Need to prove your on-pet product will repel fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes? Each species requires unique test methods. In most cases, to save costs and time, we offer methods that do not require actual pets but can be done on animal hide. We show the degree of repellency to each species. But the larger issue to be understood by our clients is the need for ‘longevity’ testing for a least one of the species on your label. For any repellency claim, many states and EPA will require a ‘retreatment’ claim on the label. Without a ‘lasts up to…’ claim on the label, then the consumer is left to assume that the product will last indefinitely. Therefore it is critical that such repellency claims be supported with data show when a product actually begins to fail, or at least prove that it lasts as long as suggested on the label. This means that the same test needs to be repeated a few times after the product is applied.
And when you are considering your labels for flea and tick repellency, you should also consider bed bug repellency. While bed bugs are not known to harbor on pets, they readily feed on dogs, cats, rodents, birds and most other pet species. So it is important that our pets be protected from bed bugs once a home has become infested.
