Natural Flea Treatment

Natural flea treatment such as the use of essential oils (e.g. lemongrass and citronella oils), neem oil, diatomaceous earth, and even flea combs can be effective in controlling dog fleas. This page looks at examples of natural home remedies for fleas with recommendations of some effective natural canine flea control products.

While a lot of traditional flea products (e.g. dips, shampoos, etc.) are available for flea control, such products usually contain strong and toxic chemicals which are unsafe for our dogs and our environment. Even newer dog flea medicines (such as Advantage and Frontline) can sometimes cause side effects. More importantly, the long-term effects of such medicine have not been studied and their safety over long period of use cannot be ascertained.

For these reasons, many dog parents opt for natural flea treatment. They are milder and safer for our dogs, and since they do not contain chemicals, they are safer for our environment as well.

Many dog parents have successfully used only natural flea products to control fleas. Below are some effective natural flea treatment suggestions.

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Natural Flea Treatment - Flea Combs

Surprisingly, many people do not consider a simple flea comb to be an effective tool against fleas. In fact, it is the best method to check for the presence of fleas. A flea comb can also catch fleas between its teeth.

If you live in an area where fleas are problematic, it is very helpful if you use a flea comb to comb your dog every day.

To check for the presence of fleas, stand your dog on a piece of newspaper and comb him. You may see some pepper-like dirt falling onto the newspaper. Put a bit of the dirt on a white paper towel and add a drop of water to it. If the dirt does not change color, it is just "ordinary" dirt. If, however, it turns red after a minute or so, it indicates that your dog most likely has fleas - the dirt is actually flea feces that contain dried blood. If you can trap some fleas between the comb's teeth, quickly drown them in hot soapy water.

While combing cannot eradicate all fleas, it is a very effective way to check for their presence so that quick and timely action can be taken before they become an infestation.

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Natural Flea Treatment - Flea Repellents

The best way to control flea is to prevent them from getting on your dogs in the first place. This can be achieved by using flea repellents as natural flea treatment, such as sprays and shampoos. There are some products that contain natural essential oils that are just as effective in repelling fleas as the chemical ones. In addition, essential oils have soothing and healing properties that are good for skin bitten by fleas.

Essential oils that are effective flea repellents include lemongrass, citronella, and neem oil.

Here are recommendations of some effective natural flea repellents:

Ark Naturals Neem Protect Spray: This natural flea treatment contains neem and citronella oils and is safe for use even on puppies and kittens. Neem oil repels not only fleas, but also other biting insects such as flies and mosquitoes.
Only Natural Pet Herbal Defense Shampoo For Pets: This shampoo contains neem oil, lemongrass, lavender, citronella, and other natural herbal extracts to help keep fleas and other biting insects at bay. In addition, it contains aloe, jojoba oil, calendula and chamomile which soothe and protect your dog's skin.
Only Natural Pet Herbal Defense Oil Blend for Dogs: This herbal oil blend can be used as natural flea treatment on your dog. It contains neem oil and essential oils of lemongrass, citronella, catnip, lavender,rosemary, clary sage and cedar.

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Natural Dog Treatment - Killing Fleas on Dogs

While sprays and shampoos can repel fleas, they cannot keep all fleas away. If fleas are already on your dog, you need something to kill them. If you opt for something natural and safe, then natural flea powders are your best bet. Usually, such powders contain diatomaceous earth which is fine and smooth for dogs' and our skin, but for small insects such as fleas, it is extremely sharp and can cut through the shells of bugs like fleas as the powder gets in contact with their bodies. As a result, adult fleas, as well as flea eggs and larvae, become dehydrated and die in a couple of hours.

A good natural flea powder is Only Natural Pet All-in-One Flea Remedy Powder for Dogs and Cats. This is a powder made from diatomaceous earth that is safe for use on dogs and cats as well as around the home.

Natural Dog Treatment - Killing Fleas in the Environment

As mentioned in our page on Dog Flea Treatment, 95% of of the flea population is in the invisible egg, larval, and pupal stages, which live in the environment such as in carpets, rugs, bedding, and grass in the yard. It is therefore important to treat the environment as well. Insecticides such as foggers may be effective but usually contain chemicals that may be toxic.

Safer natural flea-killers for the environment include:

Only Natural Pet All-in-One Flea Remedy Powder for Dogs and Cats: This powder made from diatomaceous earth is safe for use not only on dogs and cats but also in the house - on carpets and furniture, as well as your dog's bedding. It can also be used to treat the yard.
Fleabusters Rx for Fleas Plus for Dogs and Cats: Fleabusters Rx contains statically charged boric acid powder and can be effective for up to one year. Please note, however, that it may take a while (2-6 weeks) to see results since boric acid is effective in killing only flea larvae. Therefore, results are only visible after the adult fleas have died off. In the first 2-6 weeks after application of this product, you need to be vigilant in removing adult fleas by, say, vacuuming frequently. In addition, boric acid products are more toxic than diatomaceous earth products, so they should not be used directly on pets or in places where children frequent or play.