Pesticides, Flea Medication, and Chemical Dewormers Are Deadly—What to Do for Your Fur Family

If you knew what you were putting your dogs through in the name of dewormers and pesticides, your skin would crawl. These chemicals are designed to kill, and they do that job so well that they don’t spare your dogs, cats, or any other member of your fur family.

If you take time to read through the list of active ingredients in common dewormers and pesticides, you will quickly realize that you’re feeding your fur babies poison. The theory is to poison the host to kill the parasites since the dog or cat is much larger than a flea or tick.

However, they conveniently forget to tell you that these chemical killers are cumulative. The more you use them, the more they build up in an animal’s bloodstream. These chemicals also rub off into the environment and wash off into the earth and rivers, causing all sorts of havoc and destruction. It’s a horror show of epic proportions.

Most of these ingredients have already been banned or restricted in agricultural and household uses. You will find substances like fipronil, imidacloprid, permethrin, and many others on this list, but unfortunately, their use in companion animals is yet to be banned. Some of these substances, like imidacloprid, are thousands of times more toxic than DDT!

How Bad Are Pesticides, Chemical Dewormers, and Flea Medications?

It’s hard to list out all the bad things these chemical pesticides and dewormers are doing to our pets and our environment. Each active ingredient has its own brand of evil, and there are thousands out on the market. Some, like fipronil, are well documented and are now catching public attention, but many others remain hidden.

If your fur kid is showing any of these symptoms after using chemical dewormers and pesticides, get immediate help:

• Seizures, convulsions, or tremors
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Skin irritations, itching, redness, or burns
• Lethargy
• Inflammation
• Changes in water drinking and urination patterns (indicating kidney problems)
• Dermatitis and hair falling off
• Sores
• Neurological issues, such as uncoordinated movement, dilated pupils, or loss of muscle control (spasms)
• Behavioral problems, such as aggressiveness and self-mutilation
• Changes in breathing patterns

These are just a few of the most common and serious reactions to toxic chemicals in pesticides and dewormers. Let’s take a look at other dangers of various types of flea medications and dewormers available today.

Oral Flea Medications—Stay Away!

These are often marketed as delicious chewable pills that your dog or cat can take seasonally to prevent fleas and ticks. Most rely on chemical compounds called isoxazolines, which are absorbed into the bloodstream and stored in fat cells. The chemical is released slowly into the blood so that when fleas, ticks, and other parasites suck on this blood, they die.

Another common active ingredient is Spinosad, which also appears on the EPA list. Spinosad can be dangerous to dogs, especially when used in combination with dewormers containing Ivermectin (used to control roundworms).

Those that kill adult parasites often contain permethrin or imidacloprid. Other toxic chemicals you should watch out for include afoxolaner, lotilaner, sarolaner, and fluralaner. Only medications that target egg and larvae stages, such as lufenuron, are comparatively safer but not as effective.

Flea and Tick Collars: Lethal for Pets

I can’t stress this enough: don’t put flea and tick collars on your fur companions. Just don’t. One product called Seresto had to have a House Subcommittee investigation after more than 2,500 pets died and over 98,000 injuries were reported. Even worse, there were more than a thousand cases of human injuries as well.

While not every product is this lethal, all flea and tick collars that use chemicals are very bad for pets. They’re meant to slowly release chemicals that are absorbed into the skin and spread into the skin so that parasites that bite the animal die.

The problem is that the chemicals used are far more powerful and far more toxic than even the oral compounds. They’re meant for topical use only, but who’s gonna tell the doggies and kitties not to lick and groom themselves and others? They end up eating these highly toxic chemicals with terrible results. Some of these active chemicals are flumethrin (same category as permethrin), deltamethrin (also a pyrethrin), pyriproxyfen, imidacloprid, and tetrachlorvinphos. Look these up, they’re pretty bad.

