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February 2005
I just read alot of horrible things about Bio-Spot and Hartz products and just wanted to let you know what just happened to me. I have two Shih-Tzu and live in the woods in Alabama so I have to fight fleas almost on a everyday basis. I decided just this once I would try Hartz flea shampoo after already hearing some bad things I did it anyway. Both of them chewed their hair off their backs to the point they just bled - it was awful. It is better now and they seem ok. I threw all that crap in the trash. And that is what that product should say - your dog wont have fleas, they will just chew all their hair off and bleed..I would rather they just have fleas.
Mandy 2/1/05
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I was in tears reading your website last night!!! I got a new puppy on Sunday Jan 30..I have a 17 month old yorkie as well. About an hour after I got him home I realized he had fleas.. I immediately sent my husband to get product, and he returned with Hartz 2 and 1 Flea and Tick Powder and Hartz 2 and 1 Flea and tick Collar (7 month).. So I treated only new dog, we have never had fleas so felt it wasn’t necessary to go any further. Monday I woke up at 4:30am just to check on new dog and he seemed ok but still scratching.. I then look at my 17 month old and he had a flea!!!!! I powdered him, vacuumed entire house washed all bedding and called vet.. I was advised to treat house with spray or powder and consider Advantage.. Because the dogs were scratching I assumed the powder may be drying skin so I bathed them with a gentle water based shampoo.. I took pups to vet at 6:00pm and they were given Advantage.. I wasn't advised not to wash the dogs and I couldn't stand the thought of eggs being shed, flea feces, and dander so I bathed them in Hartz Conditioning Flea and Tick shampoo. I bought Hartz Home Flea and Tick Killer, which upon research on ingredients contained what I thought was the gentlest pesticide Permerthrin although it was synthetically made only to make it less soluble to water, light, and air...and IGR methroprene. so I felt confident I did my homework, soon to discover I just looked at active ingredients, not considering inert ingredients which I now know act synergistically with active and can cause huge reactions.... so I sprayed at 11pm the front of house and went to bed..
When I woke up my puppy was looking really good, and no scratching. My oldest dog was horrible, didn't want to move, and favored his hind legs (he received rabies vac at visit) and no appetite, I assumed of course its just vac because puppy is okay.
THEN I STARTED TO DEVELOP A RASH...... My hands were red, my feet were as well and both were stinging, tingling, and itching....I call poison control and they advised normal irritant nothing can be systematically absorbed (complete lie I might add). I took some benedryl and went to sleep.. Over the last two days I have developed sore throat, thick mucus plug in broncho, and off and on fever....I evidentially inhaled the fumes and must now be on the look out for aspiration pneumonia!!!!!!! so i had allergic reaction resulting in bronchospasm...Thank God my husband and two toddlers weren't affected..
My oldest dog is doing better after I bathed both in palmolive dish shop and used baby shampoo on face. Of course my house is still treated with this fatal pesticide which I found out is a neurotoxin and is absorbed systematically. I am closely watching myself and my oldest dog who still has watery eyes, and sneezing...
Was it the shampoo, the powder, the spray??? Probably all!!!! Hartz is a misleading, unconciousable company and I plan to notify EPA, Petsmart, Walmart, Hartz, Vet, and Poison Control (which obviously needs to evaluate their reps knowledge or update ingredient toxic properties), and all those I love of this incident... I feel as if I endangered my entire family and did. I even thought I did a thorough job in evaluating ingredients (which lets not forget Permethrin has many names and it is listed as Alltherin on the shampoo, which I would have never directly put on my dogs as I intended it only for the carpet)... I will write to local news media...
Thank you for this website and please let everyone know this effect humans as well. I am lucky to have my pets still and will now live with the thought of chronic and/or future medical complications from Hartz products not only in my pets, but my children, Husband and self...
Anonymous 2/3/05
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We have been treating my 3 dogs with bio spot for quite some time. We just recently got a kitten, his name is Simon, and he has grown into a beautiful cat. Yesterday, 2/5/05, my husband treated Simon with Bio Spot and we left to go shopping. Upon our return, we found Simon thrashing on the ground and gasping for air. We swept him up and took him to an emergency veterinary hospital. Immediately, the vet asked if we had treated the cat with any flea medication. We told him yes and he began to tell us how many cats he treats a week for this very same thing. Something in the medicine is tolerated by dogs, but not so easily by cats. I really wish that we had look into this before using it. Simon is still in the hospital and has not fully regained consciousness. They hooked him up to an IV containing Valium to control the seizure and it did not work. They turned to a stronger drug and managed to stop the seizure but they have not been able to wake him up. It is not yet known whether he will be normal when he wakes. He should be able to come home tomorrow and we hope for the best.
