Summary: While a flea collar can kill fleas, they are potentially dangerous for your pet and don’t usually protect all areas of their skin. Its recommended that you seek alternative treatments such as a spot on treatment, flea shampoo, natural remedies or rather just seek professional assistance. You have been warned, be sure to share this article with your friends and family to help them!
If you pet has fleas, chances are that you have heard about using flea collars and may have wondered if they really work. In short, they have been proven to to kill fleas. However, what many people do not consider is their safety and presume that since they are commercially available, there is no chance that they are dangerous for your dog or cat. I am going to cover all the facts in this article so that you can learn the truth about these collars before making your decision on how to treat the fleas that are bothering your pets. Once your pet is free of fleas, remember that you can make a flea trap to kill them in your carpets and other places.
How Does a Flea Collar Work?
Before making a purchase, remember that there are two different types to choose from. I am not talking about specific brands but rather about how the collars actually work to get rid of fleas on your pets. If you decide to purchase one of them, please be sure to get them from a certified pet store as I have seen a number of them popping up on shelves at supermarkets and they are often very low quality. As a side note, these collars are always attached around the neck of your pet so keep that in mind during this guide. Lets have a quick look at both variations.
- High frequency collar – These work by sending out an ultra-sonic sound wave that “scares” fleas away. Despite a number of positive reports, I remain slightly doubtful and haven’t had much success with these electronic collars myself. However, I must admit that I haven’t use them for very long so if you have had any good (or bad) experience with them, please let me know so I can share it with others.
- Gas based collar – These create a gas based toxin that repels fleas from your dog or cat. It kills fleas on contact, provided they actually come near the collar. In other words, its not going to affect any fleas if they are not exposed to the limited area around your pets neck. However, the good news is that fleas are not that intelligent and won’t know about the gas (they cannot smell it or anything) so they may be exposed to it and “expire” on the spot!
- Absorption based collar – These also contain insecticide but instead of “floating around” your pets fur to keep the fleas away, it actually gets absorbed into their skin. When its fleas dinner time and they start nibbling on your pet, they are killed by the poison. However, exposure to this poison has left many wondering about their pets safety. Is it really something to be concerned about?
Is There A Natural Pet Collar That You Can Use?
Yes there are and these are the only ones that I would recommend for your cat or dog, especially if you have noticed a couple flea bite scars or marks on your pet recently. These types of free from insecticides and rather make sure of flea repellents such as rosemary oil. However, remember that you can always apply these repellents onto a collar yourself and save some money in the long run. Just don’t use a large amount, just a few drops is sufficient and always remember that if you are unsure, simply drop me a message in the comment section below or contact your closest vet. However, for the rest of this article, we are going to explore the facts about insecticide based collars so keep that in mind.
Are These Collars Safe or Can They Be Dangerous for Your Pets?
Disclaimer: This information has been collected based on reviews, customer feedback, research and personal experiences using a these products. I have nothing against those that sell them but I refuse to hide the truth.
To start this discussion off, I just want to outline some of the points made by a reputable flea treatment company about their flea collar products. Feel free to express what you think about these facts with your friends. 🙂
- Dangerous for pets and humans. (this should be enough but read on)
- Keep away from skin as it can be very harmful to you (if absorbed).
- Use soap to completely wash away toxins after touching the product.
As you can see, there is no need to use your imagination to understand the potential consequences when using one of these collars. While those points are mainly aimed at protecting humans (except the first point), are pets somehow immune to the negative effects of insecticide? Absolutely not! In fact, it makes me angry that a number of chemicals have been identified as dangerous (for pets and their owners) by the Natural Resources Defense Council and yet they are still found in shops throughout the world. And to make matters worse, most people don’t even know about the dangers! I spent some time looking for people that have used flea collars in the past and here are a few startling statements I found while searching on the net:
Disclaimer: This information has been collected from other peoples experiences. I have no way of proving the truth in their words but there are not many reasons why they would take the time to lie about something like this. Also, it is not known if their pets had any preconditions. I am sure that there have been a number of positive treatments but the vast majority of people seem to report negative results. This is not meant to be a morbid discussion but rather is needed to outline the dangers. I am not suggesting that you will have the same experience as those mentioned below but it’s a good idea to keep them in mind. Lastly, I am keeping this information free of brand names, its up to you to research your product of choice.
