Chemicals and Their Use On Dog�s

Dog�s form an important part of most peoples lives � the fact that you are reading this section most probably means you own a dog or indeed have regular contact with one.

When was the last time you actually stopped and thought about the effects of chemicals on them and their surroundings?

What about the use of such products on your own health and wellbeing?

Perhaps no area of pet welfare has grown as quickly as flea and tick control products.

Over the years fleas have become genetically resilient to the chemicals and products commonly seen on the shelves at veterinary clinics and in pet stores. However as the problem has always existed there is little one can do to combat the issue and often the easiest way to keep the issues attached to fleas and ticks at bay is to simply apply a product such as those listed below and hopefully gain the upper hand.

Like fleas, ticks can also transmit a number of nasty diseases, so tick control is also of prime concern for pet owners in particular in Northern Queensland where the Paralysis Tick has been a common predicament for many years.

The Australian Paralysis Tick (Ixodes holocyclus) lives on native animals such as kangaroos and echidnas along the Eastern Australian coastal strip. In turn the same tick will attach to other domestic animals including dogs, cats, cattle, and horses, and occasionally to humans. The tick injects a neurotoxin which causes progressive motor paralysis, respiratory depression, and death in animals which have no immunity to the toxin.

Pet owners need to be aware that this tick is lethal and early detection is critical. Prevention is also the best cure and with regular checking of the coat and skin any Ticks found should be quickly removed. The symptoms can be easily spotted and successfully treated provided veterinary assistance is sought early enough.

On the subject of chemicals and their use on your pets, today�s insecticides and flea control products have made great advancements and a wide array of different over the counter products has been formulated, developed and marketed.

The goal of this article is to explain some of the common, active ingredients listed on the labels of various pet related products such as Frontline, Advantage, flea shampoos, flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders, room flea bombs and general shampoos. It is by no means a bible on the do�s and don�ts it merely has been added to our website in order to make it easier for our clients to understand what it is in fact they are using and what if any limitations need to be placed on their use.

Pyrethrins

Pyrethrins are one of the most widely used insecticides in today's society. This ingredient can be found in all manner of insecticidal controls such as fly sprays, flea bombs and even in flea and tick products.

Dating back to early the 1900�s this by-product originated from the flowers of the chrysanthemum plant and has been an effective way of controlling insect pest and as new

formulations are developed and products containing them are used a greater need for understanding is required.

The chrysanthemum plant grows naturally in the warmer drier climates of the world but no production is greater than in Kenya, Africa. This area is a common manufacturer point for reasons of climate but also of economies of production. Extracting pyrethrin is very labour intensive and consequently the cheaper the labour rate is the cheaper the costs of manufacturing.

As a rule though up to 6 varieties of pyrethrin can be found and generally all can be used on animals without too much deviation from known results. However as a guide the exact type of pyrethrin used is not necessarily listed on a product � most labels will simply list the wording pyrethrin.

In its simplest form pyrethrins affect the central nervous system of insects and result in repeated and extended firings of the nerves which in turn allows the insect to loose control of its bodily functions and in most instances cause death.

Pyrethrins are used to control ticks, fleas, lice and mosquitoes. They are mainly found in products applied directly on the pet by way of either powder, shampoos or other methods.

Household products such as fly sprays can also contain pyrethrins, a combination of pyrethrin and permethrin, or pyrethrins which may include a synergist which has been added to the formulation in order to boost its efficacy.

An example commonly found on most flea rinse bottles is piperonyl butoxide, when added to a formulation the end result is more effective and has been noted to provide for long term repellent properties. Toxicity is low as it would need a large amount in order to for it cause any long term side effects or danger.

Pyrethrins can be easily broken down by stomach acids so toxicity following ingestion by pets is very low. In the event that a pet does consume large amount of pyrethrin based product such as by way of ingestion or a spray in the mouth whilst been washed can develop symptoms similar to excessive salivation, tremors, regurgitation and even small seizures. Generally, these signs only last a few hours with a maximum of up to 24 in total however if your pet does come into contact with such a product your should consider speaking with your vet in the first instance to ensure they are on notice should any of the symptoms escalate.

