Curated by Maria Rita Insolera, Naturopath
Dog fleas are insects with no annoying or infesting wings. If they are not taken in time, they can also infest common spaces; or those places where the animal stays and rests: kennel, sofa, rugs.
What are fleas
Fleas are animals of the order of Afanteri . Small in size, they are wingless insects that use the ability to jump to move from one animal to another.
Fleas are red or brown in color, have hairs and an external sclerified membrane and have a mouth apparatus capable of piercing the skin of the animal that hosts them and then sucking the blood .
Flea infestation symptoms in dogs
Fleas are quite dangerous animals. In fact, in addition to causing damage directly, through bites, itching and frequent cases of allergic reactions (due to the saliva that the insect releases with the bite) they can be harmful even indirectly .
In fact, fleas are often vectors of diseases, due to viruses and bacteria that can be contained in their excrement, regurgitation and in general also in saliva.
When a flea bites a host, it causes an insistent itching, after which it is natural to scratch a lot. Precisely this action can cause injuries and the spread of infectious agents.
Also discover natural remedies for dog ear mites
Dog fleas: cures and natural remedies
A flea repellent with various essential oils can be prepared at home at home . These mixtures must be applied to the coat of the dog by circumventing the area of the eyes, nose and mouth.
These can be prepared at home simply by mixing with a vegetable oil, for example olive or sweet almond oil, a few drops (3 or 4 are enough) of essential oil, choosing from the most unpleasant ones for these parasites:
- lavender,
- eucalyptus,
- rosemary,
- mint (not surprisingly also flea grass),
- geranium,
- lemongrass.
Another infallible and natural remedy for fleas is neem oil, which is easily found in herbalist's shops, a few drops are applied directly to the dog's coat.
Then there are supplements that act directly on the animal's skin and, with an unpleasant effect on pests but not on humans. They are garlic or beer yeast tablets .
Neem oil, the natural antipulci for our animals
Natural tips
Always keep the dog's bed clean, or in any case the environment and the environments frequented by it, so that the parasites cannot take root.
A completely natural remedy is, for example, to keep a carpet of fresh walnut leaves in the beds or even putting salt in the cushions, on the floor and in the kennels of the animals. This will dehydrate them and kill them quickly.
