Christine,
The pesticide in a flea collar is tested for safety by
putting it on animals and measuring the pesticide blood
levels that result. Absorption by that route, primarily
due to a cat's grooming, is quite slow. And there is
reliable data.
When a flea collar is cut up (to maximize it's surface
area) and placed in a vacuum cleaner the pesticide is
vaporized and aerosolized and rapidly dispersed throughout
the air of the house. Some of this aerosol (particles
with diameters of one micron or more) will settle out
on surfaces, but then are subject to resuspension the next
time you clean house. But, if you have one of those HEPA
vacuums, the aerosols should be retained--leaving only
vapor in the air.
When a pesticide is absorbed through inhalation of vapor
and aerosol, this is a rapid process, and it becomes much
more likely that acute (or prompt) health effects will be
induced.
If the goal is to kill any fleas residing in the vacuum
cleaner bag, this is best accomplished by simply discarding
it (or burning it, as some books advise) after every use;
well, maybe every other use, but keep it in the shed.
If the goal is to kill the fleas residing in the house,
this is best done by a professional exterminator who is
willing to discuss the pros and cons (including toxicity)
of the various available treatments, "natural" or synthetic.
If the goal is to control fleas on a dearly-loved
long-haired cat (with flea allergy dermatitis) that goes
outside in a tropical clime, it is best to see a
veterinarian and choose a control strategy using one
or more of the newly available flea-control products,
reading up on them yourself, if necessary.
The veterinarian I saw recently was equivocal about
flea collars, telling me that if the cat became sluggish
or the neck became irritated, that I should take it off.
That it probably would help a little, and that he hasn't
seen many cats get sick from flea collars.
David |
