[CorkyMax]

To determine if your pet has fleas, rub your hand across your pet's fur and look closely for small insects or small, black specks of flea excrement on the skin. Or place your pet on a sheet of white paper, then use a flea comb and look for fleas or their blac excrement on the paper.

Commercial flea products are insecticides and hard on your pet--too much use could be dangerous and make your pet sick or worse. I know my brother's dog was having problems with flea collars----something I would especially not use!! If you are determined to use a flea collar---Never use a flea collar and flea powder (or flea spray) simultaneously! ---That would be an overdose of insecticide!! Never use flea sprays, powders, or dips meant for a dog on your cat. The formulation for dogs could sicken or poison your cat!

Some safer things to try--- to kill fleas on dogs or cats:

1. After giving your pet a bath and final rinse, pour this mixture over your pet, rubbing into it's skin---Do not rinse it off!--just towel dry. This rosemary 'tea' conditions your pet's coat and helps prevent fleas.------> Combine 1 teaspoon (chopped)rosemary leaves from a spice can (Fresh leaves, chopped will prob. work also if you have it but will need about a tablespoon) and 2 cups boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes in a covered pot. Strain out the leaves and let cool to body temp.

2. Add a small amount of Dawn liquid dish soap under running water to fill a sink or tub and give the animal a bath in the soapy solution. Work the lather into your pet's coat and let it soak for more than 5 mins. The soap penetrates the exoskeletons of the fleas, killing them, working more effectively than some prescribed flea shampoos.

3. Put a few drops of the Dawn in a bowl of water and run a flea collar through your pet's coat once a day, dipping the comb in the soapy water to kill any fleas. Flush the soapy water down the toilet when you are finished.

4. To make a good homemade flea shampoo--Mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and Dawn dishwashing liquid. Lather up the dog (or cat) with the solution and rinse clean.

5. Cover your dry dog or cat with baby powder, working the powder deep into his coat and skin, avoiding the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Start at the head so fleas flee toward the back of your pet. The powder smothers and desiccates the fleas. This technique is frequently recommended by vets for puppies and kittens that are too young to be treated with flea powders containing insecticide. (If it isn't safe to use these commercial flea products on young pets---It isn't that safe for adults either--MY OPINION!!)

6. Use a mortar and pestle to crush fennel seed (spice can), go outside with your pet and rub the powdered fennel into your pet's coat. The displeased fleas will jump off into the wild outdoors rather than in your home. (I would go somewhere far away enough to not have them jump anywhere near where your pet normally goes!) For a severe infestation, repeat this treatment several times a week. Also sprinkle the powdered fennel in your pet's bedding. Fennel repels fleas.

7.Mix 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract and 2 cups water in a 16 oz. trigger-spray bottle, and then saturate your dog with the solution, brushing the coat so the mixture penetrates to the skin. (Don't spray a cat with this 'stuff.' Cats hate citrus!) Do not rinse out! Dry with a towel and give your dog a final brushing. The limonene from the extract kills both fleas and larvae. This lemon also helps heal fleabites.

8. To stop fleas from infesting your dog or cat, place a few chamomile tea bags in the doghouse or around your cat's bedding.
Chamomile repels fleas.

Some things to try to rid your home of fleas if already infested---- NOTE: I don't know if any of this will stain or change the color of your fabric/materials---Might test in a small area 1st---Just me talking here--CorkyMax! Also if it were me, I'd keep my pets out of the area until 'treatment' used was cleaned up (salt) or dried well in case of the other treatments listed ( #s 3--4--and 5)

1. Sprinkle salt on carpets, let sit for at least 3 hrs, and vacuum thoroughly. The salt dehydrates and kills the fleas.

2. And if I remember right--LUNA gave this hint in here a while back: Kill fleas sucked into your vacuum cleaner bag by placing
a flea collar inside the bag---but as she had mentioned--cutting the collar in pieces and using one at a time is good enough--save the rest of the pieces in an airtight bag for future uses. (To me this is the only good use for one of these 'poison insecticided filled' collars!!---I say "Keep 'em off the dog!")

3. Fill a spray bottle with Listerine antiseptic mouthwash and spray the carpets, upholstered furniture, and pet bedding. Kills the fleas and the eucalyptol in the Listerine prevents them from returning.

4. Spray the carpet and upholstery with Lysol disinfectant spray. The antiseptic kills fleas. Repeat the following day to kill any
newly hatched fleas.

5. Pour 1/4 cup Pine-Sol into a 16 oz. trigger-spray bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with water, shake well, and spray the soapy liquid on your carpets and upholstered furniture. It kills fleas and simultaneously deodorizes pet odors.

[dogs rule]

Originally Posted by CorkyMax

To determine if your pet has fleas, rub your hand across your pet's fur and look closely for small insects or small, black specks of flea excrement on the skin. Or place your pet on a sheet of white paper, then use a flea comb and look for fleas or their blac excrement on the paper.

