Hello Friend,

A cheery Christmas Eve Eve to you and your pets.

I get MANY a question about Alternate forms of flea, tick and lice control, along with concerns about the side effects of the conventional veterinary chemicals used to treat them.

Is there a problem?

A former colleague of mine was of the belief that side effects to the topical chemicals ( such as Advantage and Revolution) are overblown..

But due to increasing reported side effects, the FDA has come out with a report on the "Safe Use of Flea and Tick Products". Here is the section discussing side effects:

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Caution with Spot-On Products
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In April 2009, EPA issued an advisory concerning spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control in cats and dogs. The advisory applies to approximately 70 products registered by EPA.

EPA is intensifying its evaluation of these products due to recent increases in the number of reported bad reactions. The reactions range from mild skin irritation to skin burns, seizures, and, in some cases, death. In May 2009, EPA met with registrants of spot-on pet pesticide products to discuss pet incident reports and EPA’s plans for enhanced evaluation of these products. EPA’s evaluation may result in actions such as additional label restrictions or cancellation of registration to remove certain spot-on products from the market.

Spot-on flea and tick products can be effective treatments, and many people use the products with no harmful effects to their pets. EPA does not advise pet owners to stop using spot-ons, but asks them to use caution and make informed decisions when selecting treatment methods.

EPA advises pet owners to

* carefully follow label directions and monitor their pets for any signs of a bad reaction after application, particularly when using these products for the first time
   
* talk to a veterinarian about responsible and effective use of flea and tick products

Health Canada (the Canadian federal health department) has identified similar concerns about the use of spot-on flea and tick products, and is working with EPA to address the issue.

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P.S. Here are a couple of options to help you treat and prevent fleas

holistically.

My Digital Book and Manual is now available for up to 50% OFF here:

http://www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com/holiday/

My next Inner Circle Video is on Holistic Flea/Lice and Tick Control. It's here:

http://www.theonlinevet.com