I heard that FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth used to be used often by farmers as an addition to cattle or horse feed (just like honey was used for wounds before Antibiotics came along in WW2), but was replaced by Big Pharmaceutical drugs.
FOOD GRADE is used in intestinal cleansers bought in some health food stores and replaces many minerals that are usually flushed from the body by other intestinal cleansers, so it shouldn't hurt to make it a habit (it has other uses too that should come in handy with many animals in your environment).