Types of Natural Dog Flea Treatments

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Types of Natural Dog Flea Treatments

Fleas are unwelcomed guests that can appear even on the cleanest pet and can be harmful for the pet and its owner as well. Firstly, we need to know some facts about fleas in order to know what we are fighting against.

- Fleas are parasites and there are different species such as cat or dog fleas, rabbit fleas and even fleas that prefer humans as their host. Many types of fleas can prefer more than one host species.

- Fleas only start biting and sucking blood from their hosts when they reach adulthood. A flea can live between 14 days and a whole year. A female can lay more than 1500 eggs during its life!

- Some types of fleas can jump more than 100 times their body length.

But how do you know that your dog has fleas? Answer these questions:

Is your pet scratching without any apparent reason?
Can you see tiny dark things in its fur, or small black insects?
Do you have any insect bites yourself that you don't know how you've got?

Most probably, if your answer is yes, your dog has fleas. To get rid of them, you can use medication, but the best way is, of course, the natural one. Here are some ways of making your dog flea-free!

1. Flea collar. All you need is 3 to 5 drops of lavender oil, 1 to 3 tbsp. of water, and a bandana or even your pet?s collar. Mix the oil and the water together, to make a diluted solution. Next, choose a bandana to use as a "flea shield". Apply 5-10 drops of the solution to the bandana using an eyedropper. Next rub the sides of the bandana together to let the mixture set in, and then tie it around your dog?s neck. Reapply the solution to the bandana once every week.

2.Flea comb. Boil some water and add a few slices of lemon to it. Turn off the heat and put a lid on, allowing the infusion to steep overnight. Then, dip your pets brush or a comb in the mixture and run it through your dog's fur.

3.Flea spray. Add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar (or half a cup of each) to 4 cups of water. Fill a spray bottle with the mixture and spray it on your dog, avoiding the face area. You can also spray your dog?s bedding.

4. Flea bath. Mix half a cup of lemon juice, 1 ? cups of water, and ? cup of pet shampoo or mild, unscented soap. Bathe weekly to keep fleas away.

Other tips to keep fleas at bay:

? Make sure to treat not only your pet, but also your home, as fleas can live on their own for months. Talk to your vet for tips and advice on the best products.

? Clean your pet's bedding, as well as yours, often, and vacuum the floors and furniture to help destroy the fleas regardless of their developmental stage.

? Only use medical flea treatments that have been recommended specifically for your pets. Treatments suitable for one type of pet may not be good for another!

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