At the Front Line of Fleas

My son loves his dog. He is constantly trying to “pet” her, which so far involves grabbing a tuft of her hair and pulling.  (Fortunately, Molly is the sweetest Shih Tzu ever, and has thus allowed this – no doubt hoping that Alden one day will have access to the treat jar and remember her patience.)

After Alden pets Molly, (or does anything else), his hands, inevitably, end up in his mouth.  Normally, I wouldn’t think twice about this Molly/Alden interaction – except for the fact that in two weeks we are going to “the country” for Memorial Day, which means that Molly is going to need flea & tick prevention – and whatever treatment we choose, will end up in my 6 month old.

Needless to say, as you can learn about in heart breaking detail at GreenPaws.org, most flea/tick protection is not only toxic to pets – but most cruelly to children. I would never give my son an apple covered in organophosphates – (which is poison) – so it would be silly to cover my dog in them, (even on a collar), and then allow them to play together. (Scary article for the brave amongst you from WebMD here.)

So. What to do up in the country, where all the fleas and ticks will also spend their Memorial Day….

At first I thought that any natural option would be better than the traditional ones, but according to Green Paws:

Not all essential oils used to treat pet pests are safe for animals or people. Herbal or natural products containing citrus, cinnamon, clove, d-limonene, geranium, tea tree, lavender, linalool, bay, eucalyptus and rue oils should be used sparingly because they can cause allergic reactions in people—and severe reactions in cats and dogs have been reported. Avoid the use of any flea or tick product containing pennyroyal oil. It can cause seizures, coma, and even death in animals. Herbal or natural products that contain cedarwood, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary and thyme are probably safer.

As I’m a coward, I am too wary to trust something that I can buy…so. I am taking natural thyme, grinding it down to it’s oil – adding organic olive oil, and putting it into a spray bottle, to which I will add water. My poor puppy will then be doused in it in the mornings, and given a full bath at night. I may even cut up a lemon (which fleas detest), rub the juice and peel oil on my own hands, and then rub her down.

It’s not perfect – but it will ensure that my puppy and baby are safe.

To check whatever treatment you currently use, you may want to refer to the Green Paws pocket guide.

(Please send me any natural DIY flea/tick treatments that you have used! Thank you!)

Sometimes, the answers are just not as black and white (or green), as a mum would like.

Happy Hump Day!