- “My family used a flea collar from **** to treat my dog’s fleas problem and it passed away a few weeks later.”
- “After using a one of these collars, my cat literally vomited all night and I had to take it to an emergency vet to treat him”
- “My cats pancreas started to shut down because of a build up of poison from a flea and tick collars”
- “My pet suffered a high temperature after wearing a collar for fleas for a couple weeks.”
- “This collar poisoned my cat!!”
- “The collar made the flea problem worse!”
- “My cat lost hair around his neck from these collars”
Are Flea Collars Actually Effective for Flea Control?
Many have argued that unless you use them on your pet for an extremely long time or fail to fit it correctly (so that your pet licks it or something to that effect), there is no real danger. While this is partly true, I personally wouldn’t take the risk but again, that is completely your choice. I must admit that even the best flea collars are very cheap and thus are a fairly popular option for flea control. Do they kill fleas? As previously mentioned, if the fleas come into contact with the poison, they will die. However, is the potential health risk to your pet worth it?
A Few Warnings Before You Use A Flea Collar For Cats
If you are still interested in purchasing an cat flea collar, here are a few important things to take note of:
- For treating cats with fleas, make sure it doesn’t contain a chemical called “Permethrin” as this synthetic material is very dangerous to cats. The sad thing is that these chemical is still included in a few brands so make sure that you check this out before making any purchases.
- While this one may be fairly obvious, DON’T use the same product that you use for dogs on your cat! The collars for dogs have a higher level of chemicals to fight fleas and this can be very dangerous! Likewise, if you have a kitten, make sure that you purchase one that is correct for its size. However, I highly recommend using natural flea control for kittens as they are very sensitive to insecticide.
- Be sure to purchase one that has some elasticity so that it can stretch. Why is this important? Well, cats are usually explorers and often find themselves trying to fit through small places or perhaps taking some time to climb a tree. If the collar you purchased for your cat is not flexible, you run the real risk of your cat strangling itself if it gets stuck on a branch or something like that. This is actually why many cat owners purchase elasticated collars (not only the flea ones) to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
- Although you want the collar to be a bit “stretchy”, please make sure that it fits well otherwise it may fall off or even allow your cat to bite it, which can obviously have negative consequences. Its also good to check for flea dirt on your cat before using any flea products.
Flea Collars for Dogs – Warnings for Your Doggy Friend!
Here are a few important facts you need to keep in mind when trying to kill fleas on dogs.
Flea Control For Your Dogs 
- Ensure that it doesn’t have a chemical called Tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP). It has nerve damaging properties and can be very dangerous.
- Make sure that the flea collar is free of Propoxur as this has cancer properties, something you definitely want to avoid!
- Don’t use flea collars on your puppy. Much like kittens, when pets are small they are fairly susceptible to harmful insecticide and thus you are better off looking at a few natural ways to get rid of fleas on them.
In conclusion, its unlikely that a single collar is going to have disastrous consequences. However, the vast majority of them, with the exception of these natural ones I mentioned in the beginning of this article, have rather dangerous insecticides that are not good for your cat or dog. Even if it doesn’t cause any fatalities, most of them are damaging to their health and based on my experience, I feel that other flea treatment alternatives should be used. Dr. Solomon made an good point when he said “We really want people to reduce exposures because they’re not necessary” so while the choice is still yours to make, I highly recommend taking some time to consider these facts before making a decision on what you feel will be best. As a final note, one good use for a flea collar is to place one in your vacuum machine bag (if it is not water based). When you are cleaning your home (especially if you have pets) and a few fleas get sucked up, they will die and not get a chance to escape. I hope you have enjoyed this article and I encourage you to share this with your friends. Thanks 🙂
Hello! My name is Natasha, and I have been helping people with their insect problems since 2012. I have published a book, worked with many pest control companies, and helped thousands with various infestations on a one-to-one basis. My goal for this blog is to create evidence-based guides that are easy to understand, provide sufficient depth and can be trusted to be very accurate. Please remember that my guides are for informational purposes only, and that you agree to the terms of use when reading content on this website. If you leave a comment, I typically respond within 48 hours.
