The Hidden Dangers of Flea and Tick Preventatives: What Pet Owners Need to Know

14 Apr

Written By Libby Halpin BCCS.Dip Hth Nut, ISCP.Dip.Canine.Nutrition, Dip.Dog Nutrigenomics

Flea and tick preventatives are among the most commonly prescribed chemicals for pets. Many veterinarians include these treatments in monthly pet care plans, often encouraging pet owners to sign up during routine visits. While marketed as essential for pest control, these treatments come with significant health risks for both pets and humans.

The Toxic Truth About Chemical Preventatives

Most flea and tick treatments work by using pesticides that target pests once they bite the animal. These chemicals, however, can accumulate in the skin and bloodstream of pets, posing risks not just to the pests but to the animals themselves.

• Delayed Effectiveness: Ticks and fleas need to bite and ingest blood before dying, leaving a window of time to transmit diseases.

• FDA Warnings: In September 2018, the FDA issued a warning for products containing isoxazoline pesticides, citing adverse reactions in pets, including seizures, skin disorders, and more, even in animals with no prior health issues.

Isoxazoline Products to Avoid

If you’re considering chemical flea and tick preventatives, be wary of the following popular products:

• Bravecto Plus (Fluralaner / Moxidectin)

• Simparica (Sarolaner)

• Nexgard (Afoxolaner)

• Nexgard Spectra (Milbemycin / Afoxolaner)

• Credelio (Lotilaner)

• Revolution Plus (Selamectin / Sarolaner)

• Simparica Triple (Sarolaner / Moxidectin)

While veterinarians may assure you that these treatments are “safe” with “rare” side effects, studies suggest otherwise. Both the active and inactive ingredients in these chemical parasite treatments have been linked to serious health effects in pets Even a single dose could jeopardise your pet’s health.

The Environmental protection agency study

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has conducted studies revealing severe long-term effects of chemical preventatives. A notable study, the Dobozy study found that:

• Animals exposed to these treatments developed thyroid cancer and showed significant alterations in thyroid function.

• Other side effects included liver and kidney toxicity, reduced fertility, and neuropathic convulsions.

• Claims that these chemicals remain confined to the skin’s oil glands were debunked, proving they spread systemically throughout the body.

Natural Alternatives: A Safer Approach

Fortunately, there are safer, natural options to protect your pets from fleas, ticks, and worms. Prevention is key, and focusing on your pet’s overall health can make them less attractive to parasites.

Why Natural Methods Work

Natural preventatives aim to strengthen your pet’s immune system, rather than purging the body with harmful chemicals. Since 80% of the immune system resides in the gut, a balanced, healthy diet is essential for parasite resistance.

• Feed your pet a natural, meat-based diet with whole foods.

• Avoid overly processed foods that weaken the immune system.

Comprehensive Natural Prevention

To effectively prevent fleas and ticks without chemicals, we recommend a layered approach using:

1. Topical Applications: Natural sprays or spot-on treatments.

2. Physical Barriers: Collars or tags infused with natural repellents.

3. Internal Supplements: Digestible products that support gut health and deter parasites from the inside out.

It's important to state that a dog with a strong immune system is less likely to be a host for any kind of parasite. Approximately 80% of the immune system is in the gut, so giving your dog the best diet you can will help keep worms away.Feed your dog natural, whole food, preferably fresh meat-based diet and you're already doing a lot of work to make your pet an unattractive host to parasites.

Recommended Natural Products

There are over 150 chemical-free flea and tick prevention products available worldwide on our list below. We try and update this list regularly as well as keeping track of expired links but some may be broken. If you find a broken link please update Libby via Facebook or our group so she can update this asap. Depending on your location, you may need to explore options from neighbouring countries - especially in Europe.

Regular Checks and Prevention

• Perform worm counts at least twice a year.

• Inspect your pet regularly, especially during high-risk seasons for fleas and ticks.

Conclusion

Chemical flea and tick treatments may promise convenience, but the risks to your pet’s health are too great to ignore. By prioritising natural alternatives and a healthy lifestyle, you can protect your furry friend without exposing them to harmful toxins. Prevention is possible without compromise—choose natural solutions and keep your pets safe. To learn more about the flea cycle and infestations and how to get rid of them click here. And if you’d like to learn more about worms, click here.

Click here to download our guide to ticks

Click here to download our guide to removing ticks.

