5 Natural Ways To Protect Your Dog From Fleas

5 Natural Ways To Protect Your Dog From Fleas

With six strong legs capable of leaping, it’s smooth for fleas to move around and hide on your dog or cat’s fur, your carpet, mattress sheets, in cushions, or even in house plants.

Female adult fleas can lay up to 50 eggs each day. Those eggs then fall off and continue to be covered in the dirt, cracks, and crevices of your home, in pets bedding or on your carpet, where they hatch into larvae.

In about 10 days, the larvae emerge. Flea larvae are slender, pale creatures. They feed on organic debris, including their own cast-of skins and the feces of adult fleas. When fully developed, a larva spins a cocoon, pupates, and emerges as a famished leaping flea . . . looking for a ride and a meal.

Symptoms of flea bites

Fleas can take excessive blood from the body of their host; as a result, they can cause anemia. The pet will become very weak in consequence; the symptoms get worsen according to its age. The effect of flea’s bite can be so serious that a dog can suffer problems regarding its behavior.

Best flea repellents for dogs

Your first job was to prevent the Flea infestation but, even if you have waited until you now have a major flea infestation, don’t panic! Effective flea control programs employ a multifaceted approach that treats the environment as well as the animal. In other words, there are lots of ways to kill fleas naturally.

The following are nontoxic and natural ways that you can help control fleas:

Apple Cider Vinegar

Dilute ACV with some water and use it for wiping the pets’ coat. The vinegar repels fleas and makes your dog’s skin more acidic and not-at-all tasty to fleas. It also helps balance the pH in the body for improved health and reduce the hazard of skin infections following flea bites.

Almond & Lavender Flea Spray for Dogs

Lavender is a soothing and calming oil to help heal sore inflamed areas, burns, or wounds. It is often used to deter fleas or to fight allergies.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sweet almond, sesame or sunflower oil
• 10 drops of lavender essential oil
• 5 drops of cedarwood essential oil

Mix all ingredients in a small bottle and shake well. Place 1 or 2 drops on your dog’s skin (neck, belly, and tail areas) at least twice a week to fight fleas.

Rosemary Flea shampoo

The health benefits of Rosemary are well-known and wide-ranging; it’s considered an effective flea repellent due to its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.

Ingredients:

• 1 bar castle soap, grated.
• 3 oz. strong rosemary infusion

Melt the soap in a double boiler. Add the rosemary infusion and stir until blended well. Store the liquid soap in an old shampoo or dish soap container for easy use. This soap will not only deter fleas, but it will keep your pet’s skin clean, and give the coat a healthy shine.

Listerine Rinse

Fill the bathtub with warm water. Use a mild shampoo such as baby shampoo. After shampooing and rinsing them very well, pour a diluted mixture of Listerine & water (1/2 water 1/2 Listerine) over them, let it sit for a couple of minutes, and then rinse very well with warm water.

After-bath Garlic Rinse

Garlic has antimicrobial properties that can decrease risks of bacterial and fungal infections at the skin.

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups of water

Simmer garlic in water until they are translucent, and the water looks like the equivalent of garlic powder.

Remove from heat and leave the pot until the mixture has cooled.

After giving your pet its normal bath, slowly pour the garlic solution over him, concentrating especially on its belly and hindquarters.

Tips for Bathing Your Pet

Bathing helps to eliminate most fleas and ought to be used because bathing is the first line of treatment to be used for flea bites on dogs.

• Be sure that the bathroom is warm and comfortable for your pet
• Use warm, not hot water.
• Protect your dog’s eyes with a few drops of cod liver oil
• Use cotton balls to protect his ears.
• Squirt shampoo around the neck first so that fleas can’t run the head during bath time.
• Never use soap and water to clean a pet’s ears.
• Dry your pooch as quickly as possible after a bath.

Finally, don’t forget to groom daily with flea combs. Metal combs with tiny teeth are available in most pet stores. Drop fleas in warm soapy water as they’re removed, and immediately after you’re finished, flush the water and the fleas down the toilet.