A natural flea spray that is safe and effective for your dog or cat is not only possible, it’s also available. Right now!
In fact, cedar and peppermint have been used since antiquity to ward off unwanted bugs of all types. Before you expose your dog or cat to the potentially dangerous toxins in conventional flea medications, consider using nature’s power to deter and kill pests on your pets.
Cedarwood Oil
Since ancient times, cedar has been ground and pressed to extract the fragrant oils. A process of cold maceration was used by ancient Babylonians to obtain the essence of the plant. The ground raw materials were steeped in cold oil for several days before being filtered and used. Many types of woods and herbs, including cypress, juniper, and myrtle were used in ancient Babylonia, but by far cedar was the most commonly macerated for its oil (Middeke-Conlin, 2014). Ancient writers advised planting cedar with crops to deter insects, and the liquid distillation of cedar was applied directly to crops to deter and kill pests without harming the plants (Webster, 1975).
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint has long been used as a culinary and medicinal herb, but it has also been used historically to deter pests. It is well known to be safe and effective for a wide range of uses, whether it is used fresh, dried, or the essential oil is extracted.
Of the three active ingredients we are aware of in peppermint: menthone, pulegone, and menthol, menthol is especially well-known to be effective at preventing and driving away mosquitoes, mites, and many other pests (Baker). Household pets are deterred by mint as well, so while they won’t mind having it sprayed on them, neither will they be likely to lick it off.
Powerful Plants
How do these plants have such powerful insecticidal and repellent effects when used in a natural flea spray? The answer, in part, is found in how various plants have evolved to interact with their environment. It is useful for plants to have different relationships with different insects.
It may be beneficial to attract pollinators but deter or kill plant-eating insects. Early humans surely noticed the lack of bothersome insects around certain plants, and therefore used the plants to keep insects away from homes, livestock, and their own bodies. While we have long seen the effects of certain plants, only recently has science shed some light on what gives them this power.
Natural Flea Spray Blocks Octopamine
Octopamine is an important biogenic monoamine similar to serotonin in humans but found in insects. Octopamine acts as a neurotransmitter, neurohormone, and neuromodulator in insects. Octopamine carries important information to the insect about how to behave, feel, and even essential information in the nervous system.
Everything from sleep, sexual behavior, wakefulness, and feeding are affected by the information that is understood by the octopamine receptors. Essential oils interact with Octopamine receptors. By interfering with the signals of the octopamine receptors, plants can significantly affect the behavior of insects, causing them to flee, cease to reproduce, or even die (Gross, 2014).
A Safe and Effective Natural Flea Spray
There are many plants which have developed effective strategies for interfering with insects, but the two that have been well known to be extremely safe and effective throughout time are peppermint and cedar oil. These oils work together to both kill and deter insects on your pet, and keep pests from infesting your furniture or home. Furthermore, these oils have both been found safe for humans and pets by the EPA.
TripleSure Natural Flea and Tick Spray for Dogs and Cats is a natural flea and tick spray that contains nothing but peppermint and cedar oil, along with a natural emulsifier: ethyl lactate, and filtered water. It comes in the TripleSure Trigger and TripleSure Finger Pump, both 16 oz, both for dogs and cats. Both are best sellers for good reason.
Unlike other sprays that charge a lot more for half a dozen combinations of oils that are less effective and will make your dog or cat’s senses go crazy, this simple natural flea spray combines only the safest and most effective two essential oils to kill bugs and keep them away for good.
References
Gross, A. D., Kimber, M. J., Day, T. A., Ribeiro, P., Coats, J. R. Investigating the Effect of Plant Essential Oils against the American Cockroach Octopamine Receptor (Pa oa1) Expressed in Yeast (2014, January 1) Biopesticides: State of the Art and Future Opportunities
Webster, B. Ancient Farmers Knew Pesticide. (1975, December 1).
Middeke-Conlin, R. The Scents of Larsa: A Study of the Aromatics Industry in an Old Babylonian Kingdom. (2014, March 24).
Wood Oils and Gums (Cedarwood Oil). (1993, September).
Peppermint & Peppermint Oil Profile: Active Ingredient Eligible for Minimum Risk Pesticide Use. (Baker, B.P., Grant, J.A., Malaker-Kuenen, R.) New York State Integrated Pest Management, Cornell University, Geneva NY.