Well hello. This is Krista with Episode #157 on the Wag Out Loud pawdcast and I just wanted to remind you that you should probably check out all of the amazing trusted brands that I do highly recommend. And these are products that I have tried on my dog Winston and I have tried a lot of them. But these are the ones that I know, like and trust. And these products will also help your dog to thrive. So go to wagoutloud.com and check out the Trusted Brands section. And you'll notice that most of them have discounts, so why not see what can make a difference in your dog's life? Speaking of your dog, your dog is pretty smart, right? Well, how smart is your dog compared to you? Well, according to research by animal psychologists, dogs can understand up to 250 words, they can also count to five, and they're able to do basic calculations. So we already knew that our dogs are smart. But did you know that they have the intelligence of a two year old? Welcome to the Wag Out Loud pawdcast, where we are obsessed with bringing you helpful tips on canine health care, nutrition, and overall wellbeing. If you'd like to support the show, check out the amazing online events, products and resources that I personally recommend on the Wag Out Loud website. I'm your host, Krista and I'm super excited to be bringing you yet another tail wagging episode. Ádám Bacsó is the COO of an internationally growing company ProtectOne America Inc., and he's been involved in the development of tick protection for more than 4 years. His alma mater is Budapest Business School in Hungary, and later he finished his Tropical Parasitology studies at Duke University in the US. Nowadays innovation and environmentally friendly solutions are on his radar. Hi there dog lovers. Thanks so much for tuning in and for wanting to do better for your dog. Today, I have the privilege of chatting with Ádám Bacsó about natural flea and tick prevention. And I promise you will definitely want to stick around for this one. Adam, I want to thank you so much for being with us today. I would love for you to introduce yourself and share why are you so passionate about natural flea and tick prevention. Thank you for being here. It's awesome to be your guest. I’ve been related to tick prevention for four years now. And we see that with the climate change, they're more ticks than ever before. And in just the last few years, well the last 20 years, the number of ticks have been multiplying. So this is becoming a bigger and bigger problem for for the community. So we must have a solution against them. I got into this industry a couple of years ago. I had no idea about it, like five years ago, but the more I dig into it, the bigger the problem seems. The good thing is that we can do some things against it. Well, Adam, I read your bio, I mean, you finished your tropical parasitology studies at Duke University. I never knew there was such a thing. What's involved with that type of degree or program? Oh my God, you don’t want to know that. Yeah, I learned so much about different kinds of diseases, which are related to ticks, fleas, flies, mosquitoes. It's it's been crazy. And honestly, I'm really glad that I finished it. I learned a lot of nasty things. We learned a lot. It mainly covered ticks and fleas, which were my side. And I learned that just in the USA, there are more than 800 different species of ticks. So it's crazy. And I never heard about it before. But but we should be alerted because well, these modern 800 species are becoming more and more each year. So so it's it's actually a really, really interesting topic to learn about. They're there even even if you don't know about them. Well, my skin is already starting to crawl just thinking about it. But let's dive into it. We know that fleas and ticks are obviously a nuisance and when it comes to our dogs, we have to know, you know you've told me before we're always worried about flea and tick prevention for our dogs but we have to be aware for ourselves as well because we can be hosts, just like our dogs can, you know, they're gross, they're annoying, but they really are potentially harmful to our health. Our health and our dog's health. So, when we think of conventional treatments, you know what comes to mind, I see the poison symbol in my head. You know, these are toxic chemicals, we're trying to kill off the fleas and ticks. And we really have to realize the toxicity of the chemicals used in the chews, the collars, the shampoos, the sprays. So let's get into that a little bit. What are we doing to our dogs when we're giving him these products with toxic chemicals? How Chemical Treatments Work First, I just want to start with a statement. I am not fully against any chemicals. The main thing is tick prevention. So to prevent the diseases in the best ways we can. And one of the most well known option is to kill the ticks and fleas, just as you mentioned. Generally, many people use chemicals, spot ons, collars for their dogs to actually kill the ticks. And just talking in general, these chemicals work in a way where the tick has to bite first, and then it dies. So basically, these solutions, the tick bites first, and there are some diseases that can be spread just by the tick bite itself. So it doesn't have to go through the whole blood system, just like Lyme disease, for example, the tick has to bite. I believe that the main thing, the best thing that that we can do is to prevent the tick and flea bite itself. Because then we can also prevent the disease itself as well. I agree. And we have to remember that a lot of these drugs work systematically, which means that they're absorbed into the entire blood system of our dog. So it's affecting their entire body. You know, we think maybe the collar or the spot on treatment is only in one area of their body. But But these chemicals go, yeah, the entire body. So for instance, like fleas will feast on your dog's blood as as will ticks. And they eat the chemicals, they become paralyzed they die. And why don't we start with why do fleas prefer