Things You Didn't Know...

~Cut a lemon into quarters and place in a pint jar.
~Boil three (3) cups of water on your stove top in a non-reactive pot.
~Pour the water into the quart jar using a funnel
~Add 2-3 drips of Eucalyptus oil
~Let it steep over night in the jar
~The next day pour the contents from the jar into the spray bottle using a funnel.
~Spray your pet remembering, especially behind the ears and head but please be careful not to get in your pet’s eyes. Also be sure to spray around your pet’s armpits and base of the tail being mindful of their sensitive spots.

Help prevent fleas indoors: Sprinkle salt over all of the carpets in the home. Vacuum your home thoroughly and frequently, paying close attention to corners, cracks, crevices and basements. Dispose of vacuum cleaner bags conscientiously, as adult fleas can escape. Also, choose your pet's friends wisely; avoid animals you suspect may carry fleas. Dog parks are fun, but a move-able feast for fleas!

Remove any fleas from your pet using a fine-toothed pet comb designed for flea removal, and drop the fleas into soapy water to drown them.

Wash pet bedding in hot, soapy water weekly; this is the most likely site for flea eggs and larvae.

Prune foliage and keep grass trimmed short to increase sunlight, as flea larvae cannot survive in hot, dry areas. Remove any piles of yard debris close to your home.

Bathe pets weekly, if possible, to get rid of fleas. If bathing is not an option, speak to your veterinarian about appropriate alternatives.

Watch your pet for signs of flea trouble: excessive scratching and biting, especially around the tail and lower back, and possibly raw patches where the animal has been biting and scratching himself. Also watch for 'flea debris' (black, granular dried blood) and fleas themselves on your pet's skin.

Talk to your veterinarian about various treatments for your flea-plagued pet: a flea adulticide applied monthly to the skin; a monthly pill that prevents fleas from reproducing but doesn't kill adult fleas; and multipurpose products that prevent flea reproduction and control heartworms, hookworms, whipworms and roundworms. Also consider flea collars and flea powders.

Look into chemical flea-treatment products to apply by hand around the environment in spray or powder form. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation on the best product and how to use it.

A simple home remedy for removing fleas from the home is to put on a light at night in the room where the fleas are living. The fleas will naturally be drawn to the warmth of the light. Under the light place a plan with water. Once they leap to the light they go to the water and get stuck in soapy water.

Getting rid of fleas naturally on your dog involves using a herbal shampoo. Even a shampoo that isn't medicated will help wash the fleas off of your dog. Consider adding herbs to the shampoo such as pennyroyal or eucalyptus oil. These will naturally repel the fleas. Note that some shampoos that safe for dogs, are not safe for cats, so read the labels carefully..