F.A.Q

This piece is necessary during the injection molding manufacturing process but it needs to come off before putting the collar on your pet. You can either throw it away or, as this piece is active and also full of plant-based repellent active ingredients, place it under the rug of your front door or inside the dog house or any other place to help prevent pest infestation.

Our collar has a breakaway system (an intended weak point to break the collar with enough force) designed to break under the strength of a struggling 4.5 lbs or more cat and prevent strangulation, which is sufficient in nearly all circumstances.  To date, we have shipped millions of cat collars and fortunately, not one incidence of accident has been reported. Although we are able to produce a weaker breakaway collar, we are convinced consumers would prefer the current design since the weaker style will on occasion break too easily and be at risk of breaking even as the collar is fitted on the cat.

The main reason is that Flea collars containing organophosphates are dangerous for both human health, especially children, as well as pet health. That is why the French National Agency of Veterinary Medicine decided to withdraw the permit for sale of Diazinon, Propoxur and TCVP based collars, which are still widely commercialized in America. More recently, the US EPA decided to ban Propoxur-based collars. While adults or children are petting your animal, these insecticides are absorbed through the skin and may harm the nervous system. It is the same for the pets themselves. Thus, we have developed our plant-based repellent products to take care of both human and animal health.

The key is prevention. There is no need to treat with powerful insecticides as the flea is easily eliminated by common insecticides, but there is a need to treat regularly and everywhere, using a preventive approach. Often the fleas that survived the initial treatment also have to be eliminated to avoid another infestation as fleas, larvae and nymphs get deeply entrenched in the carpets, pillows, furniture fibers, etc.

We advise using household insecticides, sprayed regularly on surfaces that are prone to having fleas, larva, and nymphs (e.g. the dog-house).

The vacuum cleaner also helps in diminishing the number of eggs and nymphs. One method is to vacuum just after spreading insecticide powder to prevent fleas from multiplying inside the vacuum cleaner bag.

Pet bedding is typically a flea nest when there’s an infestation. You can either get a new one, which would be the best option, or to put them inside a plastic bag with a good dose of repellent powder inside.

Some laboratories propose more elaborate pesticide products. These formulations are said to be long lasting; they are typically effective over several days or several weeks. These are viable products as you do not have to treat as often and they guarantee the insects’ elimination. They are obviously more expensive than natural repellent products but many of them have negative side effects that can result in health issues. Feel free to let us know what you use and we can send you the toxicology profile of the active ingredient you are using.

There are also specialty products containing an active ingredient preventing the larva from developing into its nymph form, which is the most resistant form of the flea/tick. Recent studies have been performed inside our laboratory to show that these products are effective but last a relatively short period of time. Furthermore, they are very expensive. They can be purchased under gas propelled spray that is a one-time use.

For industrial surfaces such as garages or gravel, you can use stronger chemical or physical treatments (lime, sodium hydroxide, fire, etc.). Fire treatment is perfectly suited for large cement surfaces such as the ones found in kennels. 

You then need to avoid the insects re-appearing by protecting the potential carrier. You need to effectively treat all your pets at home with a repellent collar for example and if possible, ban access of foreign animals to your house, and you should also systematically treat any new pet(s) you bring into your home. 

Overall, the most efficient way to fight against pests is Prevention: prevent the pest from coming in instead of fighting it when it has already nested in your home and on your pet. Our natural repellent line is particularly suitable for this purpose and because it is safe, there is no concern with the frequency of application (following packaging instructions) as opposed to synthetic insecticide products.

In general no, but certain people are an exception and are more susceptible to harm caused by fleas. In these cases, biting generally occurs around the ankles and the calves and appear  as small red bumps which can strongly itch.

If this is the case, consult your doctor and start a complete desinfection and clean-up of the house.

Our advanced collar technology uses the properties of some specific plastic materials.

The active ingredient is incorporated inside the plastic matrix itself and is released from this matrix at a constant rate over a long period of time. The active ingredient migrates to the surface of the plastic under the form of micro drops or powder depending on the active molecule. Since the release is very slow, the product can be effective for several months.

At the end of the product life, the content of the active ingredient inside the plastic is very small and the collar will become more rigid; you will then need to replace the collar with a new one.