dogs as hosts? The first thing that comes to mind is that dogs have great fur. So it's, it's an amazing thing to hide there. And it's just much easier for them to grow on dogs, and also in dog beds, because if I would just spot some fleas in my bed I would just get rid of it there as soon as possible. But thank God I don't so… Dogs are generally going through bushes. They like being outside. And so they can also get ticks and fleas easier than us because we are just not rolling, but we people we are not rolling in grass. But dogs do. They can be affected with flea or tick borne diseases much easier than us. Also, I’d just like to go back a little bit about the chews that can be good for dogs. And just as I mentioned, many people use it and this is one of the most general thing to do against ticks. And normally there's just enough poison to kill the tick or flea but not enough to kill the dog itself. So it's really important if somebody is using chemical treatment against ticks and fleas, it's really important to choose the chew for the right size of dogs because unfortunately we hear about that many dogs die because of these chemicals and sometimes pet parents buy the wrong product for their pet. So these chemicals are calculated to have the exact amount of of poison in themselves. And let's say we have a small dog but we buy the tick and flea prevention for a large sized dog. It can also kill the small pets and that would be really unfortunate. So if somebody's going for these chemical treatments, then it's it's really important to consult with the veterinarian, for example, and choose which was the right the right product, I just want to highlight it first, because it's really important. We want to have as many pets around as possible… as as many healthy pets as possible. Yeah, I'm so glad you pointed that out. Because you're right. I know that there's a lot of reports that keep growing that from these other treatments that have chemicals in them, that dogs have neurological reactions, tremors, seizures, it can change their behavior, liver damage, GI illness. So to your point, we really have to pay attention to the products that we are administering to our dogs. So I like that you pointed that out. So let's go back to fleas. Fleas, if you see one, most likely there are many more correct? Yes, absolutely correct. And what is the life cycle? The whole, you know, they hop on your dog, how long do they live for? How long do they feed on your dog's blood and actually breed or lay eggs? Life Cylce of a Flea It can actually take a couple of weeks to go from larvae to an actual flea. And, for example, if you have fleas on your dogs, and you, you just give them a bath and get rid of the fleas on your dog, then you should also wash your dog's bed and also clean the places where your dog has been because there can be many larvaes around your home and around your dog's place. So it's really important to not just to get rid of the the actual fleas that you can see at that time. But just as you mentioned, there are many more just around the house, and just around your your dog's bed. So if you find fleas, then it's important to clear the whole area where your dog has been recently, because most of the fleas are there. And you can only get rid of them if you clean the whole area. Because we hear many, many people saying that they got rid of the fleas on their dog, they gave them the bath, but the fleas came back. The actual thing is that the fleas didn't come back. They were there. They were already there. They were just born after that. Right. And is it true that fleas are the most common cause of skin disease in dogs because when I think about flea bites, I know that a lot of dogs have a bad reaction that they are actually allergic to is it the saliva in the flea that they're reacting to? Yes, they're just as I mentioned, there are many species of fleas, and they can spread some diseases, just by their saliva. And also, if your dog is just scratching itself, then that's also a problem because they can just get get rid of the fur really easily as well. So all in all flea prevention is a really important thing nowadays. And you should do, for example, the regular cleaning as well and also use some, if you can, then use some natural products against them. So just going back to the prevention part is just much better to do prevention, than curing an actual disease. Okay. All right, let's go on to ticks. So ticks are a totally different animal than fleas. How do ticks get on dogs? And on us? And what is the life cycle of a tick? Life Cycle of a Tick Just as we talked about it earlier, there are more and more ticks, ticks around. So a couple of years ago, we could have just said that they are mostly in forests. When we go for a hike with our dogs and with our family, but nowadays they can be found in city parks as well. So this whole climate change is actually helping them. They've been here before us and some scientists say that they will be here after us. So it's, it's a bit scary to think about. There are more than 800 species of ticks so as they can spread some different diseases, some of the most well known for dogs is Rocky Mountain Fever, Babesiosis and also Lyme can be dangerous for dogs. That's mostly for people. But dogs can be affected with Lyme as well. Generally, when we go, or when we think about tick prevention or tick borne diseases, then we normally think about dogs mostly. But the thing is, when, when our dog is outside, then many times we are around them, we like playing with each other. And many people only think about preventing tick bites for their dogs. But the thing is that if we use great tick prevention for dogs, then that can also go for us. And the thing is that Lyme is much worse for people and we can get affected by the ticks that don't, that don't affect our dogs. So we have to think about the prevention for ourselves as well. So for example, just thinking about Lyme in the US, there are almost half a million people diagnosed with Lyme each year. And