- Best Essential Oils for Fleas on Dogs
- 1. Artizen Rosemary Essential Oil for Dogs
- 2. Sun Essential Best Peppermint Oil
- 3. Healing Solutions Clove Essential Oil
- 4. Radha Beauty Lavender Essential Oil
- 5. Fab Naturals Cedarwood Essential Oil for Dogs
- 6. NOW Essential Oils for Dogs
- 7. Dr. Mercola Flea and Tick Defense
Fleas are a pesky fact of life for pet owners! We spend a lot of time and money trying to control fleas on our pets and in our homes. There are thousands of products available to control parasites and it can be hard to know here to start. Many pet owners who do not like the idea of using harsh chemical insecticides in their home or on their pet, are now turning to natural products such as essential oils.
There is no doubt that fleas do not like essential oils but you have to be very careful how you use them. Just a few drops will get rid of fleas but many oils are also harmful to animals so always check with your vet before you use them. Also, check out our guide on how to use essential oil for flea control in your home.
Best Essential Oils for Fleas on Dogs
1. Artizen Rosemary Essential Oil for Dogs
Key Features
Rosemary essential oil
Completely natural product
Oils have not been diluted
Bottle contains one fluid ounce
This highly concentrated undiluted essential rosemary oil is both very potent and pure. No chemicals have been added so that your dog can get the maximum benefit from the naturally active compounds in this therapeutic grade product.
There is no cheap carrier oil in this product and it is routinely tested by the manufacturers to make sure that the quality is consistent. Because it is so pure, you have to use less of it as a natural flea repellent. This essential oil is delivered in a superior quality bottle containing one fluid ounce and it has a colored coating to reflect UV light and therefore slow down degradation.
2. Sun Essential Best Peppermint Oil
Key Features
Peppermint oil
Harvested from superior sources
Packaged and tested in the USA
No chemical smell
This peppermint oil for fleas can also be used for cleaning, massage and diffusion. These oils have been tested and packaged right here in the US so you can be sure that you are getting a premium product. You can even get a refund if you are not totally satisfied.
The odor is pure and there is no chemical smell. The peppermint used in the oils has been harvested from the best sources to ensure you get a high quality product.
3. Healing Solutions Clove Essential Oil
Clove essential oil has a strong aroma that is unmistakably spicy but has subtle tones of herbs as well. The botanical name for cloves is Syzygium aromaticum and the plants supplying the cloves for these essential oils are grown in Indonesia.
No chemical pesticides are used in the production and the company has an ethical approach to their growers. The plants are grown in completely natural surroundings and the oils are rigorously tested for purity. The essentials oils are provided in bottles with child-proof caps and are clearly marked with a batch number giving transparency and accountability. This is an FDA registered product of therapeutic quality.
4. Radha Beauty Lavender Essential Oil
Key Features
Can be used for dogs and humans
A natural way to repel fleas
Makes your home smell great
Useful for many home remedies
This is a very useful lavender oil for dogs and humans alike. This essential oil is totally natural and is a blend of the compounds found in the lavender plant. Produced in France, it is a totally cruelty-free product and contains no artificial chemicals.
These essential oils are packaged right here in the US and are of therapeutic grade quality. Lavender oil can be used on its own or combined with other essential oils. It is supplied in a cobalt blue bottle that stops UV light from being able to degrade it. There is also a handy glass dropper for dispensing just the right amount.
5. Fab Naturals Cedarwood Essential Oil for Dogs
Key Features
Pure cedarwood oil
Contains no chemicals
Produced by steam distillation
Rich and warm aroma
Cedarwood oil for fleas can be a useful way of repelling these unwanted parasites. This product is 100% pure and can be used to make a cedar oil spray for fleas that is completely natural and does not involve dangerous chemicals.
These particular essential oils have been produced using a process of steam distillation which extracts the oil from wood. This ensures that you get only the purest oil that has a powerful rich and warm aroma. You will need to dilute the oil using a carrier oil before it can be applied to human or animal skin.
6. NOW Essential Oils for Dogs
Key Features
Repels fleas
Keeps the home smelling fresh
Pure and undiluted
Obtained by steam distillation
Essential oils for fleas and ticks can be derived from many plants, this one comes from the eucalyptus plant. The distinctive aromatic odor is associated with cleanliness and many pet owners turn to it to repel fleas. The leaves, small branches and roots of the eucalyptus plant are used to extract the essential oils. A highly sophisticated process of steam distillation is used to get the best essential oils for flea control around the home.
This essential oil is delivered completely pure and undiluted. It is regularly tested in the suppliers in-house laboratories to ensure consistency of quality. The eucalyptus plants are grown in a sustainable way to protect the environment.
