When you see your pet continuously scratching themselves after a trip outside, their itchiness could be from a number of things. But most likely, the culprit is the nasty bug known as a flea.
Fleas can hurt your pets in a few ways:
- Flea bites can be itchy and painful
- Some pets are allergic to fleas, in which case they will develop flea bite dermatitis
- Fleas do drink some blood when they bite (similar to mosquitoes), and if there are too many fleas on your pet, it can cause significant blood loss or anemia
- All fleas have tapeworms, and if your pet ingests a flea while grooming themselves, they risk possibly having a tapeworm make themselves at home in their intestines
None of us want to cause distress to our pets. But unfortunately, fleas aren’t just a danger to pets. Fleas do sometimes bite humans too. And the worst part – fleas reproduce quickly, just like bed bugs. If your house gets infested with them, living there can quickly get uncomfortable.
But don’t worry, there are ways to stop fleas in their tracks and prevent them from becoming a problem in the first place. If you don’t want to resort to chemical flea-removing products, take a look at these four natural remedies below.
1. DIY non-toxic flea killer
You can make your very own non-toxic flea killer with these simple steps, courtesy of HealthyChild:
- Gather 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of essential orange oil
- Combine the baking soda and oil into a jar
- Shake the jar well and then sprinkle the powder on your pet and rub it gently into their skin
2. Enhance your pet shampoo
Fleabites suggests an easy way to increase the strength of your standard pet shampoo. Simply mix 1/2 cup of dog shampoo with 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice and two cups of water.
Put this mixture into a spray bottle and gently spray this mixture on your pet once a week.
3. Keep up your garden and yard landscaping
The most common place pets (and people) pick up fleas is from their very own backyard – literally.
You can prevent fleas from getting into your garden and yard in the first place by following this suggestion from Dogs Naturally Magazine.
Plant lemon balm, sage, catnip, sage, mint, basil, and lemongrass in various areas of your garden and keep pots of the same herbs near outside living areas.
4. Make your very own DIY flea collar
No need to go spending mega bucks on a brand name flea collar. Turns out you can make your very own at home, courtesy of Everyday Roots.
Simply mix to 5 drops of lavender oil with 1 to 3 tablespoons of water. Use an eye dropper or similar item to apply a few drops of the solution to your pet’s bandana and tie it loosely around their neck.
With these four natural and non-toxic remedies, you can keep your pets and your family safer from those pesky fleas.
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