Just Dusted The Dogs With Diatomaceous Earth

[Jeff]

Been reading about it for years, but never tried it.

I found a 40 pound bag of food grade Diatomaceous Earth at a local feed store for $14, so if it works, it has already paid for itself. Saving $30 in Frontline + for the 3 dogs.

And if it works, that 40 pounds is good for many generations of dogs, it should last forever lol

 

I'm guessing I'll reapply every 2 weeks and after a bath. Anyone have any experience using it as a preventative and not a one shot fix?

[Brindles]

No personal experience with it, but I'm curious to hear your results. A lot of people who keep chickens will mix it in with sand for the hens to use as a dust bath. They say it's great at keeping bugs away.

[XTRAWLD]

I did not personally apply it, however when we were on vacation in September, we left our boys with a greyhound sitter, she found a flea on Kasey and applied the Earth after removing the flea. I didn't see a flea since. That was the one time fix. He has NEVER had a flea until that time and I was shocked he got one in the first place! So far, two thumbs up here. I don't know if I would replace the regular preventative entirely for my boys, but for fixing the problem if they have fleas ON them, for sure.

[kamsmom]

There is a friend of mine who feeds that stuff to her dogs. She also takes it herself. I'm curious to see if you have good results from it.

[TheFullHouse]

I'm curious to hear the results. Definitely would be cheaper to use on our pack!

[Batmom]

Wouldn't get my hopes up, especially in a humid environment.

[Jeff]

There is a friend of mine who feeds that stuff to her dogs. She also takes it herself. I'm curious to see if you have good results from it.

It is fed as a wormer, not for fleas/ticks etc

 

Wouldn't get my hopes up, especially in a humid environment.

Why not, seems it would work better to me there. It is a powder so that would help it stick to the skin better than in a dry environment IMO.

[Batmom]

The mode of action against pests requires the product to be drier than the pest. If it takes up moisture from the environment, it's no longer dry enough to dessicate the pest.

 

Folks have been trying to use it in grain storage for quite a few years.

[Guest BrianRke]

Let us know how that works. That would be a great option for the hounds in the adoption kennel.

[Jeff]

True to a point. DE works 2 ways. 1 it cuts through the body of insects. and 2, it dehydrates them. Since the dogs are inside in the AC much more than outside, I don't think dehydration will be an issue, and it will be sharp regardless.

 

My only real concern is whether it will work as a preventative rather than a treatment. Will it remain on the dogs long enough. I'm hoping at least 2 weeks so I can dust them every other week.

 

Here in the woods we have a decent number of ticks. Have seen them on the dogs with both frontline spray and the standard topical. Obviously it is not a repellent, the ticks still need to bite and die. Hopefully the DE works as well or better. Some reading mentioned that pests may not want to adhere because that can feel the sharp nature of the DE. Time will tell.

[Guest WhiteWave]

We use it. It works ok, but in FL, it is not perfect. For my dogs with allergies to fleas, I give them comfortis. But we put DE in the crate room, around the baseboards and in the crates, and dust the dogs with it if I see a flea on them. I also started giving it them in their food. But haven't been doing it long enough to form an opinion.

[Guest Greytluv]

Why do you put it in their food? Worms?

[4greyhounds]

We used it when we were in South Carolina, and we had great success. But it was not real good here in Florida so we now use comfortis the only thing we have found that was effective. Te only thing I hated when I used it in South Carolina was the dust on there beds and everywhere they touched. I suggest leaving them outside for a while after the application. But we had great success with it. Good Luck and let us know how it goes.....

[Guest eaglflyt]

There is a caution about using DE on or around pets. If it should get into the eyes of your pets, or lungs, it can cause severe problems. Extensive corneal abrasions and resulting blindness has been reported when DE got into the eyes of canine pets. Also, inhaling DE can be very harmful for both humans and animals. We chose not to use DE on or around our pets.

 

It is also recommended that ONLY FOOD GRADE DE be used on or around pets.

 

Here's a quick link.

 

Also, a bit more info:

 

• Food Grade diatomaceous earth only for your pets and your household, as other grades can contain chemicals which may be harmful.

 

• Food grade DE contains very low percentages of crystalline silica, while non-food grade contains higher amounts. Crystalline silica is not good for your lungs (it's sharp and drying), so wear a mask even when applying food grade DE (just to be extra safe).

