Fleas and ticks are pests I think we all can all agree we can do without; they’re creepy, crawly, and they spread diseases. Unfortunately, ticks are part of our lives, and chances are you’ve seen a flea or tick in your lifetime, especially if you have a dog.
No one wants to find a tick on their dog, so we listen to our vet and purchase flea and tick products based on their recommendations. Frontline Plus, K9 Advantix II, NexGard, and Seresto are all commonly available from your vet, online, or in pet stores.
But did you know the active ingredients in all of these products are pesticides? Yes, you read that correct, you are putting poison on your dog! Yikes, scar,y right?
How can these companies get away with marketing a poison to pet owners? They all say the amount is slow-releasing in small amounts and is perfectly safe for your dog. Really? Would you put pesticides on yourself or your kids?
UPDATE: 9/20/18 from the FDA: Animal Drug Safety Communication: FDA Alerts Pet Owners and Veterinarians About Potential for Neurologic Adverse Events Associated with Certain Flea and Tick Products
On the list of products the FDA is warning us about are Bravecto, Credelio, Nexgard, and Simparica. Some pets have experienced adverse events such as muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizures.
Safety Warning for Flea and Tick Meds
Even the K9 Advantix box warns that it is hazardous to humans and fatal to cats! Here is a photo I took of the box of K9 Advantix I bought last year. More than half of the boxes are hazard warnings! Notice how they attempt to distract you from those warnings by putting the benefits in red. Yikes, do I really want to put this on my dog?
If you Google the brand you use and the side effects, you can read story after story on how dogs have had severe reactions to this stuff. Some as simple as skin irritation but many as serious as seizures or death.
Now, of course, there are many dogs that don’t have any visible side effects, but how do we really know that they aren’t experiencing any long-term medical issues from this pesticide we are intentionally exposing them to?
What Are the Active Ingredients in Flea and Tick Products?
We’ve used both Frontline Plus and K9 Advantix on our dogs. I’m embarrassed to admit that I never looked at the back of the boxes until a few years ago. After reading something online, I started researching, and it didn’t take long for me to realize this stuff is slowly killing our dogs.
Even the Humane Society of the United States warns us about the use of these chemicals on our dogs: “Before you use any of these products on your pets, it is critical to read their labels and consult with your veterinarian. They may contain ingredients that could harm pets and people.”
I’ve researched each of the top-selling flea and tick products. Found their active ingredient list from their website and put it all together here for you to make your own informed decision.
Scary fact: I found all the ingredients listed on these flea and tick medications on the National Pesticide Information Center. Source: National Pesticide Information Center
Frontline Plus
https://frontline.com/plus/Pages/Faq.aspx#faqs
Ingredients: Fipronil, (S)-methoprene
Fipronil is a broad-use insecticide that belongs to the phenylpyrazole chemical family. Fipronil is a white powder with a moldy odor, used to control ants, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, ticks, termites, mole crickets, thrips, rootworms, weevils, and other insects.
Methoprene is used against insects. It comes in two different forms, called s-methoprene and r-methoprene, and s-methoprene is the one that behaves like an important hormone in insects. It can be used against fleas, flies, moths, beetles, and other insects.
K9 Advantix II
Ingredients: Imidacloprid, Permethrin, Pyriproxyfen
Imidacloprid is an insecticide that was made to mimic nicotine. Nicotine is naturally found in many plants, including tobacco, and is toxic to insects. Imidacloprid is used to control sucking insects, termites, some soil insects, and fleas on pets.
Permethrin is an insecticide in the pyrethroid family. Pyrethroids are synthetic chemicals that act like natural extracts from the chrysanthemum flower. Permethrin is used in a number of ways to control insects. Products containing permethrin may be used in public health mosquito control programs. They may be used on food and feed crops, ornamental lawns, livestock and pets, in structures and buildings, and on clothing. Permethrin may also be used in places where food is handled, such as restaurants.
