Coconut oil – A Natural Flea (And Tick) Solution For Pets
Infestation of fleas is one of the most common problems with dogs. This problem becomes more concerning when it happens with pet dogs as it can infect the entire environment of the home. In such condition, even the most responsible pet owners try to find ways to get rid of the fleas on their pets. It is better to find some natural way for the removal of fleas from your pets as some dogs may not tolerate the effect of certain tick repellents used for this purpose.
Coconut oil is considered as one of the most effective natural treatments for fleas. Coconut oil for fleas helps not only in eradicating fleas from your dog’s body but also in treating extreme allergies, promoting immune system, improving weight of extremely underweight dogs and making young, infirm and elderly dogs strong.
The main reason of using coconut oil for fleas is the natural lauric acid it contains which works as a natural repellent for ticks and fleas. Along with this coconut oil is also important for the coat and skin of the pets including dogs and cats. Moreover, coconut oil is absolutely safe and non-toxic for your pets. There is no harm to them even if they lick it while applying on them.
Can coconut oil kill fleas?
Theoretically coconut oil for fleas can eventually kill fleas if you could completely submerge your dog in a tub containing coconut oil otherwise the fleas may live longer than your dog. Though lauric acid in coconut oil can acts as a mild repellent for fleas but it cannot kill them.
In fact, fleas are very strong creatures which can survive up to 30 days in extremely cold conditions and months within your carpets, if left untreated. Some people use several other things like garlic with coconut oil to make it more effective while treating their pets for fleas but it can only prevent the infestation of fleas instead of killing them.
How to use coconut oil for fleas
- The use of coconut oil for fleas can be less expensive and health friendly treatment as compared to other commercial treatments used in this regard. You can effectively prevent fleas from your pets by applying coconut oil on them regularly at least once or twice a week. Coconut oils can be used on the pets in a step wise manner as briefly described here under.
- First of all you should find some extra virgin raw cold pressed coconut oil for this purpose as its contains enough amount of lauric acid to prevent and remove fleas from your pet’s skin and coat. You can buy it from a pharmacy or some nearby grocery store or the stores selling cooking oils and food items.
- Apply it on your pet you should take a tablespoon full of coconut oil to use for once. It can be in white hard or clear liquid condition depending upon the environmental temperature in your region.
- Take some of the oil, if it is in hard condition, on your hands and rub them together to increase its consistency. If it is in clear liquid form then you can take some of it in a small container to scoop out with your fingers when required.
- Then you should start rubbing the oil into the skin or fur of your of your pet. Where he or she has fleas his/her skin becomes scratchy or dry flaky and starts losing fur. The oil will make his/her skin more oily but you should rub it consistently at least for 5 minutes or until his/her sin absorbs it.
- Take some more oil on your hands and apply through the outer layer of the fur and under the belly of your pet.
- In order to prevent the dog from licking the coconut oil applied on his or her skin you can put a sweater or some other cover at least for overnight or for a whole day, even if it is safe for them as compared to other commercial flea treatments.
- Initially you should apply it repeatedly daily or at least 3 to 4 days a week until you notice its affect on his/her skin or fleas start disappearing from his/her skin. The fur of your pet will grow again automatically when this oil starts clearing up the skin.
- After covering the coat of your pet with coconut oil you should take a flea comb to run through his/her fur to take out the fleas from it. They will stick to the comb due to the oil applied on the fur. But you should comb your pet out of your home as some fleas may jump out of the fur due to repellent nature of the oil.
So you can use coconut oil for fleas as a repellent especially on the pets which cannot tolerate the traditional medications used for fighting with ticks and fleas. You can massage this oil into the fur of your pets regularly to eradicate fleas from their fur and skin both. You can also spray its solution with some water thoroughly into the fur of your pet with the help of a spray bottle to let it work even if he/she does not have any flea.
