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I’m all the time in search of the most secure method to cope with my household’s minor well being points — and that features our pets too! Fleas are a standard problem with cats and canine however typical flea merchandise are chemical-heavy. I needed to discover a safer choice for holding fleas away and coping with infestations once they happen. So I did some analysis and located these pure flea cures for pets.
How Did My Pet Get Fleas?
Grownup fleas are tiny bugs (no bigger than 1/8 inch) that may be brown or black in shade. They feed on the blood of pets and different animals. Fleas get round by leaping — making it straightforward for fleas to cross from pet to pet in your own home or neighborhood.
Fleas are most problematic within the spring and summer season when the climate is hotter. They want a bunch (your pet) to reside their full life cycle however can reside for a couple of days in your house, yard, or native park as effectively. It’s very straightforward for pets who go exterior to get fleas!
Does My Pet Have Fleas?
In case your pet is scratching greater than traditional and appears uncomfortable, they might have fleas. The simplest method to inform in case your pet has fleas is to put him on a white towel and brush him. If there may be plenty of grime that falls off, you doubtless have a flea downside. This grime is named flea grime and is a mix of flea poop and blood. To make sure you’re flea grime, moisten the grime on the white towel or on a paper towel. If it turns pink or reddish-brown, you understand your pet has fleas.
Pure Flea Cures That Work
As soon as a pet has fleas, they are often powerful to eliminate. They’ll even infest your house! Listed below are my favourite pure flea management cures I take advantage of when my pets begin itching from fleas:
Optimum Well being
One of the simplest ways to maintain your pets from getting fleas is to optimize their well being so flea infestations are much less prone to happen. A wholesome physique is extra in a position to fend off fleas.
Feeding your pets an entire meals weight-reduction plan is an effective way to optimize their well being. I make homemade dog food for our canine because it’s probably the most cost-effective method to feed them. However I’ve additionally bought this high-quality (raw and grain-free) dog food and am very proud of it. In addition they promote high quality cat meals if in case 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 provides some methods for optimizing our pet’s well being (together with emotional well being too!). Certainly one of my favourite additions to my pets’ diet is coconut oil for high-quality fats that helps help wholesome pores and skin, coat, and digestion.
Use a Flea Comb
A flea comb has tooth which might be carefully spaced so it could take away fleas out of your pet. That is useful to start the method of eliminating fleas however will also be useful in figuring out how infested your pet actually is. Do that exterior if attainable to maintain fleas out of the home.
Give Them a Tub
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 may also help. The soapy water may even 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 all the things from food poisoning to dandruff. However ACV can also be useful in pets. ACV is assumed to assist steadiness the pH in your pet’s physique, which helps repel fleas. Whereas there aren’t any research on this motion, many pet house owners discover that it really works to maintain fleas away in addition to cope with 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 canine. For cats, use simply ¼ teaspoon.
You too can use ACV in a topical pure flea repellent spray. Combine 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 will not be as useful when your pet already has an infestation nevertheless it does assist preserve fleas away.
Important Oils
There are a variety of important oils that assist deter bugs together with ticks and fleas. A few of my favourite pure flea cures embody:
Important oils all the time should be used rigorously as they’re extremely concentrated oils. However we should be much more cautious utilizing important oils with cats. In line with Pet Poison Helpline, cats should not have a vital enzyme to course of and take away important oils from the physique.
This implies important oils might construct up of their physique inflicting toxicity. For that reason, many vets suggest not utilizing important oils with cats. Nonetheless, cedarwood important oil is probably going protected for cats when used safely and can assist with fleas.
All the time dilute important oils in a service oil earlier than making use of. You too can 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). Due to its microscopic tough edges, it could minimize by means of the exoskeleton of the flea, killing it. To make use of 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’ll have a effective white powder on the flooring that may kill bugs however is not going to hurt your pets or youngsters. Simply make sure to use food-grade DE.
Find out how to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Home
If you happen to don’t eliminate the fleas and flea eggs in your house, your pets are prone to get reinfested. Right here’s what it is advisable to do:
- Vacuum all the things – Vacuuming will assist get fleas and eggs which might be on carpets, wood flooring, curtains, and different locations the place you possibly can most simply clear with a vacuum.
- Wash all bedding – Particularly locations the place your pets hang around. Use sizzling water if attainable.
- Use DE – As talked about earlier, sprinkling DE round your house can kill fleas simply. Depart the DE in your house for a couple of days. Then sweep and vacuum it up (attempt to sweep up as a lot as you possibly can since DE may be powerful on vacuum filters). If you happen to can’t get DE, salt or baking soda may go too.
- Create a flea entice – Place a bowl or shallow dish of soapy water (dish cleaning soap works effectively) in your house close to infested areas. Fleas will bounce in and drown due to the excessive viscosity of the soapy water.
Home cleansing needs to be performed as quickly as you will have used your chosen pure treatment in your pet. You need to attempt to decrease the opportunity of fleas reinfesting your pet from the home or fleas out of your pet reinfesting your house.
Flea Residence Cures: Preserve Your Pets Secure and Wholesome
Flea infestations generally is a enormous frustration for you and your pets! However these pure flea cures are easy to make use of at dwelling with components chances are you’ll have already got readily available.
This text was medically reviewed by Dr. Rob Franklin, a veterinarian with Full Bucket Well being. As all the time, this isn’t private medical recommendation and we suggest that you simply speak with your loved ones vet.
What’s your favourite method to eliminate fleas?
Sources:
- Benson, Kia. (2020, March 6). Essential Oils and Cats.
