Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Ambertick really effective?
Yes, it is very effective. All our tests proved remarkable results. Nevertheless we have received hundreds of positive responses from our customers and partners.
2. Does Ambertick protect my pet from Fleas or solely from Ticks?
Ambertick is highly effective to cope with both type of parasites - ticks and fleas. We have tested the impact on the flea contaminated with sheltered homeless dogs and cats. In most cases the effect was obvious after two days. Only the pets that had serious health problems and a very weak immune system still remained infected with fleas.
3. What is the size of the amber pieces on Ambertick?
The exact size depends on the design you choose. During our experiments with dogs and cats we have tried loads of different variations - if the pieces were very small and brittle they crumbled and braked apart easily. The test showed that the larger the stones were, the better the results of tick and flea protection. So we moved on increasing the size of the beads to such an extent that it would not become too costly and the beads moved around the strand easily in order to create electrostatic charge.
4. What does Baltic Amber consist of?
From a chemical standpoint Amber is an aromatic hydro carbon which emits resinous terpenes containing; camphor, borneol, cymenes, cineol, limonene, 0.8% sulphur and 3-8% succinic acid.
5. What is the difference between polished and unpolished "raw" amber?
Amber is most effective when it is raw, and has its natural "skin" - the natural outer surface of the stone. Researchers of Hamburg University (Germany) have proven that raw Baltic Amber contains the highest percentage of succinic acid, which is the main cause of its resinous properties. Nevertheless, one of the scientists at the RAS Institute of Pharmacology at Tomsk Scientific Center - Dr. Veniamin Khazanov, has successfully demonstrated that succinic acid positively affects people (especially elderly) as it restores the energy balance in the cellular system usually affected by age and helps patients to regain their youthful energy. The best results were achieved using raw amber with the outer "skin" since this layer contained most of the succinic acid.
6. Can I just use my own amber necklace dog wear an amber necklace I have, or buy some Amber beads from the bead store?
Most of the time amber used in jewelry has been polished or heat treated in order to reveal its inner beauty or bring out its sparkles and shades. Even if you posses a necklace that is made of raw unpolished amber stones, you should be very careful before creating your own Ambertick - the size, shape and sequence of the beads on the strand has a major impact on the final effect of the pet collar. We've spent two years figuring out how to maximize the potential effects of Ambertick before creating the current design.
7. Where does Ambertick come from?
Ambertick is produced in the very center of amber industry - Lithuania, a small country located on the Eastern coast of Baltic Sea in Europe. You can rest assured that we use only the best quality authentic Baltic Amber.
8. What is Ambertick made of?
All necklaces are made of highest quality materials - Baltic Amber, Genuine Leather, Nylon Thread or Nylon coated Stainless Steel beading wire. The later one is used for larger necklaces. This is strong 40 lb to 80 lb test strength wire that withstands lace usage and moisture. We use only highest quality strands, so they do not stretch out in time, deteriorate exposed to sun and moisture.
9. Can Ambertick Collar cure your pet in case of Tick Infection?
Ambertick (and amber from chemical standpoint) is a preventive method, NOT a medical cure. We have never tested or used it with pets that already have infections and we do believe that in such cases chemical drugs are a better and only option. Ambertick will prevent your dog from possible tick threats, but will not cure your dog in case of problems caused by parasites. Prevention and medical treatment are two different things. Amber does not have strong antibiotic properties that are necessary in case of infection.
10. Should my pet wear Ambertick all the time?
Yes, for the best effect, the collar should be worn all the time. However, we advise to take off Ambertick if your pet is in extreme conditions, thrashing through heavy brush etc. or playing rough with other dogs. The amber can also break from time to time, there is no control over this, as amber is not a stone, but an organic fossil.
11. How long does it last?
It depends on how active is your pet, but Ambertick lasts as long as amber stones are in good condition. It also needs to be washed thoroughly every 3 months in order to remove the grease. Over time, amber will naturally become worn down through the friction of the fur. Our experiments show that amber stones slowly get rounder being worn for 2 years or more. In such cases Ambertick should be renewed because when the amber stones are rounded the electrostatic effect wears off.
12. Can I use Ambertick along with medications prescribed by the vet?
The necklace doesn’t lose its effect when used in combination with other substances.
