A CLOVE A DAY KEEPS THE FLEAS AWAY

Many dogs and cats seem to benefit in the fight against fleas from the addition of garlic and brewer's yeast to their diets. When these substances are metabolized, an odor (and flavor) that fleas find very unattractive develops in the skin.

One to three fresh garlic cloves, pulverized and mixed with food, may be administered daily. (But keep in mind that garlic will have the same effect on your pet's breath as it does on yours.)

The important flea-control ingredient in brewer's yeast is thiamine (vitamin B). A level of one milligram (1 mg) of thiamine daily for each five pounds of your pet's body weight is ideal. For an average-size cat, this would translate to one teaspoon of brewer's yeast; for a large dog, you might administer one tablespoon of brewer's yeast supplemented with a B-complex vitamin pill. Brewer's yeast can also be dusted on externally as a flea powder. (If your pet licks some off, there's no harm done.)

A third important flea-fighting dietary supplement is zinc. This mineral is essential for healthy skin, but is lacking in many pets' diets. Use chelated (pronounced key-lated) zinc: 10 mg daily for cats and small dogs; 20 mg for larger canines.

These dietary supplements will require close to a month to build up to flea-fighting levels in a pet's skin. So start them in the spring before you find yourself in the midst of a severe flea invasion.

Of course, nothing is likely to completely eliminate fleas forever. However, you can rest assured that your efforts to eliminate and prevent fleas will directly benefit your pet's health and happiness.

And when it comes to those dangerous chemical pesticides, it's nice to know that we can live without them.