Fleas

[M&J]

My neighbor's two 8 week old pups have fleas. Isn't there a home made spray someone once posted here? I think it contained rosemary and a few other ingredients. If anyone has it, can they please repost?
Thanks.

[Vinnie]

I looked around for you but I couldn’t find anything posted here about a flea spray using rosemary. (Sorry, maybe someone else will remember.)

I did find the following tidbit from ttalldog:

Quote: I used to use essential oils of texas cedarwood citronella eucalyptus and pennyroyal (about 20 drops in a spray bottle with 3 cups water and it reallyworked.For some reason pennyroyal no longer available and mixture without it only good if you spray just before and after outside walk and just OK but not 100%

Or check this link. It might be helpful:

Natural Flea Control

[M&J]

Thanks, Vinnie. I will pass this along to my neighbor. I think it was Rose Hutch who had the formula I was thinking of.

[Meb]

I have not personally used this method as my dogs have never had fleas, but info I got from my book 'The Goldsteins Wellness & Longevity Program" Natural care for dogs and cats:

*Bathe your animal with a natural herbal shampoo
*Begin a good food plan
*Add freshly chopped garlic to every meal
*Start your animal on B-complex vitamins
*Mix Earth Animal Interal Powder with Earth Aminal Herbal Internal Powder and add to meals at double the label dose.
*Use a topical spray such as %100 Natural Flea & Tick Repellent by Quantum Herbal Products or Earth Animals Bug Off. These sprays contain potent herbs such as erigeron (also known as fleabane) as well as orgainc extracts of cajeput oil, rose geranium oil, St Johns Wort, wormwood, black walnut, neem and rue.
*Apply aloe vera to any "hot spots" to help soothe and heal the area.
*DermGuard from Natural Solutions, Inc
*Vacuum the house at least once a week and discard the bag or canister contents in a sealed plastic bag.
*Comb Away Fleas: One of the most effective ways to reduce and monitor flea infestation is with a flea comb. Its teeth are finely spaced and, as you comb, the fleas are trapped along with the hair. Fleas move and jump very fast. Grab the wad of hair with the flea and quickly immerse in a bowl of soapy water or the toliet. The wooden-handled combs are the most user friendly.

[qhluvr95]

Pennyroyal can help with fleas,but it causes miscarriages and has many other risks...I don't really think it's considered safe to use, and maybe that is why most people can't get it anymore.

[Rika_Tula]

I like Neem oil (from Neem tree in India, I believe) for an insect repellent. There are a few manufacturers of Neem products for people and pets. It works great for ticks but is used for fleas, as well. According to the web site info, it is also safe for use with puppies and kittens. Usually, there are other essential oils inlcuded in the ingredient list along with the Neem.

Here are a couple of links to check out. They can be ordered online but they should also be available at your local health food store.

Neem Product Link

NeemAura Naturals

[Maedchen]

It's not recommended to apply essential oils on cats since their liver can't process it and they can easily get a toxic overload. Neem oil is a cold pressed oil and is safe though.
I used to get the Ark Natural spray/shampoo years ago, but bc they smell so strong and not too pleasant, I rather make my own.

[Rika_Tula]

Originally Posted By: MaedchenIt's not recommended to apply essential oils on cats since their liver can't process it and they can easily get a toxic overload. Neem oil is a cold pressed oil and is safe though.
I used to get the Ark Natural spray/shampoo years ago, but bc they smell so strong and not too pleasant, I rather make my own.

On the Ark Natural info from the link above, they do list essential oils as an ingredient (without saying specifically which one or ones) and state that the product is safe for puppies, kittens and cats. They also list a few ingredients that they do not put in the product, regarding cats (tea tree, cajeput, and camphor oils).

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with the info, just presenting it. I do not have any experience with Neem oil or essential oils and kittens or cats.

Quotes from site:

What are the benefits and uses of Neem Bug Free™ Repellent?

Specially formulated for Ark Naturals by a team of chemists and herbal scientists using premium natural botanical extracts. Neem Bug Free™ Repellent will not irritate flea bites, flea allergy dermatitis, or other skin and coat conditions. Neem Bug Free™ Repellent may help reduce the risk of infections, itching and dermatitis from insect bites. Neem Bug Free™ Repellent also repels lice, mites, flies, mosquitoes, and ticks. Neem Bug Free™ Repellent are safe for <u>puppies and kittens, too!</u> Safe for children to play with treated pets. Effective for Human use.

What special ingredients do Neem Bug Free™ Repellent Feature?

Citronella essential oil: Safe and effective herbal insect repellent from lemon grass; pleasant aroma. Neem oil: A natural pesticide, insect repellent, and healing herbal product. Proprietary gentle herbal essential oil shampoo designed for animal coats. Contains no DEET, pyrethrins, or other synthetic pesticides. <u>Safe for cats</u>; does not contain Tea tree, cajeput, or camphor oils.

Ingredients:

Contains: A proprietary formula of neem, citronella, <u>essential oils</u>, and gentle emulsifiers.

[Maedchen]

"Please be wary of any animal practitioner or supplier of essential oils claiming that their products or techniques are completely safe to use with cats: the statement is both inaccurate and unsafe. No matter what their claims say, nothing will change the unique physiology of a cat".
Source



IMO it is absolutely negligent from a company to claim that their product containing EO is safe, without even knowing how much or how often the consumer applies the product on their cat. Just because some EO's might take longer for the cat to show a toxic effect, doesn't make them safe. I shudder to think how many cats may have died from "unknown causes" because their owner wanted to avoid harmful pesticides and go natural-using those "safe" claimed products.

[Rika_Tula]

Originally Posted By: Maedchen
IMO it is absolutely negligent from a company to claim that their product containing EO is safe, without even knowing how much or how often the consumer applies the product on their cat....

We had kittens/cats all through my childhood and young adult life. As an adult, though, I don't know enough about kittens/cats and their unique physiology and special nutritional needs to have an educated opinion BUT wanted you to know that I do agree with you here on safety.