Home > Dog Health, Care, Grooming > 3 All-Natural Homemade Flea & Tick Treatments for Dogs

Posted on April 03, 2012 by WayCoolDogs

As the beautiful months of summer and sun quickly approach us, so too do the months of pesky fleas and irritating ticks for our beloved four leggers. Parasites like fleas and ticks are huge annoyances to our canine friends and to us. Not only are these little parasites itchy, irritating, and creepy, they can also be major threats to our own health and the wellbeing of our pets.

Before the summer heat creeps up on you too quickly and you encounter a full-blown flea or tick infestation, take the precautions needed to protect your dog and your home. Of course, there are many store bought options for flea and tick preventatives and care.

However, some of these can contain worrisome chemicals that are thought to be harmful for both dogs and their owners in contact with them.

Of course, heartworm preventative and other medications provided by your veterinarian are important, but if you are looking for an easy and all natural way to fight off the fleas and ticks this year, try out these three methods.

Natural Flea Shampoo

One very common ingredient in natural pest repellant is essential oil. There are several different essential oil options that you can use, including cinnamon, rosemary, wormwood, clove, peppermint, pennyroyal, cedar wood, or almond oil.

To create an effective and all natural flea shampoo at home, combine six to 10 drops of whatever essential oil you choose with two ounces of organic, biodegradable soap. You can find all natural soap like this at almost any grocery store.

Use this combination just as you would any other pet shampoo. Wet your pup’s fur and then lather the soap into their coat. You should let the mixture sit for a few minutes to make sure that the oils penetrate to the skin. Rinse your pet thoroughly and repeat as needed.

Natural Lemon Wash Flea Deterrent

Another great way to naturally fight annoying pests is by using a natural lemon wash flea deterrent on your pet. Citrus is a natural flea deterrent and is great for your pet’s skin. Combine four slices of fresh lemon, one tablespoon of salt, and six cups of water into a pot. You should bring this combination to a boil for two minutes and then turn off the heat and let the concoction steep for a full day (24 hours).

Once the mixture has steeped for a full day, you can apply it to your pet’s fur and skin after you shampoo and wash them. Apply the lemon wash generously to your pet to help heal any bug bites they may already have as well as condition their damaged skin. This lemon wash can be repeated daily if needed.

Homemade Flea Spray

The lemon wash above can be placed into a spray bottle and used as a homemade flea spray or you can create an all-natural alternative flea spray to the citrus spray. Mix 10 to 15 drops of essential oil into one to two ounces of mild organic soap with water. You can choose from any of the essential oils listed above and may want to try a different oil combination than you did for the pet shampoo described above.

By varying the types of oils used on your pet, you will be more likely to eliminate any pests that bother them. Put this mixture into a spray bottle and spray your pet through the day. This method is a good way to keep new fleas from being attracted to your pet, but is not the best method for eliminating a flea problem that is already present on your pet. Try spraying your little four legger before you go on an outdoor walk or let them lounge outside.

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Guest Post writer Alvina Lopez is a freelance writer and blog junkie, who blogs about for accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email address ….  alvina.lopez @gmail.com.

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