All about EM® Collars

How do the collars work?

All about EM® technology and how it works.

Find out more

Useful information to make sure you stay protected with a prevention regimen.

Collar Effectiveness

How do the collars work?

Useful information to make sure you stay protected with a prevention regimen.

Learn more

Caring for your collar

How do the collars work?

Caring for your collar

Care instructions to help you get the most out of your collar.

Read Instructions

Proper Measuring

Shipping & Ordering FAQs

Caring for your collar

How to properly measure for the best fit.

Learn how to measure

Shipping & Ordering FAQs

Answers to common questions about EM Collars and Ordering FAQs

Find answers

About EM® Technology

homeoPAWthic EM® Collars us EM® Technology. The information below is taken directly from the Manufacturer's website:

"EM∗ is a people-friendly and environmentally safe product of EMRO (EM Research Organization) that achieves synergistic effects by combining beneficial microorganisms which exist in nature, such as lactic acid bacteria, yeast and phototrophic bacteria. It was developed by Professor Teruo Higa in 1982. EM∗ activates local and native microorganisms that live in soil and water and maximizes their natural power. EM∗ brand represents a line of microbial products that are used in numerous fields including agriculture, animal husbandry, environmental purification and health care in more than 100 countries around the world.
EM∗ is a trademark and a brand name owned by EMRO, and is used on a variety of products."

Source: https://www.emrojapan.com/what/

"EM® is an acronym for Effective Microorganisms®., a brand name referring to a family of microbial-based products using a technology developed by Japanese scientist Dr. Teruo Higa. These microorganisms are baked into special clay pipes which use beneficial microbes, creating a synergy among microorganisms and larger forms of life including insects and worms, pets and livestock, and people.

EM® Ceramics emit far infrared waves. Far Infrared waves are the longest rays in the light spectrum. This wavelength is highly compatible with human tissue. The body can absorb them easily at depths up to 3 inches, where they can do lots of good work. Far Infrared waves remove blood cell clusters and this improves blood circulation. Because the infrared rays penetrate the tissue, they work deep into body tissue, not just on the surface of the skin. Far infrared waves generate a warming effect by activating cells. NASA uses Far Infrared wave technology in the space suits of their astronauts.

Try this chemical-free, alternative to enhance your blood flow. Increased blood circulation removes toxins from muscles and internal organs, lowers blood pressure, and improves overall body function." Good for people and pets.

homeoPAWthic EM® collars feature EM® Ceramic pipes. While there is no scientific research on this specific application of EM®, anecdotal & personal evidence provided by thousands of pet parents (including my own personal experience using these for 6 years now) overwhelmingly suggests that this technology also works off-label to increase an animals resistance against fleas & ticks. The EM®s are the only "active ingredient" in these collars - nothing else! No chemicals, no essential oils, or other ingredients. There are no known adverse effects or contraindications using EM Technology, meaning they are considered safe to use on all life stages. We have many customers who have been referred to these collars by their holistic/integrative veterinarian. This is offered as a safer alternative, especially for pets who are senior, with health issues or have had adverse reactions to chemical preventatives.

I have personally been using these products for several years and thousands of customers year-over-year report a complete or significant reduction in the amount of attached ticks. While these do work for the majority of people and pets, no single product can guarantee 100% protection. We encourage all pet parents to do daily tick checks, and you may also want to use additional natural preventatives in conjunction with EM Collars.

For testimonials from many pet parents, read here.

For even more detailed information, visit the FAQ's

Collar Effectiveness

Prevention & Checking for Ticks

PREVENTION: The key with ANY tick preventative is early detection with daily tick checks - even with veterinary preventatives. Most topical/oral veterinary preventatives do not stop ticks from biting your dog, they simply kill the tick after it bites. After the tick bites, it can take 24-48 hrs to die and Lyme disease can be transmitted during this die-off period. With EM® Collars, you have the added benefit of making your dog less susceptible to tick bites as they "repel" them.

No prevention method is 100% and the key is to remove ticks as soon as you find them, so checking daily is key. If they are removed within 24 hours, the risk of transmission is quite low. If the tick is not engorged, then it has most likely NOT had time to transmit any diseases it may have carried. It is not totally uncommon to find a tick "floating" atop the fur. This is because ticks are not picky about what they latch onto. They hang on grass/branches with one side of their legs leaving the other side with legs swaying in the breeze in order to latch onto anything that rubs up against them. Usually though, they do not stay on long once they realize this is not the environment they were hoping for, and I almost never hear of reports of them biting/engorging.

