It's that time of year when little black spots start popping up on our furry friends. Next thing you know your whole body is itching and Fido can't stop chewing and scratching. With the warm weather comes fleas, but before you buy a flea collar, release a flea bomb, or pop some pills into your canine pal's mouth, think twice. Flea products can be very toxic, and not just to the bugs. Luckily, there are some natural alternatives worth checking out and here are some tips. 1. Buy some natural flea spray or make your own. These spray usually contain natural oils. J and J's Flea and Tick Potion has a great reputation. If you prefer to make your own, do a search for "dog flea spray recipe" and you'll find instructions with ingredients such as tea tree oil, cedarwood, vinegar, lavender, eucalyptus,
2. Give your friend a bath and brush often. Keeping your canine pal clean is very important to flea control. Comb and/or brush everyday and keep an eye out for fleas. Washing in a dog shampoo that contains things like lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, and tea tree oil will help keep the fleas off. 3. Add some garlic into the dog's diet. Garlic in the blood helps fend off fleas. You can sprinkle some garlic powder into the dog food, or give it in the form of tablets like Pet Guard's Yeast and Garlic supplement. Be careful with the amount of garlic you give a dog though - it can upset their stomach. 4. Keep your home clean and vacuum regularly. Fleas can be tracked in on the feet of humans and dogs, and then they will find places to live in crevices of your home. Vacuum on a regular basis, being sure to get in corners and cracks. 5. Diatomaceous earth is a food grade powder that kills fleas when used properly. It's made from rocks and fossils, which has super fine edges that slice fleas on contact. Sprinkle it around your home, let it sit for a day, then vacuum up. You can add a little to dog food as well. Be careful not to breathe it in though - it can harm your lungs in high dosages (some people use a mask while dusting the home).
