Dogs Best Home Remedies For Fleas

Vicki

Girls With Guns Member
Wanted to put these here for easy reference. Fleas have been really prolific this year and the battle has been lost with usual topical treatments. I've come to terms that I need to get quite agressive to keep my poor little dog from getting overwhelmed with them so I'm going to use a few methods I'll post here together to fight them back. Thought some of you may have the same problem.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/best-home-remedies-fleas/

[Updated] Our Best Home Remedies For Fleas

The main goal of natural flea prevention? Make it through flea season without an infestation, keep flea populations at a minimum and a happy itch-free dog.

Once fleas are in your house and on your dog, you’ve got a whole lot of crappy work ahead of you … weekly flea baths for your dog, washing every bit of fabric in your house, vacuuming everything under your roof. Several times over, in fact, to make sure the infestation is completely gone.

Flea prevention is a whole lot easier than trying to get rid of them once they’ve taken over. How do you prevent flea infestations and keep them off your dog?

Follow these tips and home remedies for fleas and make natural flea prevention simple and easy.

But first, let’s start with the outdoors and try to keep the fleas out of your home and off of your dog so you’ll never have to use my remedies.

1. Keeping Fleas Out Of Your Yard

When soil temperatures rise above 45 degrees for at least 2 to 3 weeks (spring, summer and fall in most areas), use nematodes to minimize flea populations.

Nematodes are your best friends when it comes to keeping your yard flea-free. If fleas aren’t in your yard, they’re less likely to find their way onto your dog.

What Are Nematodes?

Nematodes are tiny wormlike multicellular animals found in the soil. There are a lot of different kinds of nematodes, good and bad. The good ones I’m talking about here are beneficial in controlling many garden pests like ants, termites and grubs — but they also eat fleas!

They can be found at many garden centers and online. I pre-order mine from Arbico Organics to ensure they arrive in early spring.

They come ready to use; you just add water as directed on the package. Spray them throughout your yard using a hose sprayer or a watering can.

Since nematodes are living organisms, you’ll need to use them quickly after they arrive. Apply them in the spring, summer and fall for effective coverage.

Mowing

Most people who know me will tell you I’m not a fan of mowing or lawns in general. However if you live in a flea prolific area, you need to keep your lawn cut short.

Plants That Guard

Keep pots of lemon balm, sage, rosemary, catnip, lemongrass, basil and mint outside of your main “potty” doors and throughout your yard. These plants help repel fleas through the natural oils that they secrete and deter fleas from entering the house.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Diatomaceous earth is a non-toxic powder made up of fossilized organisms called diatoms that break apart flea eggs and dry them out before they can grow into adult fleas.

You can purchase DE at most holistic dog supply stores, health stores and garden centers. Make sure you’re buying food grade DE only. Industrial grade DE is chemically treated and used for pools and manufacturing.

Spread food grade diatomaceous earth outside in your yard wherever your dog spends most of her time. Look for places where the earth or grass is worn down from your dog’s extensive napping or relaxing schedule.

CAUTION: DE can irritate your lungs so wear a mask and make sure your dogs and animals aren’t breathing the dust. After the dust has settled, DE is safe.
Garlic

Fleas don’t like garlic, so it’s a natural flea repellent that’s safe to use in the yard and with your pets.

Here’s a recipe you can make to spray in your yard when flea populations are reaching epic proportions.
Garlic Water For Your Yard

Garlic Water For Your Yard


What you need:
8 heads of chopped garlic (there’s no need to peel it for this recipe)
1 gallon of almost boiling water

How to make it:
• Place the garlic in an extra large soup pan and pour the water over the top
• Cover and let the mixture steep for 12 hours
• Pour through a strainer into a garden sprayer
• Lightly spray your lawn and garden area


Note: When treating your yard with garlic, just give everything one light spray. If you use it too heavily, garlic might harm some of those beneficial bugs you do want in your hard, so just give everything a light spray and don’t soak your grass or plants in the liquid.