that's a lot. So we we never want to be included in this study. Lyme is not as big as a problem for dogs, but still, and there are between 20 to 30,000 dogs affected by Lyme each year. And these are the officially diagnosed dogs. But the thing is that not all the time can these Lyme diseases be diagnosed for dogs. So the thing is that there are unfortunately, many misdiagnosed dogs who who are not diagnosed having Lyme disease or other tick borne diseases, because let's say that there's a tick biting your dog but then it falls off and when the actual symptoms come to our dogs, then the tick is not around anymore. So the symptoms can come three or six months after the bite itself. So it's really important to do tick prevention all the time. It used to be only from March to September the season for ticks and fleas. Now with the mild winters. The thing is that they can be a problem for the whole year. Also, I’ll share a really interesting study about ticks a bit later. Adam… Yeah, can I stop you there? We're just going to take a quick commercial break and Adam is going to share with us a wonderful resolution for fleas and ticks in a natural way. So stay tuned, everybody, we'll be right back. A special thanks to the team at Tickless USA for being our monthly sponsor. I am so thrilled to share this great company and their products with all of you who want to prevent ticks and fleas without the use of toxic chemicals. That's right, no more harmful chemicals need to be applied to your dog. Tickless devices are ultrasonic, flea and tick repellers that emit a series of ultrasonic pulses that humans, pets and wildlife cannot hear. These outstanding patented products are the number one selling chemical free repellents in Europe that are proven safe in multiple studies. They offer various versions to be worn on the collar, and they also have units for the home. They're not only for pets, but they have tick repellents for people as well. You can't go wrong with these environmentally friendly chemical and fragrance free ultrasonic devices, making them perfectly safe to use for your entire family. Order your Tickless device today by going to TicklessUSA.com and use the discount code WAGOUTLOUD That's all one word with no spaces to receive 15% off of your order. Hello, everyone. We are back. I can't wait to hear more about natural flea and tick prevention from Adam. Adam, you just mentioned with global warming and climate change that fleas and ticks are really here all year round. That we really have to be diligent about the prevention all year. Are there certain areas or climates that are more prevalent with fleas in ticks? Climate Change Yes, absolutely. So good weather is good for ticks. There was an experiment where there was a tick, they lowered the temperature. So the tick froze. And that's what normally happens. In the winter they continued this study. So after the tick froze, they higher the temperature, and the tick started walking again. It's crazy. So that's why I say that these mild winters are really good for ticks. Because it's really good for ticks, it's not naturally good for us. Because previously, the ticks could have just died during the wintertime. And we could get rid of lots of ticks. But now with these mild winters, in certain areas, well, in some areas, there are no winters at all. But still with with the mild winters, ticks can live during the wintertime as well. So that's why this is an all year round problem. And we have to think about prevention for the whole year as well. That makes sense. Well, there are things on the market that are natural that people are using, for instance, natural shampoos and sprays. But of course, those require frequent application. Another one is essential oils, which I've heard, there are good oils and bad oils, especially when it comes to our dogs. But I've read that the top reason for calls to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ,Animal Poison Control Center was for tick product related concerns. And that was essential oils. So no matter what we're using as a treatment, we really have to know what we're doing do our research. And is it true that a healthy dog will attract fewer fleas and ticks than a dog who has a weakened immune system? It can be depending on many things in general, if their immune system is weaker than absolutely, the problem is much bigger for them. That makes sense. Okay, this is what we've all been waiting for. Adam is going to tell us about his product, which is Tickless and I just I love this product. So Adam, tell us about the science and the technology behind Tickless. What Makes Tickless Different Right. So first of all, we say that people should use the best treatment for themselves and for their dogs as well. We know and we are honest about it that nothing is 100%. Even some chemicals, just killing ticks is not a 100% solution. Natural oil is also not a 100% solution. And also Tickless has a great efficiency level. So we did studies about it, several ones. And the technology itself has been around for more than 20 years now. And we just put the whole science into the Tickless products. So the great thing is that we can have the efficiency level above 90%, which is actually really great. We can actually say that we have the same efficiency level as as the chemicals, but without using any chemicals. So the thing is that it's science based technology. And we use an efficient sound technology in our devices. So all of our devices work with the same methodology. There is just some function differences. And we have it for dogs. We have it for cats, horses, and also for people. And the great thing is that Tickless has zero chemicals in it. It's an absolutely natural product. And the great thing is that you can use it for yourself, you can use it for your dog and basically you can use it for everyone who you love. Yes, and these are ultrasonic devices. So tell us about how the frequency in these devices work against fleas and ticks. The devices themselves have a frequency level around 40 