What is the best natural flea and tick treatment for your pet? Unfortunately, the answer is not the same for every household. Depending on where you live, your choice of tick treatment or flea treatment will be totally different than mine. The itching and scratching is just the beginning. You may feel comfortable using a 100% natural alternative to flea and tick pesticides, or you may want to combine natural treatments with vet prescribed methods of treating ticks and fleas where you can.
While I won't make this very personal decision about flea and tick treatments for you, I will give you the basic information you need, so you can feel confident that you made an informed choice on behalf of your furry family members. Whether you choose pesticides or parasitic nematodes (You'll have to read on for information on that little "can of worms"), my hope is to help clear up any confusion so you can choose the best option for your pets.
One thing I will say here though is that EnduraPet's natural herbal flea and tick formula is great for any option, as it can be used safely with any of the methods listed below.
Oops... I have to say another thing: While the decision is yours, I do strongly caution against most OTC sprays, dips, flea collars and powders. Read on to find out why. For now though, let's touch on why fleas and ticks are such a big deal beyond the itching and scratching woes they cause for your pets:
Dangers posed by fleas and ticks
Fleas can and do reproduce fast! A female can lay up to 100 eggs at a time, so your pet can go from having just one to having hundreds of fleas in a very short time. Even more than the infestation problem is the problem caused by flea bites. Flea bites cause itching, and with itching comes scratching. Scratching can cause any number of painful rashes which can become infected. In addition to painful infected rashes, pets can also pick up parasites like tapeworm, develop flea allergy dermatitis, become anemic, or contract serious diseases. Depending on the type of fleas in your area these diseases can include flea-borne typhus or yes, the dreaded bubonic plague.
Ticks are known for spreading Lyme Disease, but in the US they have also been known to bear other unwanted and life threatening gifts. These include babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado tick fever, tularemia, Q fever, and tick paralysis. Serious stuff indeed. Of course you want to keep fleas off of your precious friends. Balancing the severity of potential problems caused by these plentiful pests with the dangers associated with many common flea and tick remedies is important, and the decision may differ from person to person. What we want to do here is to give you an overview of what to look for so you can make an informed decision for your beloveds. As always, if something you read doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right for you, so listen to your gut.
Like I always say: You are your pet’s best defense and you know her (or him) better than anyone, so educating yourself about the options you have available is one of the best things you can do for the both of you.
Health Matters!
Good nutrition is absolutely the place to start. Animals with properly functioning immune systems are less attractive to pests and resist the many diseases carried by fleas and ticks. While it may be necessary to address fleas and ticks as well, please don’t forget to take care of your pet’s nutritional needs . This means feeding a wholesome diet free of nutritionally empty fillers, dyes and by-products. A column in itself, we’ll just leave it at that for now, but remember to care for that immune system while your pets are healthy. We give our pets Immune Support every day and have seen a halt to ear infections and skin allergies. And so far, we haven’t seen one flea. Then again I must remind you that we live in Colorado and not Pennsylvania or Florida.
Types of flea and tick control and what to watch out for
Organophosphate Insecticides & Carbamates
Found in most OTC (over the counter) flea and tick sprays on grocery and chain store shelves, the organophosphate insecticide tetrachlorvinphos
(TCVP) is extremely toxic to the nervous system. TCVP is the culprit in
the many cases where Hartz brand flea and tick products have been
linked to poisonings and deaths of so many companion animals. On their
own website, Hartz supplies the following warnings:
“Contains an organophosphate that inhibits cholinesterase.
NOTE TO PHYSICIANS AND VETERINARIANS: This product contains an organophosphate and may cause cholinesterase inhibition. Cholinergic symptoms may include salivation, miosis, incoordination, muscle fasciculation and/or weakness, vomiting and diarrhea. Atropine is antidotal. 2-PAM may be effective as an adjunct to atropine. Call your local Poison Control Center for further information.”
Carbamates are listed on ingredient labels as carbaryl or propoxur. Last September (Sept 2010), carbaryl was banned from inclusiuon in any flea or tick products, but products already on store shelves are still permitted to be sold.
Pyrethroid Spot-On Treatments
Permethrin is a pyrethoid insecticide. Just as it is on OPs and
carbamates, the EPA risk assigned to permethrin is that it is “likely
to be carcinogenic to humans.” Of course this leads me to believe that
translates to our sensitive furry family members too, yet permethrin and
pyrethoid insecticides are approved for use on pets’ skin.
