I’ve always felt uneasy petting my dogs when I’ve recently administered topical parasite repellent, even though I make sure to wash my hands right after. It was something I tolerated and just ignored, until I had a kid in the picture. Now, with a tiny, vulnerable person hanging onto the dogs every chance she gets and putting her hands in her mouth the rest of the time, insecticides seem like even more of a bad idea. I worry about chemicals on her skin, in the dander the dogs release, and the residue on their bedding. With all the effort I expend trying to keep toxins out of my kid, applying toxins to her best friends seemed like a bad idea.
My holistic vet recommended Alzoo repellents. They offer a range of pet repellent products, including collars, topical ointment, shampoo, and spray to keep the nasties off of dogs, cats, horses, and even people using natural ingredients (geranio, citronella oil, cinnamon oil). No more insecticides and no more feeling like my dogs are contaminated.
Which product do I go with? Based on the fact that my dogs don’t spend much time in the rugged outdoors and that the flea levels are low in my area, I decided that my dogs would do fine with just the collars. Though, I was advised that I could add on the spray or topical drops if I started to see a problem. No one really wants to “wait and see” if their flea prevention works...but it did!
Another upside: there’s nothing to remember with a four month collar. I was unaware that there was an allergy test component to the collar, but that didn’t cause any issues. Unlike some other “apply as needed” alternatives, it’s a one and done. There is a unique smell to the collars, not unlike the strong smell in a garden center with citronella and geraniums, but it wasn’t unpleasant, dissipated within days, and was gone after a couple of weeks. (If the smell bothers you, Alzoo recommends only using the collar when outside, until the smell subsides.) At an average of $14 per collar, I can’t see one reason I’d ever go back to putting insecticides on my pets.
It wasn’t until I was fully on the Alzoo bandwagon that I did a little more reading. Turns out that the chemicals in most insecticide-based treatments can seriously harm the central nervous system when absorbed through the skin. Think about it. You’re applying a neuro-toxin that is absorbable through the skin TO THE SKIN! It’s no wonder that some of these chemicals are now being banned in countries worldwide.
While I’ve had good luck with some other natural sprays and flea repellents, the collar option just seems easier and more reliable. It’s the method I’ll trust again this flea season.
Have you tried a natural flea and tick prevention? What was your experience?