Keeping grass cut short helps reduce the flea and tick population.
For some pets, fleas aren't just a pest, these pets have an actual allergy to fleas. Flea allergy causes an itchy rash called dermatitis. Treating fleas with commercial products can seem daunting because many of these products contain chemicals that are unsafe for humans. In fact, their safety for pets is even the topic of much debate. The key to treating flea allergy dermatitis with home products is flea control. With proper sanitation, regular cleaning and a few changes to your pet's lifestyle you can control fleas safely and effectively.
Instructions
1. Bathe your pet to get rid of the fleas they currently have on them. Use a mild shampoo without harsh insect repellents. Instead, rinse your dog with apple cider vinegar. Fleas find apple cider vinegar objectionable because it is acidic.
2. Comb your pet with a flea comb to remove fleas, eggs and larvae. Do this daily so you can prevent future infestations.
3. Vacuum and steam clean your carpet and furniture. Do this at the beginning and end of flea season. You should also do this immediately upon noticing any outbreaks. Put your vacuum bags outside immediately after vacuuming, or put an herbal flea collar in your vacuum bag. This will ensure that fleas that are vacuumed up are killed before escaping the bag.
4. Launder all your pets bedding and toys in hot water. Do this once each week to prevent infestation. Make sure to vacuum the area around your pet's bedding carefully too.
5. Treat skin irritation with a lemon water tonic. You can make the tonic by cutting a lemon in half, and steeping the lemon with the rind on in a pint of boiling water. Let it steep overnight, and sponge onto your pet's skin. Lemon contains d-limonene, a natural flea killer. You can also put this mixture in a spray bottle and mist your pet with it before they go outside because it also acts as a repellent. This mixture should not be used on cats because they are sensitive to d-limonene.
6. Give your pet a teaspoon of brewers yeast and a a quarter of a clove of crushed garlic daily. These two things make them undesirable to fleas. Dogs can have both ingredients, but cats should not be given garlic.
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