Diy Natural Flea And Tick Treatments For Dogs
Looking for a homemade flea and tick spray for dogs? Heres how to make the best homemade flea killer for dogs:
Fleas In The Backyard
Just because you cant see them doesnt mean theyre not there. If your dog has a case of the fleas, there is a very good chance theyre lurking in the darkest, moistest areas of your backyard too. When it comes to outdoor flea remedies natural methods are always the best, and here are our top tips for treating fleas in the backyard.
Common Ingredients In Homemade Flea Shampoo For Dogs
One of the greatest things about DIY flea shampoo for dogs is that several of the common ingredients found in each recipe are often things you already have on hand inside the home. Many homemade dog shampoo for fleas and ticks recipes use vinegar as the main ingredient.
Most methods allow you to choose whether you want to use white vinegar or using apple cider vinegar. Dawn dish soap is another common ingredient found in most homemade flea shampoo for dogs recipes as it binds all of the other parts together.
Different shampoo recipes will call for the use of baby shampoo in place of the liquid dish soap. Additional ingredients included in these simple recipes can be picked up in your local grocery or drug stores.
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Ingredient #: Diatomaceous Earth
Made from a type of fossilized phytoplankton called diatoms, food grade diatomaceous earth is used in a lot of DIY recipes deodorant, tooth powder and scouring powder for example. Although it feels like fine baby powder to our skin, its very hard and works well as a gentle abrasive. When used as a flea and tick powder, it attaches to the protective waxy outer coating of bugs and absorbs or scrapes it away, causing them to dry out and die.
Safety note: Although food grade diatomaceous earth is safe for use with humans and pets, filter grade diatomaceous earth is not. Thats because it has been heated in order to change its structure from the harmless amorphous silica that makes up 98.99% of food grade DE to crystalline silica, which can be harmful if breathed in. Always, always use food grade diatomaceous earth. Heres where to find it.
Natural Flea And Tickcontrol Powders For Dogs And Cats
Each of the recipes yields 2 cups of powder.Important Note: Omit essential oils in powders made for cats and for dogs under one year old.
Ingredients
Shoo, Flea, Dont Bother Me Powder
- 1 cup food-grade diatomaceous earth
- ½ cup bentonite clay powder
- ¼ cup rosemary leaf powder
- ¼ cup black walnut hull powder
- 5 drops cedarwood essential oil
- 5 drops rosemary essential oil
Bite Ban Flea & Tick Powder
- 1½ cups food-grade diatomaceous earth
- ¼ cup lemongrass powder
- ¼ cup neem leaf powder
- 10 drops lemongrass essential oil
Bugs-Be-Gone Powder
- 1 cup food-grade diatomaceous earth
- ½ cup neem leaf powder
- ½ cup lavender flower powder
- 10 drops geranium essential oil
Directions
Application: To prevent making a dust cloud in your home, I suggest powdering both your indoor and outdoor pets outside, keeping them controlled with a comfortable harness and leash . Most pets will shake off much of the powder immediately after being treated, but if youve massaged it close to the skin, a sufficient amount should remain to do the job.
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Ingredient # : Essential Oils
Some essential oils are considered helpful for repelling both ticks and fleas, while others are considered helpful for just one or the other. In the list below Ive designated which dog-safe essential oils are considered best for each so that you can choose the oils that are aligned with your goals.
One quick note: Many of these oils are considered safe for children and can also be used to make homemade bug spray. Ive included notes on which ones are and are not kid-safe so you can choose options that can be dual-purpose if you have little ones.
Note: Do not use essential oils with puppies under 10 weeks old.
Essential Oils That Fight Fleas
Essential oils can be used to make a flea repellent too. Since essential oils are so potent only a few drops are necessary plus your dog will smell wonderful too.
Mix 10ml of sweet almond oil with 10 drops of lavender and 5 drops of cedarwood to make your own perfect blend. Apply to flea hotspots such as the base of the tail, behind the ears and under their armpits. Apply at least twice a week to keep the fleas at bay.
Essential oils can also be soaked onto fabric to make a home-made flea collar. Rub a few drops of essential oils onto a fabric collar or bandanna. Tea tree oil, lavender, citronella or geranium are perfect for this. If you dont want the effort of making your own then try Scratch which our ready-made blend of flea repelling essential oils. Scratch contains Lemon, Grapefruit, Orange, Citronella, Eucalyptus, Cedarwood, Sage, Lavender. and is priced at £7.99 for 30ml.
