can be damaged by dust. People
with respiratory problems should not use diatomaceous earth. Be sure not to use
glassified diatomaceous earth manufactured for use in swimming pool filters, it
causes the lung disease silicosis.
Some pest control companies are advertising a natural flea control through use
of boric acid (another desiccant material) in cracks and crevices.
Diatomaceous earth or silica aerogel can be applied to pets and their bedding. Both are desiccating agents. Work in using a brush or broom. Vacuum afterwards to remove loose dust.
Use of brewer's yeast tablets make your dog less attractive to fleas, as the smell is excreted through the skin. Adding a spoon of apple cider vinegar to the water bowl will make the skin more acidic and unpleasant to fleas. You can also use a 50:50 dilution in a spray bottle and dampen the coat with the solution.
Insect growth regulators are not pesticides, but rather chemicals that arrest the growth and development of young fleas. These include methoprene, fenoxycarb and pyriproxyfen and the popular lufenuron (Program ®). Alternatives also include newer pesticide products sprayed or spotted onto pets, such as fipronil (Frontline ®) or imidacloprid (Advantage ®). Particularly when used in combination with physical measures, the safety and effectiveness of these newer chemical products makes the continued use of pet products containing Organophosphates -- and their attendant risks for humans and pets alike -- unnecessary.