How to get rid of fleas

how to get rid of fleas

One of the biggest headaches a pet owner can face is the dreaded flea. If you are one of the unfortunate flea-fighting warriors reading this, and you want to know how to get rid of fleas, hopefully this post will help you finally free your home and pet from the annoying little pests.  If you are fortunate enough to be flea-free, I think you’ll find some valuable tips to ensure your home and pets stay that way.

The flea life cycle

In his book, Dr. Pitcairn, a well known holistic veterinarian, explains that adult fleas live about 3-4 months during which time they are steadily laying eggs on your pet.  The eggs look like dandruff or salt crystals that will then hatch out into larvae that live in cracks and crevices of rugs, upholstery, blankets, floors, sand, earth and the like.  They cannot travel farther than one inch, so they feed on the specks of dried blood that fall off your pet, along with the eggs, during grooming and scratching.

After 1-2 weeks, the flea larvae go through a cocoon stage and 1-2 weeks later, they hatch out as small fleas that hop onto the nearest warm body passing by.  They bite the person or animal for a meal of blood and start the whole process over again.  Depending on the temperature of the house or environment, this cycle takes anywhere from 2 to 20 weeks.  During summer, which is prime flea season, the entire cycle is usually just two weeks long.

Tackling a flea infestation takes multiple methods

If you currently have fleas that you want to be rid of, I’ve checked my reference books and online resources for the easiest and most successful methods to help.  Keep in mind that you can’t just do one of them and expect to permanently rid your home and pet of fleas.  Getting rid of the fleas currently on your cat or dog isn’t going to do much good if you don’t get rid of the eggs and larvae in the bedding and other areas.  Fortunately, I found some tips and tricks that will hopefully help solve you and your pets’ current flea problems and prevent future ones from occurring.

Healthy pets are unattractive to fleas 

One common theme in all my research was that a healthy pet will have an immune system that fleas find unattractive, so making sure your pet is healthy with a strong immune system will help you in your fight.  Just a couple of things that are recommended to help boost health and immunity include a species appropriate diet and immune boosting supplements like mushrooms and echinacea.  Unfortunately, this topic isn’t cut and dry and I don’t want to get off topic here, but it’s definitely worth the time and effort to invest in to make sure you get as many happy and healthy (and flea-free) years out of your pet as possible.

The brewer’s yeast and garlic option

Some of my resources recommended using garlic (grate or chop a clove or two in each meal) and brewer’s yeast (1/2 T. for small dogs and cats, 1 T. for large dogs) in each meal.  The theory is that this makes the pet emit an odor and taste that fleas find unappealing.  One even suggested using brewers yeast on your pet’s coat 1-2x a week, applied outdoors, since fleas may desert your pet when it’s applied.

Results for these and similar treatments are mixed if you read online, and there is controversy about brewer’s yeast being allergenic when so many pets suffer from some form of allergy nowadays and garlic being touted as great by some and harmful by others, so depending on your feelings about these two subjects, they may be things you try more as a last resort or as a first line of defense.  Here’s a brewer’s yeast and garlic product on Amazon with good reviews, https://amzn.to/2FITA1a.

Mixed results and potentially fatal solutions

Citrus based d-limonene products were also mentioned in one or two of my reference books, but from an Amazon search, results also seem to be mixed and it is kind of expensive.  Herbal collars, also mentioned as a safer alternative, had even worse reviews on Amazon.  I mention safer because in his book, Dr. Pitcairn details how the active ingredients in most flea and tick repellents can have long-term health risks and add to the toxicity load your cat or dog already has from everything he or she touches and ingests, which is counterintuitive to having a strong immune system.

In the holistic pet groups I’m a member of, many people who try to use safer alternatives to flea fighting rave about Cedarcide and Wondercide.  Both are cedar oil based products designed to kill and repel both fleas and ticks.  While I have no personal experience with either, I’m passing along the links to provide another option for those looking for a flea removal solution.  Here’s the Cedarcide link, https://amzn.to/2tsk0AS and also the Wondercide link, https://amzn.to/2MlnNH9UPDATE:  10-21-19 – I just read in one of the Facebook groups that I’m a member of that Cedarcide has been bought out and the ingredient list changed, causing negative side effects in dogs.  While my own research on this date could not confirm that, I suggest you do your homework before purchasing/using their products to avoid potentially harming your pets.  I will update with more information as I find out more.

If you must use the hardcore treatments to rid fleas on your pet, make sure you have all of your other household treatments (vacuuming/washing/etc.) done so you aren’t possibly just making the fleas more resilient to the chemicals.  You should also consider detoxing your pet with something like milk thistle if you go with the harsher treatment.

