Homeopathic Remedies for Control of Fleas

Herbal Shampoos

• Herbal pet shampoos can be an effective way to keep fleas off your pets, but should be used in conjunction with remedies for removing fleas from the pet environment. These homeopathic flea shampoos can be purchased commercially or made at home. Many of these shampoos utilize tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, coconut oil and aloe.

Pet Food Additives

• Adding garlic to a pet's food can help eliminate fleas naturally. However, this homeopathic method can take 6 to 8 weeks before the fleas are totally gone. Garlic should not be added to a cat's diet, as these animals may have toxic reactions to garlic.

  Brewer's yeast can also be added to a pet's diet to help control fleas. The Earth Easy website recommends adding 1 tsp. to the feed of small dogs and cats daily. Large dogs can have up to 1 tbsp. of brewer's yeast per day. Some pets may be allergic to brewer's yeast and may exhibit a skin allergy. In these cases, the brewer's yeast should be withdrawn immediately.

  Apple cider vinegar is another food additive that has been used for years to control fleas and pests on animals. Adding 1 tsp. per day to the drinking water of your pet can help keep fleas at bay. However, some animals may refuse to drink water that contains apple cider vinegar.

Diatomaceous Earth

• Diatomaceous earth, or DE, is a product that contains fossilized skeletons of unicellular plants called diatoms. This earth is ground to a fine powder. It is deadly to fleas and other pests. The use of DE is a widely used homeopathic flea remedy.

  Fleas have no interior skeleton, only an outside shell or exoskeleton. The fine sand of the DE works by scrubbing the outside shell of the flea until it penetrates the flea's body into the joints and respiratory system and keeps grinding until the flea dies.

  DE can be sprinkled inside the home on carpets and pet areas and in the yard and should be put directly on the pet fur. According to the Natural Vet for Pets website, DE should be applied both inside and outside the home every 2 weeks until the flea infestation is under control. (ref 2)

  DE can be harmful to lungs if inhaled so both humans and pets should wear masks when applying DE to keep it from being inhaled. Only use food grade Diatomaceous Earth. (ref 1 &3)

Nematodes

• Nematodes are small worms that feast on flea larvae and can be a good homeopathic flea control method. According to the Earth Easy website, nematodes placed outside the perimeter of the home can reduce flea populations by as much as 80 percent. The website states that nematodes work best in moist, sandy soil.

  Nematodes can be purchased online or at some garden and pet stores. They can be applied to the yard with a lawn sprayer, but should only be put in shady moist areas, as they cannot survive in full sun. Results can be seen in as little as 24 hours.