You can also make small changes in your house to keep fleas away.
2. Protect Your Home

The best thing I ever did was remove all the carpet from my home, especially pile carpet. If carpet is a must, choose berber. Berber is the best choice for carpet when you have dogs because the weave is unfriendly to pests.

If you have carpets, follow these steps.
Steam clean your carpets a least once or twice a year. This can really get you off to a good start in protecting your home from fleas. Fleas love to hide in carpets, especially where the carpet meets the wall.
Vacuum at least once a week in all areas. Immediately empty the vacuum bags or throw out canister debris in an outside garbage container.
Once a month during flea season, spread diatomaceous earth all over and vacuum after 48 hours.

Reminder: DE can irritate your lungs so wear a mask when you’re applying it and keep your pets out of the room until the dust has settled.
3. Protect Your Dog

These are some of my favorite ways to prevent fleas on your dog.
Feed Garlic

You can use small amounts of garlic as an internal flea preventative.

Now you might be screaming, “No, I’ll hurt my dog!”

Yes, garlic can be harmful if you use really huge amounts (equivalent to 75 cloves of garlic for a 70 lb dog) but garlic is safe to use if you use freshly chopped organic garlic and feed the right amount.

So always use organic fresh whole clove garlic and avoid garlic supplements.

You can safely give your pet ¼ clove of garlic per ten pounds (use regular sized garlic, not jumbo). If your pet weighs less than ten pounds, cut a ¼ clove of garlic in half and give ⅛ clove.

No matter how big your dog is, I prefer not to give more than two cloves of garlic per day. So if you have a hundred pound dog, still give her only two cloves of garlic.

Start feeding garlic one month before the start of flea season and you’ll find it’s an effective deterrent in your flea prevention tool kit.

Read my article on garlic for more in-depth information on how garlic can help your dog.
Apple Cider Vinegar – Inside And Out

Fleas don’t like a dog who’s pH balanced.

Raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar (ACV) creates a more acidic environment outside and balanced alkalinity on the inside, making it a must-have for flea season success.

Feed your dog ½ teaspoon of ACV per day per 25 lbs. ACV contains important nutrients, vitamins, minerals, vital acids and potassium.

Tip: Test your dog’s urine with pH strips before adding ACV to their food or water. Dogs should have a pH between 6.2 and 6.5.
Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe


Your dog’s skin and coat should be slightly acidic for fleas to find him inhospitable. You can easily achieve this by spraying your dog each week with the following solution.

What you need:
4 oz warm water
6 oz ACV, unfiltered and preferably organic
¼ tsp of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt

How to make it:
Mix the ingredients in a small spray bottle and spray your dog’s coat and underbelly weekly, avoiding the eyes or any open wounds.


Essential Oils

Unless you’re willing to mix your essential oils with a carrier oil (a vegetable oil used for dilution), don’t use them.

Many people, blogs and companies advocate water-suspended essential oils for fleas. This practice is dangerous. Water can’t safely disperse essential oils because essential oils are NOT water-soluble unless they’ve been diluted with a solvent.

Chemistry is chemistry and anyone who tells you otherwise is misinformed.

There are some natural substances that dissolve essential oils, but for do-it-yourself flea and tick sprays, I suggest using a thin carrier oil like grape seed oil or fractionated coconut oil. Mix one drop of essential oil to one milliliter of carrier oil.

Here are a few flea repelling essential oils:

• Lavender
• Lemon
• Palmarosa
• Cedar (atlantica)
• Eucalyptus (radiata)
• Clary sage
• Peppermint

Avoid making or purchasing flea repellent that contain essential oils of wintergreen, pennyroyal and clove. These oils are dangerous for your dog and should not be used for any reason.

A note about bandanas or collars infused with essential oils: While this may be a useful idea to protect your dog when she’s outdoors, make sure you dilute the essential oils … and please take off the bandana after your dog comes inside.