While EPA approved, over-the counter pyrethroid spot-on treatments are consistently reported to the EPA to be the cause of deaths, seizures, brain and heart damage, the EPA continues to grant approval. This is partly because they contend that many reports come from pet guardians, not trained toxicologists, so proof is not solid. Hmmm…
For a deeper look at these risks, why the EPA continues to approve the dips, powders, sprays, collars etc. which use permethin as flea and tick control and why we find the facts so concerning, the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council ) filed a report over ten years ago which is particularly readable and informative. You can read it here: http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/pets/execsum.asp
The danger signs to watch for in pets who have been overexposed to poisons found in flea and tick treatments include skin rashes, hiding (avoiding people and other animals ), shivering or tremors, excess salivating , dilated pupils and vomiting. A trip to your veterinarian is in order immediately. Also, when your pet has been treated for any emergency associated with these products, please call the EPA’s National Pesticide Telecommunications Network at 800-858-7378.
The NRDC’s Green Paws page has an excellent list of many OTC flea and tick control products along with their ingredients and a risk assessment. Here’s the link: http://www.simplesteps.org/greenpaws-products
My take on this is that if it’s cheap and you found it at your local big-box-mart or at the grocery store, you are likely going to find these pesticides in your flea and tick control product.
Safer Alternatives
Prescription Oral Flea and Tick control Products
These are safer, since they do not need to be applied directly to your
pet’s skin. They do contain pesticides though, and in some cases can
cause significant danger and allergic reaction in pets. If you live in
an area where infestations are unbearable, your veterinarian may advise
using one of these safer once a month oral medications.
Topical sprays Made With Essential Oils
While pesticide free and much safer than chemical pest control, care
still needs to be taken when using essential oil preparations to combat
fleas and ticks. Always use a formula designed specifically for pets,
and make sure the oils are natural and organic, not synthetic. Cats in
particular are very sensitive to essential oils so make sure the
formulation you choose is safe for cats before using. Some people advise
not to use essential oils with cats. We have seen a few carefully formulated
and diluted sprays which can be used safely. In fact, we work with a
holistic veterinarian who makes EnduraPet's herbal flea and tick spray. Even with these safe and natural sprays, care must be taken.
Remember that although herbs are “natural”, they can be potent
antagonists also! It is also important that you never spray essential
oil flea and tick preparations in the eyes, face or on genitals of your
pet. Never EVER use pennyroyal oil on pets, as it can cause serious
neurological damage. Oils like peppermint, cedar, clove, and lemongrass
are safest but still need to be used wisely. Lemon eucalyptus oil in
particular does a tremendous job of killing fungus and repelling
mosquitoes but as with all essential oils, should only be used on pets
if formulated specifically for them. That's why we love our formula so much. But then of course we do!
Bonus: Herbal sprays can be used with oral flea and tick control methods quite nicely for extra protection. More often than not, they can also be used for humans. Sharing is caring, after all
Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth
Food grade diatomaceous earth (that’s a mouthful. let’s just call it DE,
shall we?) works by dehydrating fleas and ticks that come in contact
with it, usually in anywhere from one to 72 hours. It is not poisonous
to pets. It is important that you choose food-grade for pets. DE can be
sprinkled in your home and on your pets. Don’t forget to sprinkle on
their beds, too. It can be used outside in any area where fleas
frequent. The catch is that if the area treated (and this includes your
pet) gets wet, the area needs to be retreated.
Parasitic Nematodes
Yes. Parasitic nematodes. Steinernema carpocapse Nematodes to be exact.
These are not the same nematodes which wreak havoc on plants and can
attach people and pets. Parasitic nematodes destructive ways are limited
to only certain insects and have been reported to be incredibly
effective in controlling fleas in soil and lawns which get wet
regularly. Unlike DE, they will survive wet conditions. They are easy to
apply (most can be sprayed with a garden sprayer) and are affordable.
Nutritional Yeast and Garlic
Nutritional (or Brewer’s) yeast and garlic work by making pets’ blood
taste awful to fleas. Many companies offer pet-safe formulations in
tablet form , or you can add these yourself. I buy nutritional yeast in
the bulk foods section of my local natural grocer. Take special care
with garlic and pets. Especially in cats as it can be toxic. I would
avoid adding it unless fleas are unresponsive to yeast, and then only
after discussing garlic safety with an animal health professional. If
you want to try using nutritional or brewer’s yeast, start by adding
about a teaspoon of brewer’s yeast to food for cats and small dogs, and
about a tablespoon for large dogs. Watch for an allergic reaction and
stomach upset before adding anything else. Most pets like the way it
tastes.
So What’s Best For My Pet?
I won’t sit here in relatively benign Colorado and tell you that what
works here for my furry family will be the same solution for your furry
family in Florida, California or wherever you may live. What I hope you
gained from this article is a better understanding of the need for flea
control and also the very real risks associated with the treatment
options most readily available. I hope that you will take a good look at
your pet’s nutrition and that you will consider using natural
alternatives to chemicals first. Keep in mind that the risks and
discomfort associated with fleas and ticks are almost always greater
than not treating for them at all, so learn what you can and ask a lot
of questions . Your pets will thank you!
