The weather is starting to warm up and Spring is almost here! That’s great because we will get more outdoor time with our furry pals. Yay! That also means those pesky little fleas are coming back. Wahhh!
Flea Medications or Natural Remedies?
Having a Chihuahua that weighs 7 lbs, I’ve found he is quite sensitive to many flea medications. In fact, I’m afraid to give him anything because of the reactions he’s had in the past. We’ve tried a wide range and nothing seems to work right with little Chuy. Luckily for us, he doesn’t get fleas that often and we haven’t (knock on wood) had a real problem. But, just like any dog or cat, they do occasionally bring those nasty things home.
I prefer natural remedies. I have found the best way to treat fleas is with a Dawn bath. Yes. Just plain old Dawn Dish Soap. It looks like this:
How To Give Your Dog/Cat a Natural Flea Bath with Dawn
1. Make sure the water is hot but not scorching. You don’t want to injure your pet! Never leave a pet unattended in the bath tub!
2. Once the bathtub is full, fully lather your cat/dog with Dawn from the neck down.
3. Important! Make sure you don’t get their head and ears wet. The fleas are going to crawl to higher (and dry) ground once you start lathering up your pet. Put a thick ring of Dawn around their neck to prevent the fleas from going any higher.
4. I like to let it soak for a few minutes to make sure it kills the fleas.
5. Rinse all of the soap off.
6. Depending on how bad the fleas are, you may want to repeat the lather process.
7. This is gross but you should see a lot of dead fleas in your tub after the bath.
8.Dry your pet and run a flea comb through their coat to make sure you got all the fleas off of their fur.
This natural flea bath will not get rid of a flea infestation . . . that must be treated with medications. However, it’s a great remedy for getting fleas off your pets right after a walk or play at the bark park. Your vet can recommend the best flea medication for your pet, many of which you can purchase cheaper online from places such as 1-800-PetMeds.
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Anne @ shitzu puppies says
Treating fleas through the use of plain old Dawn Dish Soap is another good option. Natural remedy is also okay and recommended. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Zoysa@Cat flea collars says
I have been treating my cat with Frontline which did not have any effect, and this product worked first time, so I am very pleased