15 Sure Fire Solutions for Calming down Itchy Flea Bites

Do you keep feeling little tingles on your arm?  

What is going on?  Is your skin just crawling?  

Are your nerves on edge?  

   …………..OR……………..

Do you have some type of bug or parasite feasting on you?  

Could it be the pesky little flea?   

Yes, flea bites on humans can happen too!  

We decided to present a more attractive flea to you for this post.   The real deal is a bit creepy and scary... Yea, we know - we added some color to brighten up this little guy.  The flea is not normally orange and blue!   It is a medium brown color throughout and doesn't normally smile  :-)

If you have animals living in the home, then at some point, you may experience a flea jumping their pet ship and heading on over to your human transport system.

Fleas mainly bite to grab some of your blood, which is carrying  their much needed energy and nutrients.   It may take a flea several samples to find their preferred spot to start their feasting.     Their feed will last as long as you will let them.   Probably until you become uncomfortable and feel a little pain – yep that is when the good ole swat at them takes place.   

WHAT DO FLEA BITES  LOOK LIKE ON YOUR SKIN?

  You may have one little bite or a cluster of bites that need your attention.

In the name of keeping it simple, let’s talk about the flea bite on your skin and what you should and should not do for it first.

YOU SHOULD NOT:

• Scratch the itch – this can cause the bite to become infected and grow into a full blown sore which may need medical attention.    Note:  If you are going bonkers with the itching, gently pat on the bitten area.   But DO NOT rub or scratch!

YOU SHOULD address the itching by doing the following:

• Wash the area with soap and water first

WARNING:  If you begin to swell anywhere on your body: lips, cheeks, throat, etc.,  it means you are having an allergic reaction to the bite and should seek medical attention IMMEDIATELY.

• Apply any of these natural remedies:
  • Witch hazel
  • Tea Tree, Lavender, Olive, or Coconut Oil
  • Diluted (with water) Apple Cider Vinegar – this may burn a tad but this is magic juice!
  • Aloe Vera
  • Ice pack - or any frozen pack of (veggies, fruit, etc.)

• If natural remedies are not giving you relief (depending on the severity of the bite(s)), you can try some of these:
  • Calamine lotion
  • Peroxide
  • Any brand antihistamine
• It’s also a great idea to apply some type of bite antiseptic/antibiotic cream like Bactine or Neosporin.   This will continue to clean and stop any infection in its tracks.
• Let all liquid air dry and leave alone!!   If the area if covered with clothing, make sure it is loose and flowing so the material will not irritate the sore(s).

WHAT IF THE BITE IS ON MY PET?

If your pet is scratching like mad, chances are they have fleas on them.   Their continuous scratching is a huge clue to you that you need to take action to help your pet feel better!      Can you imagine how your pet must feel if they have hundreds of fleas all over their body biting and nipping at their skin?    You would scratch like crazy too!

YOUR GOAL:  Verify and Kill all fleas – Remove all flea eggs from your pet.   You need to go ahead and realize that this is not going to be the easiest task in the world but is very doable!!

YOUR STEPS:

1.  First, verify that the itching is due to fleas and not some other skin condition that would need medical attention.   This is easy to do.     Inspect your pet’s skin in different places around their body by parting their fur with your hands.    You should either see a tiny flea trying to skirt to safety or a small bunch of black particles or specks (which are flea eggs).   And trust us, if you find the eggs, then the fleas are plentiful on your pet.    If you haven’t found either one of these, then we recommend a visit to your pet’s vet for an examination.   With that being said, we think the chances are pretty great that you will find one or both!

2.  Give your pet a bath in warm water using some type of oatmeal shampoo.  We recommend our oatmeal shampoo & oatmeal conditioning rinse.  This will calm their itchy skin down and help them to feel better.    The fleas will retreat to dry ground so always start washing at your pet’s head and go down toward the tail and feet.   If your pet is still itching from the bites, you may want to consider giving them a low dose of Benadryl.   To learn more, read our post: How much Benadryl can you give a Dog. 

  For their ears, we recommend our ear wash with tea tree oil.

3.  Note:  The step above is for the itching and NOT the killing of the fleas!   Once you have provided some calming relief to your pet, it’s time to address the fleas.    You will want to wash them again using any type of shampoo that states it kills fleas (and preferably their eggs too).   Follow the directions closely for maximum effectiveness.   We think our oatmeal & flea relief shampoo and organic flea & tick shampoo rocks. 

4.  Freebie:   We are throwing a freebie trick in here for you.  Dawn dishwashing liquid has been known to kill fleas by smothering them.  You will need to lather up your pet and leave for about 10 minutes before rinsing.   Since Dawn is so concentrated, multiple rinses will be in order.

5.  Wash a 3^rd time in the oatmeal shampoo to calm their skin once more. 

6.  Dig out the fleas:

• Put a few drops of any dishwashing liquid in a small bowl next to you. 

•  Towel dry your pet.
• Use a flea comb to pick out any remaining “tough as nails” fleas.   Remember they will run to the head so address this area first with the comb.   (Our dog flea comb by Conair is very effective for grabbing these rascals.)   We are hoping you dig out dead fleas.   Regardless, dip the comb in the soapy water next to you to deposit the flea in the water.   It will not be able to jump out and will be a goner for sure now!

7.  Any blankets, bedding, and toys for your pet should be washed in hot water.

8.  After your pet has dried, re-inspect their skin.   If you still see fleas, start over at Step 3 above.

9.  Research a long term flea control solution for you and your pet.   Even if your pet lives in the home, they can pick up fleas any time they go out of the house – even if it is for a short period of time.  There are:

• Natural Remedies - You may want to consider our natural flea spray.
• Flea pills
• Flea liquid to apply to the top of their neck
• Flea collars - We have Seresto dog and cat collars!
• Flea sprays & powders
• Check our full line of flea solutions.

DO YOU HAVE A FLEA INFESTATION IN YOUR HOME? 

It could happen and happen to the best of us!  Yes, it happened to us once.    Here’s a simple way to tell if fleas have invaded your space.    Place several dishes of water mixed with dishwashing liquid on the floor throughout your home.      Leave alone.     Check back in 48 hours. 

If you have a flea issue, you will see some floating dead in the dishes.    Fleas are heavily attracted to the soapy mixture thinking it is scrumptious food and will jump in the bowl.  

The solution will suffocate them.    We know, that sounds a little mean even if it is a flea.  But hey, it’s you and your pet, or the fleas.   All three of you cannot cohabitate and be happy!!

  If you don’t see fleas in the soapy mixture, CELEBRATE!,   they were most likely just on your pet.

If you do see fleas in the soapy mixture, “Houston, we have a Problem”!    Flea infestations in your home are beyond the scope of this post.  Please contact us and we will be happy to send you your next steps for FREE.

Has this post on flea bites helped you or your pet?   Have you ever been bitten by a flea? 

Share your "flea" trials and tribulations with us below.  We want to hear your challenges with this pesky little creature and how you solved it.    You may know of another solution that can help others too!

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