Don't let the bad bugs bite: kill fleas and ticks without harming your pets.(Petcare: holistic hints for your furry friends)

No matter where you live--in a city or in rural areas--your pets are sure to be subjected to irritating flea bites and Lyme disease, the potentially fatal disease caused by tick bites. Not only will fleas cause discomfort to your pets, but they can also invade your home, propagating in carpets, bedding and furniture, and biting you, causing severe itching and swelling.

Pet stores and veterinary clinics display a vast array of chemically derived shampoos, powders, sprays, pills and collars which, according to the labels, will eliminate fleas and ticks. But what are these substances doing to our pets?

Tablets such as Proban, an oral insecticide for dogs, contain cythioate, a very toxic chemical, which is exuded through the skin to kill attacking fleas. But they may do more than that. Martin Goldstein, DVM, writes, "A professor of mine at Cornell did numerous autopsies on dogs that had died after taking Proban for some time. He found 'jellification of the liver,' meaning that the liver had virtually been destroyed." This is just one medication that has caused illness and death in pets.

Flea repellants also are sold in liquid form and are usually applied between the shoulder blades. Be warned that overuse can cause vomiting and neurological problems in dogs.

Problem Powders

A number of years ago, before I knew better, I used a commercial flea powder made for cats. Five of my seven felines had severe reactions. Even after 3 weeks of veterinary care, my beloved cat Whisper died. This product contained the active ingredients rotenone and dichlorvos--and dichlorvos, I later learned, is an organophosphate.

Organophosphates act like a nerve gas, paralyzing the nervous system of the flea. I obviously don't recommend them for several reasons. During application, our pets breathe them in, and the toxins can linger for days. Plus, when animals lick their fur, they ingest even more of these harmful chemicals.