Let’s go au-natural!
We have 3 dogs and 2 cats in our house. We’ve lived here for about 2 years now and the past 2-3 months are the first time we’ve ever noticed fleas. I think it’s because of the new lawn chemical company we use. They hadn’t been insect spraying during the winter, and since January was warm, I think the fleas came out a little early.
Anyways, our animals have some fleas now - well short of an infestation, but one flea is too many in my book. We use Frontline (or whatever it’s called), but it has been awful at controlling them, the fleas kept coming back. So I purchased some Diatomaceous Earth to try and kill them.
From what I read online, it works by dehydrating insects with a soft, waxy bodies. I guess it’s made of dead sea animals of some kind, and they absorb the water in the insect, killing them. Since it’s not a chemical, they cannot become immune to it - which makes me happy. And it’s environmentally friendly. You can use it on ant mounds as well - God knows nothing else gets rid of them, so I’ll be trying that during the summer.
So I buy this bag. Maybe 3-4 pounds or so (a $20 investment, maybe a little less).
First; what they don’t tell you. Diatomaceous Earth is a very fine powder. Think flour. You blow on it and it goes everywhere like a fine dust. So spreading it is very difficult. If you buy the stuff, buy a powder applicator so you can spray Diatomaceous Earth onto the target. Otherwise, you’ll just end up with a clumpy distribution. Also buy a mask for your face. The powder isn’t harmful, but it does irritate the eyes a little and I don’t think you wanna be breathing large quantities of it - better safe than sorry, right?
I had put some on the carpets last week, but tonight we tried it on the dogs. The dogs shook almost immediately afterwards and dust went everywhere! The cats went mental - but they do that no matter what. There is a nice haze in the house now. But, if we let the dogs out and they get wet, it defeats the whole purpose of dehydrating the insects.
But; not sure if it’d work or not, we decided to become mad scientists. I found a random flea on a dog and put it in a jar with the dust and shook it around for a bit. The flea immediately became coated with the Diatomaceous Earth and was jumping around like mad. The results? 15 minutes later, still jumping and walking around the jar. 30 minutes later, it was dead. No movement was noticed at all.
Pretty impressive; but we will see if it works on a wide scale experiment on the animals. I have hopes for total flea extermination within the next few days.
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cindi on August 25th, 2007
Is it possible that maybe the flea in the jar suffocated? I just bought some of this “DE” in hopes that it will kill all of the ticks on my Dog……………
lorien1973 on August 28th, 2007
Unlikely. A flea doesn’t consume enough air to be killed that quickly in a jar that size.
The stuff didn’t work very well on our dogs, in the end. It created more of a dust storm in the house than anything else.
It may work for some people, but we decided not to continue using it.
One of the flea treatments like advantage works a ton better and is quicker/easier.
Cindy on November 20th, 2007
Diatomaceous Earth worked perfectly for us and we have 2 large dogs. Advantage did nothing and the chemicals in it are outrageous - unsafe for children. I used a baby powder container to sprinkle the DE and let it sat overnight on the carpets. Finally found something to get rid of the fleas.
kayyyla :] on December 11th, 2007
umm this website doesnt tell me how to like kill the fleas or how they infect the like enviorment.
and i like love my mommyy katyy!!.
and my sister miranda and all my husbands and wifes!! :]].
Chris on March 13th, 2008
The DE needs to be where the fleas are. People with chickens hold the chicken upside down and dust the chicken to get it on the skin. The DE needs to be on the skin because that is where the fleas go. It also needs to be spread around where the dog sleeps. We put it under on our mattress pad just in case there is ever a creepy crawler.
We feed DE to our dog everyday. It takes 90 days to kill the toughest worms and I see my dog eat bunny berries every day so I know he is constantly reintroducing the worms to his system. I also eat DE just in case. People get worms to you know.
Morgan on April 18th, 2008
DE can be mixed with water and sprayed on the dog, when the water dries the DE is still just as effective as it is when it’s dry, and making a “spray” eliminates the possibility of inhaling the dust, and gets the DE closer to the skin. You can also use the spray to treat your bedding carpet and furniture, which does all have to be treated to effectively treat fleas for good. Treatments like Advantage, Frontline and so on contain chemicals that can be absorbed by the skin and over time can cause liver damage, so what’s worth it, you pet’s health or convenience to you?
