Keeping your pets free of fleas and ticks can be a challenge as the warm weather comes on. To keep your pet comfortable and to keep your home free of these pests, there are natural products that you can apply to their bedding, their skin, or around your home.
If your dog is a licker or loves to snuffle along the baseboards, don't put down anything they may ingest.
Lemon juice, peppermint oil, and citrus oil can make an effective spray that will repel fleas and ticks. Apply this spray to a piece of fabric and allow it to dry; if it feels sticky or tacky, water the mixture and test again.
You can also add peeled slices of lemon to boiling water. Turn off the heat and let the lemon steep overnight, then use this water to wash spaces where your cat or dog lays or plays. You can also wipe a diluted version of this mixture over your dog on a damp cloth. Be aware that cats may not tolerate citrus odors well.
The citrus oil from essential oils and from peels should never be applied to a pet's skin. Limonene is a citrus oil often used in cleaning products. If your pet licks this off their fur or skin, they can suffer liver damage.
Neem oil is another natural tick repellent that can be mixed into a spray. Consider applying this around your front door or around the pet door. When you bring your pet home from a walk, comb or brush them down to prevent bringing fleas in.
Keeping fleas and ticks out starts in your yard or along the walking path. Avoid tall grass. If you have shrubs in front of your home, trim them away from the building so sunlight can get into the gap. Fleas, ticks, and the wild critters who carry them close to your home love the shady spots right against your house.
A drop of rose geranium oil on your dog's collar is a wonderful way to protect your pet with a pleasant scent. While this works for dogs, do not apply this to your cat's collar; cats groom by licking and essential oils should not be ingested.
Keep an eye on your pet's laundry. Wash their beds and favorite blankets with warm water and consider adding a drop of rose geranium oil to the washing machine or on the dryer sheet before you thoroughly dry your pet's bedding. This will infuse the fabric of their bed with the fragrance without putting them at risk of ingesting the oil.
Once fleas get in, they go for the dark corners. In addition to vacuuming your high traffic areas, make sure you vacuum along the baseboards and behind furniture. Flip up all the couch cushions, vacuum thoroughly, and hit the bottom sides of your cushions with a spritz of citrus or rose geranium oil.
Especially during the summer months, make sure you get your hands on your pets. The risk of a tick bite and a serious infection can be reduced by getting rid of the tick quickly. Once ticks have embedded their mouthparts into your dog, you will need to gently pull the tick out of the skin to reduce the risk of disease.
Wear gloves to protect yourself against a scratch and infection. Invest in a tick hook, which will make it possible to remove the tick without squeezing the body and pushing bacteria into your dog. Once the tick is out, clean the bite spot with alcohol and keep an eye on it; infection is always a risk.
The summer months can make it more fun to get out with your pets, but it's also the time that pests get busy. Keeping your pet monitored, combed, and clean is an ideal first step.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional consultation or advice related to your health or finances. No reference to an identifiable individual or company is intended as an endorsement thereof. Some or all of this article may have been generated using artificial intelligence, and it may contain certain inaccuracies or unreliable information. Readers should not rely on this article for information and should consult with professionals for personal advice.