There are problems that you face, then there are problems that your pets face. And one such problem is of fleas on your dogs and cats. The worse is they inflict pain on your little baby who can just make noises — which if you happen to ignore, might turn into an absolute nuisance. These pests are irritating and can easily be transmitted to any family member or another pet, for that matter.
Did you know these fleas can jump to a distance of about 45 cms horizontally and can jump as high as 17 cms? Does this give you an idea on how fast they can spread? The love to hang around on your pets, their carpets, your rugs, baseboards — for months or for years. Whether you’re a dog person or a cat person, fleas can spell disaster for you and your household.
Another interesting and shocking fact lies in their lifecycle. A flea lives up to a year, however, they lay eggs super quickly. These eggs can hatch in just about 2 days – yes, we are not kidding and the flea matures into an adult in a span of about 5 days. For every flea on your pet, there are at least 30 more inside your house or in your dog’s kennel or the garden. This is not it. There is more. Historically, fleas have been the careers of tapeworm to humans from pets.
Well, now you do know you have to keep on reading this because if you don’t, these fleas might soon spread and take over your furniture and your lovely pets and make it their home.
From where can house pets like dogs and cats catch flea?
Fleas are insects with strong legs and no wings. These strong legs help them to jump from one animal to the other or from the surrounding environment to a host. These parasitic creatures can be infested on your pet when they come in contact with outdoor pets, outdoor animals in the park where you take them for a walk or from your clothes.
All types of fleas – be it on your cat or your dog can infest humans. Hence, it is very important to take care of your pet and ensure they do not get infested with these blood sucking creatures.
Why do you need essential oils for fleas on dogs and cats?
We are not saying that essential oils to treat fleas on dogs and cats is the only solution. But, it is a preventive measure that goes a long way along with the other medications that have been developed to fight these pests.
The first and the primary reason is a majority of fleas, these days, have developed resistance the to chemical treatments available in the market. Secondly, if you have a small child at home, you can’t just go on using these chemicals topically on your pet. Both your baby and your dear pet are at risk.
Thus, it is best to combine the latest chemicals treatment for fleas on dogs and cats with essential oils and other natural remedies for a quick solution.
Best essential oils for fleas on dogs and cats
1. Lemongrass essential oil
2. Cedarwood essential oil
3. Neem essential oil
4. Thyme essential oil
5. Citronella essential oil
How to use essential oils to treat fleas and the eggs on your loved pets?
1. Enhance your pet’s shampoo with essential oils to get rid of fleas
This is the simplest and the easiest way to get rid of fleas on your pets and to make sure they never return. Just add a drop of citronella or lemongrass essential oil to your pet’s shampoo and rinse them well.
Not only would you be getting rid of the fleas, but your lovable pet would carry a refreshing aroma all around.
Note: Add 2 drops of either of the oils to the shampoo for larger dogs.
2. Use a flea comb to get rid of the eggs and the blood sucking parasites
Buy a flea comb for your dog or your cat and brush it all over your pet’s body. Before you proceed with combing the fur, make sure you prepare the following – a bowl filled with warm water infused with 4 drops of cedarwood essential oil and a thick white cloth.
Dip the comb in water every time you brush your pet. Take the white cloth to clean the comb after brushing. You would be able to catch the fleas and the eggs in the cloth.
Repeat this process twice a day, especially when your pet has a bad case of fleas. Make sure you don’t go too harsh on combing. That can damage the skin of your pet. Be gentle yet firm.
You can buy a flea comb from amazon.com or petsmart.com.
3. An essential oil infused collar for your pet
Another effective and easy essential oil treatment to prevent fleas from attacking your pets is a collar infused with essential oils.
However, this method can be easy to implement on your dog than on your cat. Dogs are accustomed to wearing a collar while cats cannot stand them. They would be bothered by the strappy thing on their neck and would try and lick it, bite it or tear it off as much as they can. This can get the oils in their blood stream and cause harm. So, be careful if you plan to try this technique on your cat and make sure you tie it in such a way that it is unable to lick the collar.
You could use a bandana, a shoelace, or a soft cloth instead of a proper collar. Prepare a blend using half a tablespoon of alcohol, 1 drop of thyme, citronella, and cedarwood essential oil. Mix well. Add 2 garlic capsules to the blend and leave it for a while. Later, soak the fabric in this blend until the cloth absorbs the ingredients properly. Leave it dry. Finally, put it around your pet’s neck. Make sure you do not tie it too tightly around the neck. Let there be enough space for the air to pass, however, it shouldn’t be too lose either. This preparation lasts over 15 days to a month based on your climatic conditions.
4. Make a pet friendly, anti-flea spray
Another interesting treatment that you can opt for to get rid of fleas from your pets is by creating an essential oil based anti-flea spray.
Take a spray bottle and add a cup of apple cider vinegar to it. Add a quart of fresh water and 2 drops of cedarwood essential oil. Your anti-flea pet spray is ready. After bathing your dog or your cat, spritz over this mixture on their body, away from the face and the reach of their tongue.
To apply the blend on the back of their ears and their neck, spray the mixture on a cloth and use this cloth to wipe on them. You can also use this cloth to wipe their bedding with the blend.
5. Using neem for your darling pets
Neem has for long been revered as a natural remedy to fight multiple types of insects and microbes – both for humans as well as for pets. Your pets would not like the smell of this oil on themselves. So, this could be a tricky yet the most effective remedy.
You could prepare an anti-flea spray or add it to your pet’s collar. You could even add it to your pet’s shampoo. You will have to find out which way works for your pet and the one that makes them feel comfortable about themselves.
A few general precautions you must take to ensure your pet does not catch flea:
- Maintain a clean household for your own self and your pet.
- Make sure your dogs and your cats do not indulge in play with other stray animals around.
- Steam clean your entire apartment at least once a week to ensure there are no such pests around.
- Let your lawn have a lot of sunlight so that the ground stays dry. Fleas prefer a moist environment to lay eggs.
- Inspect your pet or get them inspected for flea bites or adult flea infestation every now and then
- Get in touch with pest control specialists and let them guide you on the process of maintaining a pest free house.
- You can also opt for pest control services if needed, as long as you don’t have a small child at home.
- Keep your pet clean, no matter what. Take them to regular dog or cat spa sessions at least once a month, groom them well, make sure you take them for exercise daily, give them necessary health supplements, and keep them healthy.
- Make sure you follow the flea medication cycle if your pets have been infested with them earlier.
- Take your pet for regular check ups once every six months.
We also recommend that your visit a veterinarian for your pet and follow a proper treatment under their guidance. While it is easy to avoid catching fleas by taking the necessary precautions, however, it is important to ensure the right treatment is made available to help avoid the fleas from spreading in the house or on other pets.
An important note – Essential oils can kill your pets unless…
No matter what you should NEVER, we repeat – never, use tea tree, eucalyptus, spearmint, peppermint, pennyroyal or clove essential oil on your pets. Essential oils can kill animals. Yes, this is true. Pets can smell the aroma of the oil being used way more than you can. A dog’s nose is 20 times more powerful than yours. It is important to introduce these oils in a really small quantity, drop by drop – as we recommend, to your pets.
A cat is more fond of licking the oil put on her than dogs. This might actually be dangerous for these essential oils should not be ingested by animals.
We do not mean to discourage you from using them. Your pet must have smelt or felt an oil sometime in their life, however, using them right is the key to treating your pets.
Please feel free to share your concerns and questions in the comments section below. We would be happy to answer. Also, if you have ever used essential oils for your pets, do share your experience with us. First timers would love to take a cue from it and learn.
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