Pyrethroids

Pyrethroids are in the simplest of forms of a man made equivalent of pyrethrin compounds. The basic definition is that a Pyrethroid is in fact a chemical based version which contains the same qualities as the naturally found and manufactured version. They do not originate from plants and are most commonly found in pet insecticidal products that require further investigation.

Common Pyrethroids include allethrin, resmethrin, phenothrin, and permethrin. Allethrin and resmethrin are commonly used as flying insect killers, while phenothrin and permethrin are used to control fleas and ticks. Permethrin and phenothrin are slower in action than the natural pyrethrins, but have a longer effect.

A quick look at some of the flea rinses available on the market will show that the average flea rinse on the shelf in a shop will contain up to 10g/l of pyrethrin. Compare this to a Permethrin based flea rinse and you are likely to see up to as much as 4 times the amount.

Pyrethroids, also work by affecting the nervous system of the insect and will cause a very quick death as the insect will loose immediate control of its bodily functions.

Pyrethroids such as permethrin can be found in most pet shops under different labels. Most people who have come into contact with Permethrin based products will note that the repelling action lasted a lot longer then Pyrethrin. Due to its chemical composition and the fact that Permethrin is man made you are likely to see this happen time and time again.

As a rule Pyrethrin based products can be susceptible to sunlight and in fact it has been proven that UV light can and will destroy the pyrethrin if it is left to dry on a dog, this is commonly found in flea rinses.

Permethrins are not soluble in water and can often be seen mixed in containers which contain an oil base. Although no detrimental effects have been noted permethrin based products are easier to apply and use on your pets.

Permethrin should NOT be used on kittens or cats as it has been noted to cause unsteadiness and gait in them.

Pyrethroids are less easily broken down than pyrethrin, so in essence its toxicity is something you should take into account when using it. If your pet shows signs of discomfort, excessive salivation, uncontrolled shaking, regurgitation consult your veterinarian.

Organophosphates

Organophosphates are also commonly found in pet related insecticidal products and can have some pretty amazing and detrimental effects if not used properly.

Common organophosphates used in Australia include Diazanon, Malathion, and Carbaryl. Organophosphates work by blocking nerve inhibition and control which in turn causes instant death.

Organophosphates are used in many forms of pest control and often the smell is the first indication that the product is in use. Common amongst many dogwash operations in the late 1990�s this product is deadly and should never ever be used on your pets, not when there are other options available.

Malaban and Malawash are commonly seen in the pet industry, in particular within the confines of the mobile dogwashing industry, yet most operators are not aware of the toxicity and danger when these products are used.

Organophosphates should NEVER be used on cats or kittens.

Organophosphates are the class of insecticides most likely to cause toxicity in your pet.

If you pet is likely to swallow some of this type of insecticide you can expect some pretty serious reactions inclusive of nerve dysfunction. Other common side effects include excessive salivation, uncontrolled shaking, unsteadiness, and even seizures.

Antidotes are available to counteract its effect however you should not rely on this information in the event of your pet coming into contact with the product. Better handling and care of such products will be best and doing so will prevent your pet visiting the vet.

Better still the decision to use alternative products both for the health of your pet as well as yours should be undertaken.

Imidacloprid

Commonly found in Advantage, Imidacloprid is another relatively new insecticide.

Like most insecticides, imidacloprid interferes with the nerve processes within the insect and causes in most cases death relatively quickly. Imidacloprid does not do anything for the control of ticks so if ticks are of a concern to you or you live in areas susceptible to tick you should consider another product.

Imidacloprid is most commonly used as a once-a-month flea control. All that is required is to simply separate the fur on the back of the neck and apply one small ampoule up to once a month. As this product contains a synthetic version of the common Pyrethroid it will most often be carried by an oil base and consequently it will gather around the hair follicles whereupon it will be released around the remainder of the coat.

Imidacloprid is a pretty safe product to use and if application is done according to the instructions the margin for error is next to non existent. Check for any unusual symptoms on your pet after application for up to 24 hours and discuss any issues with your vet.

