Natural remedies are an excellent choice for pet-owners on a budget or maybe wanting to try something without artificial components. There are plenty of natural remedies perfect to prevent and get rid of fleas fast, without treating your dog with soaps that potentially can be tough on their skin.
Although it may seem like they are comparably less efficient than remedies with a high concentration of chemicals – and for aggressive house infestations, they may not – natural remedies are the ideal D.I.Y project when you notice the first symptoms of fleas in your dog.
The skin of the puppies tend to be more delicate than grown adults, organic medicines are ideal to treat them as well. Once you spot the signs of intense itchiness, follow a couple of the bellow tips to get rid of the infestation in approximately 7 days.
How common are fleas on puppies?
Fleas can jump up to 13 inches! This is more than half of the average size of a small dog, which is around 18 inch. Puppies are curious and playful, they tend to go and hide in places owners can’t reach or don’t pay too much attention to. When they explore and interact with other animals, they are exposed to fleas jump in their fur. Cats, birds, and rodents carry fleas as well, then, if you own another animal your dog may get bugs from them.
In two or three days, a single flea can put up to 50 eggs. They are quite fast adapting to new environments and can live in your couch, carpet, sheets or dog bed for several weeks before they starve.
Why natural remedies are much more convenient?
The best part of the natural remedies is that you can use them in your kitchen to cook or to decorate your house. Some of the best natural remedies for fleas are made with ingredients that you are most likely to have in your cupboard. They are handy, affordable and easy to find.
Some other natural products we recommend are plants – fleas hate a certain type of plants, vegetables, and essential oils. You can buy essential oils for a spray or a bath for your dog, and then use the rest for other DIY projects like candles or hand soaps.
Organic remedies are more beneficial than buying factory-made products. At least, you are sure about the source and type of components in the medicine you are giving to your pet. This is perfect if your dog has any allergies or has particularly delicate skin.
There are a lot of remedies claiming to get rid of fleas – but which ones actually worth a shot? We gathered 5 of the best and most popular natural medicines, highly effective on puppies and grown adults alike.
5 Best Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Fleas on Puppies
1. Flea Repelling Plants
Chamomille, eucalyptus, lemongrass, mint, and lavender are only some of the lengthy list of plants that help to prevent and repel fleas. As a rule of thumb, think if whether the smell of the plant is citrus or not – fleas usually don’t like citric smells. Rosemary and sweet basil are also excellent options and a great addition to your garden!
2. DIY Flea Apple Cider Vinegar Spray
Apple cider vinegar is by bar the most effective DIY hack for fleas. The high pH of this product is safe for dogs to consume and put on their fur.
You may either mix it with water in 50/50 solution and spray it all over your dog’s body, or you may mix it with your dog’s food and feed it to your dog. In case you choose to feed your dog with the vinegar, try to give only a teaspoon every 50 pounds.
A lot of people and doctors recommend this the most when it comes to homemade remedies because it was found to be really effective. This can also be used by humans when it comes to infectious skin diseases or rashes. You can also spread apple cider vinegar on your carpets, rugs, and other objects that your dog usually goes to.
3. Rubbing your dog with flea-repelling oils
Oils are a great option because they make it hard for fleas to grab the dog´s fur and feed. It is also a very effective home remedy when it comes to a female flea laying eggs on your dog’s skin/fur. When the flea eggs hatch, they release the pupa (the second stage in the life cycle of a flea), these pupae are slippery as well coming from their own cocoon and egg fluids. Essential oils mixed with flea-repelling oils that are applied to your dog’s skin and fur are good surfaces to break the grasp of fleas on your dog.
You can mix the essential oils with thin carriers like coconut or grapeseed oil. Here are some oils you can use to mix with the essential oils:
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Palmarosa
- Cedar (Atlantica)
- Eucalyptus (Radiata)
- Clary sage
- Peppermint
Note: Do not use oils with pennyroyal, clove, or wintergreen essential oils because they’re dangerous to your dog. Although pennyroyal can be planted in your garden, fleas can be prevented because of the pennyroyal’s strong scent which fleas really dislike.
4. Lemon as flea dip or flea spray
Citrus fruits have a high pH, and therefore are great to repel fleas. Lemon flea dips and flea sprays can instantly kill a flea, this makes it an easier way in getting rid of fleas in a short span of time. Using lemons as an ingredient to your homemade remedy may come in both flea dip or flea spray, here’s how you make them:
As a flea dip
You mix lemon (up to 3 big ones), water, and dog shampoo of your choice. You should get a shampoo-like texture in which you can bathe your dog. You can also mix lemon and warm water for your dog to dip on, this comes in cases of your dog not wanting cold baths or getting showered.
As a flea spray
Squeeze 3 lemons on water and let it sit overnight. Put the mix inside of a spray and sprinkle your dog and its favorite places with the solution. You can also buy pure lemon juice and rub on your dog’s fur coat. This can be done by using warm water as well without adding anything else.
Note: It may hurt your dog being dipped or sprayed with lemon if your dog has wounds or open cuts.
5. Putting salt all over your household or selective objects.
Salt acts as a dehydrating agent that can dry up the bodies of the fleas. So putting salt around your home is a good way to prevent and get rid of fleas on your puppy and inside your household.
You can put salt anywhere you want inside the house, the best place to put salt in the areas where your dog usually goes to play. You can put salt either by soaking it on water and spreading it across your floor. It’s also effective when you soak your dog’s bed with salt water because it gains contact with your dog’s fur/skin. The best salt used for this type of home remedy is sea-salt because they come naturally and fresh from the open area of the seas.
Can cats and dogs use the same remedies?
The answer is, yes. Since fleas come from the same species, remedies are most likely to work similarly. Both types of fleas have the same reaction towards acidic solutions because of their body type and living style. All the natural solutions above come handy for cats and dogs alike.
