We often get questions about what to do to get rid of fleas and ticks on dogs with natural products or home remedies that can be easily made in your own home.
It’s true that there are many products that can be very helpful to prevent or even eliminate any flea or tick that has made its home on your pup. Home remedies made with natural ingredients are very effective if they are used correctly. Here at PawsitiveDoggy.com, we’re going to take a look at what they are and how to use them.
Natural preventive home remedies for dogs with external parasites
There are many dogs who, because of allergies or skin problems, don’t tolerate chemical products like pipettes or flea collars being used on their skin. For these dogs, the only solution for parasites are natural preventive home remedies, which we will describe below.
You can also use them on puppies, since puppies are very sensitive to the powerful chemicals that are in these pipettes and collars. These home remedies to get rid of fleas on your dog, and ticks too, are really useful for dogs of any age, since they are completely natural.
Plus, it can be very economical given that you can make them at home and use them whenever you want without having to go out and but them. They have been proven to be effective, but if your dog frequents areas that could be potentially dangerous in terms of parasites, you should consider the possibility of also using chemical products.
Lemon as a natural preventive against fleas and ticks
This citrus fruit which many people already have in their kitchens is an excellent repellant for fleas and ticks on dogs, you just have to use it correctly to notice its significant effects.
You should never use lemon directly on your dog. What you’ll do is cut it into slices and boil them in a little bit of water. After a few minutes of boiling, let them cool down and let them break down for a whole day.
Once you have your lemon solution, all you have to do is use it to moisten your dog’s brush and brush him all over, re-wetting the brush every so often so that the lemon’s smell is nice and strong on your dog.
This will make fleas and ticks want to jump off your dog’s body, since they hate the smell of lemon. You can brush your dog with this lemon solution once or twice per week. You can also spray some of the solution on his bed or his favorite play areas.
Apple cider vinegar as a home remedy for fleas and ticks
It goes without saying that, to keep your dog free from these annoying parasites, you have to maintain a very strict hygiene. It’s advisable to bathe your dog once a month to keep his coat clean and prevent certain parasites from making their home there.
While bathing your dog, you can use a splash of apple cider vinegar, either plain or diluted with water. Rub it all over your dog’s body, avoiding sensitive areas like his eyes and mouth.
You can then rinse your dog off with plenty of water to remove any leftover vinegar and whatever shampoo that you’re using. But it doesn’t matter how much water you use – the smell of vinegar will stay on your dog for several days, keeping him safe from fleas and ticks.
Although the strong smell is sometimes unpleasant (not everyone likes the smell of vinegar), the preventive effects are very good.
Neem oil as a natural preventive for fleas and ticks
Neem oil is known all over the world for its ability to repel insects and parasites. It comes from the sap of a certain tree and its smell keeps parasites far away. This type of oil can be found in a concentrate (pure neem oil), natural repellant collars, and even soaps and shampoos for dogs and humans.
Natural repellant collars are an excellent option. Normally, they only contain neem oil, making them free of chemical products. Plus, they’re much more affordable than the standard flea collars with chemical ingredients.
You can use neem oil while brushing to spread it over your dog. Don’t use too much; it is an oil after all, and you don’t want to leave your dog looking like he went through a deep fryer. The smell will last several weeks, protecting your dog from parasites.
You can also buy neem shampoo to use for his baths, it’s completely natural and effective.
A good trick to keep fleas and ticks at bay using neem is to make a natural anti-parasitic collar: Tie a bandana around your dog’s neck (not too tight so it doesn’t bother him), and add a few drops of neem oil and a few drops of citronella oil. This will work as a natural repellant for two weeks; after that, add a few more drops to continue the effects.
Natural plants that repel ticks and fleas
Just like it’s important to remove parasites from your dog and use preventive remedies to avoid picking up fleas or ticks, it’s also important to remove parasites from his bed and other places where he spends his time.
There are some plants which, because of their different properties, work effectively against fleas and ticks. You can use them by putting some leaves under your dog’s bed, rubbing them on his bed or simply putting a potted plant near his bed and play area.
The leaves of the following plants can help you keep these parasites away:
- Chamomile
- Lavender
- Mint
- Bay
- Peppermint
- Basil
Many other plants can also work, but these are the ones that we have tried and which are highly effective. It’s worth mentioning that essential oils of cedar, castor, lavender, cinnamon, or sesame can also help with this, always using just a few drops every two or three weeks.
Adding a little brewer’s yeast to his food or a tiny bit of garlic (always in very small amounts) will make your dog’s blood smell different, much less appealing for fleas and ticks. This can also help you keep them at bay.
The best prevention is common sense
Believe it or not, lots of people get mad when their dog gets fleas or ticks after spending a day in the country or hiking in the mountains. Wild animals and farms are major hotspots for parasites, so it’s completely normal that in places where animals roam freely or there’s livestock nearby, there is a much greater risk of infestation.
A good solution to avoid these problems is to apply a little bit of a natural preventative on your dog just before leaving for a day in the great outdoors. This will keep away any fleas and ticks you run into along the way.
Simple, healthy habits like bathing your dog regularly and brushing him at least a couple times per week are very important to avoid parasite infestations. Doing a visual check of your dog at least once a week is also recommended, focusing in particular in the ears, head in general, armpits and anus.
This will not only help you keep parasites far away from your dog, but will also guarantee that your dog is always clean and healthy.
How to eliminate ticks naturally
If you see a tick on your dog, you should never pull it off because parts of it will get stuck inside your dog and cause serious infections. Ticks must let go by themselves first before being removed.
The simplest way to kill a tick is by suffocation. Putting a little Vaseline generously over the tick will suffocate it in just one day and won’t harm your dog at all. Usually, it will fall off by itself, but if it doesn’t, you can help it manually separate after a day or two.
If you don’t want to suffocate it with Vaseline, you can apply a little bit of a natural preventive on top of it, such as neem oil, lemon, apple cider vinegar, etc. This will make it very uncomfortable and cause it to hop off your dog, but won’t kill it.
The best way to keep your dog from getting ticks us following the tips that we’ve discussed above.
