Recent EPA Report regarding Spot On Flea preventatives

[Adina P]

In case anyone is interested... http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/petproductseval.html

The recent increased reporting of issues really bothers me because I don't believe in most natural remedies for preventing fleas/ticks. So now I'm afraid of Frontline and am afraid of NOT using Frontline.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

"The recent increased reporting of issues really bothers me because I don't believe in most natural remedies for preventing fleas/ticks. So now I'm afraid of Frontline and am afraid of NOT using Frontline."

Yes, that about sums up my feelings right now. I have to use something, risking a flea infestation is not an option for Jack. And that EPA website is so difficult to navigate, for me anyway. Is there a report that gives specific information on a product by product basis in terms of how many adverse reactions were reported, so we could maybe choose from among the lesser of the evils?

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

These reports have been leaking out for about a year now. The EPA put out a report last year about some of the side effects of the spot-on treatments. Karen, you should talk to Jack's specialist. She seemed like she was on top of changes in the field. You should bring this to her. I know, years ago, before the spot-ons and when I lived in FL, I gave my dogs a monthly flea dip and never had a problem. There is too many questions about these F/T treatments that I have opted for the Cedarcide Spray and the flea baths once a month. No fleas and very few ticks last year. Here comes year two, no Frontline.

[Adina P]

While I appreciate personal success stories, I am such a skeptic merely because for years Cass got NO treatment and has only gotten fleas I think twice in her life. So my guess is that even with nothing some dogs won't get fleas too often.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

I agree with that, Adina. For many, many years we used nothing. Even last year when Ginger and Jack a had Lymes positive, it was 21 days of antibiotics and this year the test was clear. (It was also as I was trying every natural treatment on the planet, pre-cedarcide). I think those spot-ons are bad for our dogs and refuse to use them.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I never used anything on my last dog, either, and she never got fleas. Then at the age of 14, she got the mother of all flea infestations. It took 3 months and thousands of dollars to get rid of them, and I don't think she or I were ever the same.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Maybe dogs are like people and mosquitoes. If I am sitting outside with several people I'm always the one bitten. Also, the bites swell to a huge size if I don't get hydrocortisone on them right away. I know other people like this, too. I have seasonal and food allergies, which may be why the bites swell. As to why the mosquitoes prefer me, just good taste I guess: ) Actually, I just found this (how did I live before the internet)

Scientists have identified several proteins found in mosquitoes’ antennae and heads that latch on to chemical markers, or odorants, emitted from our skin. These markers are produced by the natural processes of our bodies and, like neon signs, they let the mosquitoes’ smell center know you’re around (though the process that then guides them to you is not well understood). Flies and mosquitoes share a number of the same genes that dictate production of these odorant-binding proteins, which have specific sites that will catch or bind with certain chemicals in the air. Some scientists suggest that certain characteristics attract mosquitoes, thereby leading us to have more bites than others. Some of the top candidates: the amount of carbon dioxide in the breath, pregnancy, body temperature, alcohol and odorant markers based on blood type.

Blood-type markers are chemicals released by people of a specific blood type – so if someone with AB blood emitted a marker, it would be different than that released by B. One study found persons with Type O blood suffered more mosquito landings because of the odorant markers they emit than any other blood type, making their juices a hot commodity for blood banks, as well as Asian Tiger Mosquitoes, which carry West Nile Virus. Not only were Type O’s more likely to be landed on, but the study found that for any blood type, people who secreted a chemical marker about their blood type through their skin (both blood type and secretor status are determined by genes) were bitten much more than non-secretors; 24 percent in the case of the Type O’s. Other researchers estimate about 15 percent of the population, based on their genes, don’t emit chemical markers of their blood type through their skin and saliva, so something else has to be calling the mosquitoes to them.

For the whole article:
http://www.scienceline.org/2007/09/10/ask-knight-mosquitoes/

Not to reveal too much personal information but I am a Type O. Why is this knowledge not comforting somehow?

[Adina P]

HMMMM interesting.

[Melissa, Samson & Shelby]

Lynne, What is the Cedarcide spray for, ticks or fleas? I'm not familiar with that. When you say that you had very few ticks last year, do you mean that you found very few that had bitten your dogs and were attached? Or that were in their hair? On Frontline, I found less than three total on my two dogs during the course of last summer. The ones that I found were climbing in their hair. Thanks!

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Cedarcide is an all natural spray with cedar oil that keeps away all bugs. I found it at cedarcide.com. It even works to keep away those seed ants that always find a way in. I spray the dogs legs and belly about once a week, I spray their beds, the doorways and around the yard. You can even spray on people and kids and it smells nice...like a cedar closet. Last year, I found 1 tick walking on Jack's back and 2 on Cody (Bijon) but that was in September when I started being lax in spraying every week. Even with the Frontline, I used to see them here and there.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I respectfully disagree. Fragrance is in the nose of the sniffer : ) I had hoped that the smell was like a cedar closet and there is some of that. But there is also some sort of undertone, if that's the right word, that I don't like. Maybe I just prefer my doodles natural smell : ) I can't say how well it works since I ended up rarely using it. I am going to try to use the preparation I bought last year, form the same folks, to spray around the yard. At least that way the smell won't end up in my bed, I hope.

[Tante & Jordan & now Annie!]

I am with you F.Parker! I have it here and I "treated" the house. It smells like Cedar with a menthol or medicine undertone. I never use it. My sister came over days after I used and she said what is that horrible smell?! She is what like Pine Sol made with Cedar.

[Melissa, Samson & Shelby]

I think that I am more afraid of not using Frontline. The ticks bother me the most. We don't encounter them in our yard, but when we travel frequently in the summer I have found ticks in the dogs hair.

The EPA website was interesting. It seemed to raise particular concerns over the use of spot on treatment in smaller dogs, and dogs who are pregnant or nursing, older, or had health concerns. The EPA talks about additional requirements and changes, hopefully we will see those sooner rather than later. I didn't see any timelines.

I also thought that the discussion on dosing being applied to narrower weight ranges was very relevant. That hit home with me since my dogs are 60 lbs. They get the 50-100 lb dose which is surely more than they require.