Diatomaceous earth is microscopic silica... or simply put, super-duper fine sand.
It is mostly chemically inert and is virtually harmless when eaten in small quantities but if it is breathed in, it can irritate the lungs and cause a disease called silicosis...(A.K.A.: "Miner's Lung")...which is scarring of the lung tissues causing difficulty in breathing. Small amounts (e.g. "a snootfull") of diatomaceous earth, inhaled infrequently, probably won't hurt a normally healthy person or cat but, over the long term, it can make you sick.
Diatomaceous earth is a good filtering compound and it is also good as a micro-abrasive for cleaning and polishing. It also has other laboratory uses such as absorbing certain types of chemicals. The reason why people say that it is good at getting rid of fleas, roaches and other insects is because of its abrasive properties. It scratches away the outer, waxy layer of an insect's shell and causes them to dry out and die of dehydration.
Depending on the type of insect and the way it is applied, diatomaceous earth can be an effective way to get rid of fleas, roaches and other bugs but, overall, it isn't necessarily any better than other forms of insecticide. However, for people who don't want to use chemical insecticides, it might just do the trick.
For INTERNAL (intestinal) parasites, diatomaceous earth MIGHT help but it's not really known. It probably does work by the same way that it kills fleas, by abrasion, but there isn't enough documented medical information to prove it.
Diatomaceous earth, because it is absorbent, might also help absorb some harmful substances from the digestive tract and help it pass out of the body faster but, again, there isn't enough documented medical evidence to prove it, conclusively.
If you and/or your cat are otherwise healthy, there probably isn't any harm in taking moderate amounts of diatomaceous earth. There might be some benefits to it but you need to remember that there isn't a lot of documented proof. Mostly only anecdotal evidence.
The biggest problem with taking diatomaceous earth or using other types of alternative remedies is that people will use them in hopes of avoiding a trip to the vet or doctor. They will put off proper medical care until the problem gets worse and it might be too late.
Do you remember how Steve Jobs died? He had pancreatic cancer and he tried to treat it with holistic/alternative treatments. Steve Jobs, himself was quoted as saying that, if he had gotten traditional medical care, sooner, he might have lived longer.
I want to be clear. I am NOT telling people that they shouldn't use diatomaceous earth or any other alternative treatment if they believe it will help. I am saying that it should only be used as an ADJUNCT to proper medical care, with the advice and consent of a doctor or veterinarian.
Remember, you are just feeding your cat sand.
It is mostly chemically inert and is virtually harmless when eaten in small quantities but if it is breathed in, it can irritate the lungs and cause a disease called silicosis...(A.K.A.: "Miner's Lung")...which is scarring of the lung tissues causing difficulty in breathing. Small amounts (e.g. "a snootfull") of diatomaceous earth, inhaled infrequently, probably won't hurt a normally healthy person or cat but, over the long term, it can make you sick.
Diatomaceous earth is a good filtering compound and it is also good as a micro-abrasive for cleaning and polishing. It also has other laboratory uses such as absorbing certain types of chemicals. The reason why people say that it is good at getting rid of fleas, roaches and other insects is because of its abrasive properties. It scratches away the outer, waxy layer of an insect's shell and causes them to dry out and die of dehydration.
Depending on the type of insect and the way it is applied, diatomaceous earth can be an effective way to get rid of fleas, roaches and other bugs but, overall, it isn't necessarily any better than other forms of insecticide. However, for people who don't want to use chemical insecticides, it might just do the trick.
For INTERNAL (intestinal) parasites, diatomaceous earth MIGHT help but it's not really known. It probably does work by the same way that it kills fleas, by abrasion, but there isn't enough documented medical information to prove it.
Diatomaceous earth, because it is absorbent, might also help absorb some harmful substances from the digestive tract and help it pass out of the body faster but, again, there isn't enough documented medical evidence to prove it, conclusively.
If you and/or your cat are otherwise healthy, there probably isn't any harm in taking moderate amounts of diatomaceous earth. There might be some benefits to it but you need to remember that there isn't a lot of documented proof. Mostly only anecdotal evidence.
The biggest problem with taking diatomaceous earth or using other types of alternative remedies is that people will use them in hopes of avoiding a trip to the vet or doctor. They will put off proper medical care until the problem gets worse and it might be too late.
Do you remember how Steve Jobs died? He had pancreatic cancer and he tried to treat it with holistic/alternative treatments. Steve Jobs, himself was quoted as saying that, if he had gotten traditional medical care, sooner, he might have lived longer.
I want to be clear. I am NOT telling people that they shouldn't use diatomaceous earth or any other alternative treatment if they believe it will help. I am saying that it should only be used as an ADJUNCT to proper medical care, with the advice and consent of a doctor or veterinarian.
Remember, you are just feeding your cat sand.
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