Natural Flea Care
When dealing with flea problems, you have three areas to control: inside, outside, and your pet. Each of them requires different treatments, but all of them have natural remedies that are effective and inexpensive alternatives to store bought brands.
Inside
As you begin the process of flea-proofing your home, your initial focus should be the floor followed by the furniture. Clean, clean, clean!
A good solid cleaning of your floor if hardwood or linoleum keep fleas from getting comfortable in the cracks and joints. Repeat this regularly to keep the fleas from coming back. Remove small area rugs during the flea season or clean weekly to keep fleas from bedding down.
Stay away from wall-to-wall carpeting and vinyl flooring when you re-decorate. Choose instead easy to clean ceramic tiles, hard or soft wood, linoleum, or cork.
Vacuum daily if you are currently infested and once or twice a week for prevention. It is recommended that you seal and freeze the vacuum bag before you reuse it to kill larvae.
Steam clean furniture, carpet, and the dog bed with hot water only. Wash your pet immediately afterward and two days later, vacuum up dead and newly hatched fleas. Follow this with a weekly cleaning of the dog bed in hot water and vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.
Certain desiccant dusts and boron-based mixtures can be used on your carpet to kill fleas. These are toxic but far less so than most on the market. Keep children and pets out of the room when you use these and vacuum thoroughly afterward.
Outside
The fleas that live in your yard are most likely not yet adults. Focus on killing the larvae and eggs and you'll get rid of your flea problem outside.
Get rid of piles of grass cuttings or leaves.
Mow the lawn regularly.
Flood out the areas where your pet spends most of her time with water. An outdoor hose works better than buckets.
Like ladybugs in a garden, nematodes feed on flea larvae. They are small worms and can be purchased online, through catalogues, and some garden supply stores.
Diatomaceous earth or DE mixed with water can be sprinkled on your lawn, deck, garden, and walkways monthly. Every other month is fine if its exceptionally dry where you live. Your Pet
The most important part! Making sure that your pet is healthy by feeding her human grade food, making sure she always has plenty of water, and treating illnesses immediately will help her fight off fleas. Low stress rates, supplements, clean air, and loving owners also increase your pet's immune system and ability to fight fleas.
Daily supplements like a crushed garlic clove, brewer's yeast, and Vitamin B with B1 all help your pet to fight fleas. Make sure to adjust the dose to the size of your pet. Topical remedies include 10 drops of essential oils like tea tree, lavender, and cedar mixed with one tablespoon of olive oil and sprayed directly on your pet's skin may help. Eucalyptus and pennyroyal essential oils can be used for dogs but are toxic for cats.
Slice a lemon and let the slices sit in a couple of pints of boiling water. When the water cools, this can be used to wash down your pet's coat. Daily combing with a flea comb and weekly bathing with non-insecticidal soap is necessary during the height of flea season.
Some pets are allergic to certain supplements or may be on medication that interferes with your flea care. Consult your holistic veterinarian if you see no results after three to four weeks of use.
Melissa Steele is a freelance writer for PawDigs.com This site features Pet Essentials with Style including designer dog beds of all sizes and styles.
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