Natural Flea Prevention and Shampoos

Spring will soon be coming and that means so will the fleas. Many people are still unsure of what they need to do to rid their dog of fleas. Many also do not realize that diet plays a large role in flea infestation. It is very important to be sure your dog is getting the right amounts of supplementation and nutrition they need, many of which do not due to a lone diet of commercial dog food. Commercial dog food is not a complete enough food, even if the bag says it is. Can you get all your nutritional needs met eating out of a bag or out of a can every day? How about dehydrated food? That is no better either. The pet food market is now advertising a nutritionally complete dehydrated pet food. To date, there is no such of a commercial pet food that is 100% complete in meeting all of your pets nutritional needs. All commercial pet food needs supplementation. All of it. Even those "premium" brands you find at the pet stores. It is like when we take our daily vitamins. Dogs need that too. A very good supplement that I used is by Pet Togethers. It is also endorsed by Dr. Shawn Messonnier. I myself had excellent results using this particular supplement on my cat. You can learn more about Pet Togethers at thier website at http://pettogethers.com/
Bottom line, a good diet full of nutrients and immunity building defenses means your dog's chances of contracting fleas has been significantly reduced. This also helps reduce allergy inflammations, aids in healthy skin while giving a real nice sheen on your dog's coat.

The House of Fleas and Natural Disinfecting Carpet Powder

Fleas will hide everywhere. In carpeting, base boards, pet bedding, sofas, any open crevices you have you can bet the fleas will find. Vacuuming is crucial and it is not a bad idea to use 1 cup of cornmeal mixed with 1 cup borax, and 1/2 cup of baking soda in an old parmesian cheese jar. Shake it up and then add about 10 drops of Purification Essential Oil blend. Shake again. This is a natural disinfectant that will help prevent more fleas from coming while naturally freshening your carpeting, and pet beds. Allow to sit overnight if possible, and at the least 30 minutes before vacuuming. Place a herbal flea collar in your vacuum bag before vaccuuming. See suggestions below. Rid your house of the flea bag immedietly after use.

You can make a chemical free flea insecticide to fit into your vacuum bag. This can be made by rubbing a few drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil to a rope cut to your desired length. The Essential Oil of Eucalyptus Globulus is registered as an insecticide and insect repellant that rates as slightly toxic. Although I disagree completely that a Therapuetic Grade A Oil is toxic and I don't know who says it is either. This is just what I have read in another reference book. Although I believe it can be toxic only when made with other superficial ingredients. I believe toxicity comes in the making and its a high possibility Eucalyptus oil that has been cut and mixed with synthetics to be the cause of allergic reactions and irritations.

Essential Oil Insect Repellant

Clean your house often with your favorite essential oils or my recommendation of Thieves Essential Oil Blend, or Thieves Household Cleaner. Also, spray your house often! Spray with what you ask? Essential Oils ofcourse! Essential oils naturally repel fleas and other external parasites. You can make your own repellant with this easy recipe.

10 drops of Citronella Oil
10 drops of Purification Oil Blend
10 drops of Eucalyptus Oil
10 drops of Pepperment Oil
Mix in a 8 ounce spray bottle with water. Spray as needed.

The Fleas Backyard

Be sure to water and mow your lawn regularly. Short grass permits the sunlight to heat up the soil and kills any flea larvae that may be secreted in it. Water will help drown them. Get some agricultural lime and pour 1 cup cayenne pepper to every gallon of lime. Mix well and spread evenly over your lawn. Agricultural lime is a soil additive made from pulverized limestone or chalk. The primary active component is calcium carbonate. Additional chemicals vary depending on the mineral source and may include calcium oxide, magnesium oxide and magnesium carbonate.

Wikipedia reference for agricultural lime
Effects on soil:

it increases the pH of acidic soil (the higher the pH the less acidic the soil)
it provides a source of calcium for plants
it permits improved water penetration for acidic soils

Lime may occur naturally in some soils but may require addition of sulfuric acid for its agricultural benefits to be realized. Gypsum is also used to supply calcium for plant nutrition. In livestock farming, hydrated lime can be used, as a 'disinfectant' measure, producing a dry and alkaline environment, in which bacteria do not readily multiply.

Spinner style lime spreaders are generally used to spread agricultural lime on fields. Several companies such as Stoltzfus Spreaders manufacture spreaders for this purpose.

Finally, what about the fleas that found a home on my dog???

Truth be told, ANY shampoo will kill fleas if left on long enough to suffocate them. But you see, thats the trick. You must be sure you suffocated them and not stunned them. And certain ingredients do help in promoting that factor, but not all dogs can take any shampoo. Different types of skin and coat cause for different types of shampoo. Animals have different needs too. If you color treat your hair and its prone to dryness, you would not want to use a shampoo that is to strip the natural oils you need. You would need a hydrating or moisture adding shampoo. The same applies for animals. Especially in my opinion the Shetland Sheepdogs and Collies. They are very prone to dryness and their skin is very sensitive to irritants. Lots of them even have dry and brittle hair. It is essential that dogs who suffer from dry skin and brittle hair get supplements of Flax and Fish. Both of which can be added to their food in liquid form.

You can take a Hypo-Allergenic shampoo and add your own blends of Essential oils, but you must be sure to dilute properly and these oils wont be too strong for your dogs skin. Its so much better than using pyrethrins and other toxic substances found in over the counter flea products. I suggest Animal Scents Shampoo. It takes all the guess work out of a safe flea shampoo as well as being able to be used as a regular shampoo. Animal Scents shampoo is designed to clean all types of animal fur and hair and is also has insect repelling and killing properties. It is designed to rid hair of lice, ticks, and other insects. Ingredients are saponified coconut and olive oil, glycerin, guar gum, aloe vera, rosemary extract, and Essential Oils of Citronella, lavandin, lemon, geranium, and spikenard.

How do you properly bath a dog that has fleas?

First of all, you need to realize that the moment you spray your dog with water, those fleas are jumping for cover. They will try to hide in any orifice available. The best way to prevent fleas from hiding during a flea bath is to apply a small amount of Animal Scents shampoo on your DRY dog around thier neck, under paw pads, over the anus, and ears. Then water your dog down with a luke-warm temperature and massage in Animal Scents shampoo well into skin and coat. Apply more shampoo as needed. Leave on for 10 minutes. Be careful not to have shampoo get into your pets eyes. Rinse well and be sure to rinse your dog's private areas and stomach well as those areas are often missed being rinsed good. Repeat if desired. But if done correctly, one shampoo should be sufficient.