I’m no stranger to fleas. You see one and your know there are hundreds more… lurking….waiting. Bah.
There is plenty of research listing the risks and dangers of chemical based pest products for our pests like Frontline & Advantage.
And while “natural” alternatives like essential oils are not synthetic chemicals & are from plant based sources, they’re certainly a step in the right direction BUT- they are still highly potent & can cause harm to our animals & humans when used without care.
I personally opt NOT to use essential oils with animals AT ALL {larger animals like horses & livestock being an exception}.
This is where magical NEEM SEED OIL comes in!
Neem seed oil is the pressed oil from the neem tree – not a distilled essential oil which makes it less toxic to animals.
As with most herbal medicine, it’s hard to find many double blind, independent studies to prove or disprove safety and effectiveness.
That’s where experience comes in.
Neem has been used for centuries in India for a wide array of aliments. It’s so revered there’s even a Neem Foundation.
And as with any good medicine, you must use it with knowledge & proper care.
I’ve used neem seed oil as pest control for myself and my cat for many years. I use it in my personal bug repellent, I’ve used neem soap to give my cat a flea bath and used it on myself when I contracted scabies from a friend (ewww. I know.) and have encouraged many of my clients to create flea & tick repellent collars with neem through the Spring & Summer season with much success.
Since neem has been known to have spermicidal and abortifacient actions on both humans & pets, I would avoid using neem internally or externally in large amounts for pregnant women or infants.
With any good medicine- a little goes a long way. Make sure you always dilute your neem seed oil for safe effectiveness.
Tick & Flea Collar Recipe
What You’ll Need::
A pet collar (made of cloth/absorbable material)
1/8-1/4 cup olive oil
3-6 drops neem seed oil
rubber gloves if you don’t want to get your hands dirty
*The size of your pet and your pet’s collar will determine the amount of neem & olive oil carrier you’ll use.
Simply get a shallow bowl add your olive oil & neem oil and mix the two together well. Now drop your collar in your oil mixture (put your gloves on if you choose) and rub & massage the oil blend into your pet collar. Let the oil absorb into the collar as much as possible. Let the collar sit for an hour or so to continue absorbing the oil. That’s it!
You can use this collar all through the Spring & Summer season to avoid pests of all kinds.
Refresh the collar anytime {Every month or so for best potency} by repeating the recipe & re-soaking the collar.
P.S Neem smells kind of like garlic and peanut butter combined, so it’s not the best smelling stuff. But it works!
***For added protection you can also keep a bottle of this oil blend on hand (just keep it in a bottle with a pump) to rub (1 tsp-1 TBSP) into your pets fur before they go outside.
Questions, comments? Don’t hesitate to post below! Xo
Herbal Allies For Pests On Your Pets
