What Are Natural Ways To Prevent Fleas On My Yorkie? (Vet Answered)

Hi Diane,

Thanks for writing in.

Fleas can be a real pain to deal with, even more frustrating when your dog can't stomach the treatment.

Fortunately, there are a few different options you could try.

The problem with most natural flea treatments is that they either only kill the adult fleas we can see, or just repel them, which means that there are still flea eggs and larvae in the environment that will develop into adult fleas. The most effective way to get rid of them is to use a product that targets ALL parts of the flea life cycle, and use that product for 3 - 6 months, otherwise, you might think you’ve got rid of them, and then the larval stages can develop and then suddenly you’ve got fleas again!

Because Sally might be sensitive to one or more of the ingredients in flea treatments, I think it would be a good idea to implement a few different strategies to get on top of the problem without overwhelming her system.

I would start with a flea shampoo, following the instructions on the label, and then drying her thoroughly once you're done. Flea shampoos will only help kill the adult fleas you can see, but it's a good place to start. From there, we've got a few options:

1. NATPAT - an Australian company that uses patches infused with essential oils to repel fleas and other insects. Although they do have some really positive reivews, they are unlikely to be enough to tackle a flea infestation.

2. a spot-on liquid that goes onto the skin at the back of the neck

3. a flea collar - this is one area you want to invest in a high quality collar, not just a cheap one from the supermarket. Personally, I'd recommend Seresto Flea and Tick Collar. The benefit of a collar is that if Sally shows any sort of adverse reaction, you can take it off.

With the spot-on, I would recommend using product that will kill all stages of the flea life cycle, and make sure to use a dose as close to Sally's exact weight as possible. Although spot-ons are typically quite safe, if she's more sensitive to insecticide chemicals, it's better to minimize the risks.

For example, if Sally weighs 20 lbs and the product is for dogs 5-22 lbs, I would use the whole amount. But if she was only 10 lbs, I would just use half.

Once the spot-on has been applied, you will usually need to wait at least 7 days before bathing her again, but check the product label for specific times.

Now, to help get control of the environment, you can look into some natural home remedies that pose very little risk to Sally, like scattering diatomaceous earth in cracks, crevices, or around the perimeter of the home.

Hopefully, using a combination of topical flea treatments and some natural products will get rid of Sally's hitchhikers and stop them from coming back!

I hope this helps,

Dr Karyn