Get rid of fleas and freshen your dog’s smell by using lavender oil
Lavender oil has been successfully used since the Middle Ages to get rid of lice and fleas with the added benefit of a pleasant odor; and modern day dog owners continue to manage flea control with this essential oil.
Most dog owners are all too familiar with dealing with flea infestations. Those who have successfully gotten rid of them know the importance of prevention and maintenance. Using lavender oil for dogs with fleas can help get those frustrating fleas under control, and prevent them from coming back.
Lavender oil keeps fleas from bothering your poor canine!
Fleas and insects that like to make a home within your dog’s hair and skin do not like lavender oil. Working with essential oils like lavender is straight-forward, but you don’t want to put it directly on your dog’s hair or skin – it first needs to be diluted. Here are some easy ways to use lavender oil for dogs during their weekly baths and cleaning routines:
- Add five to ten drops to your dog’s shampoo and conditioner bottles.
- Add a few drops to your dogs rinse water.
- Add a few drops to your dog’s collar, or make a new one using a bandanna or part of an old t-shirt.
- Regularly add drops of lavender oil to your dog’s bedding and places that he or she likes to sit or sleep on after cleaning.
Using lavender oil for dogs is something that can be customized to suit the tastes of your dog, and the level of treatment needed depending on the status of your flea control. Some dog owners have also discovered that their dog really loves the scent, and they use it often – others find that they need to use only a little.
How lavender oil repels fleas
Fleas despise the smell of lavender and avoid it at all costs. Imagine the smell of something rotting in your refrigerator and how badly you want it gone. Fleas have the same reaction to lavender! Since they can’t wash your precious dog, they jump ship and find something else to bother.
Additional calming benefits
Lavender oil has also been used to effectively calm dogs with nervous tension or separation anxiety. Inhaling the vapors from lavender oil is said to induce a state of relaxation in startled, nervous, frightened or anxious pups. Famous TV personality Cesar Milan used lavender essential oil in several episodes to treat a dog with issues on airplane flights, and another dog whom experienced trauma. See Cesar use lavender essential oil here:
Safety Precautions for this Essential Oil: Always consult with your veterinarian before using essential oils on your dog. Never use essential oils on cats as they are much more sensitive.
Buy Lavender Essential Oil:
Highest Quality: Rocky Mountain
Expect to pay a bit more for a higher quality oil. Always choose the highest quality oil if you plan on using internally or topically.
Rating: ★★★★★
Update: I’ve had a couple of people asking where they can get a pre-made spray for their dogs. A reader suggested this spray and said it worked wonders on her Great Dane. It has great reviews on Amazon, so give it a shot if you want to avoid dealing with making your own spray.
Lavender also repels mosquitos. My yard is infested with mosquitos during the summer because of a canal that runs beside it. During the summer I bath with lavender body wash, do my hair with lavender shampoo and cream rinse, put lavender lotion on exposed parts of my body when I go out in the yard, and even spray my clothes with lavender air freshener so that mosquitoes don’t bite me through them. Not one mosquito comes near me. It really works. So it will also repel them if you use it on your dog.
Awesome tip for the summer! Thanks, Evelyn.
Thanks for tips on how to use lavender oil with my dogs. I’m going to try this.