Effective Natural Remedies for Flea Control in Pets
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I found a great cure for flea infestation if you have carpet! It's a steam mop with a plastic frame that lets it glide over carpet. Go slow, kills eggs, pupae, larvae and adults (if they don't move-- and they don't seem to-- they are attracted to heat). Once a week for a couple of weeks (plus baths for the dogs and washing of bedding). Cured!
Help! All this rain and I have more fleas than ever. and my new little dog, white broken coat jack russell mix, is in very bad shape. I have a dw liquid flea trap going and have vacuumed many times, but it is so wet outside the grass is almost knee high. I have no place to put the dogs while I sprinkle the carpets. I started her on antiflea daily pills over a month ago- brewers yeast and b vits, I have sprayed her with colloidal silver 7ppm, I have flea bathed her, I have coated her with aloe vera juice, I have coated her with aloe vera gel, I have rubbed coconut oil on the worst chewed bits, I applied a chemical on her neck, all in the past 2 weeks. yesterday I broke down and dipped her in permethrin solution.
This morning she looked good. no rash, no bumps. she went out to pee and came in covered with a bumpy red rash, not every bump is a flea bite, and at least 5 more fleas running thru her now very sparse coat. picked them off and put more aloe gel on her. the fleas just love her. :( I'd spend the 55 for bravecto but I'm afraid that wouldn't work either, and my last dog got cancer from I think comfortis. my big black dog is not as bothered, but the fleas of course jump to her. I'm going crazy. the dogs don't want me near them cuz I keep searching for fleas on them. shall I try the borax? it's the only thing I haven't tried, and that's because the store is out of it lately.
Posted by Helen (Melbourne, Florida) on 10/04/2020
Be careful with Brewers Yeast for Fleas. I started giving it to my two dogs a few years ago and after a couple of weeks, both dogs were scratching like mad. I thought they had fleas but couldn't see any. I Googled Brewers Yeast and found that many dogs have a bad reaction to it.
Sprinkle borax on carpets and sweep it in with a broom. It is dehydrating and kills fleas. Harmless for dogs, even if they lick it some. It is actually good for them in very small quantities. It helps with arthritis. Look it up here and/or look up Walter Last and borax to read more about it.
* apply 2x per day morning and evening, comb or brush through fur. If I miss a 2nd application, the fleas do begin to accumulate.
I've noticed that when I spray the lemon juice around the perimeter of my place that spiders run too.
i do find the occasional flea on her but nothing like when I was just using tea tree oil and/or diatomaceous earth (picked off about 50 fleas during bath time). I will continue to experiment until I find the best recipe/method for flea elimination and will check back.
I have used Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE) in my pets' food for about 4 years for internal parasites. I also use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon 'organic' apple cider vinegar (ACV) per quart of drinking water all year. NO fleas or tics, the ACV causes sour blood... fleas/ticks don't like sour blood!! I like this better than putting DE on their fur. My one cat had severe fur loss on her hind end and weird pumps all over her skin, I 'think' the fleas caused this. Since using ACV in my pets water, her fur is thick. I also give Krill Oil in their food.
I was hesitant to try tea tree oil on my kitten after having read some warnings here.
I must stress that tea tree oil must be used in low-potency!! Even one drop might be too much, and so should be added to carrier oil.
in taking any product, one should always start small and monitor the effects, and increase as needed.
My neighbor tried it first. He was the one who actually insisted. Our kittens were both three months at the time. He has a kitten from the same litter as mine, so they are the same age, but his is male and larger. He said the fleas vanished, so I tried it on my kitten. I clumsily poured a few drops from the bottle onto her and was worried to death, grabbing a rag to clean her. Then I saw her licking the tea tree from her fur and I freaked (i love my cat! ). But no sickness whatsoever. And fleas truly did disappear.
So, don't make the mistake I did! And potentially have it not turn out so well.
