Collar Effectiveness

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.

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.