Lisa 2/6/05
Thanks for writing back. We did use Bio Spot for Cats. We get it at a local store where we buy our horse feed. I will definitely try and make them reimburse our vet fees. It ended up costing 400.00, but it was worth it to save his life. He is the coolest cat. I tell everyone that he is just like Garfield. We got him home this morning. He is still very drugged and has quite the spaghetti legs, but he seems happy to be home. He has a lot of energy but is having trouble controlling his movements. I think he is going to be fine once he gets all of the drugs out of his system.
Thank you so much for all of the information and contacts. I will give the EPA a call in the morning. I am also going to talk to the lady that runs the hardware store and tell her what happened. She will probably pull the stuff off of the shelf. She has a cat that stays in the store, and I will bet you that she uses the stuff as well. I really don't know how they can deny that the medicine does this. The doctor said he treats 4 to 5 cats per week for the same thing. He says he wishes that they would not be allowed to sell it either.
Thanks for your thoughts and I promise to keep you updated.
Lisa 2/8/05
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I applied the correct dosage of the flea killer "advantage" to my dog around 6pm last week and went to bed with her around 9:30. She typically sleeps near my face and that night was no different. I woke up at feeling aware of a chemical smell and oilyness on my face. I did not get out of bed due to my deep state of slumber but rather wiped my face with a sheet. I woke up to caustic, probably scarring burns on my forehead and under my eye. Now I know why she acts so dramatic when I apply it to her back.
Anonymous 2/7/05
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I used biospot on my cat Midnight two days ago. He started having a seizure and panting, drooling. Rushed him to the emergency animal hospital. Iv's, anitoxins administered, in intensive care all night, then spent the rest of the next day with his vet. The vet said he would have died had I not washed off the area when I saw his distress and got him in ASAP. He seems fine now. How do we fight this company. Also who can I contact to recoup my vet bills?
Pam 2/9/05
Just an FYI-Farnam refused to pay for the vet bills incurred! I intend to initiate a campaign to all companies that carry this product to have it removed from their shelves.
Pam 3/15/05
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I applied Advantage to my beautiful cocker on Monday. She is seven years old...picture Lady. After the application, the dog began to shake, throw up and was incredibly thirsty. At first, I did not understand what was happening, thinking that maybe she had a stomach ache. As the night continued, the dog became very sick. It was the middle of the night. I washed her four times, trying to remove the Advantage. The next morning , I took her to the vet. He took blood, but was hesitant to believe that the Advantage was causing the problem. He sent her home, and she continued to throw up all night, and shake, and be miserable. He called Bayer, who of course, denied that they have ever had any dog react adversely to Advantage. The next morning he was shocked to see results of the blood work...the liver reading was "off the charts." He wanted her back in immediately to start IV fluids.
He still did not believe that the Advantage caused the problem because they stated they have never had another dog react to Advantage like this. Apparently, vets are being lied to by Bayer. I looked up the pesticide in Advantage a the EPA web site. Interestingly, the insecticide used in Advantage causes the exact reactions that my dog is suffering. How coincidental! I also called the site at the EPA site that provides info about animal products and the pesticides in them. I told her how rude Bayer was to me when I called, and told her they insisted there had never been even one incident of Advantage making a dog sick, as it has mine. She let me know that there were other such incidents.
If the vets are going to rely solely on the word of Bayer, we are in trouble. The Bayer rep was rude, unconcerned about the animal, and more interested in insisting that Bayer has a perfect record with Advantage. The EPA and the NPIC were wonderful. Bayer was horrible, and at such a difficult time. You would think that they would be interested in treating their consumers with kindness and understanding. That has not been the case.
My dog is dying. The Advantage is the only thing different in her routine, and she was perfectly healthy up until I applied it. I am sick, and furious at the way Bayer is treating us. I was begging for information, trying to see if a dog could survive this. I got nothing from Bayer.
