How to De-Worm Your Pet with Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth
- Posted on
- By Louise's Pet Connection
- 232
Are you dealing with worms but don't want to use the chemicals to deworm your pet? And now you just don't know what else to do? Did you know that 85 to 95% of the human population also has worms which is a major contributor to disease and illness.
Are you dealing with worms but don't want to use the chemicals to deworm your pet? And now you just don't know what else to do? Did you know that 85 to 95% of the human population also has worms which is a major contributor to disease and illness. We only feed our pets what we would eat ourselves so why would we give them a chemical that we wouldn't take ourselves? That's why we feed Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth. We give it to all our animals and we even take it ourselves.
What is Diatomaceous Earth?
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is the remains of microscopic one-celled plants (phytoplankton) called diatoms that lived in the oceans and lakes that once covered the western part of the US and other parts of the world. These deposits are mined from underwater beds or from ancient dried lake bottoms thousands of years old. This means, diatomaceous earth has an unlimited shelf life provided you keep it dry. Our diatomaceous earth is organic OMRI listed Codex Food Chemical Grade. It is a non-treated, non-calcined fresh water Diatomaceous Earth. It is mined, crushed, sifted, bagged and pure white in color. It contains less than .5% silicon. There are food grade diatomaceous earth products that are yellow or tan in color which indicates a higher iron content. Those which are gray in color contain more clay. It is very important to only obtain food grade diatomaceous earth to use in and around your household.
As we’ve mentioned this supplement in our previous post for ridding your life of fleas this is how we use it internally. When food grade diatomaceous earth is fed in adequate daily amounts, it eliminates all intestinal worms and parasites. This helps the human or animal better absorb the nutrients from the food they eat, which in turn benefits them as a whole! De actually rids the body of roundworms, whipworms, pinworms, and hookworms within 7 days of being fed daily. But to be most effective, food grade diatomaceous earth must be fed long enough to catch all newly hatching eggs or cycling of the worms through the lungs and back to the stomach as De does not kill the eggs. A minimum of 60 days is suggested for most worms, 90 days is advised for lungworms and even sometimes double the recommended dose. Just remember, DE has to come in contact with the worm or parasite to kill it within 24 to 72 hours. Once you start deworming with DE you don’t want to stop or take any breaks otherwise the infestation of dead dying worms which emit bacteria and toxins can cause a toxic overload, which can make animals or people sicker. Really, you can feed too little, but you can't feed too much! In most cases the way you can tell if your dosing is a little too high would be if there is any constipation!
The dosing chart is as follows:
Kittens - 1/2 teaspoon
Cats - 1 teaspoon
Puppies - 1/2 to 1 tsp.
Dogs under 35 lbs. - 1 teaspoon
Dogs over 35 lbs. - 1 tablespoon
Dogs over 100 lbs. - 2 tablespoons
Cattle, Dairy Cows, & Hogs - 2% of dry feed ration
Chickens - 5% in feed
Goats, Sheep, Alpacas, & Llamas - 2% in grain
Zoo animals - 2% in daily feed
*Humans - 1 - 3 heaping tablespoon daily
We recommend starting slow and increasing as desired, after you are certain you aren't having any heavy detox effects. Because DE is a safe non-toxic natural dewormer, with no chemicals to it, worms can't be immune to it!
Whether it's for you, your pets, or even your home DE has a wide variety of benefits! For one it can help to boost and build immune systems which keeps your pets happy and healthy with the added bonus of a soft and shiny coat! It’s also used to detox any heavy metals out of the blood and even things like e coli and other harmful bacterias and viruses! In humans it's used a lot to stabilize blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels! With over 15 trace minerals in its makeup DE is great for everyone!
Diatomaceous earth has so many more benefits than just deworming!
But more importantly the benefits of DE mean reduction in vet bills and disease! All in all you and your pets will have a much healthier life!
