Is homemade dog shampoo safe and effective against ticks and fleas?

Question

1 cup uncooked oatmeal (not instant oats) sprigs of rosemary 1/3 cup baking soda I saw this recipe online for making dog shampoo. Will a shampoo made from these ingredients be effective against ticks and fleas? Also is there anything else we can use to make it effective against tick and fleas? And can rosemary be replaced by something else like coconut oil? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 5 months old | 49 lbs

Jessica Keay, DVM · Accepted Answer

I would be concerned the baking soda would dry the skin out and cause irritation. Unfortunately a homemade shampoo like this is unlikely to kill fleas. It may slow them down while they are wet and allow you to pick them off, but it will not kill them. There is not an effective "natural" flea killing product unfortunately, as fleas are very hardy. A shampoo will also only be effective at killing the fleas on your pet at that moment and will not prevent more fleas from the environment from infesting your pet. I would recommend talking to your vet about the flea prevention options available at their office. There are a variety of very effective products now available including topical products like Advantage, oral products like Nexgard and Bravecto, and some effective long lasting collars such as the Seresto collar. You can read more about fleas at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=7955321

Is homemade dog shampoo safe and effective against ticks and fleas?

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