Lab studies into the constituents of seven popular flea and tick control products show unfavorable health effects in every animal that was tested. The effect of these widely known and forcefully promoted products range from paroxysms, body tremors and labored breathing to thyroid cancer, brain lesions, and both liver and lung tumors. Yet Television adverts with trusty looking veterinarians promote only the benign facet of these products.

Which flea and tick pesticide are you using on your cat and/or dog? If your favourite remedy contains the active ingredient Methoprene, Permethrin, Pyriproxyfen, Fipronil, Imidacloprid or the inactive ingredient Carbitol, Ethanol, Polyvinlpyrrplidone, Butyldydroxytoluene, or Butylhydroxanisole, you need to be informed about the less-than-happy side of these products as well.

If you think your veterinarian or local pet store would not sell you such a malign poison, then think again.

BioSpot Flea & Tick Control (Farnam Pet Products), Defend EXspot Treatment (Schering-Plough Animal Health), Frontline Top spot (Merial Limited), Frontline Plus (Merial Limited), Zodiac FleaTrol Spot On (Wellmark Global), Advantage (Bayer Corporation), and Adams Spot-On Flea & Tick Control (Farnam Pet Products) – all incorporate a few of the aforementioned active or inactive ingredients.

Toxicology and morbidity observations from these pesticide products were collected over a decade of laboratory testing by the United States Environmental Protection Agency ; Occupational Safety & Health Administration, U.S. Dep. of Labor ; Extension Toxicology Network ; Journal of Pesticide Reform ; Pesticide Action Network North America and different sources, with additional information supplied by Material Safety Data Sheets.

Most testing was performed for the sake of new product manufacturers in order to qualify for EPA registration. Scientists overdose laboratory animals to ascertain what proportion of the product will kill half of the test population. Information is then extrapolated and conclusions drawn that may apply to pets and human beings.

According to lab tests, Fipronil (Frontline Plus and Frontline Top Spot) is a neurotoxin and alleged human cancer agent. Fipronil may cause raised cholesterol, lack of coordination, labored breathing, miscarriages, stunted offspring, liver toxicity, thyroid cancer and kidney damage.

Laboratory testing of Imidacloprid (Advantage) on rats, mice and dogs shows this pesticide to be neurotoxic to laboratory animals, also causing lesions of the thyroid, reduced birth weight, increased birth defects, a breakdown of coordination and worked breathing.

The synthesised broad spectrum pyrethroid pesticide Permethrin (BioSpot Flea & Tick Control ; Defend EXspot Treatment ; and Adams Spot-on Flea & Tick Control) shows indications of being an endocrine disrupter and the reason behind lung cancer and liver tumors in lab animals.

Methoprene and Pyriproxyfen (Zodiac FleaTrol Spot On ; and BioSpot Flea & Tick Control) are called insect growth regulators (IGR), each of which limit the growth of fleas to the juvenile stage where reproduction is impossible. Lab testing exposes Methoprene causes enlarged livers and degeneration of the kidneys.

Unfortunately, few people actually study test results from the EPA. Fewer still desire to learn about the many lab test subjects (unwanted dogs and cats) murdered during and after the studies so as to establish damage to particular systems and organs. However, it’ll only take a few people with straightforward thinking to cause change. Are you prepared to stop this madness? There are effective alternatives, as you appreciate.

Today there are totally natural, chemical-free flea and tick remedies – totally innocuous to youngsters, pets and the environment – made of pure botanical essential oils. Some natural products work reasonably well, some work less well, and some work much better than the toxic stuff!

The mode of action – the way these natural cures kill fleas and ticks – is to interrupt the insect’s capability to function by obstructing a substance called octopamine. In nature, particular plants have developed a natural shield against bugs. These “octopamine blockers” in plants are extracted as oils and used as active components. Octopamine is to insects what adrenalin is to us humans. When blocked from the system, the insect quickly dies. No muss, no fussing. No-one gets hurt but the bug.

Please start today to stop supporting the heartless lab testing of innocent animals, the insidious cover-up and rush to market of giant business, and the unwitting damage we may be doing to our kids, our pets, and our world.

Please check out the natural flea and tick remedy I always recommend, TripleSure.

Gary Le Mon is a Board Certified Master Herbalist specializing in natural home remedies for dogs and cats. Please go to Natural Wonder Pets for BOGO Specials and helpful information about 100 per cent natural herbal remedies you can administer in the comfort of your own home to treat your pets.