Edited April 25, 2011 by eaglflyt

[4My2Greys]

There is a caution about using DE on or around pets. If it should get into the eyes of your pets, or lungs, it can cause severe problems. Extensive corneal abrasions and resulting blindness has been reported when DE got into the eyes of canine pets. Also, inhaling DE can be very harmful for both humans and animals. We chose not to use DE on or around our pets.

 

It is also recommended that ONLY FOOD GRADE DE be used on or around pets.

 

Here's a quick link.

 

Also, a bit more info:

 

• Food Grade diatomaceous earth only for your pets and your household, as other grades can contain chemicals which may be harmful.

 

• Food grade DE contains very low percentages of crystalline silica, while non-food grade contains higher amounts. Crystalline silica is not good for your lungs (it's sharp and drying), so wear a mask even when applying food grade DE (just to be extra safe).

 

I was going to bring that up too. As much as I like to use natural products, that has kept me from using it on my dogs. One thing you might want to look into using to eliminate fleas and ants on your property is beneficial nematodes.

[Guest KennelMom]

I'd be afraid of inhaling the stuff, especially continual exposure. Maybe use it on my yard, but not in the house or directly on the dogs. But, I used to be a smoker so I'm extra paranoid about lung cancer.

 

I just posted this in another thread, but if you are looking for cheap flea killer, I know trainers at the track that use Bayer Tree and Shrub insect control. If you google "Bayer Tree and Shrub dog" or other various combos, you'll see some threads on various dog forums as well.

[Jiffer]

I don't use it on the crew, but I do use it around the house to keep pests at bay.

 

I haven't had problems with earwigs in years since I started dusting the yard and perimeter of the house with it. I even use it to keep worms and aphids off my broccoli plants and rose bushes.

[montgomery2524]

I use Food grade DE for bug control around the house and on the dogs. For the dogs I put it in my hands and then rub on the dogs so I don't cause a cloud of dust. For the yard you can mix with water and spray on the side of the house and the yard. Check out www.dirtworks.com they have a document on different uses.

 

I also know humans who take it and have found their hair is softer. Not sure how that worked but DE was the only change they had made to their lifestyle.

[Guest mcsheltie]

I'd be afraid of inhaling the stuff, especially continual exposure. Maybe use it on my yard, but not in the house or directly on the dogs. But, I used to be a smoker so I'm extra paranoid about lung cancer.

 

I just posted this in another thread, but if you are looking for cheap flea killer, I know trainers at the track that use Bayer Tree and Shrub insect control. If you google "Bayer Tree and Shrub dog" or other various combos, you'll see some threads on various dog forums as well.

The problem with this is they don't make it without fertilizer anymore I've looked for it for two years now. Not just in MI, but when I am traveling for shows too.

 

I bought some DE to use on the kittens that are too young for anything else. But after doing more research I decided against it. So I have ten pounds of it in the garage.

 

Nematodes work great in the yard. But if it doesn't rain you have to keep the yard watered or they will die.

[Guest KennelMom]

Ah...didn't realize they didn't make it anymore w/o fertilizer. I've never sought it out to use on the dogs and I first heard about it a couple years ago at a track. Never mind

Edited April 26, 2011 by KennelMom

[Guest JarBear]

We have been using the food grade on our yard and around the deck for several years now and occasionally rub some on the dogs. We have woods right behind the house with lots of critters living there and visiting our yard and we haven't had any fleas and very few ticks. We're careful when putting it on the yard and on the dogs that we don't get it in eyes or inhale it.

We've picked up fosters from questionable circumstances and when we do we give them a Capstar and dust the van after just in case. We also sprinkle some around the baseboards and under the area rugs in the spring just in case one of the little buggers sneaks in.

[Guest Bang_o_rama]

Consider: http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/d1288.htm

 

I would not be too confident that "food grade" DE dust is harmless. DE by definition is mostly silica.You wouldn't want to snort food-grade NaCl or USP talc into your bronchii either....

 

~D~

[greytluck]

 

I haven't had problems with earwigs in years since I started dusting the yard and perimeter of the house with it. I even use it to keep worms and aphids off my broccoli plants and rose bushes.

 

Great tip, thanks

[Guest TinasTroops]

We buy it, Sell it and use in around the house, in the yard and on the hounds when needed and have for a few years now.

[Guest madredhare]

That stuff is pretty amazing. My husband got bit by a brown recluse spider last year and the exterminator told us to sprinkle it around the house to get rid of them. Best thing, it is safe for the hounds. I also use the food grade on the dogs food. They love it. I don't know if it is relevant or not, but my Tom has kidney disease and his blood tests were improved after putting this on his food.