Give your dog a bath when they have fleas. Use your favourite shampoo to bathe. Or make your own flea dip by steeping a few sprigs of rosemary in a pint of water for 30 mins. Then mix with up to 8 pints of water and saturate your dog including the head as fleas will gravitate towards any area that is left dry. Perfect for a sunny day when your dog can dry off naturally.
Certain foods can help to ward off fleas. Garlic, brewers yeast tablets and apple cider vinegar are all known to repel fleas by making your dog taste less attractive.
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Natural Dry Flea Shampoo
If you have a large dog or any dog that has an aversion to water, you know what a struggle bath time can be. This is especially hard if you give your dog many baths to get rid of their fleas, and a homemade dry flea shampoo could be an alternative treatment. The ingredients are listed below:
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1 Cup of Baking Soda
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1 Cup of Cornstarch
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2 to 4 drops of Lavender or Lemon Essential Oil
Directions
Start by putting the baking soda and the cornstarch in a medium bowl. Meld them together until they’re combined.
Next, add the essential oil to the mix. Start with two drops of your chosen essential oil, and add more if you have to. Remember that your dog has a more sensitive nose, and what doesn’t smell that strong to you can smell overpowering to them.
Finally, get your dog and put a towel down for them to sit or stand on just in case you spill some of your dry shampoos. Work the shampoo into your dog’s coat, massaging it all over your dog.
According to PetMD, you should concentrate on your dog’s neck, stomach, and groin area. These are hot spots for fleas to gravitate to. You can use this dry shampoo between bathing your dog to prevent their skin from drying out from overbathing.
Benefits
Your dog’s skin won’t be in danger of drying out if you cut back on the traditional baths and incorporate this dry shampoo. The essential oils will kill the fleas and repel mosquitoes and flies. They will also make your dog smell great.
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Recipe #2 Apple Cider Vinegar
This recipe works as safe cleaners for your buddy. But on the other hand, it is the best tip to stop flea infestation in pets. For this purpose, you will need to fill the 250ml bottle with an equal amount of water and apple cider vinegar and spray it on the pets body once a week.
It will also keep your pet hairs fresh and good-looking. This homemade flea spray is the best flea and a fly repellent. But the negative aspect of this recipe is that it emits unpleasant ordure. If your companion feels irritation from the smell of apple cider vinegar, then stop using it.
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Home Remedies For Fleas On Dogs Treating Your Dog From The Inside:
There are home remedies for fleas on dogs that can treat your dog from the inside, too. Apple cider vinegar added to your dogs water bowl can give your dogs skin an acidy taste that will make him less attractive to fleas.
What you need:
What to do:
Is There Any Natural Options For Keeping Fleas Away From My House
Yes, just as we can use affordable, natural products to help our pets, they are equally effective in repelling fleas from our homes. In fact, treating your home for fleas goes hand-in-hand with treating your pet. Its futile to do one without the other, as your pet will just become re-infested.
Treat your carpets by sprinkling them with a layer of fifty/fifty salt and baking powder. Work down into the fibers with a brush and leave for a few days . Vacuum up and dispose of the contents of the bag. Use a flea spray and mist any areas where you keep finding these little insects.
PRO TIPS: Before you apply any product to your environment, vacuum clean your home thoroughly. This action in itself will suck up eggs, larvae, and adult fleas and will stimulate any pre-emerged fleas to hatch, making it easier to wipe out all stages of their lifespan. Although it is not usually necessary, you can also hot wash fabrics that might have been in contact with them.
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Home Remedies For Fleas On Dogs Make Your Home Unfriendly To Fleas With Natural House Sprays:
Vacuuming is one of your best home remedies for fleas on dogs, but you can also pay extra attention to your dogs favorite lounging spots with one of the following homemade house sprays:
Hopefully youll only need preventive home remedies for fleas on dogs this season.
Tell us: What do you use at home to keep fleas at bay? What are your tried-and-true home remedies for fleas on dogs? Let us know in the comments below.
Thumbnail: Photography by Christian Mueller / Shutterstock.
This piece was originally published in 2018.