Pyriproxyfen mimics a natural hormone in insects and disrupts their growth. It is a type of insect growth regulator that affects mostly young insects and eggs. Pyriproxyfen affects many types of insects, including fleas, cockroaches, ticks, ants, carpet beetles, and mosquitoes.
NexGard
https://nexgardfordogs.com/pages/about.aspx
Ingredients: Afoxolaner has the chemical composition 1-Naphthalenecarboxamide, 4-[5- [3-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]-4, 5-dihydro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-3-isoxazolyl]-N-[2-oxo-2-[(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)amino]ethyl.
From what I can tell Afoxolaner was created specifically for use in NexGard. So that is why they have the breakdown of what the composition of the chemicals is; the only chemical I could find is Naphthalene carboxamide.
Naphthalene is an aromatic hydrocarbon found in coal or crude oil. Naphthalene is used in the manufacture of plastics, resins, fuels, and dyes. It is also used as a fumigant insecticide that works by turning directly from a solid into a toxic vapor. This process is called sublimation. Most products containing naphthalene in the U.S. are used to control clothes moths in airtight containers.
Seresto
https://www.petbasics.com/dog-products/seresto-for-dogs/product-detail/
Ingredients: Imidacloprid, Flumethrin
Imidacloprid is an insecticide that was made to mimic nicotine. Nicotine is naturally found in many plants, including tobacco, and is toxic to insects. Imidacloprid is used to control sucking insects, termites, some soil insects, and fleas on pets.
There it is in black and white; each one of these popular flea and tick products that are recommended to use on our dogs contains insecticides. Do you still feel it’s okay to protect your dog with these chemicals?
If you are wondering if heartworm preventative is safe, the same rules apply. Check out The Truth About Heartworms By Only Natural Pet.
Side Effects of Flea and Tick Medication
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Staggering
- Disorientation
- Hypothermia
- Abdominal pain
- Light or severe depression
- Allergic reactions, such as rashes and itching
Is It Possible to Protect Your Dog from Fleas and Ticks with Natural Ingredients?
I will admit, I’m scared to NOT protect my dogs from fleas and ticks. Our foster dog, Taylor had Lyme disease, which is contracted from being bit by an infected tick. And now that we will be living in a rural area that is known to have ticks, I need to make sure I protect my dogs and family.
So, I began searching for natural flea and tick prevention for our dogs. From homemade flea and tick prevention with essential oils to natural products available to purchase online.
After testing several natural options, I now use Only Natural Pet products to protect all of our dogs. With a combination of the tick tag, garlic tabs, and spray, we haven’t seen a tick on the dogs for several years.
Read more at Natural Tick and Flea Prevention for Dogs
So How Can We Protect Our Dogs from Fleas and Ticks?
Should you continue using Frontline Plus or K9 Advantix? I don’t have the right answer for you. You aren’t a bad dog parent if you decide to use these products; we all need to make our own decisions and do what is best for our dogs. No judgment from me. But now that you know the facts, I’d love to hear what you decide to use to protect your dog from fleas and ticks. Will you continue to use pesticide products or try something natural?
Please comment below with what works for you and your dog, it will help others in the Rescue Dogs 101 community to make an informed decision.
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We recently tried the K9 Preventa Flea/Tick treatment on our dogs. The usual treatment we use was not available. This was approximately 2 weeks ago. Since then, our one small dog has been vomiting off and on. Since the application. We tried to rule out all other alternatives of cause. But it started the night after its application. I am starting to wonder if this is the cause. Her episodes have been off and on. She behaves completed normal, except that she is having food adversions (extremely unlike her) and random vomiting episodes. I have no idea if this is the cause or not. But we have looked through all other options at this point.
I’m so sorry your pup is experiencing these side effects. I would talk with your vet to rule out any other health issue. And then contact the manufacturer so they know about the reaction. Hope she feels better soon!
