PharmaCom scare tactics and you

I was recently researching Seargeant's Natural Guardian flea repellent. I noticed a poster by the name of "Warren" that ran horrific blurb that was a waste of (mediocre) marketing skills. Warren's comments are word-for-word and format-for-format the same at this blog (look for Warren's post left on March 24, 2008) which was less than 24 hours after posting to this blog.

I'm all for free speech, but there is such a thing as ethics involved with allowing a free-market economy. You don't bash a competitor simply because they have a product that seems to be working. Figure out how they do it and try to do it better. Isn't that what corporate espionage is all about? Or are the CEO's being paid so much that companies can't afford that anymore...

Disclaimer
I do not and have not ever worked for any Pharmaceutical corporation of any kind nor any of said companies' subsidiaries. I have likewise never worked for Seargeant's or any of its subsidiaries. I am not a doctor of any sort (J.D., Ph.D., M.D.).


Review
I've used this product on one 9-year-old cat. The only effect the first time was that the he hated the smell and let me touch him for a day or two. The second application went better I think due to him having used it before and just knowing he'd have to deal with it. Anyway, the fleas were gone, as evidenced by zero scratching for about three or 3.5 weeks. Does it last a whole month on a regular basis? I wouldn't think even essential oils will last that long.

Al-in-all, I'd use this product again with no qualms.


Now to the absurd
These are a couple of answers to the most severe questions arising out of the scare tactic comments, like Warren's. These are usually posed by some unsuspecting user interested in natural alternatives.

Is it gonna kill my cat? There may be some skin irritation from the peppermint especially if applied directly to the skin instead of the fur. However, if your cat is allergic to peppermint there could be some really serious reactions most of which will fall into normal histamine categories - one of which is respiratory failure. As with any product you might use on your pet, use your head first. Test a small amount and wait a day. If there is no reaction other than a slight redness, you're good-to-go. Anything other than a slight redness and you need to find another product.

Why is my cat angry at me? The smell is a bit strong which makes me wonder about the amounts used. The smell is what the cats are attempting to escape. Because they can't get away, eventually they hide and are usually snappish. They get better.

My cat is foaming at the mouth or drooling, is this a sign that the cat is sick? The reports of foaming are probably due to the close relationship between peppermint and catnip - same family, therefore it's the same type of, if not the same quality of, reaction. If a cat stays on the catnip-infused scratching board too long they will drool and foam a bit. Lethargic reactions to the peppermint means they are probably high (hence the inability to find a proper toilet or the inaction regarding food). Since they can't get away from what is making them that way, they may stay high for a while. You should ease up on the dose or find another product.

When you read reviews online about products that are an alternative to some large corporation's heavy chemical solutions, be aware that most of the negative posts are not from users of the product. Since the FTC doesn't do a great job in print or on TV, and cannot regulate claims made by the "public" in any forum especially online, any of the reviews you read (and most likely many of them) could be fake. Search several review sites and compare the posts. Eliminating the similar posts will give you a better idea on the product.