It’s summer and dogs get grump due to constant itching. One of the most common causes of itching in dogs or cats or any furry animals are FLEAS. There are of course some over the counter medication for this itchy problem. However, over the time I could experiment on some of the home remedies for fleas on dogs and they worked like a charm.
Flea Dog collar
Make yourself a dog flea collar than buying chemical flea collars. Pour one of the mixtures on your dog’s collar.
1 teaspoon unflavored vodka, 1 drop rosemary essential oil, 1 drop thyme essential oil and garlic oil from 1 small capsule
Or
1 teaspoon unflavored vodka, 1 drop eucalyptus essential oil, 1 drop cedarwood essential oil and 1 drop lemongrass essential oil
Flea Comb
You will need
- 1 Freshly sliced lemon
- 1 pot of water
- Brush or comb or sponge
Directions : Boil a pot of water and add the slice of lemon. Turn off the heat once lemon has been added and let the mixture sleep over night. Next day use the brush or comb and dip it in the mixture and comb your dog’s hair. If you have a dog with short hair then you can use sponge and do the same.
Flea Spray
You will need
- 1 cup white distilled vinegar OR 1 cup apple cider vinegar OR a 50/50 blend of both
- 1 quart fresh water
- 2-3 drops of lavender or cedar oil
- A decent sized spray bottle
Directions : Add 2-3 drops as you add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar/apple cider vinegar/both to 1 quart of fresh water. Fill your spray bottle, and mist your dog, being careful not to get it in their eyes, nose, or ears-aka avoid spraying near the face. To get up around the neck and behind the ears/their chin area, dampen a soft cloth with the mixture and wipe it on. Spray your pets bedding and around it with this mixture lightly as well.
Flea Bath
Most vets recommend dogs be given a bath once in two weeks. If you see an emergency of fleas then you can quickly try this on your dog.
You will need
- A half a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice*
- 1 ½ – 2 cups of fresh water
- 1/4 –1/2 cup of mild pet-friendly soap or shampoo
Directions
Stir together a half a cup of lemon juice, 1 ½ cups of water, and ¼ cup of mild pet-friendly shampoo or soap. It would be better to later rub your dog with essential oils to give your dog an extra shine.
Conclusion
Always keep an eye on your dogs scratching behavior as excessive scratching can harm the dogs skin. If you still feel these home remedies are not helping then you might consider taking your dog to a vet. Make sure to ask your Vet to recommend chemical free and organic flea treatment.
