Benefit of Tea Tree Oil for Dog with Fleas

Fighting fleas presents a challenge for dog owners. Fleas appear throughout the year, on the hottest days of the summer as well as the coldest days of winter. Sprays and other chemical treatments to deter fleas exist, but some dog owners prefer to use natural remedies, including tea tree oil. Owners must use the tea tree oil consistently to prevent a flea infestation. Once a dog has fleas, getting rid of the fleas will involve a more complicated process, so a dog owner should do everything possible to prevent the fleas from attaching to the dog in the first place.

  1. What is Tea Tree Oil?

    • Purchase tea tree oil from a tea tree oil supplier. Tea tree oil is derived from an oil in the leaves of the tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) of Australia. Tea tree oil has proven especially useful for treating skin ailments in humans in addition to repelling fleas in dogs. Many pharmacies and drug stores carry tea tree oil tinctures. In addition, companies such as Tea Tree Oil Uses, Thursday Plantation and Tea Tree Place offer customers the option of ordering tea tree oil through the Internet.

    Buying Tea Tree Oil

    • Check to ensure that the tea tree oil has proper cineole and terpinen (active ingredients) content. Good quality tea tree oils should have a low cineole content (too much cineole can cause skin irritation) and a high terpinen-4-ol content (terpinen-4-ol activates the antimicrobial activity of the oil). The Australian standard for tea tree Oil requires the cineole number to show a 15 percent maximum and the terpinen-4-ol number to show a 30 percent minimum.

    Bathing a Dog with Tea Tree Oil

    • Add tea tree oil to the rinse water after bathing a dog. Bath the dog with its regular shampoo and rinse off the shampoo with clean water. Then pour water with tea tree oil (a few drops per cup--amount depends on the dog's size) over the dog. Let the dog air dry.

    Spraying a Dog with Tea Tree Oil

    • Add a few drops of tea tree oil (a few drops per cup) to a spray bottle. Spray the dog with the water/tea tree oil mist once a week.

    Make a "Flea Collar" with Tea Tree Oil

    • Rub a few drops of tea tree oil on the dog's leather collar to create a "flea collar." Repeat every few weeks.

    Do Not Use Tea Tree Oil on Cats

    • Do not use tea tree oil to treat cat fleas. Cases have been noted of kitten deaths after application of tea tree oil on their fur.