Natural Flea Remedies for an Itchy Dog

When you bathe your dog, start at the head and neck area (avoid dousing the head with water and soap) and work your way down to the tail. This will keep the fleas from running to the head and face. Massage the shampoo deep into the fur for at least 15 minutes before rinsing it off thoroughly.

Bathe weekly. Use a natural shampoo and conditioner containing herbs that repel fleas. You can buy these products already prepared or you can make your own homemade flea shampoo and conditioner to treat your itchy dog.

Homemade flea shampoo

Add a few drops of eucalyptus or rosemary oil to a bottle of natural shampoo. Note: Never apply these essential oils directly on the skin. This can cause the skin to become irritated.

Homemade flea conditioner

Combine 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary to 1 pint of hot water, cover, steep for 10 minutes, strain, and cool to room temperature. After the final rinse, pour it over your dog, rub it in, and towel dry (do not rinse it off).

You can also make you own natural flea repellent powder for an itchy dog by combining the following herbs (as many as you can find): rosemary, eucalyptus, yellow dock, rue, fennel, and wormwood.

Use a jar with a shaker top (like a jar for parsley flakes) and apply the mixture sparingly to your dog's coat. Brush the fur backwards (using your hand or a comb) as you sprinkle it into the base of the hairs. Be sure to get the areas where fleas like to hangout the most, including the neck, back, and belly. Afterwards, take your dog outside because the fleas will start jumping off.

Juliette de Bairacli-Levy, a world renowned animal herbalist, recommends the following tonic for itchy dogs:

• bring 1 pint of water to a near boil and remove it from the heat source
• take 1 whole lemon, slice it thinly, add it to the water, and let it steep overnight
• in the morning, sponge the solution on your dog's skin and let it dry.

Lemons contain d-limonene (do not use around cats), a natural flea-killing substance (which can kill fleas instantly), and other ingredients to promote healing of the skin.

You can do this daily for dogs with severe skin problems (related to fleas).

Using a Flea Comb

Flea combs are another great way to get rid of fleas from an itchy dog and prevent tangles in a long-haired dog.

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