Fleas on dogs are not only a nuisance for pets, but also for those living with them. If you spot fleas on your dog, it is important to take steps to eradicate them as soon as possible. One female flea can produce over 50 eggs a day. While there are many chemical based flea treatments on the market, some simple homeopathic remedies can help rid of a flea problem with your dogs without exposing your pets and family to harsh and unnecessary chemicals.
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Treating the Dog
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Garlic is the most effective homeopathic treatment for dogs. By eating garlic, your dog emits an odor that fleas find unpleasant. You can give your dog one to three cloves of garlic a day. There are many ways to give your dog garlic. You can cook it in beef broth until tender, you can cover it in peanut butter, or wrap it in sandwich meat, or you can pulverize it and mix it with the dog̵7;s food. Do not give your pet more than three cloves of garlic per day due to the risk of anemia when given in high doses.
Treating the Home
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Just treating fleas on your dog is not adequate. You also have to treat the pet̵7;s environment. A simple way to do this is to sprinkle table salt on carpets and furniture. Let the salt sit for one to two hours to kill the flea eggs. Then simply vacuum the salt. Once vacuumed, do not let the vacuum bag sit in the vacuum. Instead, dispose of the bag immediately and outside the home. This should be repeated at least weekly as long as fleas are present. However, you should continue to vacuum daily, since this a very successful way of ridding the home of the pests.
Treating Pet Bedding
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It is important to treat all items that your dog may lay or sleep on. Treating bedding is simple and only requires a thorough washing in hot water followed by a hot tumble in the dryer. This should also be repeated on a weekly, or more frequent, basis until all sings of fleas are gone.
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