Natural Flea Remedies for Pets That Work!

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I’m all the time searching for the most secure approach to take care of my household’s minor well being points — and that features our pets too! Fleas are a standard difficulty with cats and canines however typical flea merchandise are chemical-heavy. I wished to discover a safer possibility for preserving fleas away and coping with infestations after they happen. So I did some analysis and located these pure flea cures for pets.

How Did My Pet Get Fleas?

Adult fleas are tiny bugs (no bigger than 1/8 inch) that may be brown or black in coloration. They feed on the blood of pets and different animals. Fleas get round by leaping — making it simple for fleas to go from pet to pet in your own home or neighborhood. 

Fleas are most problematic within the spring and summer time when the climate is hotter. They want a bunch (your pet) to stay their full life cycle however can stay for just a few days in your house, yard, or native park as effectively. It’s very simple for pets who go outdoors to get fleas!

Does My Pet Have Fleas?

If your pet is scratching greater than regular and appears uncomfortable, they could have fleas. The best approach to inform in case your pet has fleas is to put him on a white towel and brush him. If there’s plenty of dust that falls off, you possible have a flea downside. This dust is known as flea dust and is a combination of flea poop and blood. To be certain you’re flea dust, moisten the dust on the white towel or on a paper towel. If it turns pink or reddish-brown, you already know your pet has fleas.

Natural Flea Remedies That Work

Once a pet has fleas, they are often robust to eliminate. They may even infest your own home! Here are my favourite pure flea management cures I take advantage of when my pets begin itching from fleas:

Optimal Health

The finest approach to preserve your pets from getting fleas is to optimize their well being so flea infestations are much less more likely to happen. A wholesome physique is extra in a position to fend off fleas.

Feeding your pets an entire meals food regimen is a good way to optimize their well being. I make home made pet food for our canines because it’s essentially the most cost-effective approach to feed them. But I’ve additionally bought this high-quality (uncooked and grain-free) pet food and am very proud of it. They additionally promote high quality cat meals when you have cats in your house.

You can provide your pet probiotics and different dietary supplements that may assist as effectively. I focus on this with Veterinarian Dr. Rob Franklin in a podcast episode the place he offers some methods for optimizing our pet’s well being (together with emotional well being too!). One of my favourite additions to my pets’ food regimen is coconut oil for high-quality fats that helps assist wholesome pores and skin, coat, and digestion.

Use a Flea Comb

A flea comb has tooth which might be intently spaced so it will possibly take away fleas out of your pet. This is useful to start the method of eliminating fleas however will also be useful in figuring out how infested your pet actually is. Do this outdoors if doable to maintain fleas out of the home.

Give Them a Bath

After your pet is combed, a shower is the following step. As with most parasites, fleas don’t like clear hosts as a lot as soiled ones. So bathing your pet can assist. The soapy water may also assist take away and drown fleas. Use a pure flea shampoo or citrus-scented castile cleaning soap (use unscented for cats). 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a go-to in my dwelling for every little thing from meals poisoning to dandruff. But ACV can be useful in pets. ACV is believed to assist steadiness the pH in your pet’s physique, which helps repel fleas. While there aren’t any research on this motion, many pet homeowners discover that it really works to maintain fleas away in addition to take care of an infestation.

Add ACV to your pets’ meals (not water) to assist eliminate fleas. Use ½-1 teaspoon of ACV per 25 lb of physique weight for canines. For cats, use simply ¼ teaspoon.

You may also use ACV in a topical pure flea repellent spray. Mix 1 half water and 1 half ACV in a sprig bottle. Spray in your pet (not of their eyes!) to maintain fleas from hitching a journey. This might not be as useful when your pet already has an infestation however it does assist preserve fleas away.

Essential Oils

There are quite a few important oils that assist deter bugs together with ticks and fleas. Some of my favourite pure flea cures embrace:

Essential oils all the time must be used rigorously as they’re extremely concentrated oils. But we must be much more cautious utilizing important oils with cats. According to Pet Poison Helpline, cats shouldn’t have a vital enzyme to course of and take away important oils from the physique.

This means important oils might construct up of their physique inflicting toxicity. For this purpose, many vets advocate not utilizing important oils with cats. However, cedarwood important oil is probably going protected for cats when used safely and can assist with fleas.

 Always dilute important oils in a service oil earlier than making use of. You may also add them to the apple cider vinegar spray talked about above.

Diatomaceous Earth 

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a finely powdered pure fossilized type of diatoms (a kind of algae). Because of its microscopic tough edges, it will possibly reduce by means of the exoskeleton of the flea, killing it. To use DE, sprinkle in your pet’s dry coat.

DE will also be utilized in your own home to eliminate fleas which have jumped off your pets. Fill an previous stocking with DE and shake it out across the edges of the rooms in your own home. You can have a effective white powder on the flooring that may kill bugs however won’t hurt your pets or youngsters. Just you’ll want to use food-grade DE.

How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your House

If you don’t eliminate the fleas and flea eggs in your house, your pets are more likely to get reinfested. Here’s what it’s essential to do:

• Vacuum every little thing – Vacuuming will assist get fleas and eggs which might be on carpets, wood flooring, curtains, and different locations the place you’ll be able to most simply clear with a vacuum.
• Wash all bedding – Especially locations the place your pets hang around. Use sizzling water if doable.
• Use DE – As talked about earlier, sprinkling DE round your own home can kill fleas simply. Leave the DE in your house for just a few days. Then sweep and vacuum it up (attempt to sweep up as a lot as you’ll be able to since DE may be robust on vacuum filters). If you’ll be able to’t get DE, salt or baking soda may go too.
• Create a flea lure – Place a bowl or shallow dish of soapy water (dish cleaning soap works effectively)  in your house close to infested areas. Fleas will leap in and drown due to the excessive viscosity of the soapy water. 

House cleansing needs to be performed as quickly as you will have used your chosen pure treatment to your pet. You need to attempt to decrease the potential of fleas reinfesting your pet from the home or fleas out of your pet reinfesting your own home.

Flea Home Remedies: Keep Your Pets Safe and Healthy

Flea infestations is usually a large frustration for you and your pets! But these pure flea cures are easy to make use of at dwelling with substances you might have already got readily available.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Rob Franklin, a veterinarian with Full Bucket Health. As all the time, this isn’t private medical recommendation and we advocate that you simply discuss with your loved ones vet.

What is your favourite approach to eliminate fleas?

Sources:

1. Benson, Kia. (2020, March 6). Essential Oils and Cats.