Homemade Flea Medicine

Fleas are miserable things to have in your home. Besides the annoyance of itchy bites, they carry tapeworm and can leave your pets and family open to illness. Prevention is always the best remedy when it comes to pests, but if you already have a problem, there are ways to get rid of the unwanted guests.

Prevention

• Harsh chemical treatments are available over the counter and from your veterinarian, but you can fight fleas with things you may already have around the house. Lemons are a good deterrent against fleas and ticks. Squeeze a few lemons and add the juice to a spray bottle that’s half full of water. Spray this on your dog or cat after a good bath, and then weekly to prevent infestation.

  Other scents that fleas avoid are lemongrass, lavender, cedar and peppermint. Lavender also repels ticks, gnats and flies--and it makes your pet smell wonderful. You can purchase these scents as essential oils at a health food store or in the candle and soap making section of a craft store. Dab a few drops of your chosen oil between your pet’s shoulder blades and at the base of her tail. Essential oils break down fairly quickly in the air, so apply this at least weekly for the best results.

  As another preventive topical measure, condition your animal’s fur with apple cider vinegar diluted in equal parts water. Bathe her as usual, then spray or rub the vinegar water into her skin before drying. Fleas seem to dislike the smell and avoid it.

  If your pet often gets fleas and ticks, she may have health issues. According to Kathleen Dudley, a writer for "The Whole Dog Journal," healthy pets have fewer pest problems. Try adding ½ tsp. of brewer’s yeast (not baking yeast) to his food daily to increase his B vitamin levels. Fleas and mosquitoes are more likely to go after creatures who are deficient in thiamin (B1), Dudley says.

Treatment

• Take quick action when your furry friend comes home with fleas. They multiply quickly, and are easier to get rid of if you do it immediately. Before bathing your pet, arm yourself with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol and a fine-tooth comb. You will also need a bowl of water with dish soap in it. Use a generous amount of dish soap to shampoo your pet. After rinsing well, comb his fur to remove as many fleas as possible. Swish the comb in the soapy water bowl to keep the fleas from escaping. Any fleas you see you can slow down with the alcohol so they are easier to catch. Flush the bowl full of fleas down the toilet.

  Spray or rub your pet with one of the preventive treatments described in Section 1. Vacuum your carpet thoroughly and immediately throw the bag in the trash outside. Spray your pet’s bedding with a preventive remedy to avoid reinfestation.