13. Can my dog wear Ambertick while going to swim?
Sure, but amber for a short period of time will not get charged because of the wet fur. Whenever your pet gets dry again, Ambertick will be fully functional.
14. What is the main source of information about the effectiveness of Ambertick - tests you've carried out or customer reports?
Customer reports are indeed one of the most important sources. We have collected a lot of data by surveying our customers, some of whom provided reports of great depth (Thanks, Graham!!). We have also shared a lot of different versions of our products to passionate pet lovers and logged the results. It's very hard to compare the effects, since there are so many factors to consider. All pets are different, they live in different places and are involved in completely different activities. Just to combine all the biological and environment factors in order to understand which species are more or less immune to ticks would require tremendous resources. However even without proper academic research we can clearly see the results - tick don't like amber! So we'd say that 70% of research information we have analyzed has been extracted from our own tests and 30% from the customer reports.
15. Is there a difference between Ambertick and other amber collar on the market?
Baltic amber stones are easily obtainable and the technology of producing stones into beads is not that complicated. Yet every process of production is a little secretive and authentic. During the years of trial and error we believe we came up with the perfect shape, surface, quantity and proportion of amber stones on our collars. Selecting materials and combining the pieces on a right thread was also challenging. Maybe our competitors don't know the reasons behind our designs but they do copy the end results and the niche is becoming more and more competitive.
16. Should Ambertick collars be used with other traditional preventative measures that have active chemical ingredients?
No, the collars should not be used in parallel with other traditional preventative measures. People should divide all methods in blocks, i.e. let's say you use Frontline for half of the year - you carefully monitor the results, then maybe you stop using or try another repellents for some time and carefully check the pet after its outdoor activities. After some time you might try amber collars and then monitor the results. Compare the difference. This is how we carried out all our tests, we never mixed different methods at once.
17. Do Ambertick collars protect against Australian paralysis ticks?
We don't know whether amber repels Australian paralysis ticks (Ixodes holocyclus). We regularly collect and analyze data from our customers and partners which helps us a lot in creating new designs. We know which size, shape and color of amber beads produce best results. But when it comes to effectiveness tests with various species of ticks - we just don't have so much data to make robust judgement. Most of the tests we have carried were in the areas where the following species are prevalent: Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus and Hyalomma marginatum. We also received excellent feedback from customers that live in areas with large populations of blacklegged ticks (or Deer ticks) and American Dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis). Interestingly, brown cattle ticks (Rhipicephalus microplus) that live in South Africa are very resistant to amber. This has been confirmed in multiple cases. Brown cattle ticks are also found in Australia. However we still know nothing specific about Australian paralysis ticks and amber relation. So your insights and feedback would be more than welcome!
18. Beads that you use in Rounded Cylinder design are cut and grinded to make them round shape. If amber works best when it is raw, doesn't processing impact properties of amber beads?
We still leave raw amber "skin" on the sides of cylinder shape beads and the edges are not polished, only roughly grinded. The advantage of rounded button shape bead is that it spins on the string and a powerful static electrical charge is generated very quickly.
19. How strong Ambertick collars are?
First of all, amber stones are very soft. This is because amber is not a mineral, but a hardened tree sap. So no matter what shape and size of pieces we use on the collars, they are still quite fragile. Second, dogs are indeed strong animals and they can cause a lot of damage with their claws. While some of them are really calm and get used to the collars easily, others are very active and tend to stretch or break the collars easily. In some cases our dogs stretched leather parts, but most of the time the string got loose or it was torn apart by some physical force. Amber stones get damaged as well, especially if dog doesn't like the collar on its neck and starts using its claws to remove it. That is quite common. However it is worth mentioning that in more than 70% of the cases pets get used to collars easily right after getting them on and don't break them for a long time. Pet owners are advised to closely monitor the pet after putting on the collar for the first time. If it starts using claws to remove the collar, then it is better to remove the collar and put it on after some time again. Gradually pets get used to the collars.
Do NOT use Ambertick as a restraining device.
Years of our investigations and consultations with professionals, scientists and vets have lead us to conclusion that there is no tick protection, whether chemical or natural, that is 100% effective. We are proud that the vast majority of our customers are absolutely satisfied with Ambertick. Such high level of positive response is our major source of motivation to carry on and move forward.