Question: What are some natural methods of removing fleas from a house?
A piece of a natural flea collar or a bit of diatomaceous earth in the vacuum cleaner bag helps to kill fleas that get sucked into the vacuum cleaner. Diatomaceous earth may also be dusted on the floors. A capful of Skin So Soft Bath Oil, mixed with a quart of water, and then applied to the dog's coat works to get rid of fleas.

Question: How can I kill flea eggs?
Flea eggs can survive in a dormant state without living fleas becoming a problem until the eggs hatch with warmer weather or other environmental triggers. Some say that salt will dehydrate flea eggs, so sprinkling salt on bedding and other likely flea resting places should kill the eggs.

Question: Is there a reliable alternative to chemical heartworm preventatives
such as Ivermectin? Does black walnut work?
Many people use Black Walnut and have had no problems with it. According to Mary Wulff-Tilford, an Herbalist and author of All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets, Black Walnut is a regular anti-worming herb and there is no evidence that it is capable of "handling" heartworms. There are also heartworm nosodes that some people use. For more information on Heartworm, here is an interesting article on DaneBytes.

Question: Is it true that development of the heartworms is temperature dependant, so it shouldn't be necessary to give the medication in winter?
It's not the development of the worms that is temperature dependant but the mosquitoes that carry the disease that are temperature dependant. There are no mosquitoes in the later Fall, Winter and early part of Spring...

Question: Is the recommended dose on the heartworm preventative packs higher than necessary?
Yes it is! According to Dr. Stephen Blake, you can give the recommended amount, but at 45-50 day intervals and still have plenty of protection.

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