Natural flea control - healthy alternative or potential toxin?
There is a great appeal to “going natural”. After all, natural things have been made by nature and this automatically makes them safer and less damaging to us and our pets, right? While this sounds good in theory, I personally believe that natural treatments are MORE likely to cause toxic problems in your pet, and you are certainly LESS likely to effectively treat your flea problem.
How can this be so?
Firstly, just because a product is “natural†does not mean that it is safe or contains no damaging chemicals.  Deadly nightshade is natural, but I think everyone agrees that it is not something that you or your pets want to come in contact with.
Natural flea control products work for the same reasons that manufactured products work: they are insecticides. Â This means they are toxic to fleas, and to some extent, all products that will kill fleas will be toxic to pets at a high enough concentration. Â This is true regardless whether the product you are using is natural or not.
The problem with natural flea remedies is that, on the whole, they are not subject to the same rigorous testing as veterinary medications are in order to be registered. Part of the reason why medications cost as much as they do is because of the large amount of testing that companies have to do to prove that their products work and don’t cause any toxic problems.
This testing means that you can use these products on your pet knowing that they have a low level of toxicity. Â For example, imidacloprid (the active ingredient in Advtantage and Advocate) has been given at 20 times the recommended dose in puppies with no ill effects.
When you use a natural therapy, it is hard to say with 100% certainty that the dose on the label is what you are giving your pet. Â It could be much less or potentially much more.
Here is something worth considering – there is a group of insecticides called pyrethins. Natural pyrethins are produced by plants, the most well known being Chrysanthenum.  There are also synthetic pyrethrins (pyrethroids) that are used for pest control.
The synthetic pyrethins are safer than the natural ones and cause less side effects!
Everyone has their own personal preferences for flea control, and all products used properly and responsibly can be safe. However, registered veterinary flea control products are proven safe and effective by objective studies. In my mind, this makes it a no-brainer. Sure you can use natural products, and they might work, but when you have safe, effective and reasonably priced products available, why bother?
To a flea free pet!
SimonNatural Flea Control versus Flea Treatment Medications – which is more toxic?
There is a great appeal to “going natural”. After all, natural things have been made by nature and this automatically makes them safer and less damaging to us and our pets, right? While this sounds good in theory, I personally believe that natural treatments are MORE likely to cause toxic problems in your pet, and you are certainly LESS likely to effectively treat your flea problem.
How can this be so?
Firstly, just because a product is “natural†does not mean that it is safe or contains no damaging chemicals.  Deadly nightshade is natural, but I think everyone agrees that it is not something that you or your pets want to come in contact with.
Natural flea control products work for the same reasons that manufactured products work: they are insecticides. Â This means they are toxic to fleas, and to some extent, all products that will kill fleas will be toxic to pets at a high enough concentration. Â This is true regardless whether the product you are using is natural or not.
The problem with natural flea remedies is that, on the whole, they are not subject to the same rigorous testing as veterinary medications are in order to be registered. Part of the reason why medications cost as much as they do is because of the large amount of testing that companies have to do to prove that their products work and don’t cause any toxic problems.
This testing means that you can use these products on your pet knowing that they have a low level of toxicity. Â For example, imidacloprid (the active ingredient in Advtantage and Advocate) has been given at 20 times the recommended dose in puppies with no ill effects.
When you use a natural therapy, it is hard to say with 100% certainty that the dose on the label is what you are giving your pet. Â It could be much less or potentially much more.
Here is something worth considering – there is a group of insecticides called pyrethins. Natural pyrethins are produced by plants, the most well known being Chrysanthenum.  There are also synthetic pyrethrins (pyrethroids) that are used for pest control.
The synthetic pyrethins are safer than the natural ones and cause less side effects!
Everyone has their own personal preferences for flea control, and all products used properly and responsibly can be safe. However, registered veterinary flea control products are proven safe and effective by objective studies. In my mind, this makes it a no-brainer. Sure you can use natural products, and they might work, but when you have safe, effective and reasonably priced products available, why bother?
To a flea free pet!
Simon
How can this be so?
Firstly, just because a product is “natural†does not mean that it is safe or contains no damaging chemicals.  Deadly nightshade is natural, but I think everyone agrees that it is not something that you or your pets want to come in contact with.
Natural flea control products work for the same reasons that manufactured products work: they are insecticides. Â This means they are toxic to fleas, and to some extent, all products that will kill fleas will be toxic to pets at a high enough concentration. Â This is true regardless whether the product you are using is natural or not.
The problem with natural flea remedies is that, on the whole, they are not subject to the same rigorous testing as veterinary medications are in order to be registered. Part of the reason why medications cost as much as they do is because of the large amount of testing that companies have to do to prove that their products work and don’t cause any toxic problems.
This testing means that you can use these products on your pet knowing that they have a low level of toxicity. Â For example, imidacloprid (the active ingredient in Advtantage and Advocate) has been given at 20 times the recommended dose in puppies with no ill effects.
When you use a natural therapy, it is hard to say with 100% certainty that the dose on the label is what you are giving your pet. Â It could be much less or potentially much more.
Here is something worth considering – there is a group of insecticides called pyrethins. Natural pyrethins are produced by plants, the most well known being Chrysanthenum.  There are also synthetic pyrethrins (pyrethroids) that are used for pest control.
The synthetic pyrethins are safer than the natural ones and cause less side effects!
Everyone has their own personal preferences for flea control, and all products used properly and responsibly can be safe. However, registered veterinary flea control products are proven safe and effective by objective studies. In my mind, this makes it a no-brainer. Sure you can use natural products, and they might work, but when you have safe, effective and reasonably priced products available, why bother?
To a flea free pet!
Simon
Technorati Tags: flea control, flea treatment, natural flea control, pyrethrins, pyrethroids, toxic
December 8th, 2009 | 
Author: 
Posted in flea treatment | 
Tags: flea control, flea treatment, natural flea control, pyrethrins, pyrethroids, toxic
Man this is why i just love the internet…it gives us free valuable information..and when i see posts like this it really makes me happy and thankfull to the person who wrote and posted it …thanks so much
You’re welcome. I am glad you enjoy my posts.