Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Jul 2

Is there an organic flea treatment?

A lot of people are now asking for an organic flea treatment or natural flea killer to treat their home and pets for flea control, as they don’t want to use strong chemicals on their pet or to just release into the environment, but unfortunately, you can’t kill fleas with garlic, or vinegar alone.

If you have read the other article on this site - how to rid my home of fleas - you will be aware that any such products would only actually ‘work’ if the house and pet had been totally cleared of fleas using insecticide treatments.

It is not uncommon for a pet owner to never have to use insecticidal flea control products on their pet itself, and I was one of them.

Flea allergies:
My little cross breed had flea allergy dermatitis (which should only be diagnosed by a vet - not assumed) and she was forever gnawing off all the hair and skin down her back and sides. I would say she did this until it was red raw, but in-fact she wouldn’t stop chewing even then in her agony from the reaction to flea bites and their saliva.

I tried all sorts of ‘pet’ remedies for flea control alongside treating the house as recommended by my vets, but her skin seemed to still be reacting to everything - usually still in the tell tale ‘flea zone’. By this I mean firstly you notice the hair going missing down the spine towards the tail end - well this is where the dog can easily reach with their teeth! Then the skin in that area would start to go dark - another classic marker for severe skin irritation, then I would notice sores and welts with clear liquid oozing from them. It was not nice.

It was years before I started working in the pet trade and found out about the flea cycle and how I could benefit my little hound. I also found out that many dogs who are sensitive to flea bites are also sensitive to powerful flea insecticides and other flea treatments. How obvious! I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it.

Insecticide Free Treatment:

So with my new knowledge of how fleas acted and bred, I set off to change my flea control program.

Firstly I treated my home with an effective 12 month household flea spray - and I was very thorough. I couldn’t bear one more summer of hairless, uncomfortable, irritated and sore pet! Not one flea was going to escape this time.

Secondly, I groomed my pet outside using a fine flea comb, so thoroughly that she was starting to get really bored of the whole thing and kept trying to walk off. I groomed her again before we got home after the house spraying and upon returning I vacuumed everywhere, emptying the bag and vacuuming again a bit later. I also groomed her several more times that week with the flea comb and vacuumed a few more times to be sure. My other half thought I was a bit crazy, but I knew it would be worth it in the end.

Did it work?
Well yes, it did actually, for the rest of her life in-fact!

I was always watching out for any sign of fleas on her or me, and the minute she span round to stare at her own bum - I knew we had one, so out came the flea comb - outside of the house - until I found it.

I did have some assistants in my quest and these were the natural insect repellents, including citronella, garlic, vinegar and the like. Many such products are sold everywhere and have been for years as ‘herbal’ flea products. All such products do naturally ward off insects including fleas, and so can help to reduce the number of fleas your pet comes into contact with throughout the day.

By feeding or spraying your pet with these, you make them a more unattractive target for fleas wherever they go, so you can in theory use these to keep your pet and home free of infestation - you will never keep you pet or home free of fleas though, as if one is hungry enough, it doesn’t care how smelly your pet is, it needs to eat!

Can you imagine being starving hungry yourself and not going into your own kitchen as your other half had just fried fish in there? No, you would just brave it, grab your food quickly and get out of there. That’s exactly what the flea might do.

So, can you get organic flea treatments?
Yes, you can easily buy and effectively use natural and organic flea treatments, but there is not really a natural flea killer - apart from humans of course! Anyone can use natural products to keep their homes clear of infestation, and we can make it very likely that fleas won’t use us or our pets for food.

There are plenty of products like these available in pet stores everywhere for your use, either sprays, tablets, drops or shampoos.

And so, you CAN enjoy a natural, organic and flea free life.

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