My almost 14 pound cat has worms been using diatomaceous earth food grade for almost 2 months. And his feces still has worms. How much longer and should I give bigger dosage ( currently giving 1.25 teaspoon once daily)
I have been giving all my cat DE for about a month. However, I have noticed that a couple cats are starting to lose weight. They are eating and drinking. Could the DE be causing weight loss in them?
Thank you for your advice column! I adopted my Maine coon kitten 2 months ago. He already had ‘lesions/bumps’ behind his ears, on his neck & on his body. His vet took a scraping with tape (I didn’t think he got enough ‘evidence’), & said that my kitten just had allergic dermatitis. He gave me medicated shampoo & mousse. Well, I now have ‘lesions/bumps’ on my neck, face & arms - all the places that come in contact with my very affectionate kitten! After spending many hours doing research & excluding infections, fleas etc., the only conclusion I can come to is that my kitten must have scabies. I’ve had cats for over 30 years; they have always been indoor cats - no fleas etc. I’m absolutely horrified to think that both Oscar & I have this mite infestation which I find very itchy. My other cat, 2 years old, has one or two bumps. If Diatomaceous Earth can rid us of this unpleasant affliction, I will be more than thankful. Thank you again!
Hi Louise,
I have been giving my 2 dogs DE for about a week because I had read it can be helpful for yeast overgrowth. The larger one is about 60-70 pounds and is broken out all over with scabs (pyderma) and has extreme allergies. I have switched her to grain-free, low starch food and supplement with meat and vegetables. She cannot even have sweet potato that is in some grain-free dog foods! It seems to finally be helping, she has fewer scabs now. The little one (only 15 pounds) had some yeasty ear issues so have been giving DE to her as well, but she had some slimy poo accidents in the house yesterday and one of them had a couple tiny blood spots. I am obviously concerned I am hurting more than helping with the DE? I don't know if that is normal?
Thank you so much for any help!
Amy
Hi! Question about my dogs. Noticed tapeworm segments so started feeding DE. Just wondered if more segments coming out means that the worms are dying. They have been on it for about a week.
Hi Melinda
You are not doing anything wrong, it just sounds like you have a lot of egg cycles going on which means you have a lot of hatchings. I would give them their bedding back just wash it more often. We use sheets/crib sheets that we can take off easily and wash. Fleas don’t just go into fabric, they will go on tile, hard wood etc, they do not care. Just stay on top of it and keep combing them, cleaning, and spreading the DE when you think you have vacuumed it all up.
I dont have carpet, just wood and tile floors. My cats are only in 3 rooms so no furniture at all with fabric type material other than their bedding and cat tree. we took the bedding away a couple of weeks ago and have put DE on the tree and around the base boards and door ways pretty much every other day, along with vacuuming before reapplying to the baseboards.I comb my oldest cat twice a day which is easy because she loves it, but the little one i have to fight to do it once. If this works, I don't understand what I am doing wrong.
Hi Melinda,
It absolutely does work you must have a lot of cycles going on. It will take a very long time if you are only putting it on your cats. DE does not kill the eggs just the adults which jump off to lay eggs so you have to apply it to your whole house. We recommend to vacuum really really well (under baseboards, couches etc) and then apply the DE all over your house working it into carpet, over tile, under baseboards etc. The more you flea comb your cats and vacuum the quicker you will get rid of them because you are hopefully getting them before they lay the eggs. When you think you have vacuumed up all the DE put more down and more importantly when you think the fleas are gone put more down because if you missed just one it can lay eggs and the process will start all over. Here is a link for more help
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/external-application/
I have been putting DE on both of my cats for about a month now and there is no change at all. we give them a bath once a week, then reapply once they are completely dry, usually the next day. i comb them twice a day, getting tons of fleas off them. i no longer let them go outside at all and weve taken their bedding away completely. I really didnt want to have to give them harsh chemicals but it looks like i have no choice. i was really hoping this would work :(
Hi Gina,
Yes, we would just do the 1.5 - 2 teaspoons in there food everyday and both should get what they need. We usually feed it a little longer when we have to do it this way.
