(NaturalHealth365)  No one wants to see their pet afflicted by pesky fleas and ticks.  Many people turn to flea and tick collars to keep them at bay.  After all, these pet collars are marketed as safe and highly effective.

However, many of these seemingly harmless collars contain an insidious chemical with alarming health risks – not only for pets but also for children and adults.

Why would anyone use these pet collars?

Over half of flea and tick collars sold in the United States contain the chemical tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP).  This is disturbing since TCVP is associated with a risk of neurological damage in children.

TCVP belongs to a class of chemicals known as organophosphates, first created as nerve agents around World War 2.  Organophosphates raised such health concerns that most were banned for household use after 1996.

Yet, TCVP has remained a common component of popular flea and tick collars.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently moved to ban collars that contain TVCP in light of its risk to human health.  But it’s hard to say how long before implementing such a ban could take.

TCVP exposure linked to autism and lower IQ in children

This isn’t the first time concerns about TCVP have been raised.  In 2009, the National Resource Defense Council implored the EPA to ban the chemical.

A study conducted during the Obama administration revealed that children experience high TCVP exposure through pet flea and tick collars.  Sadly, this high chemical exposure could put kids at higher risk of attention disorders, autism, lowered IQ, and even delayed mental development.

Furthermore, although the EPA is required to reevaluate and approve chemicals every 15 years, the agency hasn’t reviewed TVCP use since 2006.  Fortunately, the EPA is now moving forward with scrutinizing TVCP.

TVCP isn’t the only problematic chemical in popular flea and tick collars.  Many more contain pesticides like imidacloprid and flumethrin, which may also harm pets and people.

What can you do to reduce your exposure?

The presence of harmful chemicals in flea and tick collars is troubling.  And even though it may not be possible to completely eliminate chemicals from your life, you can take steps to reduce your family’s exposure risk.

For one, it’s important to read ingredient labels thoroughly.  Any product containing a lengthy list of hard-to-pronounce ingredients is likely bad news.  Try to eat organic, local foods, purify your water and choose natural and organic bedding.

There are also several natural alternatives to toxic flea and tick collars – for example, citrus functions as a flea repellant.  Fleas can’t hang onto fur in a bath, so you might regularly bathe and brush your dog to keep fleas away.

Feeding Brewer’s yeast to your dog or cat may also deter fleas from your pet.  Some essential oils, like geranium oil, may help repel ticks.  You should check your pet daily for ticks, especially if they’ve been in a wooded area.

Our children and pets are the most important parts of our lives, and we want to keep them safe.  Avoiding toxic flea and tick collars is one way to decrease health risks to your family.

Sources for this article include:

Childrenshealthdefense.org
PETA.org