Fipronil

Fipronil is most commonly found in products similar to Advantage but is the main ingredient found in Frontline.

Fipronil works by blocking messages through the cells in the insect�s body and actually causes severe paralysis and eventual death.

Fipronil is commonly mixed into a monthly topical product such as Frontline and is easy to apply. Application is simple and all it takes is a simple squirt onto the back of the pets neck.

Like advantage it is mixed with an oil carrier that will allow for easier spreading along the rest of the animals body.

Frontline has also been noted to act better in water environments so if your pets like to run around the beach or the dam then this product has been noted to be water fast.

Some pets have been known to develop reactions to the use of Frontline and if this is the case discontinuation is recommended. If you are unsure consult your vet.

Insect growth regulators or IGR�s

Insect growth regulators (IGR�s) are relatively new to the pet industry and in short they are designed to break the lifecycle of an insect by way of destroying certain stages of its growth and reproductive cycle.

The most commonly seen insect growth regulator in Australia is Methoprene. Products which contain such an ingredient IGR�s include Program, Sentinel and Frontline Plus.

IGR�s are slightly different in that they attack the immature stages of the flea specially in the early developmental stages.

The IGR�s actually pretend to be the same juvenile growth hormone of a flea. This baby version of the growth hormone stops the flea from developing into an adult and consequently will cause death as the flea cannot pass into adulthood as intended.

If a decrease in the growth hormone becomes evident, the developing flea fails to mature. The IGR�s keep this growth development from occurring and the flea fails to mature, moult and eventually death occurs.

IGR�s do not kill the adult fleas, so to be most effective, they should be used along with a product that does kill the adults � this is where Frontline Plus became the clear favourite amongst flea control products because it contained an IGR to help the developing fleas in the pets environment to not pass into the adult stages of life.

Other commonly seen IGR�s include flea bombs and flea sprays. Naturally care needs to be taken when any of these products are used and you should always consult your label prior to use.

Ticks are not susceptible to the same effect and currently no known IGR�s is available to combat issues with ticks.

All IGR�s currently available in the market place pose no side effects on pets or humans simply because it is designed to mimic an insects hormones and thus no direct link to humans or pets has ever been documented or found.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate

These three words strike fear into the bodies of most shampoo manufacturers around the world. The ingredient is one of the most common used in the manufacture of shampoos, soaps and other skin and body related products both for humans as well as pets.

Now the jury is still out on the long term health effects of such an ingredient and many websites are devoted to the negative side of the ingredient however most people do not actually know what it is and how it can affect both humans as well as pets.

In its simplest form Sodium Lauryl Sulphate or SLS is a harsh detergent originating from degreasing formulations used in industries world wide for many years.

Bearing in mind SLS has been around in all sorts of formulations from simple dishwashing detergents and toothpastes right through to baby bubble bath products however the information available today both from industry as well as anti-SLS groups makes it prone to further discussion.

If you don�t know about SLS now is the time to pick up the shampoo label and read through some of the ingredients then decide whether or not you wish to use this product.

Try typing �Sodium Lauryl Sulphate� into Google and read the arguments both for and against and then you will best to make up your own mind based on your own research.

Author Judi Vance documented her findings on the effects of SLS titled Beauty To Die For available through Promotion Publishing 1998. In it she talks about many issues relating to the side effects of such an ingredient in common everyday formulations and as such someone with such high regards needs to be taken seriously.

Amongst some of her findings she discusses the issues relating to constant use of SLS and in fact some of the side effects are extremely serious and this alone needs further investigation.

As a rule Perfect Paws does not condone the use of or indeed refuse to sell or manufacture shampoos or other pet related consumables that may contain SLS or its partner Sodium Laureth Sulphate.

The latter product has been developed using a process called Ethoxylation and in fact it simply allows SLS to become less potent and friendlier however the underlying issues is that SLS is still going to be a cause for concern.

Why use SLS when other friendlier products are available?

If you have any other questions relating to the topics posted on this site feel free to email us info@perfectpaws.com.au

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