Hello! What a great article! I’ve had my cats and dog for 7 years and for the first time am battling fleas on them and in my house. I bought flea collars today but after reading this perhaps that was a mistake. What are your thoughts on Hertz UltraGuard monthly uses for cats and K9 Adtantix monthly for dogs? They both claim to kill and repel fleas. Thanks for your help!
Hi Brooke! Thanks for your kind words! I havn’t used it personally, but it seems pretty good, give it a try and let me know 🙂
My dog is wearing a flea collar is ot ok for her to also wear a regular collar too?
Hi Valerie! I don’t recommend that your dog wears a flea collar at all. Thanks.
what about tea tree oil i have been reading on this i dont know if its safe
Hi Marj, I don’t recommend it for cats, but putting a little on a fabric collar sometimes helps. However, first check if your home/yard has a flea problem, otherwise the fleas will just keep coming back. Let me know and I will help you.
Bless you for caring enough to put up a site like this. Had I been in my right mind 1 year ago I would have been so grateful to have found you.
I’m posting here to only prevent anyone from grief and also to inform others, like myself who do not read every word of information that we receive when we purchase a product for ourselves and unfortunately for our pets.
PLEASE understand that what I’m posting below is based solely MY experience.
Cookie was a private adoption from someone who pleaded for help as they could no longer take care of her due to a medical condition. After bringing her home I found the poor thing was flea infested.. I found a veterinarian who would take her. A special type of flea bath was needed but the groomer could not see her that day.Eventually she was treated and cleared of them(along with a bad case worms) . A flea collar was my treatment of choice UNFORTUNATLEY and not because they don’t work or another reason except that I felt she would be better protected.
That was in December 2016~ January 2017 all was good and Cookie suddenly lost the lost the use of her hind legs. NOT DUE TO THE FLEA collar but a spinal condition that the vet seemed to think was caused by trauma(car accident or any other accident that may have occurred in her life.(No I was not able to make contact with the prior owner following the adoption). Surgery was the best way to go or drugs which sometimes cause a host of other symptoms..Not wanting to rush it I went with crate rest and drugs and days later she was worse. Surgery it was and she was never the same. She arrived home in a collar and a bottle of drugs. I didn’t think she was ready but they wanted to release her due to poor behavior as she had bitten quite a few of the staff. I scoffed at that as she was never a badly behaved dog and when I wanted to remove toe lampshade device the vet refused and I was advised that I could after she was no longer on their property. So sad it was that I still cry as I write.
When we arrived home I removed it. Fed her and when I tried touring her outdoors(their instruction was to use a sling (they provided) to support the area under her spine). She became violent and bit me badly. The vet hospital said I should contact the police for support but they would not help. It was suggested I throw a blanket over her and pick her up if I could. It was an awful time for both of us and the next day when I offered wee pad relief she did draw herself to them. She took some food with the medication but then refused it after knowing it was there. That day she attacked me again when I went near her, so badley I needed to go to the emergency room who of course reported it and she was quarantined because I wouldn’t give up on her. She never did survive and is gone now.
Months later when I was stronger I gathered her things and found the flea collar container with the fine print paper that I had read SOME OF for dosage information etc but never read on. In there it states something about removing it in the event of medical treatment. It had been removed before the surgery, however, not in the beginning when they used drugs on her before the MRI they did and the continued drug prescription I was giving her at home as they instructed. They never mention the flea collar nor did I even think of it.
For the sake of others and their sweet pets it would be a good thing to bring awareness on the outer container of the product so as to get the owners attention
Many blessings to you for allowing me to encourage others and shine a spot light on the dangers.If not for anything, but to save the life of an animal.
Thank You so very much.
PS if interested I will provide the product maker I chose. I feel however this problem lurks in all collars.
Special Thanks to Natasha.
Hi Virginia, thanks for your lovely, detailed comment and for sharing your story with the community. I am sure that many will benefit from it, and for that I appreciate your time and effort. I am sorry about your loss, but hopefully your message will help others 🙂
I had a cat on which I always used one of these collars. I used them for about four years. I thought they were safe. My cat became very lethargic and would not eat. After one or reinstate and she did not eat or drink I went to pick her up. She was mere skin and bone. This was undetectable because she had such thick and fluffy hair. I immediately took her to the vet only to find out she was suffering from complete renal failure. I was shocked. The vet ask me if I usedbflea collars to which I answered yes. She asked what type and I told her. She then told me that the collar poisoned her and was the cause. The vet then told me that she was likely in severe discomfortband could not survive and suggested euthanasia. Of course I agreed rather then see her starve and die in pain. She was euthanize and I took her home. My two daughters first experience with death happened that day. I took my daughters to the nursery and bought a spring flowering tree. We had a small service in our back yard buried our cat and at her head planted the tree. Our cat was named Blue. From that day forward the tree was named blue even though it blossomed red and pink flowers that looked like hearts. I suggest that owners use natural flea collars to avoid this sort of tragedy!
