Fleas are a horrible problem for your pet, they are itchy and what is more, they carry diseases which could infect your beloved animal and make the suffer even more.  To cure this affliction, many companies have come up with all sorts of formulas to rid cats and dogs of these nasty little critters. To kill one set of living things that inhabit another living creature without harming that host animal, however, is not easy.  The use of artificial chemicals, whether they be sprays, lotions, shampoos or contained in tablets, creates the possibility of flea treatment side effects that may harm your pet as much as the flea infestation itself.

In fact, it has been suggested that the chemicals used in flea treatments have led to an increase in pets suffering from diabetes, cancer, liver and heart disease, as well as nervous system disorders.  One of the ways some flea treatments work is by affecting the nervous system of the fleas, and since the chemicals cannot distinguish between flea and dog or cat, there is certainly some danger there.  It is just common sense, really, that if you use chemicals on your pet for flea treatment, side effects are a definite possibility.  Whether that turns out to be an allergy, a reaction on the skin or something more serious it is very difficult to say.  This is why it is very important to get the advice of a vet or other professional in the field before choosing your course of treatment.

Fortunately, however, there are alternatives to chemical treatments which you can use to tackle flea problems.  There are natural methods, such as a flea bath, rubbing citrus peels over your pet’s coat (fleas hate the smell of them) to feeding your pet garlic (which fleas hate the taste of in the blood stream), there are other ways of combating a flea infestation.  They will not, generally, be quite as effective, and they are likely to take more time and effort than a chemical solution, but that is the choice you have to make.  It is up to you to decide which way is better for your pet; sometimes the flea infestation might be so bad that the quick relief of a chemical solution is worth the risk of the flea treatment side effects.  On the other hand, if you have caught it relatively early, you might prefer to allay the risks of side effects and use non-chemical means to rid your pet of fleas.  For more information on this approach, see the section on “holistic flea treatment”.

For more information on flea treatment side effects in general contact a professional.  If your pet suffers any serious side effects, such as a seizure or burning of the skin then immediately contact your vet.  If they begin scratching excessively after the application of a treatment, then a bath will wash away the chemicals.  Be sure to look out for any signs of adverse flea treatment side effects after treating your pet.