Natural Ways to Repel Fleas

We all know what fleas are. Hateful little blood-sucking insects. There are lots of conventional methods to prevent fleas but they all come with many, nasty side effects. Thankfully there are lots of natural ways to repel fleas that don't come with bad side effects. In fact, many of the natural repellents have positive benefits!

The Uncommon Problems With Conventional Flea Prevention

Many vets will recommend topical or oral flea medication to prevent fleas. These are usually given once a month during flea season. Though some vets will recommend your dog stay on it year-round.

Thes conventional treatments are made of a mashup of chemicals that are designed to attack fleas neurologically. Essentially, they paralyze the fleas. But when you give this preventative to your dog the neurological chemicals can also affect your dog. Whether oral or topical.

These preventatives come with may side effects including vomiting and diarrhea. The most common of the "rare" side effects are seizures. These seizures can last long after the dog has stopped taking the medication.

Now, that's the yucky stuff we don't want to give to our dogs. Trust me you never want to see your fur baby having a seizure. It is quite terrifying. But there are other options to these side effect ridden preventatives. Natural options, some of which come with added health benefits beyond flea prevention!

Natural Flea Prevention

Raw Amber Collar

You could try a special collar made with raw baltic amber. The raw amber creates electrostatic electricity that makes it difficult for fleas to cling to your dog. The electrostatic electricity does not harm your dog at all. And don't worry about the raw amber collar getting caught in your Golden's long fur. As long as you take the collar off and give your dog's fur a brushing daily there should be no tangling.

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another option. You can give½ teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar for every 25 pounds of body weight. So, you would give a 75lb Golden, 1-½ teaspoons of raw apple cider vinegar each day. You can add the apple cider vinegar to his meals or to his water. Apple cider vinegar is also great for your dog's gut health. And what is good for the gut is good for overall health.

Garlic

You may have heard that garlic is bad for dogs, and it is in large amounts. One clove of garlic for every pound of your dog's body weight is not good for your dog. However, that would be a whole lot of garlic! Talk about some bad doggie breath after that... Anyway, garlic can be safely given as a flea repellent.

Feeding your dog ¼ of clove for every 10 pounds of body weight is enough to repel fleas. So, a 70 pound Golden would only need 1-¾ cloves of garlic a day added to his food.

Garlic also has anti-viral and antibacterial properties. Garlic is good for the heart as well. This are just a few of the pros of garlic. To use Garlic as a flea repellent be sure to use raw, organic garlic fresh from the clove. Yes, you'll need to chop it yourself but it will be healthier for your dog. Also, start feeding it to your dog about 1 month before flea season starts.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil can be an effective flea repellent. Rub a small amount of coconut oil on your hands and massage it into your dog's fur. Not only will this make your dog's fur super soft it will repel fleas. Be careful not to use too much coconut oil, though. If you put too much on it will attract dirt.

Coconut oil is also useful as an antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, and anti-yeast. It can even be used to soothe flea bites or an antibacterial for small cuts. These are just some of the topical pros of coconut oil! You can feed small amounts of coconut oil to your dog too, for even more benefits!

Conclusion

Natural methods are always best for caring for your dog. And flea prevention is no different. With the above natural repellents, you can have a safe, happy, and flea free dog without having to worry about nasty neurological side effects.