UNITED KINGDOM

40.Herbal Flea & Tick - Hackney Dog House

41. Natural Enzymes KG Pet flea & tick Spray

42.Cedarcide Tickshield Extra Strength (fleas and ticks)

43.Cedarside flea and tick original

44.River & Wren Botanical Flea & Tick Blend 200g

45. Serendipity Neem Team - Neem Shield Herbs 300g

46.Buddycare flea & tick defence

47..Bug K9 - Flea & Worm defence

48.Pets Purest flea & tick defence spray

49.D.E Flea & tick

50.D.Eeem Flea & Tick

51.Derma dog punch pot herbal defence blend Flea & Tick

52.Derma dog flea and tick spray

53.Diet dog flea & tick defence drops

54.CSJ Skinny Spray for Dogs (Flea & Tick)

55.Wildwash flea and tick spray

56.Proflax keep off me repellant powder (flea & tick)

57.Proflax keep off me flea and tick tincture

58.Kanex intestinal parasite prevention

59.Herbal dog co worm prevention

60. Verm x crunchies worm prevention

61.Cedarcide Flea & tick treated brush

62.Barnabys Bug Defence - flea and tick prevention

63.Pro dog repel - flea and tick prevention

64.Alexander Naturals Bugzilla spray - flea and tick prevention

65.Alexander naturals Bugzilla spot on - flea and tick prevention

66.Wormwood ++ by Holistic Hound (natural alternative to chemical wormer - repels and expels)

67.Ticked Off by Holistic Hound (Flea & Tick Prevention)

68.Don’t bug me by Holistic Hound ( Flea & Tick Prevention & Treatment (repels and kills)

70. NATPAT flea & tick patch (flea & tick repellant)

UK WORM COUNT KITS

1.Worm Count for dogs uk - Lungworm & worm count double kit £29;

www.wormcountsfordogs.co.uk/lungworm-and-worm-count-bundle kit.html

2.Worm Count labs - Lungworm & Worm count kit £24.38; wormcount.com/order-now/ Worm Count for dogs uk - Giardia Test kit £14.00;

https://www.wormcountsfordogs.co.uk/giardia-test-kit-for-dogs-and-cats.ht ml

3.Worm Count labs - Giardia Kit £25.00;

https://wormcount.com/order-now/

4.Feclab - Worm Count kit £18 Use Code DCUSP10 for 10% off of all kits;

https://www.feclab.co.uk/product/dog/

5.Feclab - Lungworm kit £20 Use Code DCUSP10 for 10% off of all kits;

https://www.feclab.co.uk/shop/dogs-and-cats/

6.Feclab - Giardia test kit £12.99 Use Code DCUSP10 for 10% off of all kits;

https://www.feclab.co.uk/shop/dogs-and-cats/

7.Healthful pets worm count £16.00

8.Healthful pets lungworm count £17.00

9.Vince the vet lungworm kit £21

10.Vince the vet wormcount kit £19.95

11.Vince the vet lungworm and wormcount kit £37

USA

Libbys Passion For Natural Health And Nutrition Began When she Lost Her Rescue Westie, Poppy - When That Happened, She Vowed She Would Learn More And Do Better For The Next Dog! And With That, Along Came Darcy In October ‘18, Darcy. Darcy Was Libby’s First Cavalier And She Knew She Needed To Learn An Awful Lot About The Breed - In Doing So, Began To Learn That Cavaliers Were Predisposed To Several Serious Health Conditions Such As MVD, SM & CM, Etc. It was at this point She Knew She Had To Do Everything Right From Day One To Ensure She Could Give Her Cavaliers The Best Possible Chance In Life.She joined THCKCS facebook group and became a frequent poster. Eventually, after learning so much, she was invited to become part of the team in 2019 and the rest is history.

Libby has a special interest in probiotics, gut health and has a sharp eye for harmful excipients commonly used in pet foods, treats, supplements & other products. She has studied under DNUniversity in raw feeding, homoeopathy, essential oils and the clinical canine nutrition formulation course from the Raw Vet

The Hidden Dangers of Flea and Tick Preventatives: What Pet Owners Need to Know

The Toxic Truth About Chemical Preventatives

Isoxazoline Products to Avoid

The Environmental protection agency study

Natural Alternatives: A Safer Approach

Comprehensive Natural Prevention

Recommended Natural Products

Regular Checks and Prevention

Conclusion

UNITED KINGDOM

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