We are all concerned about the rise of tickborne illnesses in both people and dogs. I want to make sure you know of a very effective and inexpensive addition to your pest control plans.
A product called DIATOMACEOUS EARTH has helped me keep my yard and my dogs tick and flea free for the last two years. Diatomaceous earth is a powdery dirt, sold in 20-pound bags for about $20 at Tractor Supply and local feed and grain stores. This particular dirt, eventhough it seems light as air to us, has tiny sharp edges : diatoms. When a flea or tick comes into contact with the diatoms, their shell is fractured and they die. Thus the pest does not need to eat the product--only touch it.
I don't use lawn chemicals because I don't want to risk toxic effects for my dogs. Even if you do apply lawn products, YOU DO NO HARM by adding the diatomaceous earth.
Farmers have used diatomaceous earth in a number of ways. It is absolutely safe for the environment of our domestic animals. Some people even add it to their own food as a digestive aid! It can also be fed to our dogs, added to their food, to discourage stool eating, though I am not sure this is truly effective.
Here's how to use it:
- Use a spreader if you have one, but you can also widely spread the earth with a scoop as you would grass seed.
- Wear a surgical mask (paper is fine), because you don't want to breath in the dust. It might irritate your lung tissue: remember the little sharp edges of the particles! The dirt can float in the air before it settles, so it really is a good idea to wear a mask.
- You can reapply several times during the summer, but rain does not render the particles ineffective. I always put plenty around my evergreens because ticks love evergreens.
I have five dogs, all with considerable coats. As you know, it is hard to find every tick a coated dog might bring in. The diatomaceous earth has kept my dogs tick and flea free, so I strongly recommend it!
