Under a flea attack? If you prefer to fight fleas without resorting to chemicals, here are some herbal tricks to try:

• Vacuum every inch of the rooms your pet frequents and dispose of the vacuum bag. Wash the throw rugs, the animal's bedding, and your slipcovers and bedspreads. Sprinkle the carpets, furniture, and pet beds with dried pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) or pyrethrum powder (the dried flowers of Chrysanthemum cineariifolium). Wait 3-4 days, then repeat the entire process.

• Bathe Bowser or Puss in a flea-repellent shampoo: 1 cup mild dishwashing detergent mixed with 2 teaspoons oil of eucalyptus. Lather, rinse; lather again, rubbing for five minutes. Rinse in a strong tea of pennyroyal leaves steeped in hot water and cooled. Dry, and brush well.

• Make a collar by sewing a cloth tube (an old bandana works well) and stuffing it with pennyroyal, or with cotton on which you've sprinkled a few drops of oil of eucalyptus. Fasten the collar around your pet's neck and refresh every 3-4 days.

• Plant pennyroyal (a fragrant, low-growing herbal ground cover) around your pet's kennel and as a path border.

• To prevent doggie odor in the house, mix a few drops of pine or cedar oil with warm water and spritz the pet's bedding and hair brush.