Before you go the Comfortis, Nexgard, Seresto, Advantix or any of the other commercial flea and/or tick medications route, keep this next bit of information in mind.  MANY pets have had negative reactions, including seizures, and in some cases death, from using products like those mentioned as well as Frontline and Bravecto.  There is even a Facebook page titled ‘Does Bravecto Kill Dogs?’ with over 41,000 members.  There’s another group called ‘Bravecto Nexgard Comfortis Simparica Trifexis & others Do They Kill Dogs?’ where people post about their bad experience with any and all of those products I listed.

While it may be easy to tell yourself the products can’t be that dangerous or else they wouldn’t be on the market, you’d be wrong.  Vets do prescribe dangerous medications, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not, but the frightening part of all of it, is that there are few to no repercussions to the vet or drug manufacturer if your pet is harmed or killed by the collar or pill you used on your cat or dog.  That’s why if you follow my blog, you will see me reiterate over and over to ALWAYS check the side effects of any form of medication you give your cat or dog.   You can read the sad story of why I’m so adamant about it here, http://savingcatsdogsandcash.com/previcox-killed-my-dog/.

Diatomaceous earth, one of the most popular flea killing treatments

One of the more popular, effective, and safer (albeit messier) flea treatments I found in my research was diatomaceous earth (only use the food grade version).  Due to its very fine consistency, it works by rubbing off the waxy coating of bugs and essentially drying them up.  The biggest downside to diatomaceous earth is that because it is so fine, and can irritate the nasal passages and lungs, wearing a mask is recommended while applying it, and caution should be used when putting it on or near your pet.  Once you put the DE down, you should wait as long as possible for it to damage the exoskeletons of the fleas and their developing young, ideally a couple of weeks, before vacuuming it up, to give it plenty of time to kill the fleas and their eggs.  Here’s a brand with several good reviews from people who had a flea problem:  http://amzn.to/2sMRtH2

Apple Cider Vinegar got high marks for eliminating fleas

Another safe and very inexpensive option that got a lot of positive reviews for getting rid of fleas came from one of my top go-to sites that I always check out when I’m looking for a remedy to a particular issue for myself or my animals.  This very diverse, affordable, and effective product hailed as a great help in eliminating fleas by many, was apple cider vinegar.  The most common treatment method people used was mixing half apple cider vinegar and half water in a spray bottle and spraying their pet daily with the solution, avoiding the eye area.  More information can be found here:  https://www.earthclinic.com/apple-cider-vinegar-for-fleas-in-dogs-and-cats.html.

Getting rid of fleas in the yard

There are also several flea-fighting options available for treating the yard and outside.  They include sprinkling diatomaceous earth (the DE  must be dry to work) in areas where your pet sleeps or lies, keeping your grass mowed short which allows the sun to heat the soil and kill the flea larvae, and by watering your yard regularly to drown developing fleas.  Also mentioned in my research were encouraging ant populations, which love to eat flea eggs and larvae, and spraying nematodes, microscopic worms (found in pet and garden stores) that are dispersed via hose sprayer, with special attention paid to making sure they are placed in damp, shaded areas where fleas thrive.

Nematodes prey on flea larvae and pupae.  The nematodes will eat the ants, however, so you have to do one or the other, not both, to help eliminate fleas.  Once the fleas disappear, so will the nematodes.  Here are some nematodes you can check out on Amazon that have good reviews, https://amzn.to/2JT4DXT.

Removing fleas from your cat or dog

When starting your journey of flea eradication, a good starting point is to first bathe your pet with non-medicated shampoo, soaping from around the neck back, forming a barrier to keep fleas off your pet’s head and face, where trust me, they will try to get to to avoid the soap and water.  Let the soap sit as long as possible, ideally at least 5-10 minutes, before rinsing.  Once you have rinsed your pet, hopefully eliminating most fleas, you will want to wash all of the bedding your pet(s) lies on and dry it on high heat, then vacuum the floor and other pet areas (furniture, rugs, etc.) very well.

Don’t forget about the fleas you’ve vacuumed up 

Dr. Pitcairn recommends putting a flea collar or part of one in the vacuum bag to kill any fleas you vacuum up.  Other sources recommended emptying the contents of the bag or completely replacing it, while another suggested putting it in the freezer to kill the fleas and all their offspring.  The point is, you don’t want a vacuum bag full of live fleas escaping back into your house.

Vigilance is key

Whatever method you decide to use, remember that washing the bedding and vacuuming every week are two of the most important things you can do to interrupt the life cycle of the flea, so you must be consistent and thorough with this.  Spraying the apple cider vinegar and water mixture on your pet and also the bedding has been reported to be very helpful as well.  In between the washing, vacuuming and whatever other (if any) method you may use, it is also very important to continue checking your pet with a flea comb like this one, https://amzn.to/2JXjHnI.  This may be a couple or few times a day, once daily or even weekly, depending on what your flea situation warrants.