Collar Effectiveness

Prevention & Checking for Ticks

PROTECTING/MAINTAINING YOUR COLLAR: Wear & tear on the clay pipes, dirt, oil for from skin and contact with chemicals will all decrease the effectiveness of the EMs. The clay pipes should be maintained regularly with warm water only to keep dirt and debris free from the pipes, including inside. Oils and abrasives can also break down the ceramic clay and make them more susceptible to breakage. To help loosen dirt that may be inside the pipes, rotate them while rinsing under warm water. Sunlight is good for the EMs so after washing, place them in the sun to dry. Our paracord is mold resistant & quick drying! I recommend removing the collars during play - as the EM pipes can easily break, especially during "mouthy" play. As the EM pipes are ceramic, they are susceptible to breakage - we braid MORE than required onto each collar, so that if a few break, it will not reduce the effectiveness. Some owners report that their dog lying on a hard surface, such as hard tile or concrete, will cause them to break. This is unfortunately, beyond our control :)

Collars should be replaced yearly in general - some may need to be replaced more frequently if there is extra wear and tear and others may be able to extend this. It is dependent on the dog/lifestyle, but generally a good idea to replace each "tick season".

It is very important to remember that it can take up to a month before the collars are working at full effectiveness. Especially during this time, it is important to check daily and use additional preventatives.

These collars work well for MOST pets and humans, but they seem to work better for some than others. Some find they need to use additional preventatives - many customers like the Earth M.D. Flea & Tick Prevention and the Legendary Canine Fur Fresh Outdoor Spray. Most people find EM collars also work to repel fleas. We have never had fleas with our crew of 3 dogs and many fosters since using these collars

Caring For Your Collar

Cleaning the collar

EM Collars should be washed with warm water ONLY. Absolutely no soaps or chemicals as these will compromise the integrity of the Effective Microorganisms®!

Rotate and rinse the clay beads often - at least every other week - the beads will work best when they are clean and free of debris.

Swimming with the collar is fine - as long as it is not in chemically treated water. (i.e. chlorine or bromine)

Hang to dry in a warm, sunny area. Sun is good for the EMs and our paracord is mold-resistant & quick-drying!

If you use other products such as topical flea & tick preventatives, bug spray etc - do NOT allow these products to come into contact with the EM Collar. Oils, soaps and chemicals WILL compromise the EMs and cause them to become ineffective. These can also cause the Ceramic Clay to break down, and the pipes will crack.

If your collar becomes very dirty or smelly (because let's face it, dogs like to roll in some awful things!) you can safely soak the collar in warm water mixed with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. The PH of baking soda is safe to use with the EMs and will not harm them, but do this ONLY when there is a skunk/rolled in something emergency.

The paracord I use is the highest quality:

550 Paracord - Type III Commercial Grade with 550 lb minimum break strength
Diameter of approximately 4.0mm - 7 inner strands
Mold, mildew, rot and UV resistant
Color will not bleed
Made in USA (never any cord from China!)

How to get the most out of your collar

Keep the collar on your pet 24/7 for the first month of use. This is to build up the effectiveness of the Effective Microorganisms®. After the first month of continual wear, you can remove the collar when it is not needed (i.e. your pet is sleeping). **Note: you should still remove the collar to wash it during this first month!
During "Tick Season" (dependent on your geographic location), the collar should be worn at all times.
We recommend you change your collar/bracelet every year. You can extend the life and effectiveness of the collar if you maintain it bi-weekly. The collars do lose effectiveness over time - while it is different for every dog, most will lose effectiveness after continuous wear. Some will find they need to replace more than that, others find they can go longer. Wear & tear on the clay pipes, dirt, oil for from skin and contact with chemicals will all decrease the effectiveness of the EMs.

Additional precautions

If you live in a multi-pet household, you may find that your pets enjoy chewing on the others' collars - if this is the case, remove the collar when they are unsupervised. These collars are NOT chew-proof and we do not offer replacements for collars which have been the victim of snack-time ;) Yes, I'm talking about YOU Chloe!
For your pet's safety and the safety of other pets, collars should be removed when engaged in rough play. Any collar poses a choking hazard, should a collar become caught in another dogs jaws. Play safe!
Never attach a leash to a tick collar. These collars do not have a leash clip and are not built to safely restrain a dog. It WILL break.
EM Pipes are made of ceramic clay and are susceptible to breakage. The most common causes of breakage are: hitting against a hard surface (i.e. dog lies down on tile floor or cement), playing with other dogs (other dogs' teeth can easily crack the pipes), using products like essential oils and topical flea & tick preventatives - these cause the clay to break down and they can crack. This is unfortunately beyond our control. Please do your best to avoid situations like this. We put MORE EM pipes that required on each collar so that if some break, it will not reduce the effectiveness. We do not replace 1 or 2 pipes, but if you are concerned or lose more than a few, please email us.

