How to Remove Fleas From a Dog — Fast and Without Bathing It

Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation where our beloved dog picks up fleas and it happens to be the weekend, or the vet is far away, and we urgently need to get rid of them. Nobody wants their dog to have fleas — it can go through a rough time scratching, it can spread to us, or worse, the fleas can lay eggs at home and within a few weeks we could have a real infestation.

For these reasons, we'll explain how to quickly remove fleas from a dog, even without needing to bathe it, so both it and we stay protected from this annoying parasite. We'll also look at how to do it with puppies, who are more sensitive.

Home Trick to Quickly Remove Fleas From a Dog

Although we can't claim they're as effective as conventional chemical products, such as collars or spot-ons for dogs, home remedies against fleas can save us in a situation where we urgently need to kill fleas.

Lemon juice is a natural flea repellent — just squeeze a lemon and mix its juice with half a liter of water. We can spray (atomize) the mixture onto our dog and brush it before it dries. This way, the lemon juice and water mixture will penetrate every layer of the dog's fur, making the fleas leave.

Apple cider vinegar is another excellent home remedy to kill fleas — simply

mix one part apple cider vinegar with four parts water and bathe our dog with the mixture. The smell will be strong, so it's recommended to rinse it after about fifteen minutes, to remove the vinegar residue.

Cedar bark is another natural flea repellent — we can boil a quarter kilo of cedar bark in a liter of water, and once it cools, spray our dog with the result. Fleas will leave our dog immediately, with no need to bathe it.

You can see all the home tricks to eradicate fleas at home and on our dogs, and even use them all at once — since they're natural, they pose no danger to our little furry friend.

How to Remove Fleas From a Puppy Without Bathing It

It's very common for puppies to pick up fleas, but since they're so small, they can't be bathed, nor can we use harsh chemical products like spot-ons or anti-parasite collars for dogs.

The best way to kill fleas on a puppy is with a spray called Frontline, specifically designed to eliminate fleas on puppies without needing to bathe them. We simply need to spray the product on them and rub it in by hand so it properly penetrates their fur.

Afterward, we can dry them with a towel, to prevent them from getting cold. This product can be used on dogs from three days old onward without danger, killing every flea and louse it finds.

If we can't buy this spray, we can use a spray bottle/atomizer with the lemon and water mixture, being careful it doesn't get in its eyes.

How to Eliminate My Dog's Fleas in Minutes

If what you want is to eliminate your dog's fleas immediately and don't mind buying products from the vet clinic, the best way to do it is with a combination. This way, not a single flea or louse will remain in your dog's fur.

Buy a special anti-flea shampoo or soap and bathe your dog with it, letting the product work for five minutes before rinsing your dog with water to remove the soap residue.

Once your dog is dry after the bath, put on an anti-parasite collar, such as the well-known Scalibor, which offers three months of protection. To be one hundred percent sure you've eliminated every flea, also put a spot-on on your dog.

With these three steps, your dog will be completely free of fleas and, in addition, protected for several months. Spot-ons and baths need to be done monthly, but the collar can last several months.

Remember that if your dog has been sleeping in its bed with fleas, you'll need to eliminate the fleas from there too. You can wash the dog's bed with very hot water to kill fleas and flea eggs, then dry it and put small cloth bags with cedar bark on it as a repellent.

This way, both your dog and you will be completely protected against these annoying parasites. Remember fleas prefer living on dogs over humans, but they can feed on humans too.