mazer, yes, as with any dust particles that size, inhaling can be irritating to the lungs. Wearing a mask when applying it is a good precaution to prevent this. However, food grade DE poses no more danger than any other household dust and far less danger than most toxic flea treatments. Pool grade DE is extremely dangerous to inhale, because the crystalline silica produced by the process to make it filter-ready can do serious lung damage. Also, the same process that makes pool-grade DE useful for pools, makes it useless against fleas, so it's very important to get the right kind. oceanna, the "hands and knees" suggestion is for treating a flea infestation. In every instance where someone has told me that DE didn't work on their flea problem, a bit of probing revealed that their application consisted of a sprinkling much like what you might do with some carpet freshener. DE works via contact with the fleas, so careful application to ensure that there are no areas where fleas can escape the DE is important. I find that the easiest way to get complete coverage is getting on my hands and knees. When others have followed this advice, they have had pretty close to 100% success. It may not be essential, but it does ensure that it will work. The first time I used DE was about 20 years ago, when I moved into a house with a horrible flea infestation. The first time I walked in, no less than 100 fleas jumped onto my white socks. I did, in fact, get on my hands and knees and sprinkled about one square foot of carpet at a time. I then scrubbed the powder into the carpet with a scrub brush to ensure it didn't get tracked away or vacuumed up right away. Despite being surrounded by homes with flea-ridden dogs and yards, I never had to reapply the DE in the six years I lived in that house. cindyxeus, I have not had to reapply nearly as frequently as you have. In fact, the only area inside that I have ever re-treated was on and around the dogs' bedding. Outside, I have reapplied about once per year. To clarify, I was under the impression for a long time that becoming wet rendered DE ineffective. I was wrong. Well, it only makes it ineffective until it dries again. In fact, many folks use a water/DE mixture to spray outside to get a more even distribution. A hard rain will wash it away or concentrate it in certain areas, so it may need to be reapplied under those circumstances. meghane, my current house has almost no carpeting, but I have successfully used DE on my hardwood floors. The process is just a little different. Rather than scrubbing to get the powder down into the carpet, you have to sweep it into the cracks between the boards. Of course, all area rugs can be treated just like any other carpet. I have only needed to use it once in the 11 years we have been in this house. Finally, I have had great success using DE for ticks, as well as fleas, but it did require treating the yard pretty thoroughly.

Well, I have a vet appointment later this week, but I'd like to get some xanax for storms, or big upsets. My 8-year old Golden developed thunder phobias while we were in Phoenix. This was a difficult move for many reasons and it took 6 months after the movers came for us to finally get here. I could tell she was adding anxieties. Now she doesn't like gun shots, loud noises, unexpected movements, car rides, etc... If it's an short event (gun shot) we do a "settle" exercise and she can calm down. A thunderstorm brings: panting, shaking, clawing, alternating pacing, and cowering, trying to climb on top of my head, she urinates, and this is always followed by diarrhea (that she usually manages to contain until the storm subsides and she goes outside). What concerns me most is the fact that she's adding fears. I'm going to try to desensitize her to the storms, but we need drugs to break this association. I know it's not just the thunder as she starts freaking long before I even realize a storm is coming in. I'm sure she's sensing the pressure change and the static, which she's come to associate with bad things. The first 6 years of her life she was nearly shock-proof; I do not remember her being afraid of anything--sometimes to my great dismay. When she's really upset, I just cannot distract her. "Animals in Translation," was written by an autistic woman who says she made a compression machine for herself when she was overwrought. She says they seem to work on animals much the same way and it's very calming. I'm hoping that a multi-pronged approach will help my dog: compression, distraction, drugs... Can you think of anything else that might help? Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.

Arkansas girl: I was told same thing that it was only fake Soresto collars, so being a fool I listened to my vet and put the collar on my Bichon that I purchased from the vet. I diligently watched for any signs of an allergic reaction and after only 1 week I noted some serousanguinous drainage under my dogs collar. He has thick curley hair so I did not notice he had a severe reaction under his neck. When the vet shaved his neck the entire neck underneath was excoriated and swollen. Now my poor baby is miserable and on antibiotics and antihistamines. His breathing is rapid when he sleeps and I pray there is no internal damage. I immediately took the collars off of both my pets and threw these $160 worth of collars in the garbage. I am going back to vet today because swelling is still bad and my dog’s breathing is rapid when he sleeps. Do not use these if you love your pets. My Bichon had a very severe reaction and I personally wish I had listened to reviews and not Enlanco who I called nor my vet. EPA has multiple reports of deaths and should take these off the market. I am going to do my best to make sure they do!

Like I said, call Frontline. Up to 48 hours to kill a tick. In fact, their New Zealand site doesn't even mention 24 hours, they have different laws, and say up to 48 to kill ticks. Nor does any site mention the % of ticks that it actually does kill. Tick-borne disease (many) take 36-48 hours to spread. The method I've been using takes up to 12 hours to kill ticks. The better method is obvious. However, I completely understand why someone wouldn't want to use Bravecto, even I'm looking for something else. Just because you deleted your posts, doesn't mean I don't remember how disgusting and nasty you got when I all I said was "I don't believe you understand the study." Quoting something to try to make your point, but only understanding bits and pieces of it, is the worst kind of ignorance. You got called out on it, then deleted, and yet, I'm being vicious - wow.. you gotta a lot of nerve. Edited to add: I never deleted any posts in the other thread. I stand by everything I said. If I'm not sure of something, I don't post it, period.