Eco Flea and Tick Treatments for Dogs and Cats

Essential oils

Other than lavender, essential oils like peppermint, lemongrass, cedarwood and pennyroyal* can help fend off fleas. Mix a few drops of 100 percent essential oils into a teaspoon of carrier oil like olive oil and rub on the top of your dog's neck or base of the tail. Most essential oils can be dangerous to pets in large doses so they should always be diluted; also avoid putting them in areas dogs can easily lick.

*I do discourage the use of pennyroyal essential oil. Pennyroyal essential oil should never be taken internally because it is highly toxic; even in small doses, consumption of the oil can result in death.

Essential Oil Flea Treatment

Make a natural flea repellent by adding six or seven drops of the essential oils of rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, and citronella to a cup of water and shaking well. Use a spray bottle to apply the solution to your dog's coat every other day. (Do not use this on cats―they are too sensitive to essential oils.)

Oils known to repel ticks and other insects are:

Citronella, Eucalyptus radiata, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, geranium, palmarosa, palo santo