DDT for Dogs? What Could Go Wrong?

Actually, DDT is a great deal less toxic than some people think. While there are safer insecticides (I use Pyrethrin shampoo on my dog), and DDT is not good for birds, and probably does boost cancer rates, Bald Eagles were less harmed by DDT than by lead bullets, as I explain here.  That said, the ban on DDT was a good thing, leading to the development of safer, and just as effective, pesticides and the renewal of older insect management systems as well (such as crop rotation and integrated pest management).  DDT is a key component of malaria reduction in parts of Africa, but here the solution is not wide-spread spraying, but the use of DDT-impregnated mosquito nets used over beds and the spraying of DDT indoors.