Healthy Pets Don’t Have Fleas!
Holistic grooming isn’t just about fleas; it’s about achieving great health, beauty and cleanliness. Ridding your pets of fleas or ticks is a wonderful by-product of feeding them healthy food and supplements which help to boost their immune systems. A healthy coat and skin require real, nutrient-dense food, especially great sources of protein, essential fatty acids, and vitamins. A poor-quality diet leads to an unhealthy skin and coat and a compromised immune system, which in turn attracts fleas and ticks like bees to honey. Applying toxic chemicals to the skin of a pet with an already compromised immune system only perpetuates the downward health cycle. The weaker the animal, the stronger the fleas become.
During times of stress or weakness, the immune system can become compromised, and any animal may wind up a fat meal for fleas or ticks. This is one of nature’s ways of cleaning up the weak and inferior; parasites are attracted to anything in a weakened state of health. Picture a garden: hearty plants never attract parasites, but weaker ones do. The same holds true for pets and people. Parasites always prefer weak, old and sick animals. Therefore, if your pet has a flea problem, you know its immune system needs a boost in the nutrient department. Homemade food or “Doc’s” Stew is your pet’s best defense. Make sure you’re not leaving food down during the day; this slows the metabolism and backs up wastes, and excessive waste in your pet’s system attracts more fleas. Make sure you supplement with Best In Coat (my EFA supplement) and vitamin C for optimum skin health, too. Fleas are more attracted to unhealthy, dry skin and dandruff. They like to bury themselves deep in those scaly areas.One of the best defenses against parasites is a good flea comb. Spend five to ten minutes combing your pets and when you catch a flea, dunk it quickly into a cup of soapy water. The flea will be smothered in a few seconds, and you’ll be helping the process by dealing with the outside of the body. Be sure to address your pet’s environment, too. Don’t forget to launder its bedding often. Vacuum your house regularly and dispose of the vacuum bags after each use if you have a flea problem. Take them out of your home. If you don’t, flea eggs will hatch in the vacuum bags, allowing these pests to invade your home again.
Recipe For A Natural Shampoo:
Many natural botanicals have been used for centuries for controlling pests. Try any combination of essential oils of cedar wood, citronella, eucalyptus, juniper, lavender, lemongrass, peppermint, and lemongrass or tea tree oil.
Mix:
1/8 teaspoon of any of the above essential oils with 16 ounces of liquid castile soap
1/8 teaspoon of any of the above essential oils with 16 ounces of liquid castile soap
Make Your Own Herbal Collar:
Place a few drops of any of the above essential oils on the top (outer) side of a cloth, a bandana, or other porous collar to help repel fleas. (Don’t allow the undiluted form of any of these essential oils to directly contact your pet’s skin, as some of them could cause irritation.) Your pet will smell luscious, and the herbs will help keep pests away.
Place a few drops of any of the above essential oils on the top (outer) side of a cloth, a bandana, or other porous collar to help repel fleas. (Don’t allow the undiluted form of any of these essential oils to directly contact your pet’s skin, as some of them could cause irritation.) Your pet will smell luscious, and the herbs will help keep pests away.
Andi Brown’s “After Bath” Rinse:
For a spectacular after-bath rinse, mix 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint oil with 3 cups of water in a spray bottle and mist your pets, its sleeping areas and any other problem areas around the house. Your pet will smell like a delicious little peppermint pattie and the solution helps keep fleas away.
For a spectacular after-bath rinse, mix 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint oil with 3 cups of water in a spray bottle and mist your pets, its sleeping areas and any other problem areas around the house. Your pet will smell like a delicious little peppermint pattie and the solution helps keep fleas away.
17 Responses
:Hi Andi,
I have cats that have developed a flea problem this summer. Can this …..
“For a spectacular after-bath rinse, mix 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint oil with 3 cups of water in a spray bottle and mist your pets, its sleeping areas and any other problem areas around the house. Your pet will smell like a delicious little peppermint pattie and the solution helps keep fleas away.”…..be used on cats? If not what other oils can be safely used on cats to get rid of fleas?
Hi, yes this rinse can be used safely on cats, but you really need to look at the problem from a holistic standpoint. The inside of the body, the ouside of the body and the environment. The inside needs better food and supplements. Make mine or you can now buy them online. Best In Coat and Doc’s Stew. The outside of the body needs a great flea comb every day to catch the fleas and dunk them in soapy water to kill them. The environment should be vacuumed regularly and you could use diatomaceous earth around the house to kill the fleas in the carpet, furniture, etc. The after rinse.. to help keep them away. It’s not an easy process to do it naturally, but it will keep your family and the cats safe and it is effective. Make sure you sign up for my newsletter to get more tips for keeping your sweet ones healthy! xoxo
We find dusting the cats with food grade DE to be helpful with fleas and such. It doesn’t hurt them to consume it when they groom themselves. It’s kind of an old fashioned solution, but it doesn’t seem to cause them or us a lot of stress.
