Fleas are one of the most common problems for dogs and cats. The use of antiparasitic products is essential to protect your four-legged friend. Most of them, however, are highly harmful products, which can also cause damage to the health of the animal. A valid substitute for chemical parasites is aloe vera. This gel with multiple properties is a real help to get rid of insects of any kind from dogs and cats.

What are fleas?

Fleas are very small parasites that suck the blood of the animal they infest. There are many species, but the most common is that of cats and dogs. Those that suck blood in order to feed and lay eggs are female fleas. The choice of using the animal as a host is due to the thick fur that will protect them. In fact, fleas prefer closed, dark and humid places, away from light. Once hatched, the eggs free the larvae that feed on the feces of the other fleas and all the organic materials present in the hair. The larvae then evolve into pupae and eventually into adult fleas. The life cycle of these parasites is short, from 12 to 14 days, but this can be prolonged up to 180 days. Usually for the animals living at home the cycle ends in 3-6 weeks.

Locate fleas in the dog and cat

Adult fleas are very small, have a size of 2-3 millimeters and are dark in color, between red and brown tending to black. They have six legs but no wings, and they can jump long distances without difficulty. It is hard to identify them in the fur, especially if the coat is dark in color, but you can find them by paying attention to the faeces, tiny black spots that emit a red halo when in contact with a damp surface. In dogs or cats with a light fur, they can be seen moving, but we must have an eye trained to identify them.

Remedy based on aloe vera to remove fleas

As introduced at the beginning of this article, aloe vera is an excellent natural parasiticide. This plant has a higher pH than that of the animal’s skin, thus creating an inhospitable environment for fleas that have infested the host. In this way the parasites no longer find a suitable place to reproduce and grow and they abandon the dog or the cat. In addition, aloe vera, thanks to two acids of which it is rich, namely salicylic acid and cinnamic acid, will help to mitigate one of the typical symptoms of flea infestation, itching.

The aloe gel can be used as it is to be spread directly on the hair, or diluted in water and placed in a spray dispenser, sprayed on the animal. Aloe vera is also effective for fighting fleas from the inside in the doses of two tablespoons for cats and four teaspoons for dogs per day, for about two weeks of treatment.