Dogs with flea problems are becoming more common and they can be aggravating for both pets and their owners. Dog fleas are insects that bite dogs and transmit diseases to them. Dogs that aren’t groomed regularly are more likely to be infested with fleas. Natural and non-toxic remedies can help you free your home of fleas and some of these proven remedies are mentioned in this article.
Non-Toxic Remedies Include:
- Flea Combs
- Home bath
- Garlic
- Essential Oils
- Diatomaceous Earth
Flea Combs
Flea combs are fine toothed combs that can trap fleas and flea eggs between the teeth and help remove them from your dog’s fur. After running the flea comb through your pet’s coat, you should dip it in a bowl of soap water. The fleas will die in the soapy water and you may repeat the process until no more fleas are trapped in the comb.
Home Bath
You should shampoo your dog to remove fleas and the best option is to use a mild dishwashing liquid. The oils in the dishwashing liquid kill off the fleas and also dislocate the flea eggs from the dog’s coat. After soaping the dog, you should allow the pet’s coat to soak for 5 minutes before rinsing your pet off. You should take care to rinse well in order to remove most or all of the fleas. If required, you may repeat the process every week until the dog is free of fleas.
Garlic
Feed small amounts of cooked garlic to your pet in order to rid him of fleas. The scent and taste of the garlic will get into the dog’s skin and become intolerable to fleas. The fleas will then jump off your dog’s coat. You can also feed garlic tablets to your dog by mixing it with his food or dust the pet’s coat with garlic powder to rid him of fleas. However, you should be aware that garlic can build up to toxic levels in the dog’s system and may lead to accidental poisoning. Hence, garlic should only be given to your dog after consultation with their vet. Garlic is also known to cause anemia in dogs and this can be dangerous to the pet’s health. Apart from this, garlic is contraindicated in dogs suffering from diabetes.
Essential Oils
All spicy essential oils help repel fleas and the best way to use them is to dilute them in water and spray them over the dog’s coat. Oils such as peppermint, lemongrass, lavender, cedar wood or spearmint can be used to remove fleas from your pet’s fur. You must be careful to avoid areas around the eyes.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth looks like talcum powder but is lethal to fleas as its razor sharp edges cut their outer covering. DE is harmless to humans and pets and, hence, is a natural and non-toxic way of getting rid of fleas. You should dust all areas that you think are infested with fleas such as the sink, the dog’s bedding, the carpet, the couch and the cupboards. Dust these areas with DE on a regular basis even after there are no more fleas in the house, since flea eggs can infest the house in the future.
As a pet owner you should be aware that if your dog is regularly infested with fleas, it means that he isn’t enjoying optimum health. It’s important to improve your pet’s quality of life by using some natural products that keep fleas at bay.