If you bring home a dog or a cat, there will have to be decisions on flea control, for everyone's sake. Fleas can irritate a pet's skin, which can result in open sores and hair loss. Battling fleas and flea bites makes life hard on pets and their owners.

Adult fleas feed on the blood of pets — and possibly on people living in the house as well. They're strong and gravity has little impact on them; they're able to jump sideways as far as five feet and straight up as high as nine inches.

There are a plethora of synthetic chemicals on the market to help owners wage war on fleas. These dips, sprays, and topical ointments all contain pesticides that are absorbed into a pet's body through their skin. Fleas are able to build up a resistance to these chemicals, requiring new formulas to be produced. While these flea treatments work very well in most cases, they can pose a danger to the pet and possibly even others in the house. Potential risks of flea treatment can be researched on the EPA Web site (www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick.htm), which contains fact sheets for a variety of active ingredients.

There are organic pesticides available to control fleas. Even though they are derived naturally, they may still pose a threat and not be acceptable to some. Pyrethrin derivatives are made from chrysanthemums and are used to make dips and sprays. According to the EPA, they are the least toxic pesticide to mammals. There was some concern that they may cause cancer, but so far there is no data to support this idea. However, they have been shown to cause skin and breathing problems in some cases. While they do break down in nature, they are highly toxic to fish.

Diatomaceous earth is fossilized algae that have turned to dust. Used in powder form, the sharp edges of the fine particles cut into the flea's exoskeleton, causing it to dehydrate and die. Because of the fine particles, take care to keep both people and pets from breathing in the dust. This powder can be used directly on the pet, as well as on bedding and furniture.

You can set flea traps by placing a soapy dish of water under a light. The fleas will be attracted to the warmth and will drown in the soapy water. Also, when combing out pets, keep a cup of soapy water handy. Pull fleas off the comb and drop them into the water; the soap makes it difficult or impossible for the fleas to escape, leaving the tiny biters in a watery grave.