Difference Between Natural and Chemical Flea & Tick Killers

• Insecticides can damage plants and surrounding vegetation as well as seep into the soil and be carried into water reservoirs. Natural flea and tick killers use ingredients that do not damage the environment or pets.
  
  

Ingredients

• Depending on the brand, ingredients may vary. However, common ingredients for natural flea and tick killers include extracts of plants, specifically pyrthrum which is an African daisy, diatomaceous earth (DE or silicon dioxide) and piperonyl butoxide (PBO/sassafras oil). These ingredients are generally considered safe for the environment and on pets. An ingredient to be wary of is tetrachlorvinphos, which is a pesticide. In addition, though organophosphates may claim to be natural, it is important to stay wary of any chemical that has been alerted by the EPA as being potentially dangerous.
  
  

Effects

• Flea and tick killers kill on contact. The way different brands go about it differs, with some causing paralysis and death within minutes and others offering protection against re-infestation. In many natural flea and tick killers, diatomaceous earth is a primary ingredient and it is not a chemical, but a type of soil that is jagged and will kill fleas and ticks by essentially dehydrating them through piercing the skin of the insects.
  
  

Warning

• Even if a product is labeled as Environmental Protection Agency approved, it does not mean it is safe for use on your pet. Reports of a deterioration of health due to the use of pesticides on pets have prompted numerous recalls. Use any kind of flea and tick killer with caution and monitor your pet's health with use.
  
  

Prevention/Solutions

• The best way to determine if your pet is ill from using a flea and tick killer is to monitor your pet for common poisoning symptoms, such as salivating, dilated pupils, shaking, vomiting and irritation of the skin where the flea and tick killer was applied. If the symptoms are present, contact a veterinarian and call the EPA National Pesticide Telecommunications Network at 800-858-7378.
  
  

Other Types

• Other types of flea and tick killers include using a flea comb with soapy water with Dawn lemon-scented liquid soap, lemongrass oil, lavender oil or citronella. Use eucalyptus leaves or keep cedar wood chips near pet bedding to keep fleas away. Additionally, the herb pennyroyal has been used to keep fleas away.
  
  

Natural vs. Organic

• Although there is no strict definition of what is considered an organic method vs. a natural method, the terms natural and organic are commonly interchanged to mean a method other than chemical means to kill fleas and ticks. However, for organic and natural methods, a distinction might be made in the way a method is carried out. For example, organic methods might include some chemicals that are neutral to the environment, while natural methods would include the use of herbs, plants, flea combs and the like that use no chemicals at all.