Hello! Question: I have 2 strays (1 - 9 month old ~ 8.5lbs and recently neutered & 1 - Older ~ 9lbs with both Hypothyroid and FELV) I am caring for them as best I can and giving the older its daily thyroid meds, but the kitten has been stuck like glue to the older cat and so I cant separate the feeding.. Based on your doses can I assume that if I apply ~1.5 teaspoons into their wet food daily (for 60 days) that would be adequate? I have no way to check their bathroom habits as they are outdoor and just go out into the yard so don't know how I'd be able to tell if it was working well or not. but I'd really like to try to give them whatever I can to keep them as healthy as possible. Thanks for your help!
Hi Melinda,
You do not need to quarantine her. She is getting worms from the fleas so you need to feed her the DE until the fleas are gone because you are getting rid of the worms but she will keep getting re infested if the fleas are still there. The other cats are not going to get the worms from her they are going to get them from the fleas.
i started giving my 10 month old cat DE 3 days ago for worms (1 teaspoon) She's about 8 pounds. how long do i quarantine her for and how do i know when all of the worms are gone? we put this on her as well for fleas 3 days ago and will be repeating that on day 4. she doesnt go outside but she gets fleas from our other cat that likes to run out the door whenever possible. so both of them are getting DE externally and internally. our older cat hasnt shown signs of DE but i am giving it to her to make sure. its heart breaking listening to our little one crying for some attention all the time, so we try to visit with her as much as we can. she was much calmer today i guess getting use to being in the room alone. i just need to know how long i have to keep her away, and how to know when they are gone.
Hi Star,
You can absolutely feed the DE to your Kittens. Here are the feeding guidelines.
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/internal-consumption/
Is there an age limit to feed de to my kittens? My cat got out and had a litter a month ago and they are now starting on solid food but they have the nastiest diarrhea and I see worms. Is it safe to give it to them so young?
Hi Louise, I have a 200 or so gram squirrel that show's signs of a really messed up gut/intestine, I'm getting papaya and some good quality saccharomyces boulardi, how much de do I give him? Thanking you in advance for any suggestions or advice! Have to keep all these fur babies healthy and safe no matter how small! Thank you, Jim!
Hi C
The easiest way to feed it is to put it in wet food or wet treat once per day so they eat it all at once. That way you know each one got the recommended dosage. It is a very chalky product and it usually is too much to put on dry food. Cats won’t eat enough of it that way.
Hi Mary,
Yes you want to use the Food Grade for your yard. Here is a link which explains external application.
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/external-application/
Hi, we have 5 cats, 3 big boys and 2 small girls.
They all get fed dry food together in the same bowls and eat at different times throughout the day.
If I put the correct amount on the feed fed, will that still work for them to eat as they see fit throughout the day?
With it being on all the food fed I know they will all be getting it according to how much that they will eat that day.
Are cats are like grazers.. they just eat when they want too.. after naps, before naps, in between lol
I’ve had dogs all my 55+ years of life and never had to deal with de worming them except when they were new puppies. My youngest rescue is 7 years old the oldest is 14 years old.recently we had all 4 having horrific diarrhea and took the youngest to vet and diagnosed with hookworms. The vet gave us meds but nothing for yard. A friend told me about this stuff. My quest is, it’s the food graded does it get applied in the yard? She does but she has chickens. Is it okay or work in yard for dogs?
Hi Autumn,
Give us a call at 407-688-1026 so we can go over a couple of things to try and help you out.
Hi, I started feeding my cats 1/2 teaspoon a day of DE in wet food 3 days ago. And today my one cat had bright red blood in his stool. Is this a sign of removing parasites? Or should I stop giving him DE and take him to the vet again? They have not been any help with all his other symptoms so I was trying DE.