kilohertz. And it's too high for for people of course, because we generally hear only until 20 kilohertz and it's also too high for for most dogs and cats. There are some species that can hear until 45 kilohertz, but still the decibel level is another thing that said it's really important with our sound because it's so low in the device that it's absolutely harmless for all dogs or cats. We have studies about it. But I always say that the best study is just to have a device close to your dog's ear. And we know that they just wouldn't care about it. So just to have an idea about the decibel level, I’m sitting in an empty room right now. And if I'm not talking, the decibel level can be around 50 decibels. And I'm not speaking, nothing is on. So just being quiet itself is is around 50 decibels and Tickless works with around 25 decibels. So that's a really low level. And that's why it's absolutely safe for dogs and cats as well. And also for people. And how are these devices placed or worn? We have two different devices for dogs, and the one that we started selling 10 years ago. That's the Tickless Classic Pet. This is the still the best selling device in our portfolio. Because most of our customers are buying it. This is actually good for the whole season. So you should put it on your dog's collar or harness and it covers their whole body. There are different color options, but they're all the same on the inside. So it's really just a preference of yours which one you are using: the beige, orange or pink one, you can use your favorite color. It goes for all sizes of dogs. So one device is enough for at least six months. And it's on all the time. So your dog should wear the devices all the time, that's what we recommend. Or if your dog is wearing a harness only outside, then we recommend having a Tickless Home Device in your home. Because this way, you can also prevent ticks and fleas in your home. So that's the best thing that that we can offer. Also, there's another device for smaller dogs. There's the Tickless Mini, and that is good for smaller sized pets. So we have a small dog version and also cat version from it. And that was with the same technology. The main difference is that it sticks to the color. So that's why it's good for for smaller pets. And also it's a rechargeable device. Yes. And that's the one that I tested on my dog Winston and I forgot that it was even there it is so small. And you know, he wasn't bothered by it. And it works. You know, I've seen videos of fleas and ticks that are hearing the frequency and, and they it looks like they're having seizures, they're obviously affected by this frequency. It's just so cool. The Tickless Technology Ticks have a so called Haller's organ, so they actually have eyes, but they don't necessarily use it to see. They use their Haller's organ to sense everything around them. So for example, the co2 level in the air, also the temperature level… and Tickless devices actually disturb this Haller's organ. So once a tick is activated, then they get an overdose of information. And that's what's actually causing them to leave. So if you're using Tickless on your dog, and for example, they are going through a tick nest, then they could also get some ticks crawling on them. But they will leave eventually. So you can imagine it like they cannot feel anything around them. They just have a really annoying noise. And they just want to get rid of it. And they just want to get away from it. So for example, in one of the studies that we cover, 94% of the participants had no ticks at all, and 6% had less than before. And none of them had the same amount or more than before. So that we can actually say that we have the same efficiency as the best products on the market but without using any chemicals. And just so everybody knows, Tickless is the number one selling chemical free repellent in Europe, obviously with their studies that has been proven safe and effective. So you can always go to their website to check out the studies. And now you also are available now here in the United States which is awesome. So Adam and his team from Tickless USA are making an outstanding offer that you guys can try these devices. If you go to TicklessUSA.com and use the discount code wagoutloud to receive 15% off of your order. So that's no spaces “WAGOUTLOUD”, and you get 15% off of your order. And I urge you guys to try these amazing products. You will love them, your pets will love them. So one other thing before we sign off today, maintaining your yard is also really important, just as a line of prevention. Is that right, Adam? Yes, absolutely. So keep your grass mowed and remove leaves and clean up brush. Because that's where ticks and fleas love to live. And they'll just hop on and come into your home. So this is a great product. I want you guys to check it out again, that's TicklessUSA.com Instagram: @ticklessusa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TicklessUSA.official LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/protectone-ltd Adam, do you have any parting words for us? Yeah, just just one more thing, if let's say somebody's not using Tickless already, but they find a tick on themselves or on their dogs, then it's really important to take it out as soon as possible. So checking yourself and your dog after a long walk is essential. And if there are any ticks found around, then you should always consult with your veterinarian or with your doctor to make sure that you're healthy. And you can use this with the special discount offer for yourself and for your dog to do your prevention part. Great advice. Well, Adam, thank you for being here. And thanks for all that you're doing with this amazing technology. We really appreciate you being here. Thank you. It's been great being here. Thanks again to our friends at Tickless USA for sponsoring this month's episodes, and for making such incredible products. Order your Tickless device today by going to TicklessUSA.com And don't forget that code WAGOUTLOUD, no spaces gets you 15% off.