The goal of regular flea combing is to catch any stragglers before they have a chance to get the vicious cycle back going in full force.  Use a container of warm soapy water to dip the comb in in case you find any fleas that you need to kill, as you comb.  I recommend doing the combing on a white or very light surface, such as a sheet, towel, or flooring, so if the flea tries to escape, and it will, it is easier to spot and kill.

My flea experience

Luckily, I’ve never had any major flea outbreaks, and after thoroughly researching this topic, it could partly be due to the fact that I’ve unknowingly been doing most of the recommended things every week.  I’ve always had towels and sheets on the floor and furniture that I wash weekly and keep my yard mowed often and short (usually 2.5″ to 3″).  Despite having (currently) ten cats and dogs, fleas have never been an issue, despite new animals I’ve taken in having them.  I’ve found that quickly spotting and eliminating fleas at the first sign through bathing and/or very frequent flea combing prevents a few from turning into many.

Below is a picture of Cooper sleeping on the designated towels on the couch, and Stormy (L) and Ruby (R) on their designated sheet and bed (which has an easily removable cover).  Every weekend, we gather up the towels and sheets and wash them.  The rooms, and if not being washed, the dog beds, are all thoroughly vacuumed every week before the sheets are put back down.

how to get rid of fleas
Towels are washed weekly and can be removed quickly and easily to accommodate visitors, if necessary.
how to get rid of fleas
A drop sheet purchased from a home improvement store contains all the hair, dirt, and debris the animals bring in. Like the towels, it is also washed once a week, along with the dog bed cover, if necessary.

After reading this article, I’m sure you can see that it’s much easier to prevent fleas than it is to get rid of them, but it is possible with diligence and consistency.  If you are interested in reading more tips from Dr. Pitcairn, as his book had a lot of information and many more possible solutions in regards to flea treatment, including a table with the effects of the chemicals used in conventional flea medications, here’s the link:  http://amzn.to/2thHLKc

 


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4 thoughts on “How to get rid of fleas

  1. I have 8 cats and a dog. For the past 4 years, I have had good luck using a product from Only Natural Pet. They have a squeeze on that is non-toxic. I put it on my dog once a month and I also give him a brewer’s yeast and garlic tablet once a day. We have been flea free! It doesn’t kill fleas so the animal must be flea free to begin with. It is a preventative. I still check for ticks every day and sometimes I will find one, but I refuse to put poison on my pets. Years ago, when I didn’t know any better, I did use the toxic squeeze on treatments. None of them ever completely kept the dogs free from ticks. I will never use poisons again.

    1. Thanks for sharing your tip, Diane! I’m so glad to hear you are treating your pets naturally.
      And I’m sure with 8 cats, you have a lot of funny stories. ;) May you all have many happy and healthy years together!

  2. Thank you for all the information! Nov 2, 2022

    I noticed bumps on my cat’s skin, and last week I gave her a bath (for the first time ever!), started brushing her fir a few times a day, I put DE on all the carpets, and I’m giving her some anti-itch homeopath stuff when I see her get itchy, and I spray a little of ACV/water on her fir and bush too. I also added Cod liver oil in her raw meat to help moisturize her skin.

    I bought a flea brush (but I think I got one for short hair and I need one for medium to long hair) and I removed 3 fleas so far. I haven’t seen anymore fleas, but who knows if there’s more. Now that I have a flea brush I can see her skin much easier than a regular cat brush. So with closer examination of her skin I would say she has a lot of dandruff and scabs. Everytime i brush there’s so much dandruff and small scabs in the brush. I don’t see flea eggs, but maybe they’re smaller than I think they would be? 🤷‍♀️

    My main question is how do I treat her scabs? Would the ACV bother her scabs? Should I use colloidal silver on the scabs instead? Or something else? Does she need another dreadful bath?

    It’s been 1 week of doing all these interventions and she’s already making improvements but the scabs must be annoying for her.

    Thank you for all your help!

    1. Liz,

      I’m glad to hear your cat is improving, but I’d be a bit hesitant to recommend doing any more things at the moment, lest you not know which one helped for future reference. I’d recommend giving it another week and keep up the brushing to stimulate the oil glands which should help with the dry skin. Flea combs are harder to use than conventional brushes, but you really need to make sure you get any and all fleas off of her. I find with my longer haired cats, just brushing less of their fur in a swipe keeps it from bogging down in the comb.

      If after a week she is still having the scabs, I’d recommend putting colloidal silver on the area. Coconut oil might help as well, but that can be tricky to use given the oiliness it can cause to fur so I’d start with the CS and see if that helps.

      And finally, a quick search online seems to point to a fish allergy possibly being the culprit in your cat’s skin issues. If that is the case, eliminating the cod liver oil first will help you determine if that is the culprit. Other foods could also be causing the skin issues and an elimination diet would be necessary to pinpoint what is causing the bumps and scabs if you find her condition doesn’t improve with no fish oils or other fish products in her meals. Here’s the article I found that might be helpful for you, https://wagwalking.com/cat/condition/fish-allergy.

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