Fleas and pets belong together just like oil and water. This is why helping your fluffy friend get rid of their fleas as soon as possible is a must.
Fleas can jump around from pet to pet and from pet to person. You can move into your home without paying rent or doing the washing up.
Fleas can only be tiny creatures, but even small pests can cause chaos and frustration. When they become a major problem, the cost of getting rid of them increases dramatically.
However, there are methods you can use to stop a massive flea infestation at the root, or in this case the roots of your pet.
Here are 10 natural ways to get rid of dog fleas and reduce itchy skin.
Always check with your veterinarian before doing anything.
These methods are not a panacea and the best advice is to see your veterinarian. However, they can be helpful if you want a quick fix or to complement the advice of the vet (if they don’t advise against it). First, let’s talk about how to get rid of the fleas with what you have in the house.
Salt is a common household item that is easy to find and cheap to buy. It dehydrates animals and that’s what you want to happen to the fleas. Take lots of salt and spread it on your floors and carpets.
Let stand overnight. In the morning you can vacuum the floors and carpets and vacuum up the salt and dead flea bodies. Salt takes about 10 to 12 hours to attack the eggs and fleas to do the job.
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White or apple cider vinegar
White or apple cider vinegar can also be used to rid your home and pets of the nervous pests. You can even feel like a warrior going into battle to defend your land.
Take an empty and clean spray bottle and fill it with 40 percent water and 60 percent vinegar. Shake it around until it’s all mixed up. When it’s done, spray it around your furniture (aim for the corners as this could be a great spot for fleas). You can also spray something on your pets and bathe them later if you’re not a fan of them smelling like vinegar. However, do not spray this liquid on your nose, eyes, or mouth.
Then you can target the rest of your home including the bedrooms, study, dining room, balcony, etc. This spray should work faster than the salt as it should take about 10 minutes to kill the fleas. We recommend using a flea bomb after spraying indoors to help pinpoint the areas you may have missed.
Vacuuming is not only a way of getting rid of fleas, but it can also be a method of prevention. Preventing eggs from hatching is a great way to reduce the chances of fleas growing and hopping around your home. However, if you find that your dog is acting differently and finds himself itching and scratching himself badly, you have a flea problem. This means that you should increase the number of vacuums. About two to three times a day should help. This may seem like a lot, but it will help reduce the spread of fleas and help your family and pets in the long run.
In addition to vacuuming your floors, vacuum the couches and beds (yours, your cribs, pet beds, and even guest rooms to be on the safe side). You should also bring your vacuum cleaner to the corners of the rooms. When you have finished a cleaning cycle, you should empty the vacuum bag. However, instead of throwing it in your kitchen bin, take the trouble of taking it outside of your house and dump it in the trash can on the street.
In addition to vacuuming your beds, you also need to get the linens clean and dry. Unplug all of the beds in your house (dogs included) and turn them in the washing machine. Once you’re done, put the wet materials in a dryer. Set the temperature on high, but if you’re concerned about damaging your bedding, a medium temperature may work as well. Once the machine has finished drying, you should clean the lint trap. This is where you will notice the fruits of your labor as there will be tiny corpses of fleas.
After each step, you can use some pet safe flea bombs to make sure you get all of these guys. Then run the vacuum again to get the physical remains. Now that we’ve talked about how to get rid of fleas naturally, let’s look at how you can help your dog when fleas live on their bodies.
Vitamins can be a great thing to combat itchy skin in dogs, especially vitamin E. Take some vitamin E in liquid form and gently spread it over your dog’s body. Pay attention to the areas that seem redder than the others. This may mean that these were bad spots for her that she kept trying to scratch, hence the redness. Not only is this a great way to lessen their itchiness, but it can also comfort them as you would be stroking them.
Low-fat yogurt has more benefits than just a tasty addition to a meal when it comes to feeding your dogs. Yogurt can keep the good bacteria in the gut and strengthen the immune system. The latter can help them stave off the itchy flea attack. It can also help with ear infections. It’s almost like a medicinal meal, but consult your veterinarian before giving him any food that is outside of his normal diet.
Finely ground oatmeal flour can be added to your dog’s shampoo or left in it in a warm bath. It’s good for your skin. The finer it is ground, the easier it will be to disperse in relation to the shampoo and add it to the warm water.
If you see your dog’s paws itch like they are biting, then they are infected. You can help reduce discomfort by using cooled tea. You can make chamomile or herbal tea in a bowel that you put in the refrigerator. This will cool it down. Once it cools, you can put your dog’s paws in it to reduce inflammation. You can put some in a spray bottle to spray on their skin.
A bath can do wonders for a dog’s itchy skin. However, remember to buy a shampoo that will relieve the itchiness. If you’re not a fan of wet baths, you can give them a dry one by using a dry shampoo from the store or a homemade one.
And the last thing you should do to relieve her pain is to brush her. It’s a way to comfort them (especially with a brush glove).
Written by Mike Epson: I am a writer for Catmania and several other websites. I love writing about animals because they have the innate ability to always surround you with love no matter what.
