Keeping your dog Flea and Tick free AND healthy
Pet Parents purchase toxic chemicals intended to kill fleas and ticks. These include collars, sprays, dusts and more. Other Pet Parents take their pets to vets to be dipped in chemicals. Many consumers probably assume that the products they and their vets use have been tested and deemed safe. After all, how could the government let deadly poisons be sold on store shelves.
 |
| Maggie Buckingham |
Spot-On Pesticides such as Frontline Plus, Sentinal, Comfortis, Trifexis, Revolution, PetArmor, Hartz, NexGuard, K9 Advantix II, Biospot and Advantage just to name a few, can trigger adverse reactions in dogs and cats, shorten life spans, cause terminal illness, and premature death. The active ingredients in these solutions include chemicals such as imidacloprid, fipronil, permethrin, methoprene, and pyriproxyfen, all of which have caused serious health problems in animals. Even some of the inactive ingredients can be hazardous to your pet. Other forms of flea control powders (including carpet powders), collars, and sprays are no less dangerous to you or your pets. Immediate effects of pesticide overdose include vomiting, diarrhea, trembling, seizures, and respiratory problems. If your dog or cat shows any of these symptoms after the application of a pesticide, immediately wash the product off and seek immediate emergency veterinary care. Pets are sicker than ever. Veterinarians have seen a huge increase in the rate of liver disease, nervous system disorders, cancers, diabetes, renal failure and other diseases. Popular anti-flea and anti-tick medications are extremely toxic to the liver. To read more on these medications...click here.
As Dr Becker states in one of her articles, "The EPA issued an advisory about “spot-on” chemical products. These are products applied to the neck or back of dogs and cats as a flea and tick preventive.
The advisory was issued due to a significant increase in reported adverse reactions -- everything from mild skin irritation to seizures and death. In 2008, over 44,000 reactions presumed to be tied to spot-on products were reported by pet owners, veterinarians and other animal caretakers.
If you’re wondering why the EPA is involved in regulation of a pet medication, it’s because these particular products are considered pesticides, and pesticides fall under the EPA’s jurisdiction.
At the time the advisory was issued, manufacturers of spot-on flea and tick products predictably pointed out that no cause-and-effect relationship between the products and reported adverse reactions had been confirmed.
Common sense and the first-hand experience of people who have used the products, however, points to the extremely high likelihood that 44,000 reports in a single year do indeed link application of the products with adverse reactions.
And in fact, the 44,000 reported incidents in 2008 is a significant jump from 28,000 the prior year, and includes 600 deaths.
In my opinion, the risks of these products are simply too great to warrant their routine (monthly) use.
I encourage my dog and cat owner clients to avoid these pesticides in favor of safer alternatives.
What the EPA Found
Most adverse reactions were seen in dogs weighing between 10 and 20 pounds. Reactions in mixed breed dogs were most commonly reported, however, the Chihuahua, Shih Tzu, Miniature Poodle, Pomeranian, Dachshund, Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier and Bichon Frise seem particularly at risk.
Products containing cyphenothrin and permethrin were especially problematic for small breed dogs.
Most incidents occurred in dogs under three years old, likely at their first exposure to a spot-on product.
Adverse reactions for both dogs and cats were primarily skin, GI tract and nervous system related. Skin reactions included redness, itching, hair loss, sores and ulcers. Gastrointestinal symptoms included vomiting, diarrhea and salivation. Reported nervous system symptoms included lethargy, nervousness, ataxia (movement problems), tremors and seizure.
A number of adverse reactions in cats were the result of the cat either being treated with a product intended for dogs, or through exposure to a treated dog. Cats treated with products intended for dogs had an especially rate of serious reactions and fatalities. Inert ingredients in spot-on products were generally assumed to contribute to toxicity.Dosage ranges were considered to be too wide in some cases.
Product labeling was identified as needing a revamp in many cases. The EPA’s Companion Animal Studies guidelines are insufficient to predict the toxicity of spot-on products. The full EPA report can be found here, and includes a list of the specific products reviewed and the adverse reactions reported for each. For more information, you can also review the EPA Analysis and Mitigation Plan.
My Recommendations for Safe, Natural Flea and Tick Control
In addition to the risks associated with spot-on treatments, there is simply no chemical based pest control pill, dip, solution, shampoo, or collar that is without the potential for side effects.
Just because a compound is applied to or worn on your pet’s fur doesn’t mean it’s safe. Remember: what goes on your pet goes in your pet, by absorption through the skin or ingestion during grooming.
Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and other parasites feed first on unhealthy animals. So the goal of preventive pest control is to bring your dog or cat to optimal health, which will make him naturally more resilient and less attractive to parasites. Toward that end, I encourage you to work with your holistic vet -- visit the American Holistic Veterinary Medicine Association to find one who should also be able to provide a number of natural products for pest control.
Here are just a few suggestions:
Essential oil sprays containing lavender, peppermint, geranium, lemongrass or citronella can be very effective as parasite deterrents. You need to purchase a pre-blended product or work with an animal aromatherapist to make sure you’re using safe oils at the correct concentration as dog and cat doses are different.
Cedar oil is a long-recognized flea eradicator, and products exist that are specially formulated for cats and dogs.
Natural, food-grade diatomaceous earth helps to remove fleas and ticks from your pet’s body.
Fresh garlic can be given to dogs and cats to prevent internal as well as external parasites. Work with your vet to determine a safe amount for your pet’s body weight. ~Dr Becker
Here I have found some all natural flea and tick products to help ward off those pesty little boogers that come around every summer KEEP READING HERE
 |
| Marklee Von Eshen |