Hi Larry! My heart hurts for you and your family, but thank you for sharing this story for others to see. Yes flea collars kill fleas, but they are also potentially dangerous. Sorry for your loss.
I appreciate your point of view. I read through twice and did not see any recommendations for natural products available for purchase, other than adding my own essential oils to an existing cloth collar. I would appreciate some information and reviews of natural collars.
Hi Denise, I will add the topic to my list of potentials (for the blog), thanks for your suggestion 🙂
Where does one FIND natural flea collars that are available?
Hi Holly, I have seen a couple on Amazon, but I don’t really use any type of flea collars to be honest.
I just bought one from walmart. Are they that dangerous to touch and put on my dogs. I did both already then seen the warnings. I washed immediatly
Hi Rob. I personally recommend that you don’t use them. It is your decision in the end, they do kills fleas but it might put your dog’s health at risk.
I never listen to these blogs or whatever but I got home and I have 2 cats, brothers. The one is mentally retarded and his brother basically looks after him. Now I bought the collars yesterday and I noticed the alert kitty is just lying down and his stomach looks swollen. So I read this and I realised that he has probably gone to clean his brother like usual and maybe licked the collar!! So I’m watching him. But I immediately took the collars off and threw them away.
Hi Claire! Well rest assured that you can trust this one hehe. Glad that you could my article and removed them, you probably saved their life. Share this article with your friends please, flea collars are such bad products.
I have 9 cats and can say I use flea collars as this year seems to be really bad, they don’t do my cats any harm but don’t seem to work very well either as they still have the blighters, I now use a natural spray, hope it works.
Hi Dorothy! Hope it all works out, let me know if you get stuck!
I have a Norwegian Forrest cat mix, longhaired cat. What’s the best flea control for this kitty? She likes the outdoors.
Hi Zanada, probably a spot on. Just make sure you apply it properly (directly to skin, not on top of the fur)
I have a 12 yr old cat who has had skin allergies. Especially allergic to fleas. Always scratching. In addition to sporadic flea treatment she was getting a depo shot every 3 months or so. She has never been very social and the last 2 trips to the vet for her depo shot were horrendous ! I hate putting her and me thru that. When it was time to go back she stayed under my bed for 3 WEEKS! Never came out of the bedroom so I moved everything for her into the bedroom.
Finally 3 days she came out of the bedroom and acted normal again. 2 days again I managed to get the flea collar on her. yesterday she was fine. Last night I heard her vomit. Today she is just sleeping. Not ate at all. I’m worried that it’s the collar. Should I remove it? Thank you!!
Hi Julie, that decision is yours. I personally don’t like them.
What is flea dirt and what does that mean if they have it. My cats are indoor cats and never go outside so I don’t understand how they got them.
Hi Christine! It is usually a sign that your pets have fleas, even if you cannot immediately spot them. I have an article on this subject, check it out under the “Fleas” category and let me know what you think.
Just want to say thank you for the article. I shared and tweeted it. Right now I use flea shampoo. And read some of the comments I don’t think I will be using the shampoo either. Will be trying dawn and flea collar in the vacuum bags.
Hi Connie! It is a pleasure, thanks for the share! Hope that it works out for you, I am here if you get stuck 🙂
Hi natasha.
Just over week ago we put a flea collar on my old dog (11 1/2 yrs old). We noticed a few days ago that he had this funky athletes foot smell. When i was checking him over i saw that he had a weepy patch of skin and 2cm wide x 15cm long patch under where the collar had been where his fur was falling out and his skin was red and irritated. I immediately threw out the collar, bathed him in tea tree oil shampoo and put an all natural healing balm on the area. He is looking much better just after a few days, the redness has gone and smell is getting better too. Soon his hair will grow back, i hope.
Hi Peta, thanks for sharing. These collars give me the creeps lol.