I'm so torn and afraid. My 9 year old Chihuahua mix is a few days overdue for Frontline plus. I just relocated to New England. Lots of ticks and Lyme.My vet said to keep up with it and he gets upset when patients show him internet articles. He said seeing a dog with Lyme is horrible. My daughter's pit bull got Lyme and oh,my gosh,was he ill.She depleted her savings for his treatment. Her other rescue had heartworm. That being said, I realize it's a neurotoxin. I live in the middle of the woods.I only want what's best for my best friend.
It’s a delicate balance that’s for sure. In high infest areas such as New England you may have no other choice but to use a preventive such as Frontline.
I am sorry to post this horrible story but my beautiful 14 year old cocker spaniel went through a horrible death within 12 days of using K9 Advantix II. It didn’t occur to me it was the pesticides in the topical flea and tick prevention until 2 weeks after she was put down when I read something online. She acted confused starring at walls, trying to hide, getting tangled in wires and under chairs and she fell down 13 basement steps in the middle of the night. Took her to the vet she acted ok and had a good check up but as soon as I got her home she had one seizure drove to the hospital where she convulsed violently all the way there. They medicated her and kept her over night and called us in the next morning and put her down because there was no improvement. It pains me to relive that night and I feel so helpless because I know dogs have almost no rites and nobody can do anything for her ordeal.
People should be aware that the ingredient DMDM hydantoin is an antimicrobial formaldehyde releaser preservative with the trade name Glydant. DMDM hydantoin is an organic compound belonging to a class of compounds known as hydantoins. It is used in the cosmetics industry and found in products like shampoos, hair conditioners, hair gels, and skin care products.
Do some research and decide if this ingredient is suited to what you want the product to accomplish. It is used in so called natural products.
im between a rock and a hard place, i have 6 large hairy dogs and moving to a presently heavily tic infested part of the country..we had 2 cases of lymes there last summer, and thats when the tics arent that bad, fall and spring are the worst….we go as natural as we can in all things, dogs fed raw, but, moving out east presents its own set of difficulties…i pulled 10 tics of one of my dogs last fall 🙁 and the same amount on some of the others…but i wouldnt put advantic or frontline on myself so what do we do
Sometimes we are faced with the choice between the chemical treatments or an even worse fate of lymes or other diseases. If you’ve tried all the natural treatments and they don’t work, then unfortunately you may need to resort to the chemical options. Try layering the natural treatments, the more “shields” the better. And also consider that a tick needs to attach before it can infect your dog. SO if you have the time to groom and check each dog after being outside then… well that’s a lot to ask I know. There have been a few times I “almost” reverted back to frontline, but then I up my natural defense game. But then again I don’t think we are not in a high infested area as you may be.
Hi! Thank you for posting this article. I've read all about adverse reactions to many pet meds and pest prevention but haven't found natural products to prevent as of yet. My 3 dogs have been taking the brewers yeast tabs for 2 months, they still get fleas but I do believe it's less than last summer. We use kin & kind shampoo and it works but it kills what's already there. So, I'm looking at the tags you mentioned for sure but the spray you use, is it for the home or the yard?
The spray is by Only Natural Pet, and is for the dog, we spray it on their legs and belly area. Although there are sprays for the home and yard. I’ve used Wondercide before.
Thank you for your reply!
I had 2 dogs die from
Seizures within 6 months of each other. I’m convinced it’s this flea and tick treatment, I used k9 advantix 2, on them
Both and they both died the exact same way. No previous health issues !!! I made the manufacturer’s aware of this and noted I would make it a mission to spread the word their products are killing our pets !!!!!
I am so sorry Mary! So heartbreaking.
My dog died from K9 Advantix 2 also. So heartbreaking I can’t even express.
I am concerned about using tick prevention medicine on my Yorkie. She has allergies. I use advantage with no real problem but vet said that is not for ticks. Recently she contracted anaplasma from an infected tick. Now with spring coming i am afraid of what to use. She is on doxycycline for a month. What natural products are there and do they really work. I live in a wooded area. Thank you
I totally get it! Did you read Natural Tick and Flea Prevention for Dogs? In that article I talk about what we use Only Natural Pet, and we do live in a wooded area too. Getting ready to order our annual tick tags today!