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Herbal v. commercial pest control
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When Spring rolls around, many good pet owners run out to buy new flea/tick collars for their animals. Unfortunately, many over the counter and some prescription pest control products contain dangerous chemicals, in particular propoxur and TCVP, tetrachlorovinphos. Side effects range from allergies to skin irritations to, in extreme cases, fatalities. These side effects apply to anyone touching the animal as well as the pet itself. If children are involved you run the risk of them getting the chemicals on their hands and then putting them in their mouths.
Thankfully, there are several herbal repellants that do a good job without harmful side effects. Ingredients to look for are wormwood, rue, peppermint and rosemary. However, do your research and check the ingredient list before purchasing. Even natural products like citronella and plain old baking soda can be toxic to cats. Here’s the recipe for a spray for dogs, but if you make it for cats, leave out the citronella.
Making your own repellant and applying it often enough, (about every other day), does requires more effort that strapping on a commercial flea collar. The percentage of pets that get sick from collars varies depending on the study you read and the people you talk to. If you are unsure, talk to your vet or health product specialist. Depending on what you buy, natural methods can be more expensive than commercial. However, if your pet needs medical treatment as a result, you’re stuck with a large vet bill.
If you decide to go herbal, I recommend Halo’s Cloud Nine Herbal Dip. It can be diluted and used as a spray or mixed in with herbal shampoo. We live in deer country and our dogs need protection, but they still sleep in the family beds. We’ve had no problems, and even like the smell!
For more info: Lynn's home page flea collar legal action in CA recipe for pest spray electromagnetic pest control
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