Flea Bites: 9 Remedies
Fleas are particularly nasty this year and it's no fun when your pet gets them. They leave your pet scratching, biting and just plain going crazy trying to get rid of them. The worse part is fleas can also be dangerous. One single female flea can lay hundreds of eggs leading to an instant infestation. Since fleas can eat up to 10 times their own body weight a large infestation can easily cause anemia in your pet. Another nasty side effect of fleas is worms. If your pet ingests one flea it can cause a sickly case of worms.
Fleas can be immune to normal remedies, which is why it is a constant battle to keep them at bay. However there are things you can do to help alleviate your pet's misery if you are tenacious enough. A treatment plan has to work in three different ways. It has to get rid of the fleas your pet already has, repel future infestations and treat the bites and skin irritations caused by the fleas. Here are some things that can help.
1. Fleas love bad diets, so get your pet on a nutritious home-cooked diet. Kibble is loaded with preservatives, coloring and other additives, which flea's love to feed on. Start the flea battle off right with an all-natural diet. Your pet will be healthier for it and a good diet can ward off all sorts of illnesses.
2. Add garlic to your pet's food. Adding garlic powder to a good home-cooked diet it is like a double whammy to those pesky pests. Fleas don't like the smell that seeps through your pets skin and they stay away.
3. Treat the area around where your pet sleeps and plays. There are great spray bombs that work to kill fleas and their eggs in your house and they are relatively safe. Check your local pet store for some of the most popular brands. Cedar chips are a great flea repellent and you can work them nicely into your yard's décor. Also put some inside your pets bedding to help keep fleas out of your pet's sleeping area.
4. Rub natural repellents such as lemon oil and citronella around the underneath of your pet's collar. This will help keep future fleas from jumping onto your pet when outside.
5. To help alleviate itchy sore skin feed your pet a diet rich in omega fatty acids. Salmon and tuna are rich in these fatty acids and both dogs and cats love fish. Substitute canned salmon or tuna for their regular meat about three times a week. This is a good first step to combating skin issues associated with fleabites.
6. Bathe your pet frequently. You may have to bathe more than normal until you get the fleas under control. Use a flea shampoo or a shampoo made for sensitive skin. A cool bath with a mild shampoo will get rid of fleas already on your pet and will help cool hot spots and tame itching. Since fleas drown in water start the shampooing process on your pet's head and face and work your way back. Fleas love to migrate toward the face and ears. You want to kill those first and discourage anymore from moving up.
7. You may have to break down and get your pet a prescription for frontline or advantage. There is also a new pill on the market "Comfortis," it claims to kill all fleas on your pet with in one hour. This is a monthly pill your dog eats. I recommend it for the tough times when nothing else is working. I usually end up giving my dog 1-2 tablets a year.
8. Some other all-natural remedies that will help future infestations are, Avon's Skin So Soft. After bathing your pet rub a quarter size in your palms and work it through your pet's fur. Fleas don't like the smell so they don't attach themselves.
9. Apple Cider Vinegar and lemon also work well as repellants. Mix cider in your pet's home-cooked diet or use it as a bath rinse after you have shampooed your pet. Be sure to dilute it well one part vinegar to two parts water. Steep lemon slices in a spray bottle filled with hot water. When liquid cools use it as a refreshing spray on your pet's coat.
Combating fleas takes a lot of persistence. Use these helpful tips to keep them at bay. Remember fleas are persistent so you have to be persistent, too.
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