Commercial flea products are insecticides and hard on your pet--too much use could be dangerous and make your pet sick or worse. I know my brother's dog was having problems with flea collars----something I would especially not use!! If you are determined to use a flea collar---Never use a flea collar and flea powder (or flea spray) simultaneously! ---That would be an overdose of insecticide!! Never use flea sprays, powders, or dips meant for a dog on your cat. The formulation for dogs could sicken or poison your cat!

Some safer things to try--- to kill fleas on dogs or cats:

1. After giving your pet a bath and final rinse, pour this mixture over your pet, rubbing into it's skin---Do not rinse it off!--just towel dry. This rosemary 'tea' conditions your pet's coat and helps prevent fleas.------> Combine 1 teaspoon (chopped)rosemary leaves from a spice can (Fresh leaves, chopped will prob. work also if you have it but will need about a tablespoon) and 2 cups boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes in a covered pot. Strain out the leaves and let cool to body temp.

2. Add a small amount of Dawn liquid dish soap under running water to fill a sink or tub and give the animal a bath in the soapy solution. Work the lather into your pet's coat and let it soak for more than 5 mins. The soap penetrates the exoskeletons of the fleas, killing them, working more effectively than some prescribed flea shampoos.

3. Put a few drops of the Dawn in a bowl of water and run a flea collar through your pet's coat once a day, dipping the comb in the soapy water to kill any fleas. Flush the soapy water down the toilet when you are finished.

4. To make a good homemade flea shampoo--Mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and Dawn dishwashing liquid. Lather up the dog (or cat) with the solution and rinse clean.

5. Cover your dry dog or cat with baby powder, working the powder deep into his coat and skin, avoiding the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Start at the head so fleas flee toward the back of your pet. The powder smothers and desiccates the fleas. This technique is frequently recommended by vets for puppies and kittens that are too young to be treated with flea powders containing insecticide. (If it isn't safe to use these commercial flea products on young pets---It isn't that safe for adults either--MY OPINION!!)

6. Use a mortar and pestle to crush fennel seed (spice can), go outside with your pet and rub the powdered fennel into your pet's coat. The displeased fleas will jump off into the wild outdoors rather than in your home. (I would go somewhere far away enough to not have them jump anywhere near where your pet normally goes!) For a severe infestation, repeat this treatment several times a week. Also sprinkle the powdered fennel in your pet's bedding. Fennel repels fleas.

7.Mix 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract and 2 cups water in a 16 oz. trigger-spray bottle, and then saturate your dog with the solution, brushing the coat so the mixture penetrates to the skin. (Don't spray a cat with this 'stuff.' Cats hate citrus!) Do not rinse out! Dry with a towel and give your dog a final brushing. The limonene from the extract kills both fleas and larvae. This lemon also helps heal fleabites.

8. To stop fleas from infesting your dog or cat, place a few chamomile tea bags in the doghouse or around your cat's bedding.
Chamomile repels fleas.

Some things to try to rid your home of fleas if already infested---- NOTE: I don't know if any of this will stain or change the color of your fabric/materials---Might test in a small area 1st---Just me talking here--CorkyMax! Also if it were me, I'd keep my pets out of the area until 'treatment' used was cleaned up (salt) or dried well in case of the other treatments listed ( #s 3--4--and 5)

1. Sprinkle salt on carpets, let sit for at least 3 hrs, and vacuum thoroughly. The salt dehydrates and kills the fleas.

2. And if I remember right--LUNA gave this hint in here a while back: Kill fleas sucked into your vacuum cleaner bag by placing
a flea collar inside the bag---but as she had mentioned--cutting the collar in pieces and using one at a time is good enough--save the rest of the pieces in an airtight bag for future uses. (To me this is the only good use for one of these 'poison insecticided filled' collars!!---I say "Keep 'em off the dog!")

3. Fill a spray bottle with Listerine antiseptic mouthwash and spray the carpets, upholstered furniture, and pet bedding. Kills the fleas and the eucalyptol in the Listerine prevents them from returning.

4. Spray the carpet and upholstery with Lysol disinfectant spray. The antiseptic kills fleas. Repeat the following day to kill any
newly hatched fleas.

5. Pour 1/4 cup Pine-Sol into a 16 oz. trigger-spray bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with water, shake well, and spray the soapy liquid on your carpets and upholstered furniture. It kills fleas and simultaneously deodorizes pet odors.

THANK YOU - THANK YOU
I really like your "homemade remedies". All to often we rush our pets into the vets in a panic ( which makes them nervous too) at the slightest porblem.
Many people do the same about theirselves too. COMMON SENSE and the right applications of these remedies will often work. The key is to know what you are dealing with and to know when it is time to get to the vets. Never take chances your dogs health. But for fleas, and such trying "home remedies"
is fine.
Thanks again - CORKYMAX