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Originally Posted by Maximo  I feel the same way -- hate the pesticide topicals. The oral flea meds scare me too. We use the flea and tick preventatives as little as possible and split the dose according to weight (heartworm preventatives and oral meds cannot be split or they are not effective).
For ticks, I check my boys carefully when we come in from outside. However, some of the most dangerous ticks are smaller than the head of a pin.
Some people use "natural" things, but be very careful with these. Many products sold as natural are not really safe. Arsenic is a natural substance, but it isn't safe (not that arsenic is sold as a flea preventative).
Various concoctions of natural oils -- some natural oils or combinations are toxic to dogs. There is a lot of debate over which ones. This makes me very nervous.
Diatomaceous earth, food grade is a must, is a popular alternative, but has to be applied daily, I think. I'm on the fence about this one. It's silica, isn't it? I worry about the long term effects of inhaling silica, natural though it may be. |
On the other side, any flea treatment that must be ingested terrifies me! With the topical, I tell myself if Kaji has a reaction I can try to scrub most of it off. But the kind that must be ingested, what do I do once it's absorbed in Kaji's system and he has a bad reaction?!?! I can't get rid of it. I hate these things. I feel like I'm damned if I do, and I'm damned if I don't. I can't win. :'(