You should however be careful to buy Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth. Non food grade contains an additive called pyrethium? (i think that’s the name) as an extra dehydrating element, and is not good for you dog’s skin. And some Diatomaceous earth is for you swimming pool and that can actually be poison for your pets due to a heat and pressure treatment that changes the chemical make up. This stuff works when you use it correctly, and is better for your pet, the environment and you.
Brianne on July 15th, 2008
You can also feed DE to the animals. If it is food grade it is will not hurt any mammal if eaten. The DE will get in the dogs blood stream and when fleas or ticks bite them they will ingest it as well. It also works to get rid of worms.
Sharon on August 12th, 2008
I have used DE for about 20+ years. I put the DE in a white sock and lob it onto the dogs gently. In Texas, I was the only house on the block not plagued by webworms (the webs in trees full of catepillars). I would take the sock full of DE and beat it around the base of the tree, maybe a foot wide area. The catepillars that climb up the tree to make the webs would be pierced and die. I have not used it internally for my dogs, but since I do purchase organic DE, I will definately give this a try.
Sharon on August 12th, 2008
I have used DE for about 20+ years. I put the DE in a white sock and lob it onto the dogs gently. In Texas, I was the only house on the block not plagued by webworms (the webs in trees full of catepillars). I would take the sock full of DE and beat it around the base of the tree, maybe a foot wide area. The catepillars that climb up the tree to make the webs would be pierced and die. I have not used it internally for my dogs, but since I do purchase organic DE, I will definately give this a try.
Anyone know the ratio of food/DE to use?
Paula on August 13th, 2008
Just a comment, but DE does not get in the blood stream of anything, it goes through the digestive tract of animals and the sharp edges of the diatoms cut the parasites. On the skin it does that and also dessicates the exoskeleton.
Joyce on March 26th, 2009
I have read numerous articles and the comments here re: diatomaceous earth as flea control for pets. NOWHERE has it been specified HOW MUCH DE to use topically or added to pet’s food! Can anyone offer a clue as to amount and frequency of topical and dietary use??? Thank you.
Dave on July 5th, 2009
From another site, How much DE should I feed my animals?
Some of the feeding rations suggested by suppliers and users include: 1-2% by weight of DE in ground, dry feed. 5% by weight in stored grain. 5 ounces ( one cup) daily ration for horses. one tablespoon per day for large dogs (over 55 lb.). One teaspoon per day for small dogs, cats and puppies
Paul Smachetti on July 10th, 2009
I’m trying to find some locally.I found some that said it kills crawling insects but it did not state on the pkg “Food Grade” .Does it have to state that it’s Food Grade on the package?
Paul
kathy on July 26th, 2009
Yes…make sure all u buy is food grade. The kind for pools is toxic and has chemicals added.
Rikki on August 3rd, 2009
If you go to your local feed store the should have DE there. What they carry in the feed store is food grade not pool chemicals. Shop around a bit to get the best price. DE tastes like dirt and last time I checked no one or thing enjoys the taste of dirt. I mix 2 parts peanut butter and 1 part DE. The animals love it and the added protein helps to flush out any parasites. My horse gets about 1 cup per day and my dogs (labs) get about a half a cup. The smaller the animal the smaller the dose. You can’t give them too much. Its is safe for any mammal to eat. I also dust them and the yard with it when I notice there is a problem with fleas or flies. It is a very fine powder and is best to avoid getting it in your eyes or inhaling it. You wont die or anything but it will irritate them both.
Carol on August 29th, 2009
So after reading all of the comments shown above, I have gathered an overall knowledge that what people are doing is feeding it to their pet. I have a small kitten that is 9 weeks (as of Saturday, August 30th 2009) and just a few minutes ago I ordered DE from a website called DirtWorks. I was planning to us a baby powder like container to put it on her–do you recommend feeding it to her instead? Please, I need advice. She has fleas and they’re quickly multiplying. Thanks.
Eric on August 30th, 2009
Carol I believe that feeding it to them is for deworming and powdering is for fleas and ticks. My dad uses DE and thats what he does.
Tracy on September 27th, 2009
Check out Wolf Creek Ranch’s website. They give lots of great information on holistic animal care. My 4 cats are infested w fleas. One is young but the other 3 are elderly and it has really affected them in a bad way. Loss of weight and hair loss. I am starting to rub them with it but will also be giving it to them internally (as well as myself!) It will treat internal parasites which the cats probably have from biting at the flea larvae on their skin. Most of us humans all have them and they create a whole host of health problems.I will be giving 1 Tbls p/day to my cats.
