Deadly nightshade is natural - but would you give it to your pet?

Natural flea control is very popular. Just do a search on google and you can see how many different products are out there which claim to work against fleas. I’m sure that some of them do have some effect on fleas, but I doubt there is any natural flea control product that can compete with one of the veterinarian-only flea treatment products.

Why am I against natural flea control? Mainly because of the huge number of cases that I see at my vet clinic who use “natural flea control” but are still covered in fleas. On the other hand, the number of cases I see using a registered flea control product who are still having flea problems is almost non-existent. When they do have a problem, it is usually because they are not using the product properly, not because of any problems with the product.

But aren’t we poisoning our pets by using these products? You might be surprised to find that most of the registered flea control products have very wide safety margins. All of the major brands have several studies where animals have been given large doses of the product, and have shown little to no ill effects.

The same cannot be said for some natural products. For example, pennyroyal oil is known to be very toxic to dogs and cats when applied directly to the skin. And garlic, another common flea control agent, contains thiosulfate, which can damage the red blood cells and cause anaemia.

The other main reason to use a registered flea control product on your pet is because they actually work. One of the reasons that I recommend products like Frontline Plus, Comfortis, Advantage and Revolution is because all of the manufacturers of these products have published studies which prove the effectiveness of their products. The same cannot be said for natural flea control products, where anyone can make pretty much any claim they like without a lick of evidence to support it.

When it comes down to it, the choice is up to you. Do you want to use a synthetic product that actually kills fleas and prevents flea infestations, or would you rather use something natural, and  have something that has little or no effect on fleas but makes you feel good because it is “safer” for your pet?

To a flea free pet!

Dr. Simon

photo: BurningQuestion

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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.  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.  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.  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.  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

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