How to Safely Keep Fleas and Ticks Off Your Dogs and Cats

Hundreds of thousands of well-meaning pet owners dose their animals with any of several assorted brands of topical flea and tick prevention and/or elimination products. Many of these are applied on a monthly basis, others quarterly.

The longer the interval between applications, the stronger the product must be, and the more residual effect it will have. At first glance, this seems to be a benefit, as none of us want an infestation of these pests in our homes.

However, there is a very serious downside to these potent and residual chemicals. Remember--these are products designed to kill living things. No matter that "mere insects" are the target population; the ingredients are still toxins. Toxins are poisons, and poison is a great thing to keep away from animals and children.

Since children often come into close and frequent contact with the family pets, this is a concern as well. If a child hugs a dog who has just been dosed with one of these products, there is a very real risk that it will end up inside the child. We all know kids are not very good at keeping their hands and fingers away from their faces, licking their fingers, eating without washing hands, and so forth.

Be aware, it is not necessary for a child or anyone else to actually ingest, or eat, these toxins to be affected--many are able to be absorbed through the skin.

For example, Propoxur (flea) collars were found in an NRDC study to deposit 100x the "acceptable" amount into the home environment in only 3 days for adults and a whopping 1000x the threshold for children. "...to deposit ... into the home environment..." This means you don't even need to come into direct contact with the product--it is out-gassing--making the ingredients airborne!!

The problem with the Over-The-Counter (OTC) products is their widespread availability to the public at large. It is the equivalent of trying to self-diagnose and self-medicate without consulting your doctor, because anyone can buy these products and apply them to their dogs and cats without medical or veterinary training.

Unfortunately, many of these preparations have been shown to cause serious harm to the animal they are intended to protect. All are toxins of one sort or another. Neurological damage can be severe, and can even lead to death. Here are some of the statistics:

• 44K Dogs and Cats were harmed in 2008** alone, just in the USA
• EPA reports are low, due to their reliance on the manufacturers to do the incidence reporting
• 2009** numbers were up by an extreme increase early in the year
• There was 53% increase from 2007 to 2008
• These numbers document only topical application products, and do not include harm caused by shampoos, dips, powders, collars or sprays with the same or similar ingredients
• 2008 estimates are for an aggregate of 300K animals harmed
• "All Natural" on the label does not necessarily mean "non-toxic"

These products are all manufactured and marketed by "trusted" names in the pet industry, that cannot be mentioned at this time due to ongoing legal issues.

The terms "natural," or "all natural" are little but marketing ploys, and are widely misued and misleading. After all, arsenic is natural, but hardly harmless.

** Most recent figures available

Pyrethrins are a very common ingredient, and fall under "natural," because they are derived from Chrysanthemums. (That is not to say that they are actually Chrysanthemums however.) Pyrethrins are a severe toxin, not only to cats and dogs, but also to humans, and especially children. They are responsible for the greatest amount of pet death and damage.

Other "natural" essences are also problematic, because our pets cannot rid their bodies of them through the metabolic process. Dogs have trouble metabolizing several, cats with most. Some of these ingredients, which do not seem to be of much problem to humans include:

• citrus
• cedar
• peppermint
• lauryl sulfate
• thyme
• cinnamon
• pennyroyal
• clove
• rosemary
• tea tree
• neem oil

Any one of these, alone or in combination, may be found in OTC flea and tick products. They are best avoided for the health and safety of your pet.

Never use antibacterial soaps on your pets.

You may recall the ban of the chemical DDT back in 1972. This was due to a pervasie and residual effect, which had a severe impact on exposed wildlife. The problem with the topical or "spot-on" flea and tick products is similar. Even today, nearly 40 years later, DDT residue is still being found.

Similarly, the insectiside Dieldrin™, a chlorinated hydrocarbon, had long-lasting residual effects. It was banned in 1987. When I was a child, we had numerous infestations of ants getting into the house. My father got hold of Dieldrin™, and sprayed it all the way around the foundation of the house, both inside the garage and the full outside perimeter. This was probably back in about the 1958 to 1960 era. He made only the single application. We never had another single ant or other insect in that house from that day forward, until the house was sold in 2003! Almost 50 years worth of residue "protecting" us.

Every time a problem pesticide gets banned, it seems another is lurking in the wings to take its place. The current round includes these other assorted natural, yet still harmful, ingredients and their synthetic cousins. There is a movement underway to ask for these to be banned as well, or at the very least, prohibited from use in products intended for use on pets.

Here is a very personal story of what happened to cclitgirl's dog because of these toxins. (Luckily, her dog recovered, but that is not always the case.) Please, be aware that these products are not harmless!

Safe for application to pets are pure glycerin soaps and food-grade diatomaceous earth, rubbed into the coat as you would a commercial flea powder. Use it sparingly---a little goes a long way. It is bad for pests, and works by scratching the outer shell of the insect so they dry out and die, but used carefully, is safe for your pet. Keep it away from the animal's face; you don't want them inhaling it into their lungs.

The best way to use the diatomaceous earth is on a hard-surfaced or smooth-carpeted floor, such as the bathroom. Sprinkle some on the floor--then, as you flea-comb your pet, any fleas that hop off will land in the DE, and be done in. Vaccuum thoroughly when finished. Don't forget to wash the pet's bedding, and any loose blankets or clothing on which the pet may have lain.

Flea-combing your pet is another combative measure that can be taken as often as you wish, as this is a purely mechanical method of flea removal, and therefore non-toxic. It is probably most effective after a bath or application of the diatomaceous earth, so that the fleas removed with the comb are not viable to hop off the pet onto you or into your carpets.

No flea-control program is complete without careful, frequent vacuuming and dusting. Don't forget the couch cushions and under the couch as well. Especially where there are dogs in the home, because dogs go in and out, and can continually transport fleas and ticks into the home.

Cats who remain as indoor-only pets are easier to keep flea and tick-free, once any initial infestation has been cleared up; that is, if it is a cat-only household. Where both cats and dogs reside, there is still the problem of the dogs as transport agents.

If you have a large yard where your dog spends a lot of time in addition to time spent indoors, the yard must also be treated.

Damage to the body's endocrine system is a major problem with all of these chemicals, including the natural toxins. Growing children are especially susceptible, as are your pets. Even full-grown dogs and cats are smaller than we are, and therefore more vulnerable, and that goes at least double for puppies and kittens; infants of any species have not yet developed any defenses.

If you're interested in all the medical details, visit Tiny Timmy's website for full information on endocrine disruption and other dangers.

There is a worldwide movement afoot to bring a halt to the widespread use of such terrible poisons in our homes. It is called the T.O.Y. Army, and is made up of volunteers spreading the word by placing "Timmy Stones" in public places whenever they can.

T.O.Y. stands for "Timmy, Oliver and You." Tiny Timmy is a cat suffering from severe neurological problems as a direct result of such toxic flea products; Oliver is a kitty who died from exposure to these preparations. "You," of course, is you, dear reader. You can join the "army" and help to place Timmy Stones.

Timmy Stones are ordinary small rocks, painted with the T.O.Y. Army logo, and listing the website. You can paint them yourself, or you can order them (free) from the website. See the sidebar for the links.

Once someone places a stone, they let the organizers know, and provide a photo if possible. Then, when someone finds a stone, they are instructed to let the organizers know where and who found it. They can keep the stone, or pass it on to a new location.

The movement is gaining steam, and the group has met with the EPA in the interest of getting these toxins banned from all products for use on pets.

Won't you join in the fight?