by Kimberlee King

Created on: March 24, 2010   Last Updated: March 25, 2010

We all know the costs of pet ownership tend to quickly add up.  Food, vet bills and grooming which are just the minimum necessities.  Then you add treats and toys and sweaters and leashes and care while you are away and you are facing a significant amount of money each year.  Some say it can be the equivalent of raising a child if you have multiple pets.  One of the larger and more frequent expenses can be flea control which in most cases must be purchased and applied monthly.  Fortunately there are some home remedies for getting rid of and controlling fleas that are not such a drain on your pocketbook. 

We will start with the most controversial, garlic, I say controversial because there are people that believe garlic is harmful to dogs.  I have been a pet groomer for almost twenty five years and do not believe this is the case.  Just like any other flea solution you just need to be careful with the amount your pet is given.  The same can be said for every flea preventative. 

In order to use garlic as a flea preventative simply chop up a half a clove of garlic and add it to your pet's food three times a week.  Your dog's skin will begin to secrete a subtle garlic odor that fleas cannot abide.  The downfall to this remedy is you will probably need to add a toothbrushing and breath-freshening regime to Fido's grooming routine but that's something that you should be doing anyway.

A second simple and inexpensive remedy is to make your own, highly effective flea collar.  Purchase a rather wide collar made of webbed material such as nylon.  You will also need eucalyptus or tea tree oil which can be found at most drug or health food stores.  Spray your pet's collar with the undiluted oil and let dry.  Refasten the collar around your pets neck and you have an effective pesticide free flea collar.  This process will need to be repeated weekly especially if your pet spends a lot of time outdoors. 

The last home remedy is also very inexpensive and easy to apply but may be the one your pup shies away from the most especially if he runs from you on bath day.  Cut any citrus fruit into quarters (lemons, limes, oranges)  place in a pitcher and cover with boiling water, let steep overnight.  Pour the resulting citrus tea into a clean spray bottle.  Spray your pet completely beginning with the head area and working towards the tail.  Don't forget behind the ears but not in the eyes please. then simply air dry.Repeat as needed.  Not only will you have a flea free pet but a fresh smelling one as well.

I'm sure you noticed the recurring theme to these remedies that makes them so effective.  Fleas are repelled by what to them are unattractive odors.  Be aware however, that these are not solutions for heavily infested pets.  They are only meant to be used for light flea problems and continued maintenance once the heavier problem has been dealt with.

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