Safe and Natural Flea Control

Here are some natural flea control remedies that are non toxic and safe for both pets and people, not to mention much less costly than chemical insecticides. However, please note that if your pet is extremely infested with fleas (if you can see large numbers crawling on your pet’s body) seek the advice of a veterinarian as soon as possible. Extreme flea infestations can cause serious complications or even become fatal to the animal.

Preventative Measures In Natural Flea Control

1. The most important measure in preventing and/or controlling fleas is to feed your pet a high quality diet. This keeps your pet’s immune system running optimally which in turn greatly increases their resistance to parasites (parasites are nature’s way of eliminating sick and weak animals).

2. Add organic apple cider vinegar to your pet’s drinking water or food to help boost their immune system (apple cider vinegar has many additional health benefits too, aiding in weight control, diabetes, arthritis, skin problems and much more). Ideally, you should use 1/2 teaspoon for every 8 ounces of water or as much as your pet will tolerate. It is important to use raw apple cider vinegar that contains “the mother”. The mother is the beneficial bacteria that turns alcohol into vinegar and the active ingredient in vinegar's health promoting properties. You can find organic, raw apple cider vinegar in most grocery stores but definitely in your local health food store and of course online.

Getting Rid of Fleas Your Pet Already Has

Bathing

You do not need to purchase special flea shampoos to get rid of fleas on your pet. A good thorough washing with a mild shampoo (ideally one that is phthalate, sodium lauryl, laureth sulfate and paraben free) will kill the fleas that are currently feeding on your companion. Let the shampoo sit for 5 or 10 minutes before rinsing. You can also use a rinse of diluted white vinegar to further eliminate the fleas and relieve itching.

We reccomend trying Solay Pets Natural Dog Shampoo which soothes itchy skin and contains salt which is known to kill fleas. This is an unscented shampoo that sells for 16.95 USD. Another excellent shampoo is Thera Neem Pet Shampoo. This shampoo is scented and contains neem, a plant that is known to disrupt the life cycle of insects. The Thera Neem shampoo sells for 11.95 USD.

After bathing, use a flea comb to remove dead or dying fleas. Depending on the seriousness of the fleas on your pet you should bath at least once a week or even once daily for large populations in the home.

Natural Flea Control Topical Sprays and Flea Collars

You can make your own flea spray by boiling 2 sliced lemons in a weak salt water solution. Let the mixture steep over night and strain out the lemons. Put this solution in a spray bottle and spray your pets, furniture, floors etc. You can also spray your pet with white vinegar and rub into their skin. Avoid getting either of these sprays in your pet’s eyes.

If you're lazy and you would rather buy flea products there are many effective non-toxic natural flea control products on the market including herbal flea collars, dichotomous earth powders and flea killing essential oils(no oils for cats!).

Only Natural Pet Severe Flea Care Kit for Cats

Only Natural Pet Severe Flea Care Kit for Dogs

Getting Rid of Fleas in Your Home

You will also have to rid your home of fleas in order to keep them off your pet and completely eliminate the problem:

1.Thoroughly and frequently vacuum your home and furniture to remove as many flea eggs, larvae and adults as possible.

2. Wash your pet’s bedding frequently.

3.Keep a shallow dish of white vinegar in areas where your pet sleeps or spends a good deal of time. The fleas should jump into the bowl and drown.

4.Spray your home with white vinegar or the lemon solution mentioned above.

5.Sprinkle salt on carpets, floors and furniture and let set over night before vacuuming.

6.Treat your home with dichotomous earth powder.

Using natural flea control takes some persistence so don’t get discouraged if you are not immediately rid of fleas. The life cycle of a flea is insidious and their eggs and larvae can lay dormant or go unnoticed for months and sometimes years. Naturally eliminating fleas far outweighs the harmful results of using chemical insecticides which often times are no longer effective anyway. Fleas are quickly becoming resistant to these flea control measures which means that they are being made more and more toxic. It’s not worth risking the health of you and your pet for something that may not even be effective in the first place.



Return to Green Pets from Natural Flea Control