Prevent Fleas And Ticks In Pets Naturally
Fleas and ticks are common issues for all pets with fur. Dogs and cats are the most common pets, and both will spend a fair amount of time outdoors, especially in the warm weather. Unfortunately, fleas and ticks thrive in warm weather! Flea bites irritate the skin and also cause diseases and pass on parasites when things get out of hand. Ticks feed on the blood of animals, and their bites can result in conditions like Lyme disease. Both fleas and ticks cause animals to scratch at their skin quite a lot!
Tick and flea treatment every year is common. Many pet owners chose medication for their cats and dogs to prevent fleas and ticks. This can be oral or topical medication, and it may even be administered through a medicated flea and tick collar! There is also natural flea medicine for dogs and cats. The best flea treatment? Prevention!
Flea And Tick Combs
One of the oldest prevention tips for fleas and ticks in pets is a flea and tick comb. Even ordinary hairbrushes have been used as flea and tick combs! These combs capture and remove fleas and ticks from the pet’s fur because the ‘teeth’ of the comb are close together. Pet owners should comb their pet’s fur regularly to keep it clean and free of these pests. This is best done when their coat is dry! If the pet’s fur is tangled, using a pet hair brush before a fine comb is recommended. Rinsing the comb in soapy water throughout this process ensures the comb stays clean too!
Natural Flea And Tick Sprays
Many pet stores carry a range of natural flea and tick sprays to prevent these pests from getting onto dogs and cats. These are shelved nearby the medicated flea and tick treatments and prevention options! There are 2 main types of natural flea and tick sprays available. One type is meant to be sprayed directly onto the pet’s fur, though the eyes must be avoided! The other type of natural flea and tick spray is meant for bedding, towels, and similar surfaces in the home. The way these sprays work is through smell. They are formulated to repel fleas and ticks in much the same way as bug spray is used on humans! Pet owners must follow the directions on the natural spray they purchase for the best effects.
Diluted Essential Oils
Many essential oils can be used to prevent fleas and ticks to great effect! The most common essential oils used for natural flea and tick prevention peppermint, lemongrass, lavender, and cedar oil. Of course, they have to be diluted as pets may also be repelled if the smell of essential oils is too strong. Diluting the essential oils also ensures they don’t irritate the pet’s skin, which can occur if they have sensitive skin.
Diluted essential oils are used in 3 ways to prevent fleas and ticks from harming pets. One is as a spray and these work similarly to commercial sprays. Recipes vary, but can be as simple as adding a few drops of essential oils to equal parts water and white vinegar. The essential oil can also be added to the pet’s regular shampoo and used during every bath! Finally, adding a few drops of essential oil to a bandana or collar a pet wears also works and replaces the commercial medicated variety. When used on collars or bandanas, the chosen essential oil can be added to a carrier oil instead of being diluted with water. One such carrier oil is olive oil!
Mow The Lawn And Keep The Yard Clean
Fleas and ticks love the shade and moisture. This means they often hide out in tall grass outside! Mowing the lawn prevents the grass from getting too tall and reduces the number of fleas and ticks that may hide in it. They’ll want to find somewhere else that’s more appealing to hide in! It’s also important to rake the lawn to get rid of the grass clippings, since fleas and ticks love these too. Getting rid of other debris and yard waste is also important. Keeping garbage bins closed tightly prevents rodents and other animals from being attracted to them. Fleas and ticks often get into yards on rodents and similar animals. It’s a two-fold prevent process!
Keep Bedding And Towels Clean
Fleas and ticks exist inside the house as well! They can survive for up to 1 year with no host indoors. They’ll be found in clothing, towels, and bedding in the home. To prevent fleas and ticks, pet owners must wash bedding and towels regularly in hot water. This will kill the fleas, ticks, as well as their larvae and eggs. Of course, washing their pet’s bedding and the towels they use is the most important.
Experts recommend washing their bedding and towels once a week or once every 2 weeks. The precise frequency will change based on how much time the pet spends outside, how active they are, how much they shed, if they have allergies, and simply how fast they get dirty. They should also do so in hot, soapy water for at least 15 minutes. If the bedding or towels look especially dirty, at least 30 minutes is better! Of course, putting them through a regular washing cycle using hot water will do fine too!