Other Benefits Of Garlic For Dogs
Helping to repel fleas and ticks isnt the only benefit that garlic has to offer your pup. In fact, including garlic in your dogs diet will open the door to a wide variety of great benefits to their health and well-being.
If youre worried about your dog being exposed to a bug or illness in the area, thats the perfect time to incorporate garlic into your routine. It works to improve the immune system, helping them naturally fight off any illnesses that may come their way. Some research even shows that the allium compounds found in garlic may be able to help fight off some forms of cancer.
In addition to fighting viruses, it can also be helpful in ridding the body of fungal infections or parasites. Garlic contains volatile oils and sulfur compounds, both of which help to rid your dogs system of internal parasites like tapeworms. If you have a dog that struggles with ear mites, create a topical ointment by combining garlic and olive oil and applying it to their ears. In both cases, garlic shouldnt be seen as a substitute for medical treatment, but it can be used as a great addition to your treatment plan.
The compounds found in garlic also have a positive impact on your dogs heart health. Adding garlic to your dogs diet can help to reduce cholesterol, lower the amount of fat build-up found within the arteries of the heart and prevent the formation of clots in the body.
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Ask Your Vet For Advice
Make sure you talk to your vet regarding which flea repellent home remedies are safe for the pet. At times, you must consider the size/weight of your pet and use the products accordingly. For example, some pet owners have seen excellent results by adding a bit of garlic to their pets food. However, others are of the opinion that garlic and onions are toxic to pets. In any case, it is always best to consult a vet prior to using any home remedies, just to be on the safe side.
Mdxconcepts Zuba Organic Dogs Flea Spray Treatment
Mdxconcepts Zuba Organic Dogs Flea Spray Treatment is a natural flea and tick spray that uses essential oils as the active ingredients. This spray helps kill fleas and ticks on contact, while also repelling mosquitoes from landing and biting your dog. Its also not as expensive as other natural products that can quickly go beyond your budget, so you might save some money with this treatment.
Unlike other natural and regular flea and tick solutions, this spray has a light rosemary scent that wont make you nauseous. One issue we found with Mdxconcepts Zuba Flea Spray Treatment is that its not as effective as other treatments, especially when used on bigger dogs or dogs with thick double-coats. Another issue is that it contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate, which can cause dogs with sensitive skin to break out in hives. Its also made with peppermint essential oil that is toxic for cats, so its not safe to use if your household has dogs as well as cats.
While it may be an inexpensive treatment, we recommend trying other natural products first to gain better results.
However, the biggest issue is with the intense chemical smell, which can be even worse if its used indoors. Although its effective as a spot treatment, we recommend trying other products that can also get rid of fleas and flea eggs as well as ticks.
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Maybe Try A Homemade Flea Prevention Bath
Bathing a dog kills the majority of fleas. No need for fancy soaps or shampoos as they can destroy coat condition. Fleas and midges hate citronella or d-limonene , thats why they are used during camping trips. Luckily it is easy to make:
- Chop up orange or grapefruit skins and simmer them for 15 mins.
- Choose an oil to add to it. Either neem, eucalyptus, rosemary or lavender oil. These can be bought in the local health store
- Add a drop of the oil into the mixture in the warm water.
Once the preparation is prepared simply add it to the bath and then bathe the dog in it. Begin at the head , under the chin, top of the head, behind the ears etc. Once the dog starts getting a soaking the fleas may head for higher ground, by starting at the top it will stop them going here for safety. After applying the shampoo, leave it on for 15 minutes before rinsing it off.
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Raw Baltic Amber Resin
Amber is a resin that formed millions of years ago. Think about the mosquito in the movie Jurassic Park. I havent tried Baltic amber resin necklaces but I know people who swear by them for flea and tick prevention.
Amber has electrostatic properties that help repel fleas and ticks. It also has a unique smell. The amber must be raw, and not polished like you see in jewelry stores. Electrostatic electricity makes it impossible for pests to stay on your pet.
You can buy good quality amber resin collars for your dog at Amberstone Pets.
Adding the foods and vitamins below is a great way to boost your dogs nutrition. A healthy body means an unwelcome home for fleas. But starting with a fresh, raw diet is key. Dried dog food goes through high heating and processing that kills the natural nutrients your dog needs to thrive.
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