What will keep fleas from biting me

Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear. Do not feed or pet stray or wild animals. Always wear gloves if you are handling sick or dead animals. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.

You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. CDC is not responsible for Section compliance accessibility on other federal or private website. If any of the scenarios mentioned above fit your situation, you should contact an exterminator for a flea inspection and treatment of certain areas in your home, if necessary.

Note that a pest control technician cannot treat for pests unless evidence of pests can actually be found. Any pets will have to be treated at the same time as your home. If there are no fleas, you need to consider other possibilities for your bites.

If fleas are biting you, you should be able to see them; they are not microscopic. Several different types of over-the-counter varieties are specifically designed to soothe dogs. For the same reasons ice helps flea-bitten humans, you can use it on your dogs. Make things easier on yourself by foregoing the icepack and just holding cubes on the affected area. This essential oil can stop itching on your furry family member. Herbal infusions that contain marigold are used for a number of applications, including to stop itching associated with skin irritation.

Although the other treatments we mentioned can help, the first thing you want to try is to bathe your dog in oatmeal. Draw a warm bath. Leave it on for about 15 minutes, and then rinse off.

Of course, while alleviating the symptoms of bites is all well and good, what you really want is to prevent bites from happening in the first place. These next two sections will cover what you can do to keep fleas away.

Many of us want to minimize our exposure to chemicals—especially when we become parents. Luckily, there are a few alternatives to try to keep fleas away from the human members of your household:. Now that we have the humans in your home covered perhaps literally? So, how can you prevent your dogs from suffering from flea bite dermatitis? Try one of the following tactics. Want fleas to leave your dog alone while he or she sleeps? Get a cedar bed.

We already mentioned that essential oils can repel fleas. If you mix a couple of drops of an essential oil or two into the bath before washing your dog, their fur will be coated and will act as a repellent. A small amount will safely repel fleas without harming your dog. Before we discuss flea-proofing your home, we want to emphasize that not all essential oils are necessarily safe for dogs.

Make sure you research before using them and check with your veterinarian if you are unsure about using the one you have on your pooch. One of the challenges about a flea problem is that it can be both indoors and outside at the same time. To address fleas inside, you can try the following:. Studies have found that DEET repels a wide range of bugs, including fleas. In fact, DEET is known to be the most effective bug repellent out there. How does it work?