Hi Sheila,
Rice size worms are tapeworms and they come from fleas. They can also get them from things like opossum poop, squirrels etc. If its an adult cat normal size then I would do at least 2 teaspoons per day (1 feeding). Feed the DE until the source of the tapeworms are gone because he will keep getting reinfected.
Hi Ellen,
Yes for it to work the best it has to be in one dose with the correct amount. The easiest way to give DE is to mix it in canned food and you don’t have to use that much canned, just use the amount he will eat. Keep in mind the 1-2 teaspoons is a range and depends on the size of your cat. Give us a call if you need to and we can give you more suggestions. 407-688-1026
My cat has been producing rice like objects from his anus.i have been giving him about half a teaspoon of DA daily and now these rice things are still there but flat ! Does that mean they are dying off ? He has never had fleas
Hi! So glad to find this site! Thank you for being here! I think I saw you're recommending to give the DE to cats 1-2 tsp daily in one dose. Is there a reason it needs to be given in one dose, and would it harm him or be less effective if I divided the doses? The kitty I'm giving this to doesn't eat enough in one sitting to be able to put that much into his food. He's walking away from it, but he will eat it if I do 1/2 tsp, at a time.
I have a feral/stray kitten..now 5 months..he had fleas..they left..now back again.I put topical drops frontline gold, first dose worked.second..did not. Put Seresto collar on him. Nothing! I vacuum everyday was, dry all bedding, dust..just got food grade diatomaceous and put it on him..can I feed it to him to help with flea control and worms..is this how it works? Hes 6 pounds, 1/2 tsp. If I'm reading correctly.
Hi Christine,
Diatomaceous Earth is meant to be fed daily. The recommended dosing is 2% mixed into their feed (approx 1 cup per horse per day). The easiest way to ensure they are getting the correct amount is to mix it either into some feed or some kind of a treat once per day. You can also try to put it on the grass or hay and see if they eat it that way.
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/internal-consumption/
I’d like some advice on the quantity of DE for worming my horse’s. They are at grass and don’t need daily feeding. Can a monthly or two monthly amount be given or does it need to be daily? Amount per body weight would be of use. Many thanks.
Hi Artemis
Feeding DE will not hurt them at all so just to make sure they do not have worms I would go ahead and feed it. Since they go outside I would make that a normal part of their diet. You just have to mix 1-2 teaspoons in their wet food once per day. Yes, worms can make them hungry but if you are only doing a small (3oz can) and only sometimes kibble in the morning then you may not be feeding them enough food. Cats will sleep most of the day that is normal, most cats sleep 12 - 16 hours per day. I have attached a couple of links to help you out.
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/internal-consumption/
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/external-application/
Hi Nicki,
1 Tbsp is too much for a cat, you only need 1-2 teaspoons. Please refer to the blog for proper dosing. I have also attached another link for feeding DE
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/internal-consumption/
My cat is about 5 yes old and approx 7 lbs,the other one is about 8 yes and a little over 10 lbs . Lately the have both been constantly hungry they each get a full small can of wet food at night sometimes kibbles in morning . Or when they seem hungry .enough to eat it . I suspect they have worms is that a very common symptom . They go to bathroom outside so I cannot check their stool. They both sleep ALOT , but it is extremely warm climate here . I often find them laying on bathroom floor to get cool . I honestly just do not have the money to take to vet . I surely would if I could . I am struggling to make ends meet as it is .
Thank you for your time
Artemis
So my cat has tapeworms, and ive been giving my cat DE for 1 days but he seems to be almost sick! Is that normal! I have him only 1 tbsp
Hello! Does anyone know where I can find some research studies on the science of how this works?