My dog has had a flea collar on for just a few days and had a bad reaction this morning little scared me to death all day. He is a little dog and my other big dog had one on her too but she was fine. Small animals CANNOT have flea collars period. I don’t know about big dogs but I immediately took the collar off and washed him repeatedly today and it took a couple hours but he’s acting okay again. I’m totally against flea collars they suck. My dog was unresponsive, shaking uncontrollably, ect. These things are not good.
Hi Mary! I completely agree with you, they are terrifying! Share the word and tell others about this article 🙂
I told two of my friends whine have little dogs with flea collars to take them off ASAP. I also forwarded this article to them and explained what it says. I’d rather give my dogs baths everyday for fleas and drown them out, better than a flea collar. I heard dawn dish soap is good for getting rid of fleas from a friend but I’m going to read more into that before trying. If I find anything interesting I’ll be sure to share with you! Scrappy is my best friend and I’d do anything to keep him happy and healthy as long as possible!
Hi Mary, excellent, thanks for the share! RE the dawn soap, it works great but don’t do it too often. Cheers!
I just want to share to all dog owners out there..Please do not use these collars..my American Bully just died 2 weeks after using it..his Vet said it is safe..now i’m just mad at myself for believing..
Hi Kristian, my condolences 🙁 Flea collars are bad news!
Natasha,
I took off my cat’s flea collar I just purchased tonight. Thank you for this article. The first testimonial about the doggie passing away after wearing a flea collar for two weeks was all I had to see. I will never use a flea collar again, and I’m getting my money back tomorrow.
Hi Aleeta, glad to hear it and best of luck sorting out your cat’s flea problem 🙂
The My dog is 1and half old. I put a flee collar. She started to act funny shaking and licking alot. Took off flee collar. What can I use instead for flees etc She is a small Shit suz and worried about her? Going to see how she is. If not better tacking her to the vet ..
Hi Sandra, wash your dog in warm water and dawn soap, kills the fleas instantly.
Hya i have just got a kitten about two week ago i got a flea collar rencomended by the person selling the collar and she also recomended flea tablets is this okay cause just been reading this and this has worried me thanks
Hi Donna, I never recommend that you use a flea collar honestly.
Wish I had seen your column sooner. Recently we bought a flea collar for our dog and withing a few days she started showing signs of despair. She became lethargic and had trouble walking at times and then it became worse and we took her to a vet who did numerous tests but would not come out and express a direct cause of her demise. She treated her for an upper GI problem and within a day she had passed away. I truly believe it was the collar that was at fault for ruining the life of an absolutely healthy 11 year old dog. All her internal organs were working fine and blood work showed low red platelets and a slightly increased heart rate. It may have been a case of too little, too late. But I would like to warn others of the fate that may result if using flea collars on their beloved pets. It is shocking that such products are not regulated and that the general public puts their faith in store shelves never thinking that anything dangerous to their pet would be openly sold on the market. Thank you Natasha for all you do.
Hi Don, thanks for your kind words, I try my best. Sorry for the late response, please spread the word, these things are bad news.
Hi…I bought a vinyl dog flea and tick collar for my small dog she has worn it now for about a couple of weeks and today we have noticed she is unwell …not eating/drinking walking very slow and when I stroke her she yelps out in pain…. I have now removed this flea collar from her and she has now managed to eat a small amount of food and drank a small amount of water………I now believe this collar is the cause of her not being well …..
Hi Tina, probably, take it off and use alternative flea control methods.
hi Natasha. my kitten is only 2 months old and I’m scared she may come in contact with fleas. I’m thinking of getting her a high frequency collar but I really don’t know much about the collars. could they pose any dangers for my little kitty? I love her
Hi Benny! I havn’t use one of those so I cannot comment but I tend to stay away from collars to be honest. Try a decent spot on, they usually work.
Hi, my kitten keeps getting fleas! She’s inside only, so I don’t know where she gets them from. I’ve tried giving her baths (multiple times, each a horrible experience for us both), brushing out her fur with flea combs, and natural oils treatment on her neck. I have washed all her bedding (and everything cloth that she goes near), and our floors are wooden. I have no idea where the fleas would be hiding. Nothing works. I was thinking about getting a flea collar, but I don’t like the adverse effects it could have. What do you suggest? TIA
Hi Alyssa! Don’t use a flea collar. I suggest using Frontline or Advantage on your kitten (make sure you get the right one for her age). Also be careful of using essential oils around cats, it can be highly toxic to them.