First try one 1 drop of tea tree to 1/4 tsp carrier oil. I used olive oil. Monitor results. If it works, then no need to increase. If it doesn't work and health is good, increase dose slowly and never pour over your animal! Unless you are sure your dropper is safe
Good luck and best wishes!
July 27, 2108 Update:
With further experimentation, I found tea tree oil does not work. plz read my other posts for more info , including success with lemon juice.
I've had incredible good luck ridding my cats of fleas with lemon juice. You can dunk a flea comb into a small dish of juice until the tines are submerged and comb daily until no more fleas are seen. Or you can just pour it on your pet and massage down to the skin 'tho when I tried this on one of my cats, I did dilute the lemon juice by 1/4 with water.
Before spraying on furniture and carpets, check a small area to make sure it won't stain. I can't tell you how many thousands of dollars I've spent on topical treatments, pills, shampoos, sprays etc. and nothing worked. Then a friend suggested lemon juice, which did make sense, since it's a key ingredient in citronella candles, horse fly wipes etc. to keep bugs away.
Posted by Kimberly (Tennessee) on 10/09/2016 ★☆☆☆☆
I had used diatomaceous earth before, but it seems when using it this time, it hasn't been very good at controlling the fleas on my dogs? I put it in an old baby powder container. I applied it while stroking the hair up in the opposite way and applied heavily! Still it did not control the fleas, so I continued with the application daily. I also brushed them daily before each new application. Still, I was not satisfied with this product.
FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth is excellent at repelling and killing fleas ON the cat and can be sprinkled on carpets and floors (make sure you get as close to the walls as possible. You can sprinkle it directly ON the pet and rub it in and it will not harm the animal. Use only FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous earth...found at feed stores and some pet stores. The regular kind is poisonous. The food grade is natural, very effective, and odorless. BE careful with it, as it is very powdered (like powdered sugar) and will fog up the air, so I use an old ketchup dispenser to gently apply to animal and floors. Leave on floor for a day, then vacuum. On pets...it kills fleas, larvae, eggs...by dehydrating them.
Posted by Cathy (Lakeside, Ca) on 02/19/2015 ★★★★★
For dogs with any nervous or stress related condition, including fleas, rub one drop lavender on pads of each foot or rub a drop on ears. They calm down, stop licking and scratching.. And sleep. (Do not use cheap scented perfume oils, these are toxic! Only good quality essential oils.) Some oils actually repel fleas and ticks. Don't use too much, they are potent and dogs don't like strong odors.
I treated a flea infestation using diatomaceous earth. I sprinkled all it liberally over the cats regularly (once a day), and used a fine sieve and sprinkled it all over my floors - carpeted and wooden and tiles - and left it to sit for a week. I vacuumed it up and then treated it again to be certain. It cleared up a really bad flea infestation really well.
My two dogs are loaded with fleas; had them on trifecta's and still have fleas. Can I put sulfur granules in my yard? I have 1 acre and a quarter size yard; need something inexpensive and that will work
Posted by Suseeq (Sydney, Australia) on 01/22/2015
Spray a solution of white vinegar and water on dogs you will soon get rid of the fleas as they won't be able to feed of the dogs . It works and very cheap but don't spray near dogs eyes.
Hi Carol, Diatomaceous Earth, which you can buy at garden supply shops and online, is a great remedy to use outside for flea control. You'd need to look up directions on how to apply in the yard for fleas, but I lightly dust for food grade DE on all our pets around their tails and along the spine every few days. It's fabulous flea control remedy.
My 12 year old Lab is going crazy chewing at her legs until they bleed. This stems from flea and or other insect bites. Is is possible the topical flea meds. I give her monthly are no longer working? She just had the last application no more than 2 weeks ago and I found a flea on her just yesterday. They really do not seem to alleviate the flea issues any longer. The problem has gotten progressively worse. Is there a natural, perhaps better remedy I might try? I have resisted taking her to the vet because my last visit was upwards of 600.00, ridiculous in my estimation. So anything you might suggest would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you, Teri
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
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How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
I am curious as to what your $600+ vet bill bought you - could you share? And is your dog an indoor or outdoor dog? If she is an outdoor dog please consider bringing her indoors as this will greatly reduce the opportunity for her to be bit by so many insects. If she is an indoor dog and still flea infested, please consider using a flea trap to reduce your indoor population of fleas.
