How To Handle Fleas On Your Dog

Owning a dog can be very satisfying because it can give comfort to us. According to studies, any pet can reduce the level of your blood pressure and make you feel calmer. Playing with your pet can increase the levels of the feel-good chemicals serotonin and dopamine in your brain. This is because they can give you a smile and listen whenever you want to share something. They also found a concept in psychology known as “Pet therapy” in which a patient is helped through the use of relaxation and recuperation with the help of pets such as dogs and cats. Because dogs are like babies, we feel like wanting to teach them with small steps or anything that a dog can do such as telling them to sit, eat or stop barking. Every little thing they know can make us proud. However, it hurts us when we see them suffering. As a pet owner, the worst nightmare that you will experience is to see your pet surrounded by fleas.

Fleas are characterized as tiny dark brown parasitic insects that infest the coat and skin of pets. They can make our pets’ lives become miserable, and humans start to itch just at the thought of them. These fleas are parasites that survive by ingesting the blood of warm-blooded hosts like dogs. Therefore, seeing your dog surrounded by fleas can be depressing. To know whether your dog has fleas, you can inspect their furs by letting them lie down of their back. Comb their fur with your fingers or a comb, and pay attention to warm, protected, tender spots such as the ears, armpits and the groin area. These are the spots where fleas like to make their home.

DIYs Against Fleas

If you found out that your favorite dog has fleas on their body, do not be panic. You have to think of ways to get rid of these pests biting your dog. In fact, there are natural methods that you can do to remove fleas on your dogs. There is this “Do It Yourself” (DIY) technique that has become a popular technique due to its cheapness and easy to make.

Below are the 5 popular DIY Tips that you can refer to get rid of your dog’s fleas:

1. Use A Flea Comb

A flea comb is probably the easiest and most effective way of removing fleas on your dog’s body. It is a grooming tool used to comb your pet’s fur. This is not like your ordinary comb as the teeth of a flea comb are very finely spaced that allows to physically trap and get rid of fleas, flea eggs, and any flea “dirt” from your pet’s fur. You can buy a good quality of flea comb that can remove the pests including the eggs and larvae. Make sure that your dog’s fur is not intertwined to avoid pain when you comb it.

2. Enhance Your Dog Shampoo

There are flea shampoos on the market which can be expensive, but you need not have to worry as you can turn your ordinary dog shampoo into a flea shampoo. You just need to add half a cup of dog shampoo to half a cup of squeezed lemon juice and two cups of water. The lemon has a citrus component that can remove fleas. Pour the mixture in a bottle or any container. Use this to bath your pet every week. The larger the dog is, the more shampoo you will use. After bathing your dog, do not let it run in a grassy trail or lawn where most fleas reside. Keep using the shampoo until the fleas are gone.

3. Use Apple Cider Vinegar To Repel Fleas

An Apple Cider Vinegar can repel fleas because it is acidic in nature. What you need to do is add one teaspoon full of fermented apple cider vinegar to a one-fourth liter of water. Let your dog drink this mixture throughout the day. You can also make a spray by putting the mixture in a spray bottle. This can be one of the simplest ways that you can use which repel fleas don’t like.

4. Use Boric Acid Powder

Boric acid, also called hydrogen borate, is a weak, tribasic Lewis acid of boron, which is often used as antiseptic or insecticide. Its borate salts are considered to be pesticides that kill fleas’ larvae. You can use boric acid powder to dust areas that are not exposed to sunlight and areas where the humidity is higher than 50 percent. You have to make sure that your dog won’t lick off the boric acid powder. After a couple of days, all flea eggs will dry out and get neutralized so as larvae that will suffocate to death. Vacuum away the debris and the boric acid powder afterward.

5. Use Essential Oils

A flea invasion with our four-legged friends can be a nightmare. Using Essential Oils can help us get rid of the fleas. An example of such is Rosemary which can be a great organic flea control product. This is already a natural flea repellent that can help repel and prevent them. Place this herb with some rue, fennel, peppermint, wormwood into a pestle and mortar then grind them into a powder. Sprinkle the powder on your carpets, pet bedding, and windows and anywhere in your place that is prone to fleas.

6. Clean & Vacuum The Floors Every After Grooming

Regular grooming is essential to get rid of fleas. Use flea-repellant sprays with hair moisturizer to help regrow your dog’s fur and at the same time get rid of fleas. Afterward, make it a habit to clean the surrounding areas where you groomed your fur baby. Or else, the fleas might establish their habitat on other compartments and just come back stronger and greater in number.

So, there you have it! These are some of the DIY Tips that you can easily do to get rid of your dog’s fleas and prevent your dogs to catch them. You can try either of the following and help your dog out to not let them live in a miserable state due to the flea infestation.

Why DIYs Can’t Fully Exterminate Fleas

However, there might still be a problem even when you use these DIY’s to get rid of fleas on your dog’s fur. According to entomologists, fleas actually live in other places than your dog’s coat. They can establish their habitat under your bed, on your house’s crevices, cabinets, and other unused spaces. Once they are done feeding, they hide themselves to mate and breed. In turn, their new offspring will be the ones infesting your dog’s coat once again.

I remember when I was in Denver, I had to adopt a stray dog from the street as an addition to the family. I already had three more dogs. So, they each had to adjust for the new runt. At first, I thought that if I bathed the runt as regularly as I could, I would get rid of the fleas. Turns out I was wrong. The fleas have been cunning enough to establish a habitat on the garden. So, every time my dogs went out and play, they would each acquire the fleas on their coats.

Look For The Best Pest Control

Everything I did seemed hopeless. My garden and my house were infested back then. I had no choice but to look for the best pest exterminator in Denver, NC. Luckily, one of my friends recommended the best pest control that they have tried in their 10 years of living in Denver. She gave me the number and I called immediately. To my surprise, the staff from Lake Norman Pest Control were very quick to respond. They got there in an instant and got rid of the pest infestation inside and outside my house.  

Ever since, I have been calling for their services and they do not disappoint. They are very skilled and knowledgeable in their line of work. And the best part is, they do it all at a very affordable price. More savings to buy dog food for my dogs! So, if you are having the same problems as I did before, never hesitate to call Lake Norman Pest Control.