7. Dr. Mercola Flea and Tick Defense
Key Features
Essential oil blend for flea control
No toxic chemicals
Contains lemongrass and cinnamon essential oils
Supplied in a bottle with spray top
A completely natural but highly effective spray for repelling fleas around the home. There are no toxic chemicals or pesticides in this product so you can be confident that it is safe for your health and for your pets. It contains a blend of essential oils which are very good at repelling fleas but which also leave your home smelling fragrant and fresh.
This blend contains lemongrass essential oils and cinnamon essential oils. The carrier oil is sesame oil and there is also castor oil. It is supplied in a handy spray bottle so that it is easy to use for repelling fleas around the home.
Best Essential Oils for Fleas on Dogs Buying Guide & FAQ
Can Essential Oil Kill Fleas?
Not every essential oil can actually kill fleas. Most work because they are able to repel fleas. One essential oil that can kill fleas is peppermint. It blocks a chemical called octopamine within the insect's body and the effects are devastating. The flea's central nervous system break downs and their metabolism is so badly damaged that they die. Clove oil is also thought to kill fleas.
The other oils irritate fleas and repel them but do not kill them.
Benefits of Using Essential Oils for Fleas Over Flea Medications
You have a choice of several different methods to control fleas in your home and on your pets. Here are some of the main benefits of choosing an essential oil.
- Safe for animals
An essential oil can be used safely as long as you use the correct oil, in the correct quantities and in the correct place. They do not contain the powerful chemicals that commercial flea treatments often contain. If you want to avoid artificial pesticides in your home, they would be a good thing to try.
- Safe for humans
Many pet owners are worried about exposing themselves and their families to the powerful chemicals in commercial insecticides. They view an essential oil to be a natural alternative.
- They smell great
Some chemical flea repellents have an unpleasant odor! An essential oil will give your home a lovely fragrance.
- They soothe the skin
The healing properties of some, but not all, oils will help to soothe inflamed skin.
Dangers of Essential Oils Around Pets
You have to be very careful when using oils for fleas on dogs. Many of them are very dangerous for animals, especially if they are ingested. Some contain phenols which can cause liver damage in cats. These include eucalyptus, clove, cinnamon and parsley.
Others contain ketones which can cause neurological symptoms if they are ingested. These include cedar leaf, lavender, eucalyptus, clove and rosemary.
Ways to Use Essential Oils as Flea Repellent
Before you consider using essential oils to repel fleas on dogs or around your home, you must first do your research. Check with your vet about which oils are safe to use around the home and which can be used directly as flea treatments on your dog. It is very important that you check this out thoroughly because essential oils can be very harmful to animals and that includes dogs and cats. Some types of essential oils are okay for dogs but harmful to cats and others should not be used at all in your home if you have a dog.
For those oils that are safe, here are some suggestions on how you could use them.
- Direct application to your dog's coat
There are a small number of essential oils that can be applied diluted directly to a dog's coat to control and repel fleas. They can also be soothing for flea bites but it is vital that they are correctly diluted. You can mix them with a carrier oil such as castor oil or coconut oil.
- Application to pet bedding
You can also use essential oils for fleas in animal bedding. Some can be sprinkled directly but others have to be diluted in a bottle and sprayed. A peppermint flea spray is one example. Apple cider vinegar and water are popular liquids to use to dilute essential oils.
- Application around the home
You can apply an essential oil around the home to help to repel fleas and to help prevent future infestations. As well as tackling fleas, an oil such as lavender oil will make your home smell fragrant.
- Use when grooming
You can help to control and repel fleas on your dog's coat by dipping your grooming brush into a dilute solution of an essential oil and water.
- Application to collars
Some dog owners have had success using essential oils on a collar or a bandana. When making a DIY flea collar, you have to be very careful that it does not cause irritation of the skin. This is considered one of the safest ways to use a lavender oil or peppermint oil because it will be hard for your pet to lick it.
Take a look at our guide on the Best Flea Collars for Dogs.
Our Top Pick
Our top pick of the best essential oils for fleas is highly concentrated rosemary essential oil. It is both potent and pure. There are no added chemicals and the oils are therapeutic grade.
These essential oils have no cheap oil to act as a carrier and are routinely tested for consistency. The oils are delivered in a bottle coated with a UV reflector to slow down degradation.
FAQ
Q: What essential oils do fleas hate?
Fleas don't actually like any essential oils! The strong natural chemicals in the oils act as natural insect repellents. In particular, the following oils are most often used as flea repellents:
- Pennyroyal
- Cedar oil for fleas
- Lavender oil
- Lemon Grass
- Peppermint oil
- Rosemary oil
- Clove oil
Q: How long does an oil keep fleas away?
Even the best essential oil for fleas will not work for ever. You can expect an essential oil to work for a couple of days. As it is an aromatic compound, it will gradually evaporate and very little will be left where you have applied it. Be prepared to be using essential oils every week or so to successfully kill fleas.