While the fleas may have bitten your dog on the legs, it is not a typical place for fleas to feed; think root of the tail, or around the neck. I wonder if your dog doesn't have a staph infection on her legs; you might try Ted's Anti-fungal/Anti-staph rinse for her to see if that brings her relief. You might also consider alkalizing for her; this helps balance her PH making her less appetizing to fleas and other biting insects. You can start off with a crisis dose of 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into 1 liter of water and have this be her only drinking water for 5 days; after that drop the dose down to 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda into a liter of water as a maintenance dose.
Thanks for responding. Right after I posted the question I started reading some of the other posts with similar issues. I was very surprised to repeatedly see apple cider vinegar as an option. Just so happened I had a bottle. Since it was 1 am and I couldn't go shopping for an alternative, I figured what the heck! Well, it worked surprisingly well I'm happy to say. I just need to keep up with the applications. I let a few days go by and she started in on her leg again. With all the healing sores and this new one she looks like she was attacked by wild animals. So that's the story I'm rolling with, I believe it was a bear! Ha. She seems to like this scenario better than the truth.
As for the 600.00 vet bill, I received for my dog, 2 fabulous trips to the vet, a fun an exciting ear culture, accompanied by 2, yes 2, types of drops for her ears and last but certainly not least, a brand new bottle of exotic ear wash. It hurts less if I laugh!
Many blessings, Teri
p.s. I also started her on probiotics, will keep you posted. Seems to be working.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Thank you for sharing your experience with Trifexis. As you say, not everything gets listed on the label, so thank you for providing details on this side effect of incontinence in your dog.
I did a google search with "trifexis side effects urination" and quickly found a forum where another experienced urinary issues with their dog not concentrating the urine; when taken off the Trifexis the problem resolved.
Our 12 yo lab/pit mix is having side affects from the use of NexGard Flea and Tick treatment. He is in very good health as a rule . He had a vet check about a month ago. All was fine. Since giving him the flea mess we have noticed a loss of appetite, lethargy and dry flaky skin. This is by no means the norm for our baby. How long will this last? Are there any natural alternatives for flea and tick control. Seeing our dog like this is heartbreaking ...
Deb from Roseville. Mi --- as you may see in one post of mine below, natural orange cleaner which is essential oil of orange, kills even mites and is good for the coat. If it was my dog, I would not pay for poisons for fleas. Perhaps you may want to use charcoal or ESSIAC to clean out the poison now in the blood.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Om posted an excellent reply - re: Activated charcoal and Essiac tea to clean out the blood. I would also try to get him to take in as much liquid as possible to flush the chemicals out. In addition I would bathe your dog to remove as much of the topical as you can.
Also, since you have a senior with these symptoms you may wish to return to the vet and run a blood panel to rule out any complications with the liver or kidneys. The sooner you catch these things the better.
Posted by Mary (Costa Mesa, California) on 05/06/2014 ★★★★★
I have successfully treated my home for fleas but every time we went out in neighborhood, new flees to comb out. I put amethyst in water dish, first 1-2 months no change. After 3 mo. No new fleas, skeptical, since winter is low flea time anyway. Now warm flea weather is here & still no new fleas. When I use flea comb also NONE on her at bath time. Fantastic results, just took time for her VIBRATIONS to match the amethyst. We will see as summers flea season builds but normally by now, 80 degree weather, we would have a problem. Love nature.
I started using food grade de a few days ago and I was wondering how long it take to first see results? It's only been down 5 days so far and it seems like the fleas are only getting bigger, so I don't know what to do.
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