Everyday Flea Repellent

Here’s my favorite everyday flea spray that’s lightly scented and very effective if you spray your dog each day when she goes outside. Pay special attention to the belly, tail, legs and ears.

What you need:
1 organic lemon
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 sprig of garden sage (Salvia officinalis)
1 quart of filtered water

Optional: 1 sprig of lavender

How to make it:
• Slice the lemon into thin rounds
• Place the lemon, rosemary and sage in a large stainless steel or glass bowl
• Add a quart of almost boiling water
• Cover and let steep overnight
• In the morning strain the liquid into a spray bottle
• Refrigerate (lasts 1 to 2 weeks)

Chemical Free Tags

I live near salt water where fleas are prolific. Joy. As part of my all-natural flea prevention regimen I have been testing out two different chemical-free collar tags. So far, I’m amazed at how well they work.

The first is a ultrasonic tag that lasts a year. The cost is approximately $45.

The second tag is priced at $60 and is much smaller than the ultrasonic tag. It works with your pet’s energetic field to deter fleas. The only catch is it takes up to two weeks to reach full strength so it’s a good idea to purchase these tags in the winter to prepare for spring.

Both tags are working well and I’m pleased with the results. The great thing is they don’t contain chemicals and I can use them on my cat too.


Raw Baltic Amber Resin

Amber is a resin that formed millions of years ago. Think the mosquito in the movie Jurassic Park. I have yet to try this method but I do know people that swear by Baltic amber resin necklaces for flea and tick prevention.

Amber has electrostatic properties which help repel fleas and ticks along with its unique smell. The amber must be raw and not polished like you see in jewelry stores. Electrostatic electricity makes it impossible for fleas, ticks and other bugs to remain on your pet’s coat.

You can buy amber resin collars for your dog at Amberstone Pets.

NOTE: Adding the foods and vitamins you’ll read about below are great ways to boost your dog’s nutrition and foster an unwelcome home for fleas. But starting with a fresh, raw diet is key. Dried dog food goes through high heating and processing which kills the natural nutrients your dog requires to thrive.
4. Health Is The Best Defense

This last recommendation is probably the most important of all.

Fleas are parasites and parasites seek out the weak and unhealthy. This means if your dog is healthy, fleas will be more inclined to leave her alone and jump on your neighbor’s dog instead!

Good diet is the foundation of good health. The most important way to keep your dog glowing with good health is to feed her a diet full of fresh whole foods and unprocessed proteins.

In particular, supply her with plenty of B vitamins (found in most meats, organ meats, oily fish and eggs), probiotics (such as goat kefir or fermented vegetables), sulphur rich foods (eggs, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts) as well as omega-6 fatty acids (poultry, eggs, flaxseed and hempseed) and omega-3 fatty acies (mackerel, freshly ground hemp and flaxseed).
 

Vicki

Girls With Guns Member
Still fighting the dang fleas and today gave my best bud a good bath with dawn dishsoap. After I dried him completely I grabbed some Skin So Soft bath oil that I've used myself to keep insects at bay and sprayed it all over my hands. Then I rubbed him gently down with it and we sat in the sun in the backyard for about a 1/2 hour. So far so good as he didn't seem to mind the smell (he smells nice :) ) and I did research to see if it was toxic to him. It says not but it will have to be reapplied about every 6 days. I also rubbed it into his collar so we'll see how this does.
 

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Buick Electra

TB2K Girls with Guns
Thanks Vicki!

I've been using food grade diatomaceous earth instead of flea and tic killer (b/c I couldn't afford it) for the last 3 years on my dogs and they haven't had a flea or tic since. I just coat the pet brush with DE and brush it into their coats once a month.

But I'll GLADLY save your list to take EXTRA precautions, especially with those Nematodes. And thanks for sharing where to buy them from!
 

Vicki

Girls With Guns Member
Thanks Vicki!

I've been using food grade diatomaceous earth instead of flea and tic killer (b/c I couldn't afford it) for the last 3 years on my dogs and they haven't had a flea or tic since. I just coat the pet brush with DE and brush it into their coats once a month.

