Fleas are small (2.5 mm) and agile insects which feeds on blood from both animals and humans. Fleas don’t have wings but they can jump 100 times its own height. So they will cover a very long distances in their lifetime and will also transmit harmful micro organisms from one body to another. Fleas flourish in warm climates (65 to 85 degree ) and are mostly prominent in spring and summer season. A single female can lay about 50 eggs per day and around 2000 in her lifetime. Fleas that hatch can survive without blood for first 6 months. They will remain in their protective cocoon until favorable conditions arise. So you needs to be watchful even after you have eliminated fleas as there will a lot of eggs laying around in the house. Always clean your home and develop the habit of vacuuming on daily basis . Getting rid of eggs hiding in carpets and upholstery is the first line of defense we should take. Make sure your house is free from any flea eggs as prevention is better than cure. Fleas bites are very painful, irritating and can cause skin problems.
Fleas in dogs is a common problem confronted by most pet owners. They are mostly seen hidden under the hair or fur of dogs. It’s easy to recognize the presence of fleas. The flea bites can cause severe itching and will leads to hair loss and inflammation. Check for the big, inflated red pimples on your dog’s body (after marks of flea bites). Majority of pet owners depends upon various chemicals to remove fleas. Most of those are not safe for your pets and can cause toxic reactions with the skin. There is a chance your dog might lick it and can even cause death. Fortunately there are a lot of effective home remedies available to remove fleas from dogs. There are also a lot of preventive measures by which we can make the fleas keep away from dogs.
Bathing
First treatment is cleaning your dog and his belongings. It seems like an old fashioned thing but bathing your dog can eliminate most fleas. You should bathe your dog in warm water (not too hot). The fleas will get drowned in hot water. Soapy water will get rid of fleas and you can use any dog soap you want. Leaving soap on for some time is effective as it will trap the fleas. So make sure there is a good layer of soap before rinsing him.
Other than dog soap you can also use a dog shampoo but make sure it’s gentle. But too much shampoo can make the skin dry and will cause irritation in dogs. So use few drops of shampoo, a drop of cooking oil and 5 cups of water. Mix all the ingredients together and it can be used for bathing your dog. This solution will eliminate the fleas and mites. Presence of cooking oil will moisturize the skin but too much oil can get the dog filthy as dirt will stick to the residual oil. Adding freshly squeezed lime juice will help in preventing fleas. The lime contains limonene which helps killing fleas. If the infestation of fleas are more increase the quantity of lime.
In the case of bathing it’s better to start from the neck, and then work down to the tail. Starting from the neck makes sure that fleas don’t move up to the dog’s head while you are washing. You should let the mixture on for some time on your dog. After washing the dog check for any remaining fleas which are still clinging on the dog. Pick them off and let them drown on the water. After bathing don’t let the dog roll in the dirt or grass as eggs or fleas in the surroundings will stick to the wet skin.
Cleaning
Now it’s time to clean the surroundings. We should wash not only the dog’s bed but also everything your dog lies on. You should wash everything with hot water if possible. Thus we can put an end to fleas and eggs lying on beds, toys, floors etc. You can use flea shampoo for washing the dog’s stuffs . Develop the habit of vacuum on daily routines. You should vacuum every nook, rugs, carpets and cranny in your house. Place the moth balls in the dirt tank to kill the fleas. The fleas and eggs will be trapped inside the vacuum bag . So by cleaning and vacuuming on daily basis you can control the fleas to a certain extent.
Combing
You should comb your dog’s hair on weekly basis. Lack of combing will result in development of mats which is a the breeding ground for fleas. Using a flea comb will help kill fleas and are harmless to our dogs.
Flea combs contains lemon and it contains a chemical called limonene which helps in killing fleas. To create a flea comb you just need a comb or brush, lemon and fresh water. You should boil the water and add slices of freshly cut lemon to it. Mix them well and kept it closed for a day. Select a comb or brush according to your convenience and dip it in the liquid. You needs to make sure that the teeth are very finely placed for brush or comb. Just run the comb through the dog’s hair.
Before combing place a bowl containing soapy water near you. Make sure that the bowl is deep enough so that the fleas cannot jump out. First you should start combing your pet’s ear and head. Then you should move towards their tail. Take a closer look at underside and top of your dog’s neck and the area around their rump and also the tummy area. Above mentioned are the hide out areas of the fleas. Sometimes the fleas will be trapped on the combs teeth and you should dip the comb in the soapy water. You should frequently stop and remove the fleas and fur into the bowl.
Combing will also helps you to see what’s happening closer to the skin and thus you can spot newly born ticks. If there is flea infestation you should comb your dog daily. It’s better to comb outside the home as during combing the fleas and their eggs may drop off from your dog. If you are planning to do it inside place the newspapers around the area.
Flea Collar
We can prevent fleas in dogs by using a flea collar. The fleas are more attracted to the neck and face area and it’s where the flea collar is most effective. It’s so easy to make a flea collar. You just need a dog collar, 1 to 3 tablespoons of water, 3 to 5 drops of either cedar oil or lavender oil.
Dilute the chosen oil with water. In the case of dog collar make sure it’s flea free before using it. You either rub the liquid on the collar or dip the collar in the liquid. The solution in the collar will ward of the fleas away from your dog. You should reapply the mixture on the collar once a week.
Flea Spray
Flea spray is another homemade product to repel the fleas. Main ingredient used is Apple Cider Vinegar. Other ingredients are fresh water, lavender or cedar oil. Take 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and mix it with 1 quart of fresh water and 2 to 3 drops of oil. Take a spray bottle and fill it with the above liquid. Now you spray it onto the dog’s skin. Make sure the spray didn’t get into their eyes, nose or ears. It’s better to avoid spraying near their face.
Organic Ingredients which eliminates fleas
Citrus
It’s contained in Orange and lime. The freshly squeezed orange and lemon repels fleas and can be rubbed onto your dog’s fur. It’s harmless and there is no need to worry even if it is licked by your pet.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil contains lauric acid which is a good flea repellent. Rubbing oil on your dog’s fur will improve the coat shine and will also reduce the body odor. It also improves the overall health of your pet. Coconut oil has natural antifungal and antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Salt and baking soda
If your house is heavily infested by fleas it’s better to use salt and baking soda. Remove all furniture and spray salt and baking soda all over the floor. Leave it there for some hours. Salt and baking soda will dehydrate the fleas and they will die out of thirst and will not reproduce. Fleas will be killed but there will be a lot of eggs laying on the floor. Repeat the process for several days and your and your house will be free of any fleas.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Adding apple cider vinegar to the dog’s food will help in maintaining correct pH balance. It will help in proper digestion and will control parasites such as fleas,fungus,bacteria, etc. By spraying the vinegar onto the fur of your pet will repel the fleas.
