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If you live in a tick-infested area like me, doing nothing for tick protection for your pets isn’t exactly an option. But you also don’t want to risk the scary and potentially permanent neurological side effects of topical and oral chemical flea and treatments. So what are your options? Enter Wondercide.
Wondercide is a natural flea and tick treatment for dogs and cats that actually works. It primarily relies on cedarwood oil to repel and even kill fleas, ticks, and mosquitos. Cedarwood oil has been used for centuries for this purpose, and had a breadth of scientific research to back up its insect-repelling benefits. One study published in Experimental and Applied Acarology found that cedarwood oil was just as effective as DEET at repelling several species of ticks.
Wondercide’s lab-tested products also contain a variety of other essential oils known for their bug-repelling benefits, including peppermint oil, lemongrass oil, lavender oil, and others.
I’ve personally been using Wondercide on my 100-pound shepherd mix for several years and have been blown away by its effectiveness, even during peak tick season with plenty of long walks in the woods.
Over the years, I have recommended these products to friends and family members in real life and everyone is always so happy they decided to try them, too. So I decided I might as well write this review for the countless others who feel stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to flea and tick prevention for their pets. So here’s my honest-to-goodness take on the good and not-so-good of Wondercide flea and tick products.
TL;DR – Key Takeaways
- A combination of the Wondercide spray and spot-on treatment is just as effective at killing and repelling fleas and ticks as chemical treatments.
- These treatments are safe and non-toxic for dogs.
- According to the company, these products are also safe for cats, but I personally think the rosemary and cedarwood spray products are the safest options for cats.
Wondercide Flea and Tick Products I’ve Tried
Wondercide now has three natural flea and tick treatment products for your pets: Flea and tick spray, flea and tick spot-on, and flea and tick collars. Before the spot-on option was available, I used the spray on a regular basis. I’ve now switched to the new spot-on treatment and love it! I’ve never used the collar, so I won’t include it in my review. Here are my personal opinions on the spray and spot-on treatment after having used both for years.
Wondercide Flea and Tick Spray
Wondercide’s Flea and Tick Spray comes in four scents – lemongrass, peppermint, cedarwood, and lavender – but the main active ingredient is cedarwood in all four sprays. This spray needs to be applied to your pet (and you!) daily or right before going on a walk in the woods, to a dog park, or to another high-risk area for fleas and ticks.
Pros:
- Safe, all-natural product without harmful side effects.
- Lab-tested formula that kills and repels fleas, ticks, and mosquitos.
- Long-lasting bottle, even for big dogs.
- Safe for dogs and cats of all ages.*
- Also works on humans.
- Smells great.
*See my section on safety for cats below.
Cons:
- Needs to be applied daily.
- Some dogs dislike being sprayed.
Wondercide Flea and Tick Spot-On
I view Wondercide’s Flea and Tick Spot-On treatment as the answer to the two main cons of the spray listed above. While I loved the effectiveness of the spray, I did find it a bit impractical to have to spray my dog every day or before every woods adventure. While my dog was fine with being sprayed, a family member’s dog didn’t love the experience. Here’s where the spot-on treatment really shines.
The downside, however, is that the spot-on treatment repels bugs but doesn’t kill them. I find that a combination of the spot-on treatment and spray works the best for maximum protection.
Pros:
- Safe, effective natural formula without harmful side effects.
- Repels fleas, ticks, and mosquitos.
- Each treatment lasts 1 month for flea and tick protection. Mosquito protection lasts for 1 week.
- Water-resistant formula.
- Smells like peppermint.
- Also works for cats.*
*See my section on safety for cats below.
Cons:
- Doesn’t kill bugs, only repels.
- Only repels mosquitos for 1 week.
- Not intended for use in puppies or kittens under 3 months.
How Does Wondercide Compare to Chemical Flea and Tick Treatments?
My personal experience using Wondercide completely aligns with its lab-tested results: Wondercide works just as well as chemical topical flea and tick treatments that I’ve used in the past – but without the scary side effects.
Pro tip: If you have a big dog and are using the spot-on treatment, make sure you evenly apply it down the spine to the tail. I found a tick on my big dog’s hind end (which is an unusual spot to find a tick for us) right after I applied the Wondercide Spot-On for the first time. I accidentally tapered the amount of product as I went down the spine, leaving little left for the hind end. The tick seemed to have migrated away from it – a true testament that it works! But once I started applying it more evenly, I had no problems whatsoever.
Are There Side Effects to Wondercide?
As with any essential oil, it is possible that your pet could have a mild adverse reaction to one of the ingredients in Wondercide. That said, these side effects are nowhere near as serious as the side effects of chemical flea and tick products. Between my own dog and several of my friends’ and family’s dogs who have used this, I haven’t bumped into anyone yet who has said their dog had a bad reaction – but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.
I would recommend starting with the Wondercide Flea and Tick Spray if you’ve never used essential oils on your pets before. That way, if your pet does happen to have an adverse reaction, it will wear off quickly and any signs of irritation like redness or itching should also resolve quickly.
Is Wondercide Safe for Cats?
I have extensively looked into the answer to this question recently, as I now have an indoor/outdoor cat who needs flea and tick protection. While I haven’t used Wondercide on any cats yet, here’s the best answer I can give based on my research.
Cedarwood oil, the main active ingredient in all Wondercide products, is safe and non-toxic for cats in the concentrations used in these products. However, if you use too much, you could mess with the proper dilution, which may lead to adverse side effects for your cat. The company itself recommends using the smaller spray bottle for cats or wiping the spray on to avoid using too much.
Some of the products for cats also contain other essential oils that can be toxic to cats – namely peppermint oil and lemongrass oil. I have contacted the company to inquire further about the safety of the products that contain these two oils for cats. Wondercide customer service got back to me very quickly and provided this explanation:
At Wondercide, we use steam-distilled oils, further testing for purity, and we ensure proper dilution. The peppermint oil we use does not contain phenolic compounds, which is important for cats since they don’t have the liver enzyme needed to process these constituents.
I am. however, a little skeptical about how Wondercide has been able to “choose varietals of peppermint that do not contain phenols,” since phenols are naturally found in all plants. But the company strongly stands behind the safety of all of their products that are labeled for cats.
If you want to err on the safe side, there are two Wondercide products for cats that do not contain any peppermint or lemongrass oil whatsoever: the rosemary and cedarwood sprays for cats.
Bottom Line: Does Wondercide Really Work?
Yes, Wondercide really works to keep fleas and ticks away from your pets! As someone who has used both conventional and natural flea and tick products, I can tell you with confidence that you can effectively reduce the risk of flea and tick problems with a natural, plant-based product. I would never use anything else on my dogs!
That said, I still have some question marks around these products for cats, but I feel confident in trying the rosemary or cedarwood sprays on my cat.
If you’re not sold on Wondercide, no sweat. Take a look at some other natural flea and tick treatment options.