Hi Allen,
Yes… DE is a wonderful solution to a flea infestation in the home. Aside from the messy powder for a few days (because it’s best to leave it down for about a week).. the upside is that it works and it is safe. Please remember to always use the “Food Grade” Diatomaceous Earth, and not the kind you put in the pool. There is a big difference. Thanks for the head’s up! xoxo Andi
Pets are prone to fleas that creates many skin problems and other diseases. It is essential to keep your pet free from fleas. Cleanliness is a major factor that prevents flea. So regular showering is needed. Using natural products or home made cleansers is the best idea. Thanks Andi for providing such nice tips.
Thank you for your kind words and for providing great care for the ones we love! xoxo
Is it ok to use the castile soap that already has peppermint or tea tree oil in it? Or do you need to have unscented? Most of the ones that I can find all have a scent in them already?
Will just one scent help with ticks and fleas or is it best to combine a few?
Thanks.
I like using a plain castile soap and add my own essential oils to it. However, if you find one that is already scented, you can still add the oils in for a perfect blend of aroma and efficacy. Please remember to never use the oils full strength on your pet’s skin. They are very strong and can cause irritation. They must be diluted. You can find a list of all of the good ones for fleas and ticks in my book! Happy mixing! xoxox
HI Andi
I want to make the natural shampoo, but not sure what Liquid Castile soap is..I live in the UK and never heard of this product…Could you tell me what type of soap it is so I can source an alternative here.
I love all your great info and am going to make a few things 🙂
Thanks
Hi Allison, Glad you wrote me. A natural and gentle shampoo base will be just fine. Do you have any local health food stores that you can visit? I really like Dr. Bronner’s Liquid soap and I’ll bet you can find it there too! Happy that you found us! xox
Hello, I live in the UK and make my own castille soap. You can buy the bars of soap from Amazon or another natural soap. I then melt it in a saucepan with about 1-2 litres of water. It will thicken as it cools.
Very good information. Thank you Donna! xoxo
I have two hairless chinese cresteds. Hairless don’t often have problems with fleas however seem to attract ticks easily. Is this soap safe for hairless? And does it help with ticks also? What about the peppermint oil on the hairless? Do you have any specific recipes/ideas for hairless?
My pitbull mix puppy is 16 1/2 months old. He’s white & has had a skin infection & I can see his ribs. I have been researching & cooking his food since I got him at 8 weeks old but only started giving him supplements, fish oil & crushed eggshells the last few weeks. I never had a dog & was completely ignorant as to what was best. I’m so happy I just found your site. The only thing I knew was that I didn’t want to give him commercial dog food & treats but 2 vets said hurry & give him commercial puppy food cause of the ribs showing. I have not & that is when I found out about adding the supplements. Any advice? I am definitely making the chicken stew for him. Any of the canned wild salmon ok? Red, sock eye or pink? Any additions cause he’s a puppy. He weighs 16 lbs. Thank you!
Hi Antoinette, Making the stew is the first and best way to begin for sure. Skin infections are definitely a sign of a poor quality diet. I don’t recommend ANY commercially produced pet foods at the moment. I would like you to use frozen or fresh salmon, which is best to add into the stew. Canned is probably ok, but you’ll pay the same for fresh, I think. I would also love for you to get a copy of my book, which really describes in great detail (in a fun way) – all the things you need to know and look for. Please keep us all posted on your success. I’m guessing he’s gong to be fabulous in no time! xoox Andi
Muriel. I have a 7 yr old Maltese 10 lbs, was diagnosed w GI Lymphoma and had a surgery to remove the tumor and then went on Chemo for four mos. and he’s in full remission since, Thank GOD……I did find an Holistic Vet and he’s prescribed lots of herbal medicine w supplements and vitamins and I myself am giving him all natural foods as well but he’s NOT a good eater…Extremely picky, smells his food and then walks away…I am making Raw food and have purchased healthy raw food as well….a day or two he will eat by coaxing but soon he drops off….I am at my wits ends…. I am reading your book and loving it….I would love some help re the food or any suggestions u might have. Ps. I am trying to find your Hip, Hip, Hooray for my other puppy but have no luck finding it.
Hi Muriel,
Hopefully, by now you have been making your baby’s food and understanding that the COOKED food is much easier for their bodies to assimilate and utilize and even eliminate. I don’t recommend any commercial pet products at this time and so I hope you’ll start making the recipes from the book and that will help a lot. Keep us posted. I’m so glad that you’re making good headway with your Maltese. xoxo Andi