Hello Natasha,
Last year we applied a flea collar to our 2 dogs, and within a day our 50 lb lab/sheppard cross became restless, drooling, coughing, and not eating. She was very withdrawn, which is not her usual behaviour. We removed the collar, and she became better by the next morning. We removed the other collar from the other dog, and just did vigilant tick removal every day…The owner of the pet store said that this brand was a big “strong”.
This year, we bought a different brand (Zodiac), and within 30 mins, the same dog started the same behaviour as described above. We immediately removed the collar, and she seems better.
It is only now that we are reading about the side effects, and I can’t believe that this is allowed to go onto our pets. I should have known when the label says that children cannot handle the collars. I am thinking that the dog is exhibiting signs of a Cholinergic Crisis, and just wanted other dog owners to watch for the same thing.
Thanks for your advice regarding natural products, will try them. (small flea problem now… ticks are done with…)
Thanks.. julie
Hi Julie! Boggles my brain as well, glad your pets are ok though. Thanks for your comment!
i have a puppy that a flea collar was put on yesterday for small dogs and puppy 3 months or older..she was fine up until today…we woke up to her being sick and throwing up and not very active..her belly feels hot and gums a little pale…cant find nobody to take me to vet with her.any suggestions….i took the flea collar off immediatly..
Hi Cece! Yeah they are bad news, flea collars should be banned seriously. I suggest catching public transport and getting her to the vet.
Aside from flea collars( I tried them before and they seemed to work ok, however i believe my other dog has been eating them, so i don’t use them anymore) is there anything else you might reccomend for flea treatment? Ive tried flea shampoo(ive noticed it kills the fleas, how ever they’re back within a day. I’ve tried medicated products such as pet armor ( which was useless), so now trying a combination of flea shampoo and treating the yard with “sentry yard and premises” if this doesn’t work, I’m not sure where to go from there.
Hi Justin. Try out dawn soap in warm water. I have an article that covers it, it works really well and its super cheap.
Hi there! Glad to have found this post.
Ive been watching 2 dogs for a close friend of mine for a few weeks now. When they came into my care they had awful fleas. I gave them baths and treated each of them with fleas collars. Its been about 2 weeks with the collars and one of the dogs hasnt been eating for 2 or 3 days now. We’ve tried a few different foods and finally decided to take off the flea collar, ironically right around the time Im noticing the fleas all gone. She’ll drink a bit of water but is having trouble keeping it down. Just today she hasnt been acting like herself (no barks or excitement when we wake up or come home from work, along with the eating problem) the other dog seems fine though. I am really worried and hope tomorrow she will feel better- however if not I am planning a trip to the vet.. Any thoughts??
Hi Alexis! Flea collars definitely kill fleas but they can make your pet very sick. If the dog doesn’t sort itself out soon, yes, take it to the vet with all urgency please.
My dog just had a ticket and a few fleas. I read about herbal collars or Did herbal collars using essential oils. Also, spray bottle 50:50 solution apple cider vinegar and water as spray for coal, bedding etc.
I often use lavender spray at home to prevent bed bugs too or mix soap detergent, water and hand sanitizer which has method alcohol 70 percent. All work fine and less toxic.
If infested Id use professional treatment first. Revolution, Advantage o r Advantix and Frontline were all better than other brands.
I’ve been using Happy Tails Flea the Scene for my dog for awhile. He was fine with that until he rolled in forest somewhere. Just have to wash all bedding every two weeks in hot water. Then all will be well again.
Hi Jennifer! Thanks for the great suggestions, really appreciate your contribution 🙂
Hello, I purchased a flea collar from Walmart on Tuesday . It had stated it was good for dogs 7 weeks and older. My pit bull puppy is 8 weeks and we put it on her. Day 1 started throwing up- not profusely but one or 2 times, day 2 it continued so I told my husband to take it off of her, day 3 still pukey but not near as much (she only threw up 2 times). Today, and last night no throw up but she’s off balance and shakes here n there as if she can’t hold herself up as much. She eats and drinks fine though so I’m super worried about her… any suggestions?