Spot-On Flea and Tick Medications

These are a little different because they are designed to offer quick relief from fleas and ticks on the skin. After application, the natural oils on your dog or cat’s coat spread them all over their body and kill parasites when they latch on. They’re not as bad as the others because much less of the chemicals get into your pet’s body, but they contain the same killer chemicals. That includes fipronil, imidacloprid, permethrin (and other pyrethrins), selamectin, pyriproxyfen, and moxidectin.

Medicated Anti-Flea and Tick Sprays and Shampoos

In addition to the same killer pesticides, these have the added advantage of toxic chemicals like phthalates, formaldehyde, sodium benzoate, propylene glycol, methylisothiazolinone, and several others commonly found in pet products.

They’re Killing the Environment Too!

Most active ingredients used in flea and deworming medications are highly toxic to fish, bees, termites, aquatic plants, and many other critical parts of the environment. One report in the UK indicates that most of the rivers in the country contain toxic amounts of fipronil and its derivatives (after breakdown). A similar study in the US found fipronil in 37% of rivers tested.

Similar results have been found with imidacloprid and other neurotoxic pesticides. In fact, a professor at the University of Sussex estimates that one flea treatment containing imidacloprid contains enough of the stuff to kill 60 million bees. That’s why most of these chemicals were banned from use in agriculture, though not in pets.

We’re Overusing Pesticides and Dewormers

As if these nasty pesticides were not bad enough, pet parents are overusing them under the assumption that they protect their pets. You don’t need to douse your fur kids with chemicals if they don’t have fleas, ticks, or worms, no matter what the vet says.

The manufacturers of these chemicals rely on fear to sell. They’ll tell all kinds of scary stories about how awful parasites are. I know first-hand how bad flea and tick infestations can be, but is it worth risking your fur baby’s health on it?

Considering the toxicity of these chemicals, you should never use conventional parasite and deworming treatments unless it is a matter of life and death. So, what should concerned pet parents do to protect their fur babies from these killers while keeping them safe from parasites?

Use These Natural Dewormers and Antiparasitic Treatments

One of the most effective natural treatments for parasites and worms is colloidal silver. Our high-vibe silver products are powerfully efficient at preventing and treating parasitic infections. However, there are many other natural remedies against worms, leas, ticks, and other parasites:

• Eucalyptus sprays – this is a powerful anti-parasite treatment that can be sprayed on beddings, furniture, and other surfaces, but it should be used carefully because it can irritate animals
• Essential oils – various essential oils from lavender, lemon, grapefruit, cedarwood, palmarosa, rosemary, sage, and many others can be very effective against parasites when used properly
• Natural immunity – a state of healthy vitality that increases the bioenergy and vibrational frequencies that naturally protect your fur kids from parasites.
• Feed your pet a raw, whole-food diet with the necessary supplements to maintain gut health and immunity
• Hygiene – keep your pets clean with regular brushing and bathing with natural shampoos; also keep your home clean through regular vacuuming
• Use food-grade diatomaceous earth on your dog’s skin and around the house to kill ticks, fleas, and their eggs

There are many other holistic flea and tick treatments you can use. If you’re suffering a particularly bad infestation, consult a holistic vet or homeopathic healer you trust for further guidance.

Verdict: Chemical Pesticides and Dewormers Are Harming Your Fur Family

There’s no doubt that chemical pesticides, dewormers, and flea medications are harming pets everywhere. The effects may take time, but eventually, they compromise immunity, cause allergies and autoimmune diseases, and even lead to cancer. While at it, they’re killing off the environment as well.

There’s no question that pet parents should stay as far away as possible from these nasty chemicals. We do offer a natural dewormer here: Holistic Pet Care Dewormer

Fortunately, there are many other natural pet dewormer recommendations available from this article at 'Dogs Naturally Magazine' that are safe and effective which you can get at most grocery stores.

See more here about the natural approach to pests and parasites: https: holisticpetcare.com/articles/naturopathic-approach-to-parasites/

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