fleas

Eco

Fleabusters Safely and Naturally Rids Your Home of Fleas

While I've had to deal with fleas in the past, our home had been happily flea-free for years — until this past Winter that is.

While I've had to deal with fleas in the past, our home had been happily flea-free for years — until this past Winter that is. Since the only thing I hate more than fleas is introducing nasty insecticides and toxic chemicals into my home, I tried a natural, DIY approach to dealing with them. Using methods such as vacuuming daily (and emptying the canister into an outdoor garbage can), spreading diatomaceous earth on carpets, and using herbal flea sprays worked all right for a while, but it was time-consuming and definitely not foolproof. Plus, the flea spray I used made our house smell like the most unappetizing pumpkin pie ever baked.

The bottom line is that I just didn't have the time to deal with fleas in a manner that the more eco, DIY method required, yet I didn't want to use flea bombs or sprays that could negatively affect the health of our dog or our family. I was stuck for a solution — that is, until I learned about Fleabusters. Fleabusters is an environmentally friendly company that uses the least toxic or non-toxic methods of eliminating fleas from your home and yard. Best of all, Fleabusters guarantees its service for a year. That's right: one treatment will remove fleas for a year.

Keep reading to learn more about Fleabusters!

Eco

PetSugar Q + A: Help Me Find an All-Natural Flea Spray!

Oh no! Read this problem submitted by PetSugar reader popsugar2 in the PetSugar Q + A group and see if you can offer any tips for her: Does anyone know of an all-natural flea spray I can use on my dog?

Oh no! Read this problem submitted by PetSugar reader popsugar2 in the PetSugar Q + A group and see if you can offer any tips for her:

Does anyone know of an all-natural flea spray I can use on my dog? I don't want to use the chemical ones recommended by vets.


While I've gathered up several ecotastic DIY flea solutions, there's definitely a time — like most of it — when I don't have the opportunity to buy a bunch of supplies and get to mixing. Help a pup (and owner) out! Share your product recommendations in comments, then submit your own burning pet questions in the forum, too.

Source: Flickr User normanack

DIY

Buzz Off! Five DIY Fixes to Fend Off Fleas

Interested in testing out some herbal remedies for common problems like fleas?
Make Flea Treatments at Home

Interested in testing out some herbal remedies for common problems like fleas? Um, bug off. Kidding. I've rounded up five fixes that you can test out on your furry friends at home. From pills to sprays, get ready to get creative and start this slideshow.

Eco

Do Not Throw Your Flea Treatments in the Garbage!

While there are plenty of eco-tastic flea fighting techniques, there definitely comes a time when collars or powders provide the power (or convenience) your pets need.

While there are plenty of eco-tastic flea fighting techniques, there definitely comes a time when collars or powders provide the power (or convenience) your pets need. While packaging often advises to wrap the used products/ empty containers in several sheets of newspaper before disposing outside, many regions request that these bug fighting items be brought to the cities' hazardous waste facilities and not be discarded in the normal garbage.

The US Environmental Protection Agency now works to evaluate flea and tick products to determine which types need stronger warnings on the packaging in the future, but several such insecticides are already considered Household Hazardous Waste in cities (like LA) and states (like New York) and should be brought to a special toss-away spot to protect the environment. Is this news to you?

Advice

Dog Days of Summer: Natural Ingredients to Help With Fleas

If your pup is unlucky enough to have bites from these yucky blood suckers, make a switch to an eco-tastic shampoo to offer relief during the Summer months.

If your pup is unlucky enough to have bites from these yucky blood suckers, make a switch to an eco-tastic shampoo to offer relief during the Summer months. If you're not up to making your own herbal flea powder, here's a couple ingredients to look for on the label of store brands (recommended by you in the comments!):

  • Aloe: One of the more obvious calming ingredients, aloe can be found in everything from gels to sprays. Pure Aloe Vera can sooth and cool your dog's itchy bites (and yours, too!) plus it won't hurt your pet if he licks it off. Some vets even recommend drops as a meal supplement as it can help to cure skin disorders and soothe stomach irritation internally as well.

See two more when you read more

Cats

Word to the Wise: Permethrin Poisons Cats!

It's definitely flea and tick season, and I wanted to share a special tip for all you kitty owners – or those that have cats and dogs in your furry fam!

It's definitely flea and tick season, and I wanted to share a special tip for all you kitty owners – or those that have cats and dogs in your furry fam! Although some solutions are meant for both, never use one made just for dogs on cats as it can contain an ingredient that's fatal to felines. If your meds include Permethrin, keep them far out of kitty's reach! To learn about this chemical read more

Advice

I Need Your Help . . . Fleas AND Ticks!

Hiya, Fuji! I wish I wasn't seeing your adoro bathtime mohawk under such sad circumstances.

Hiya, Fuji! I wish I wasn't seeing your adoro bathtime mohawk under such sad circumstances. This cute pup has recently come down with fleas and ticks – learn the Shih-Tzu's story below and let's try to help mn48225 come up with a solution!

Fuji caught ticks two weeks ago and then, over the weekend, he caught fleas. It's been five days now and I had applied Advantix on him, gave him a bath with flea shampoo and then switched to Advantage. Last time this happened, it seemed to work but, this time around, he is still scratching! I even cleaned my whole apartment and dusted it down with flea powder. Do you have any suggestions?