I recently found out about diatomaceous earth and I am just very interested and fascinated by it
Hi Star,
Depending on the situation you would use it until the problem is gone. The DE will dry out the skin so we recommend to add some oils to there diet to help combat the dryness and once you are done using the DE it should get better. For mange there are more effective solutions that we recommend so just give us a call and we would be happy to help. 407-688-1026
How long should you apply for external parasites possible mange? I noticed his hair has a lot of flakes? Thanks
Hi Kristina,
Sorry for the delay in answering your question, somehow we missed it. Yes, definitely keep feeding it because it is working. We usually feed it for a good 6 months on new kittens just to give them a good start. Also, if there is an infestation (source of worms) like fleas then you have to feed it until the source is gone because they are going to continue to get re infested.
Here are the links to internal and external application.
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/internal-consumption/
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/external-application/
Hi Jackie,
I would follow the guideline for chickens which is 5% mixed into their feed. As long as they are getting the adequate amount that should take care of the worms.
Here is the link for internal consumption
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/internal-consumption/
I see nothing here on Pigeons. I have been adding diatomaceous earth mixed in their feed on a daily basis. Will this be enough to not have to use a de-wormer? I have not noticed any worms, but so many fanciers worm on a regular basis. I have a loft with about 40 birds and have never wormed them.
Hello Laura,
Yes you can add DE to wet food to eliminate intestinal parasites.
Please refer to the link below for the feeding guidelines.
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/internal-consumption/
Hi I’ve read that DE has to be dry in order to be effective. Can I add DE to wet dog food to eliminate intestinal parasites?
I just adopted a kitten and the kitten had diarrhea and a bloated round belly. I have been giving him DE for 9 days now. His bloating went down and diarrhea is gone however last night I seen a worm on his tail it was still alive. Should I keep giving my cats and us humans DE? I know its helping with my digestive system since I am having regular bowel movement's and its definitely helping the kitten. I just want to be sure all worms are gone.
Hi Kathryn
You can feed Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth continually with no breaks. Feeding it to her will not help with her biting her tail unless it is anal gland related. Give us a call and we can go over a few things with you. Please refer to the link below for the feeding guidelines.
https://www.louisespetconnection.com/service/internal-consumption/
I have a 5 month old yorkie who weighs 3 lbs. 12 oz. She has been biting her tail since I got her. Would it hurt to give her food grade DE everyday for the rest of her life? How much should I give this size of puppy?
Hi Marg,
You can mix it in their dry and most of it will adhere to the food just fine. If you actually have a problem going on then I wouldn’t do it that way because you want to make sure that they are getting the correct amount. We personally like to add it into there food daily because then you know that they are getting the correct amount.
By the way, I added about a 1/3 c to 10 lb of kibble. Hopefully that's the correct amount.
I saw somewhere to add it dry and mix it in with the bulk dry kibble for cats and dogs. Is this ok and will it work?
Hi Arifa,
It doesn’t matter how you feed it, you just want to make sure you are feeding enough. It does not have to be on an empty stomach, I just add it to their food once per day. The problem you are having is it sounds like he is getting re infested with tapeworms. Tapeworms usually come from fleas so he will continue to have tapeworms until you get rid of the fleas. You are killing the tapeworms from him he just keeps getting more by ingesting more fleas. Since there is an infestation I would up him to two tablespoons per day in one feeding just to make sure you are getting them. Also, once you know the fleas are gone I would feed it for another 30 days just to ensure they are all gone.
Hi Louise,
I fed human food grade DE to my pup with tapeworms for over a month with no effect. I was giving him a tablespoon in his food every day (He's a 50 lb Aussie). Then I read somewhere that it's best on an empty stomach, so I mixed it with water and a dehydrated turkey bone broth (yum) before his meals. Even that had no effect. Now I'm wondering if it's supposed to be given dry. I've been careful to mix it with water because I don't want my pup to inhale the powder while he is eating. What would you suggest?
Hi Andy,
Feeding DE will not dry out their skin but using it topically will because it is a drying agent. Give us a call and we can go over a few things with you. 407-688-1026