Mega Bored
Tick and fleas are common parasites that affect dogs and cats alike. These nasty critters can transmit diseases from animal to human beings too. That’s why it pays to keep your pets tick and flea free! In today’s post, we are giving you effective, practical tips to control ticks and fleas:
Herbs
Did you know that regular pet shampoos and flea collars are formulated with potent insecticides that do more harm than good? If you are wary about using store-bought anti-flea formulas, why not use herbal remedies?
Herbal remedies are effective in keeping ticks and fleas at bay without harming the animal’s health. You can use different types of herbs to control fleas and ticks. These herbs include fresh rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, and citronella leaves. You can also use fleabane, tansy, cedar, and even catnip to control fleas. To use herbs as an herbal remedy for ticks and fleas, boil the fresh leaves in a small pot. Let the liquid cool to room temp and transfer to a spray bottle. Spray the solution directly on your pet’s coat and work it in for best results.
Essential Oils
You can also use essential oil versions of fresh herbs as effective tick and flea repellent. We love using lavender oil, cedar oil or peppermint oil to keep fleas at bay. A neat trick to try is to apply a few drops of the oil on a pet bandana. Let the pet wear the treated bandana to eliminate fleas and ticks. Another way to use essential oils to combat these nasty critters is adding a few drop of the essential oil in a spray bottle filled with water. Spray the solution directly on the coat and massage it in. Just make sure to use high-quality essential oils for best results.
Homemade Anti-Flea and Tick Shampoo
In a clean bowl, mix about 2 teaspoons of liquid Castile soap, 10 drops of lavender or cedar oil and 12 ounces of water. After mixing the ingredients, transfer the solution in a squirt bottle. Use this gentle shampoo every time you give your dog or cat a bath. Castile soaps are incredibly mild and made from high-quality olive oil. It will not dry out your pet’s coat. The essential oil will deter ticks and fleas effectively.
Daily Supplements
Proper diet is critical to the health of your pets. The effects of being flea-ridden will worsen if the animal is in poor health. Always feed your furry friends with high quality, grain-free pet food. You might want to mix up its dry diet with wet or raw foods. You can also whip up pet-friendly foods as an alternative to store-bought pet foods. Finally, ask the vet what types of supplements are best for your pet!
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth make effective flea and tick repellents too! This product is made from powdered sea creatures and is completely harmless to mammals. But the stuff will kill parasitic insects quickly! You want to use food-grade diatomaceous earth to get rid of pet ticks and fleas. This product is available at your local pet supply store. Just sprinkle diatomaceous earth all around the home, especially in flea or tick-ridden rugs and beddings. Vacuum the powder off after. Do not apply on your pet’s coat. The fine powder could irritate your pet’s nose and eyes.