But I'll GLADLY save your list to take EXTRA precautions, especially with those Nematodes. And thanks for sharing where to buy them from!

You're welcome BE. I have diatomaceous earth but have never tried that on the Monk. He hates getting brushed but I have made powders with baking soda and essential oils for him. It worked pretty well in the beginning but that also had to be reapplied regularly. 4 to 5 days normally. I think the essential oils evaporate out of it too quickly so it loses it's strength.

The nematodes are something to consider especially where they like to do their business. I hope to remember that come next late winter, early spring.

Monkey is going on 15 now so he's gotten more sensitive and also grouchy at times. lol He's a little ole' man with no teeth and I love him so much! :)
 

Suzieq

Veteran Member
Happy to see this thread go up. We have been fighting fleas on our dogs, for over a month. I am afraid, the fleas are getting out of hand.
 

Buick Electra

TB2K Girls with Guns
You're welcome BE. I have diatomaceous earth but have never tried that on the Monk. He hates getting brushed but I have made powders with baking soda and essential oils for him. It worked pretty well in the beginning but that also had to be reapplied regularly. 4 to 5 days normally. I think the essential oils evaporate out of it too quickly so it loses it's strength.

The nematodes are something to consider especially where they like to do their business. I hope to remember that come next late winter, early spring.

Monkey is going on 15 now so he's gotten more sensitive and also grouchy at times. lol He's a little ole' man with no teeth and I love him so much! :)

Hi Vicki,

I'm over at Arbico, on the Nematodes page, looking at what I want to take care of, i.e. fleas, tics and I see the Sf and HB in the Triple Thread Pro but WOW! $125 for 10M. Pricey! What ones do you normally get?
 

Chicken Mama

Veteran Member
That's a boatload of work and expense! Who's got that much free time? It's so much easier to buy the K9 Advantage and spend 30 seconds once/month to apply it.
 

Vicki

Girls With Guns Member
Happy to see this thread go up. We have been fighting fleas on our dogs, for over a month. I am afraid, the fleas are getting out of hand.

I hear ya Suzieq. I've been trying most everything. It hard to stay on top of it. Love the avatar picture. Adorable!
 

Vicki

Girls With Guns Member
Hi Vicki,

I'm over at Arbico, on the Nematodes page, looking at what I want to take care of, i.e. fleas, tics and I see the Sf and HB in the Triple Thread Pro but WOW! $125 for 10M. Pricey! What ones do you normally get?

Well I just did a bit of searching thinking my local Agway would have something but they did not. Amazon is carrying it and a few different brands and sizes. $125 is ridiculous!

Here's 10M for $30 and has Nematodes in Diatomaceous earth. It has 4 out of 5 stars...

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http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPGTP7W?th=1


Here's another 10M with 4 out of 5 stars and is $16

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https://www.amazon.com/Pyes-Scanmask-Million-Beneficial-Nematodes/dp/B000MRD5JO
 

Vicki

Girls With Guns Member
That's a boatload of work and expense! Who's got that much free time? It's so much easier to buy the K9 Advantage and spend 30 seconds once/month to apply it.

Advantage and Advantage Plus stopped working on my dog quite awhile ago. That was expensive. $65 the last time I bought it for him and it would work great for about a week and then he was covered with fleas again. That happened over and over too many times to count. On top of that I noticed he was getting covered with age spots when I would shampoo him. I stopped the chemicals and the newest age spots disappeared. I was afraid it was doing something to his liver. I have gone totally organic in every way possible from my own medical care to gardening so guess fighting bugs is following suit.

I really want to hang on to this little guy for as long as absolutely possible. :)
 

Chicken Mama

Veteran Member
Not organic, but you can buy a couple bags of insect killer granules made with Merit at the local big box store. Spread it once/twice a year in the areas your dog stays in, and it'll go a long way towards killing fleas and eggs. Best of luck.
 
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