When we touch a window or a mirror, we leave a print. It is due to a fat called the sebum which soaks our epidermis and our skin. The sebum has a very important role; it is in particular a nutritive and softening factor for the skin.

The skin of the dog and the cat is also covered with sebum. It is this sebum which will transport the active ingredient. The molecules used in the collars are very soluble in sebum. They will diffuse via this fatty layer on the whole surface of the body. Thus, a flea collar carried around the neck protects the animal completely, from the head to the tip of the tail.

It is quite difficult to get rid of fleas from the house. Despite what most people think, fleas do not live permanently on the animal but on the floor, on carpets, pillows, etc.

Fleas generate eggs. From the eggs, a larva follows different developmental stages steps to turn into a nymph and finally an adult flea. Nymphs lay dormant inside a cocoon and they tend to stay “asleep” for a very long period of time until they turn into an adult insects. This process can last for several months.

This is the reason why we can see fleas appear in a house left empty for several months in the absence of animals. In that case, these nymphs can wake up, when they start feeling vibrations on the floor.

The adult flea has to bite a target (a dog, a cat or human) in order to feed itself with blood. After feeding, the flea falls to the floor where it lives and delivers its eggs. And the cycle starts over again.

Adult fleas and larva are affected by most of the common insecticides: insecticides used on animals (collars, powder, etc.) or household environment insecticides. However, the eggs are not affected by these and nymphs are quite resistant as well. We still recommend following the preventive approach with natural repellent products before flea season starts. It is healthier for the pet and prevention is much easier than fixing the problem!

If this is the case, it probably means that the environment in which your pet lives is infested with fleas. As a matter of fact, and despite common belief, fleas do not permanently live on the animal. Fleas are more often on the floor, in carpets, pillows, etc. Fleas “jump” on the animal only when they need to be fed with blood.

The treatments you are using kill fleas that are present on the animal. But if there is a large amount of fleas in the environment, new ones replace dead ones, giving the impression the products are not effective. Therefore, the environment also needs to be treated.

Once treated, you will have to prevent fleas coming back by treating them as soon as they re-appear with a shampoo, a powder, or a spray. Ideally, you will permanently have a flea and tick collar on your pet. You would need to replace it at the end of its life as described on the packaging; it will permanently protect your pet against fleas.

It is difficult to develop a natural collar which is both effective and odorless. If you feel the scent is too strong, you can first leave the collar out from the packaging from 1 hour to 1 day outside before putting in on your pet. Then you can also remove it when your pet is inside your house and put it back when he/she goes outside. And remember to wash your hands with soap after handling it to prevent the smell persisting on your hands.

If you have used another natural-based brand of spray or spot-on within the last 15 days, shampoo the fur around the entire collar area prior to using the ALZOO™ Collar. (Since ALZOO™ Collars, Spot-on, and Spray have been developed so that they can be used together, this is only required with another natural brand).

Yes.

It depends. The spot-on is formulated with almond oil. Almond oil has 3 purposes:

1- protect the skin from the active ingredient
2- help diffuse the active ingredient throughout the skin
3- protect the active ingredient from water.

So if your pet is outside when it is raining, the active ingredient will not disappear as it will be protected by the almond oil, which is water resistant. But if you wash your dog with a shampoo, the shampoo will dissolve the oil and the spot-on needs to be re-applied after you wash your dog.

Yes. The spot-on is formulated with almond oil. Almond oil has 3 purposes:
1- Protect the skin from the active ingredient
2- Help diffuse the active ingredient throughout the skin
3- Protect the active ingredient from water.

If you want to minimize the oily sensation when applying the product, space out the hair and apply slowly directly on the skin in the back area of the neck; then go down the spine of your pet and apply slowly while avoiding putting too much product on one spot. That way the product will be well dispersed and adsorbed on your pet’s skin.

If you see a stain on fabrics coming from the spot-on, a classic stain remover or degreasing agent will easily remove the stain.

For our product, we advise:

• For dogs less than 35 lbs, use the small collar
• For dogs ranging from 35 lbs to 74 lbs, use the medium collar
• For dogs more than 75 lbs, us the large collar

If you are experiencing this, we suggest adding just a little bit of vegetable based cooking oil to the buckle (either 1 spray, or 1 drop or you can rub it on with a Q-Tip). This should make it easier for the collar to pass through the buckle.

No, just let is sit two minutes before rinsing.