FAQs

Shipping Info

Refunds/Cancellations

Most items can be shipped throughout Canada, the U.S. and Internationally. Some products, like hemp4paws oil can be shipped within Canada only. This information is provided at checkout.

Fees are based on weight, number of items, shipping method, and shipping distance. Fees are ALL CALCULATED AUTOMATICALLY BY CANADA POST. I have no control over the pricing. As a small business customer, I am able to pass on reduced rates for Expedited Shipping with Canada post. I HIGHLY recommend choosing this tracked shipping option!

**PLEASE EXPECT SHIPPING DELAYS DUE TO COVID-19! Canada Post are experiencing 'Christmas-level volume" and are no longer able to to provide a delivery guarantee date. I HIGHLY recommend choosing a tracked shipping option during this time. Please be patient - everyone is doing their best :)

Refunds/Cancellations

If your order does not arrive as ordered, we will accept the item(s) back in the original and unused condition within 7 days of receipt. Your items will be re-made and shipped as quickly as possible.

If your item is damaged in shipment, please let me know right away and I will replace your item as soon as possible or provide a refund. ***Note that items shipped with LETTERMAIL are NOT insured and therefore, if they are damaged during shipping, we cannot replace them or offer a refund. We HIGHLY encourage you to choose a tracked shipping option which provides insurance!

I DO NOT offer refunds if you provided the wrong measurements, or just changed your mind about your order :) If you have measured incorrectly, reach out and I may be able to help guide you to make your collar work, or if you are local to Ottawa, fix it for you.

Orders can be cancelled within 24 hours of ordering, providing I have not already begun processing it.

These collars are not indestructible. The clay pipes can be damaged or broken during play or if chewed. I cannot provide refunds or replacements for collars damaged due to wear and tear, being chewed etc. I recommend removing collars during play.

Payment

Refunds/Cancellations

Are These Items Guaranteed to Work?

We accept payment via email money transfer to: homeopawthic@gmail.com, PayPal, or major credit cards via Square secured payment processing. Payment must be received before order processing will begin.

*NEW! We now also offer Gift Certifcates which can be used for payment. Find our Gift Card options here: https://squareup.com/gift/ENDMB2XA1NYNS/order

Are These Items Guaranteed to Work?

Simply put, no. Just like any tick product on the market (including the ones prescribed by your veterinarian), I cannot guarantee these products will work for your pet. I can only tell you from my own personal experience and the experiences of thousands other pet parents, that we have used these collars for several years and have successfully remained tick-free. This includes walking through the bush, swimming at the cottage and being in high-risk areas. We hope you will have the same success!

Note that we do not offer refunds should this product not work for you.

We do not have any definitive results to indicate these collars work to protect against fleas - we personally have never had fleas and most people report the same.

Do The Collars Need to be Snug?

Are These Items Guaranteed to Work?

Do The Collars Need to be Snug?

No. The natural tick collars can be looser-fitting than a regular collar - to be worn as an accessory (like a necklace).

If your pet is a chewer, we recommend using a buckle or swivel clasp and keeping the collar more snug.

The toggle clasp offers a looser fit with a bit of room for adjustment (great for growing pups).

A TICK COLLAR SHOULD NEVER HAVE A LEASH ATTACHED! These collars are not built to withstand the strength of a dog pulling on a leash. These are built to be an accessory!

How Do I Measure Properly?

Are These Items Guaranteed to Work?

Do The Collars Need to be Snug?

The best way to get a proper collar measurement is to use a sewer's measuring tape (cloth) and measure comfortably (I recommend allowing for 2 fingers worth of space) around the largest part of your dog's neck.

If you are ordering a buckle clasp, please provide the EXACT measurement of your dog's neck, where their regular collar sits, with adequate room for comfort.

It is NOT a good idea to measure your dog's regular collar, as this does not always provide an accurate measurement.

Measuring Instructions

Disclaimer

Please be advised that there is no guarantee that these natural/alternative products will work for your pet. I am not a veterinary professional, and just like any veterinary or non-veterinary flea/tick product, I cannot provide any guarantee. There are thousands families in Canada & the US who have used EM products with success, meaning, no ticks or a great reduction in the # of ticks as compared to other preventatives used previously. I am simply providing you with my own personal success and testimonials from other pet parents who have had success using EM® Collars.

The content on this site is not intended to replace that of your veterinarian.

EM-1® microbial products are USDA Organic certified through CCOF.

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

homeoPAWthic does not assume any responsibility for any injury or loss associated with the use of these products.