dimomatceous earth

Question
QUESTION: Please  explain to me the difference in the food grade and flea treatment if there is one. Also is there a different formula for cats and dogs?

ANSWER: When using Diatomaceous Earth, always use the food grade form on your companion or in the house. The bleached variety available as Pure DE Filter Powder at Home Depot and other places for swimming pool filters, is ok for outdoors only. If you have a large area to cover, it is the least expensive. Do not use it on a pet or indoors.

The food grade form is also useful for worming, so when used on the outside of the animal, if licked off it serves an additional purpose.

Same for cats and dogs.

Hope this helps.
Sue Griffin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sorry I've been having problems with my computer. Today I am at the library. But my question is, Do you know one way or another if the Diatomaceous Earth is harmful to pets? I use in on my cats and it seems to kill the fleas almost instantly, but the vet said that if it was ingested it would cause lung damage. She didn't say what kind. But I have a friend in California who uses it on her pets and doesn't have any problem with it. So what I don't know is if maybe its just harmful to SOME cats and not others?

Answer
Hello again,

If you use the food grade form, DE is totally beneficial if ingested. I believe that instead of "ingested", the word in reference to possible lung damage would have been "inhaled". The possibility of irritation of the nose, throat and/or lungs could exist if you were to use too much of the fine powder at once or too often. More is not better. Use just enough to work it well into the coat close to the skin. This should avoid any issues.

Sue