Topical/Oral Flea Treatments

 

Prior to these “miracle drugs”, flea control was unreliable. Pest controls and the public had an improper understanding of the flea life cycle and did not treat thoroughly enough indoors.  Everybody sprayed the lawn regularly for “sand fleas”. (See Fact #9 on previous page).

Products such as Frontline or Advantage eliminated fleas from the animal without messy sprays in the lawn or home. For the first time, fleas could be eliminated reliably and consistently. But little attention was given to the growing volume of cases with bad reactions, side effects and deaths of pets caused by these products.

Around 2005, the Department of Entomology at the University of Florida warned that fleas are becoming resistant to topical treatments, and that the topical products are doomed to “ fall like dominos”  in the future. By 2009, the university told pest controls at the annual pest conference that, as a public service, we should warn petowners against the  use of topical flea products. This, by the way, coming from the university who did research for many of these products. The problem? Pet tumors and cancers, over the last decade, have dramatically risen. In the last 3 to 4 years, the cancer rate was a vertical climb. Most adverse reactions were due to the use of pyrethroids. But none of the products were tested for long term effects . “Non-toxic” and  “safer” products , such as Comfortis , camouflage the underlying fact: it does not belong in the blood…it is foreign… and the liver and immune system knows it. Doses of oral and topical products are  high to survive the assault by the immune system so they can last for 30 days. Example: Bayer’s Advantage, now gone generic, has a concentration 160 times stronger than termite formulations  meant to stop termites for ten years around the home’s foundation. The product is exposed to weather, concrete, chemical-eating bacteria. It is a water soluble formulation, easily washed off.  And  EPA says don’t let children or pets in the treated soil. But it is OK to put an oil-based product, difficult to wash off, 160 times stronger, ON  the pet, and let your child love, kiss, and sleep with the pet. The reality is that topical and oral treatments for fleas and ticks are overwhelming  the immune system. The addition of rabies, hookworm, heartworm and other medications multiplies the problem. Thus blindsided, the immune system allows cancers and tumors to take root.  Clients have told us “ the vet doesn’t know what’s wrong with the pet, but it has something to do with the immune system”.

These products had their place. But the evidence  is clear….there is a greater cost than financial for their long term use.

 

SCOPE PEST SERVICES wants to work with you and your pets to reduce or eliminate your dependence on these costly topical and oral  flea products. We strive to eliminate fleas safely and dependably from your home and pet. Our goal is for your family to enjoy a healthier pet, free from fleas and topical side effects. 

 

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