I have had dogs all my life and never experienced fleas. We recently got them on all three dogs (of course) and have been using over-the-counter remedies that are not working very well. Plus, I do not like using chemicals on my carpet and on the dogs. Would you happen to have a natural remedy I can create that will work? I remember my father putting garlic on the dog’s food and using cedar shavings for bedding, and he swore by that to keep fleas and ticks away.

Thank you for your time, and I appreciate any help you can offer.

Ginny Amaral
Kissimmee, FL

Dear Ginny,

First, most over-the-counter remedies for fleas will not work. When you are treating fleas, you have to focus on three things: the pet, the house and the yard. Sometimes if you address the house aggressively enough, it is possible to ignore the other two areas, but you should start by addressing all three.

The yard is the hardest area to treat, unless the dogs are kept in a pen outside. Cedar in a pen will help repel fleas, but beware, many dogs are allergic to cedar. There are also yard sprays, which will help reduce the number of fleas in the yard. If you have a full-sized grassy or wooded yard, it is often not a big part of the problem and can be ignored.

If the dogs spend any time inside, the house is usually the biggest problem area. The best solution is to apply Boric Acid to all surfaces the dog has been on. This includes everything; carpet, couches, and hardwood. Boric acid is available as 20 Mule Team® Borax in the laundry aisle at the grocery store. However, I prefer the Fleabusters® brand, because it stays in the house longer. Boric acid is safe and effective, and it can last for years. For application, see the Fleabusters® website, and look under home treatment.

Due to products such as Advantage® and Top Spot®, your dogs are now the easy part to treat. These products kill almost all the fleas within a day of application. Other over-the-counter products, which contain older chemicals such as pyrethrins, will only kill a small percentage of the fleas, so you will continue to see fleas on the dog. Home remedies such as brewer’s yeast or garlic have been used for years to prevent fleas, although there has never been any proof that these actually work. Capstar®, the newest product for fleas, will kill all the fleas on the dog within an hour, but, if there are fleas in the environment, it won’t do anything stop re-infestation.

Fighting fleas is a war that can be won. Do your research, use safe chemicals, and you should be able to break the flea cycle in your home

Dr. Weaver

About Dr. Sherry Weaver
Dr. Weaver graduated with honors from the University of Georgia's School of Veterinary Medicine.  She founded a state-of-the-art animal hospital, teaches pet care to children, and donates time and resources to rescue organizations. For her full biography, click here.