Jud Patterson on October 1st, 2009
I just got 40 lbs. of FOOD GRADE DE for less about 36.00. I’m going to try this on my cats and in the carpets.
Jennifer W on October 28th, 2009
I purchased 5 lbs. of FOOD GRADE DE about a year ago. All is well!
Since the economy tanked we have been struggling with bills and to purchase monthly doses of Advantix or Frontline has been a no go.
My vet knows NOTHING of FGDE! He’s all bent out of shape that I don’t have them on a parasite medication. Sorry, but so far so good. They’ve had their fecal tests, and all have been negative.
FYI- Listen to the advice of using ONLY FOOD GRADE, and by that be very careful of buying any from a garden supply, pool supply, or big box store like Walmart, etc. I have not found one of those places that carries the FOOD GRADE DE. If you buy ANY, ensure it is labeled as food grade AND that it doesn’t advise against feeding to animals/humans.
If it’s not food grade, and is the stuff for pools, the dust particles are too large to be effective in killing any bug or parasite.
Definitely use a paif of gloves if you’re applying to the coat of your pets.
Apply outside since it’s messy.
I will DEFINITELY give the water spray a try. Even the sock application sounds intriguing.
I have 2 miniature pinschers, in Southern California. This last summer has been ridiculous with fleas. My dogs have 24 hour access to the yard, and there are 3 dogs total in the yards on either side of us, whom have suffered flea and tick infestations. FORTUNATELY, my two dogs, without the use of any chemical flea/pest control, and a lazy lawn mowing “mom” (me), have not suffered any infestations of fleas or ticks.
When I first received my FGDE, I had just brought our girl Min Pin into the home, and one night while watching tv with her sleeping in my lap, I looked down just in time to see a flea scurry from the top of her head into the longer fur of the top of her neck. I flipped out! Immediately ran her over to the cupboard and powdered her from head to toe in the kitchen sink, then proceeded to do the same with my boy min pin.
The kitchen looked like dust storm, and my two dogs looked like I just fished them out of the vacuum cleaner, but I never did see another flea since then- and like I said, that was a year ago.
Periodically I will dust them down, but I haven’t had any real reason to do so.
Their feeding schedule has been this:
Each are 12 lbs.
They eat between 2/3 and 3/4 of a cup twice a day.
I have been putting one 1 tsp. of water in the bottom of their dish, followed by a barely full tsp. of FGDE, then adding the food and swirling to ensure that they aren’t inhaling the dust.
Simon H on November 25th, 2009
For those of you using diatomaceous earth for intestinal worms, I would recommend taking a faecal sample to your local vet and getting it checked for worm eggs. My experience is that it is not effective for intestinal worms. Feeding DE will definitely not achieve anything for fleas.
Diatomaceous earth is a great environmental treatment, but personally I wouldn’t use it on my pet.
There are several proven flea control products that are far less messy and probably more effective.
Also, if you do use DE I would definitely recommend mixing with water and spraying it on or similar, as there is potentially an association with breathing this dust and cancer.
evelyn on December 16th, 2009
I am scared to death!!! I just applied DE that is NOT food grade to the carpet to help in our battle against the fleas. What should I do to get rid of the DE now that I understand I was supposed to used food grade DE???
Jim L on December 19th, 2009
Evelyn - don’t worry it’s not that big a problem. Since you are not eating the DE, the other concern is breathing the dust. I have heard that pool filter DE is more of a hazard than food grade DE, but neither is likely to harm you unless there is repeated contact - like working in a DE processing facility without a dust mask. Just vacuum it up wearing a dust mask and don’t worry.
carol a on December 21st, 2009
when we got our kitten he was flea free. and now he is 8 mths old, and somehow he managed to get them. i dnt know how, he is an inside cat. bt i we noticed the fleas abt 3 weeks ago and i have done the light with the water thing, the sprinkling of salt to dry eggs out. the frontline did wrk some, bt i want this things gone, like now. so i read an article on DE about a week ago and i bought some at the health food store and I am fixing to try it. I do not know what else to do, i vacuum every day and sometimes 3 times a day. I still gt fleas. I will try the jar thing an i will let ya’ll know
MJ on December 29th, 2009
Hi. I’m reading the comments and I would call my farm bureau if you live in farm country. They’re in your phone book.