Hey Larae! I suggest that you take your dog to the vet immediately, don’t take any risks. Please do it now and keep me updated!
hello my dog is 7 years old and it is the first time getting fleas i would like to know what your natural remedies are for my dog carpet and furniture iam worried we will get infested please help he is a7 pound yorkshire terrier not to mention my best friend.
Hi Patricia! Just wash him with dawn soap and warm water, that will kill the fleas. Proactively, you can also use my flea trap and use a flea comb on a regular basis.
I have tried the essential oils and they don’t seem to work as well as the pesticide way! Some times you hzve to use something strong and know it will work, period. No more messing around with fleas. Period
Hi Maureen! Sometimes that is the case, glad you have found some relief.
I just commented on your natural flea remedy page but wanted to quick mention on this page regarding flea collars. I put a flea collar for cats on my 1 year old indoor calico. After 2 days it became stuck around the back of her head and the inside of her mouth as she was playing with one of the dogs. The cat flea collar has a “breakaway” that failed to do its job and stayed on her head while I scrambled to pull it off her as she was having seizures and scratching me up all over. After pulling it off she had all the signs of toxic poisoning and I called the vet to bring her in immediately which saved her life. Poisoning is fast as it was only stuck for maybe 3 or 4 horrifying minutes in her mouth while she ran away and ran under furniture while I tried to grab her to get it off. She immediately was paralyzed below waist, her head drooling, she kept panting with a moaning strange sounds. She was poisoned and would have died. I will NEVER use flea collars again as my animals play with each other and the fact this got stuck in her mouth while I was home was LUCKY for us all as straight to the vet for poison treatment to save her worked. I read Teresa’s comment from April 8th and sad to hear her dog was fatally poisoned by eating the flea collar. People please do not use these collars especially on younger animals that may lick or put them in their mouths. If the animal gets it in their mouth don’t wait & see if the animal gets better, take immediately to the vet for anti poisoning treatment as that may be the very SAD difference btwn life and death. Be safe everyone. Love our animals. <3
Hi Lisa! Thanks for the lovely comment. Flea collars are bad news, I appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences.
My daughter says I should purchase Advantage !! for our three month old kitten. Do you know anything about this product? She says it works perfectly on her two mature cats; and she applies it during flea season, whenever that is. What do you think?
Hi Lee! Yes, its a decent brand and I recommend it, provided you get the correct one (its usually based on the weight of your cat). Please also make sure that you double check its for cats and not for dogs!
My dog has been fighting for his life for 3 days because the collar fell off and he ate it. He can’t walk he’s incontinent, his heart rate can’t get above 60 should be 130. I had no idea this could happen and I’m loosing my best friend all because of a stupid collar and because I didn’t research first .
Hey! Please take him to the vet as soon as possible. I know its expensive but you need to with urgency!
Nice writ up. Although I must state something I feel very important. I use all natural remedies in my home, on my family and pets . I have studied herbs and natural remedies for years. It is important to keep in mind that if you get an ivestation of flees on your pets and or in your home sometimes other measures are needed. Here is why. In certain areas of the USA we get more fleas due to weather as well as some do become amused to some treatments. If you find you have been battling fleas for more than a few weeks and your pets are still showing live fleas it’s time to take other measures. The fleas can cause problems in your pet if not treated in a timely matter. As well as they will only multiply. Where I happen to live this is the case. This particular year we had them bad. Nothing would work. We actually had called to exterminators one natural one not. We also had all our pets treated professionaly for fleas. We still could not get them to leave. The only thing the vet had to offer was to wait till winter and hit them hard. So we did. To are surprise after thousands of dollars spent. In the end flea collars on are pets with household treatment as well was what had finally worked for us. Why because the vet stated that is something no one seems to use anymore and it is more effective on the fleas. I am not happy I had touse them. My vet did state it was better to use them and get rid of the fleas or continue to pay vet bills for the fleas causing skin problems on my cats. I will not use them everyday. Although if I need to use them to stop a flea fest I sure will. I am back to all natural treatments as of now. You never do know what is in the future..
Hey Terri! I completely agree with your points, there are times that you have to use chemicals (even if its potentially dangerous) if you have tried everything else and have a major problem that is severely affecting quality of life. Glad to hear you are back to natural treatments though, they are just the best and leave me worry free as there are usually no potential side effects.
