Is lemon juice safe for dogs?

[Annalyse]

Our dog has fleas and no matter how many baths we give him there in the house and end up everywhere. So I sprayed lemon juice (boiled lemons) everywhere and there’s some that say it’s safe for dogs skin and others say it’s not. What are your opinions?

 

[Sussex19]

My thought is that my dogs would hate it, never mind if its technically fine or not.
Also, I can't see it being very effective. Can you get some of the kind of medication that comes in a little tube, and then you put it on the dogs neck? I know of a couple of brands here, but it might be different where you live.

 

[Annalyse]

My thought is that my dogs would hate it, never mind if its technically fine or not.
Also, I can't see it being very effective. Can you get some of the kind of medication that comes in a little tube, and then you put it on the dogs neck? I know of a couple of brands here, but it might be different where you live.

We tried front line and it did nothing all others brands are very expensive and we cannot afford to buy hundreds of dollars for a small thing. I found that Cyrus juice kills/deters fleas and they said to spray on dogs too but I’m not sure if his skin will be okay with it. It’s watered down.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I don't live in an area with a flea problem, but we use Provecta Advanced, a generic version of K9 Advantix II that was recommended by my vet and it costs WAY less. Fleas and ticks can become immune to flea and tick medication, so in certain areas of the world certain medications aren't effective anymore.

 

[Peaches Lee]

I wouldn't use lemon. It's just not going to work, and why put in all the effort.

There are a lot of flea/tick prevention options out there and I think that is really the only thing that is going to help.

Seresto, Nexgard, Bravecto, Credelio, Advantix

You are going to need to apply/administer the medication for at least 3 months (flea life cycle) and vacuum every day.

You don't say the size of your dog, but a quick search on Chewy shows that Nexgard in the highest weight range would cost $72 for 3 chews.

Credelio $117 for a 6 month supply (again for the largest weight range) and
Bravecto $68 for 1 chew that lasts 3 months

Most Vet clinics will let you buy one chew/tube at a time as well.

 

[Geena]

We tried front line and it did nothing all others brands are very expensive and we cannot afford to buy hundreds of dollars for a small thing. I found that Cyrus juice kills/deters fleas and they said to spray on dogs too but I’m not sure if his skin will be okay with it. It’s watered down.

I doubt lemon juice is going to do anything at all. Adams Flea and Tick spray is inexpensive and works well. I believe they also make a powder you can sprinkle on carpet. You really need to aggressively address the fleas in the house or the dog will just keep getting reinfected with them.

 

[Peaches Lee]

You can also purchase Capstar, it's a quick fix, and the effects only last about 24 hours. But it can help you get the upper hand. Good luck!

 

[Annalyse]

I wouldn't use lemon. It's just not going to work, and why put in all the effort.

There are a lot of flea/tick prevention options out there and I think that is really the only thing that is going to help.

Seresto, Nexgard, Bravecto, Credelio, Advantix

You are going to need to apply/administer the medication for at least 3 months (flea life cycle) and vacuum every day.

You don't say the size of your dog, but a quick search on Chewy shows that Nexgard in the highest weight range would cost $72 for 3 chews.

Credelio $117 for a 6 month supply (again for the largest weight range) and
Bravecto $68 for 1 chew that lasts 3 months

Most Vet clinics will let you buy one chew/tube at a time as well.

He’s a toy poodle so small-medium size.

 

[Annalyse]

I doubt lemon juice is going to do anything at all. Adams Flea and Tick spray is inexpensive and works well. I believe they also make a powder you can sprinkle on carpet. You really need to aggressively address the fleas in the house or the dog will just keep getting reinfected with them.

We were thinking about bombing the house for 12 hours and that should kill any and all fleas at this point. The dog keeps getting them from the yard but we keep putting stuff down and nothing seems to work. I’ve been vacuuming and washing things daily. I’m going to put baking soda on the carpet for a little bit.

 

[Gizabelle]

Honestly, if you keep trying things that may work but aren't effective enough for a major infestation, you'll end up spending more than if you just use a capstar and topical and call an exterminator for your home and yard.
At least call around for an estimate (you may be surprised), major infestations can be just too much to handle on your own.