Debunking Seven Myths About the Mighty Flea

By Julia Williams

Fleas. The very word can strike fear into your heart. Anyone who’s ever waged war on these nasty blood-sucking pests knows how difficult and time consuming it can be to keep their pet and their home flea free. Fighting fleas is hard work, but it’s an important part of responsible pet ownership. The first weapon in the battle against this menace is knowledge. Here are some common myths about fleas.

Myth #1: A few fleas are no big deal. The truth is, a few fleas can quickly turn into a full blown infestation, thanks to this pest’s incredibly fast reproduction rate – a single female flea can lay one egg every hour! Left untreated, it’s estimated that ten fleas can generate over 267,000 offspring in just one month. Moreover, for every adult flea you see on your pet, there are typically ten or more developing in your pet’s environment.

Myth #2: Fleas are just a harmless annoyance. Fleas do bother us and our pets, alright, but they can also create serious health concerns. Fleas can cause anemia in puppies and kittens, and can even kill them if they’re not treated soon enough. Some adult dogs and cats are highly sensitive to flea bites, and just a few bites can result in a skin irritation called flea-allergy dermatitis. Intense itching from fleas can cause a secondary bacterial infection, lesions and hair loss, and fleas that are swallowed by your pet can transmit tapeworms.

Myth#3: Healthy pets don't get fleas. Although it is true that a healthy animal is a less attractive host for fleas, it’s no guarantee. Even pets that are in tip-top health can get fleas, especially if you live in a heavily infested region or a warmer climate where fleas are more prevalent. Feeding your dog or cat a high quality pet food such as CANIDAE can help to keep them in good health and make them less desirable to fleas.

Myth #4: Keeping a clean house can prevent fleas. Unfortunately, even spotlessly clean homes can have fleas. These nasty pests hitch a ride into your home by jumping on pets while they’re outdoors. Even homes without pets can have fleas, because they can be brought in on your clothes and shoes, and once inside they start reproducing faster than rabbits. Fleas, eggs and the developing larva can hide in carpeting, furniture, in cracks of hardwood floors and baseboards. Thoroughly cleaning your home, your pet’s bedding and places where your pet spends time does help in the fight against fleas, but this alone is not enough to prevent them or eradicate them completely.

Myth #5: Treating the pet alone will suffice. In reality, if you don’t treat your home and yard too, you’re just wasting your time and money. Immature fleas (eggs, larva and pupae) develop off of your pet, so fully solving a flea problem requires a three-prong approach, i.e., treating your pet, your home and your yard at the same time. And if you have more than one pet, you must treat them all, even if you don’t see any fleas on them and/or they’re not scratching.

Myth #6: There’s no need to worry about fleas in winter. Fleas are more problematic in the warm summer months, but they can live quite happily (and continue to reproduce) in your home all year long. Effective flea control is an ongoing, year-round process, but diligently fighting these pests in winter can give you an advantage that will help you win the battle. Read this article for more about flea control in wintertime.

Myth #7: Natural flea control is not effective. This myth is partially true in that some natural flea products and methods don’t work as easily and/or efficiently as their chemical counterparts. However, a diligent pet owner who chooses to go the natural route to fight fleas can succeed. It’s up to each of us, as responsible pet owners, to research all flea control methods and products to discover which ones are right for our animal companions.

Fighting fleas can seem like an impossible battle, and we may be tempted at times to throw up our hands and surrender to this almighty enemy. But the decision to bring pets into our lives brings with it a commitment to take good care of them. Fleas are tenacious pests to be sure, but in the end they’re no match for those who are dedicated to responsible pet ownership.

Read more articles by Julia Williams

Go Green for Your Pet’s Health and the Environment

By Julia Williams

What does it mean to “go green?” This phrase refers to the different things you can do to take better care of the planet and its resources. It means choosing eco-friendly behaviors and products over those that are harmful to both the environment and your health. When you go green, the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) become an integral part of your life.

Millions of consumers and businesses alike are making a conscious effort to go green, and the pet industry is no exception. Did you know that the CANIDAE Snap-Biscuit® and Snap-Bits™ dog treats are manufactured entirely by wind power? Wind energy doesn’t deplete natural resources and is renewed daily as the earth heats and cools. There are plenty of other earth-friendly pet products available too, such as hemp collars and leashes, natural cat litter, non-toxic dog toys, organic cat treats and natural supplements.

I think it’s important to go green for your pet’s health not just on Earth Day (April 22) but every day. Adopting a green lifestyle will reduce your pets’ carbon PAW print, and it can improve their health and wellbeing too. Many of the things you can do are not that difficult and don’t require a great deal of time or money. What follows are some ideas you may wish to consider.

* Use stainless steel bowls for your pet’s food and water instead of plastic. Studies have shown that BPA (Bisphenol A, a compound used to make many plastic containers) may pose a health risk.

* Natural pet-care beauty and grooming products (i.e., shampoo, ear washes and topical ointments) are generally considered to be gentler on your pet’s skin than chemical-based products.

* You may also want to choose natural cleaning products for your carpets and kitchen floors. Your pet’s nose and mouth are close to those surfaces all day long, and you don’t want them to be breathing in a residue that could be toxic. Plus, if they scarf up food you accidentally drop on the floor (my cats have lightning quick reflexes when it comes to dropped food!), they won’t ingest chemicals along with the tasty morsel.

* Plug-in deodorizers, synthetic air fresheners and cleaning supplies with chemical fragrances may be harmful to your pet. Freshen the air in your home naturally by opening the windows, taking the trash out every day, boiling or baking a sliced lemon or an orange, simmering cinnamon sticks or cloves, and setting out a bowl of lavender buds or an open box baking soda.

* Use filtered water instead of tap water, which can contain chlorine residue, fluoride and countless chemicals and contaminants. Incidentally, bottled water is not necessarily safer than your tap water; some bottled water is treated more than tap water, while some is treated less or not treated at all! If you can’t afford to install a filter on your faucet, you can use a filtration pitcher such as Brita. It won’t offer the same quality of filtration, but it’s better than no filter at all.

* Use natural products on your lawn, in your garden, and to de-ice your walkway in winter. Pesticides, chemical-based fertilizers, plant foods and pest repellents, and salt-based ice-melting products are believed to be unhealthy to humans, pets and the earth alike.

* Many people choose to use natural methods to fight fleas and ticks instead of chemical products applied to their pet’s skin or given orally. You could try an herbal flea and tick shampoo which contains citrus oils, and treat the yard with beneficial nematodes, natural pyrethrums and diatomaceous earth. For more ideas, read Linda Cole’s article, Natural Flea Control for Dogs and Cats.

* Grow your own catnip and/or cat grass for your kitty.

* Make your own pet toys from scraps of fabric, bits of yarn and other things you were going to throw away. You can also use readily available materials found in your home – anything that rolls, bounces or makes noise is a great cat toy. For more ideas, read How to Save Money on Cat Toys.

* Dispose of doggie doo in biodegradable bags instead of plastic bags, which can take anywhere from 20 to 1,000 years to decompose! If you have a cat litter box, you could fill it with eco-friendly litters such as those made from corn, wheat, pine or newspaper.

* Do some spring cleaning and donate towels, bedding, blankets and such to your local animal shelter. They may need other household items as well, so call them and ask!

* Buy your dog food and cat food in the biggest size available. You’ll save gas by making fewer trips to your local pet store, and you’ll also cut down on packaging waste.

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