Natasha please help. !!! I put flea collar on my cat 5 days ago. She was fine and alert. Today she woke up not eating she looks sick. What can I give her until I take her to vet .
Hey Gab! Sorry this is a little late. If she is still lethargic, I recommend taking her to the vet immediately, especially if she is not eating. Keep in mind however, that its not a guarantee that the flea collar caused these symptoms but definitely mention it to the vet. Good luck!
Hi there Debbie here my last cat I got as a 6 week kitten already had old cat flea collar fell of tobie old cat we found it under scooter like your cat my mitzie kitten became lethargic listless a.s.a.p.took to vets just in time vet was pretty dubious but they battled on saved her just in the nick of time don’t waste any more time get your cat to vets before its to late that due to a flea collar Debbie hopes this helps. Xxx
Hey Deborah! Thanks for sharing your experience, flea collars are bad news, glad that your cat is fine now though 🙂
Hi Natasha, A friend of mine suggested using Listerine in a spray bottle to combat fleas & other insects – after walking my dog or when my dog has been around other dogs. Any truth to this remedy?
Gina
Hey Gina! While I havn’t personally used that remedy, I have read about it and it apparently does work pretty well. Just mix listerine and water (about half half) and apply it to your dog. Let me know how it works for you, I am sure that it will also benefit the community! 🙂
Natasha you mentioned there are natural flea collars. Does that mean they are safe for pets? What are the vital elements on it that makes it natural? Are they effective against fleas? Is it also available on spray? Do you know any companies that sell one? Is it more expensive than the toxic one? Sorry for bombarding you with questions, it’s just the result of hearing this term for the very first time. Thanks!
Hey Alice! Yes, but they cannot be used on all your pets. For example, some natural herb oils are very dangerous to cats so you just need to make sure you get the correct one. I must admit, they are not that effective because they don’t have a far enough “reach” for your pet but they are good for keeping fleas off the neck region. I just checked and there are a few good ones on amazon, if you are able to order online. Good luck!
Hello Natasha. I just have just one comment and one question. This page is super informative!!! Thank you. Definitely going to check you out on facebook also!!! So I understand…these”oils” you speak of for “natural” flea killing/repelling are for sale on Amazon??!!!
Hi Sara, thanks for your kind words! Yes there are a number on amazon, however you can also buy them from most health shops and the like, just tell them what you are using them for and make sure you research the type before putting it on your pet as some can be dangerous.
I’ve had a flea problem since I moved to this house , I have a 86 lb. 9 yr old Siberian Husky shes on Nexgaurd every month and I have a Seresto collar on her , she’s shaking like she had water on her , Ive bombed moped, vacuum , wash constantly it’s a nightmare , please help
Hi Mary, I recommend that you take your dog to the vet if she is shaking like that, don’t hesitate please. In addition to that, I recommend that you use a combination of DE and a DIY flea trap for starters, both guides are on this blog (under the fleas category). Please check them out and let me know if you have questions, I am here for you.
Hello Natasha, my dog has been wearing this advantix flea collar for almost 3 months now and I don’t see any physiological changes on my dog. I’m worried because…well I don’t see any changes so there might be a chance that something is happening on the inside. Behavior of my dog’s still the same as the day I have put the collar on him. Care to enlighten me Natasha? Thanks!
Hey Sese! Thanks for visiting my blog again, I have answered your previous query on the other post a couple days ago, just incase you didn’t notice 😉 Flea collars, while being rather toxic, doesn’t always have adverse results on all animals. However, its still not worse the risk and its definitely not good for their help, especially in the long term. I recommend giving flea collars a break and either using a skin flea treatment product or a few of the natural methods discussed on this blog. Thanks 🙂
Very informative article you have here sir. I’ve showed this article to my parents when they considered to buy a flea collar. They were surprised. Now we’ve been treating fleas with naturally home made methods 🙂 Also may I know if you guys have a facebook account? thanks 🙂
Hey Brian! Thanks for the kind words, its appreciated! I am glad to hear that you are trying natural methods, they are very effective and while its not for everybody, I always recommend giving them a chance 🙂 Yes we do, you may follow our FB by liking this page.
Thanks for the article. I am wondering about the Soresto flea collar for a 8 month old boxer. What do you think?
Hi De, I don’t recommend any flea collars for your pets.