After telling the Bayer rep of all the different instances on the web from pet owners who have gone through the exact experience, she told us that anyone can write anything on the web. Well, I am writing the TRUTH. Today I am trying to prepare my four children for the painful and needless loss of this very important member of our family. Thanks Bayer vet "technicians"...for caring nothing about our dog or my family.
Anonymous 2/11/05
I have received email from several people who were also informed by Bayer that the adverse reaction could not have been caused by their product. Despite their refusal to accept responsibility, I am glad you reported the incident to Bayer and the EPA. Here are some other things that you may want to consider:
Send Bayer a letter about the incident via Certified Mail. Make them respond to you IN WRITING. Send them copies of your receipt for the Advantage, copies of your dog's medical record (which should indicate the symptoms and results of the blood test - indicating pesticide poisoning), and a copy of the vet bill, and let them know that you expect them to reimburse it.
I would also ask your vet to help by contacting Bayer on your behalf and ask them to review this incident and reimburse your expenses. Your vet is in a better position to do this because he can tell Bayer that if they don't accept responsibility and help you, he may decide to STOP selling their products because he doesn't want to lose a client and risk the health of other animals.
I would also contact your local newspapers and television stations and see if they would be interested in doing a story about it. Here are a few similar reports that appeared recently:
http://www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=
news&category=Local%20News&prid=10759
http://www.wpbfnews.com/news/4166021/detail.html
http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?S=2851927&nav=2gQcVYq4
The newspapers or television stations will contact Bayer for a response, and perhaps Bayer will see fit to help you when this becomes public.
It's a terrible thing that you and your family are going through. Please let me know how everything works out for you.
James TerBush
My dog received another round of IV therapy and she is getting amoxicillin and anti-nausuea medication every eight hours. She is also getting a drug to help her liver, plus vitamins. Although she is still shaking, I am keeping her on a heating pad and that seems to be a great comfort. We are letting her rest. She did eat for the first time in five days this morning-rice and a little bit of finely chopped chicken. That was encouraging! I am keeping her home after the IVs so that she can be with her family. The vet bills are enormous. I hope that this might help another pet owner who may go through something like this. The vet is truly a dedicated and caring one, and has been very good to us, although he thinks the reaction may be coincidental...I might, too, except the numbers of pets having such reactions to topical flea products is so great, and the symptoms match those of a toxic reaction to such a chemical. I do not know whether she will be okay. I still think that the Advantage did something to her, as she was happy and healthy until that was applied and then the problems started. Another blood test will be taken on Monday so that the liver levels can be checked.
Anonymous 2/13/05
I am writing to tell you that for the first time in ten days, I believe my dog is going to recover. She finally ate a little bread, and seems to feel much better, just in the last hour. Her behavior is showing signs of her old self, although she still has tremors very often. After force feeding her Hill's mixed with water by the teaspoon, which often was too much for her, it was so good to see her eat on her own. I am still stuffing down the liver med, the antibiotic, the anti-nausea pills, and vitamins. I hope she keeps feeling good tonight, as up until now, she has shaken and thrown up for so many days, we all were beginning to think she was too weak to recover.
I read the guy's letter (posted below) about how you shouldn't be posting things that aren't proven, etc. I want to tell you, that even though it may only happen one out of a thousand times that a dog reacts unfavorably to a med, it is really frightening. It is so helpful to be able to compare other experiences, if just for the moral support, even if the outcome does not appear to be a good one. At least you have some information. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your words of encouragement. All I want is for pet owner's to be aware that things can and do sometimes go wrong, and know what to do and what they might expect. Just like people, animals can have reactions to things when it's not supposed to happen. When it is your pet, believe me, that one time really matters.
I will keep you posted. Thank you again, for your kindness. Keep pulling for us!
Anonymous 2/18/05
I want to say hello, and tell you that the liver levels, upon last check were almost normal. The bilirubin was normal, and the other counts, one of which was plus 2500 had returned to the high 100s....almost normal. Can you beleive that the dog survived such a poisoning. The vet is now a believer that the Bayer flea treatment did this, especially since Bayer did not ever call him back even after receiving
the lab reports. He was disappointed....he said any other pharmaceutical company he has ever dealt with always contacted him to check on the animal. They treated us with total disregard, as well.
If you ever need to pass on any of the efforts we made as far as care and treatment of the dog to someone who has the same thing happen, please contact me. From ice chips to heating pads to IVs antibiotics, liver pills, miniature marshmallows, and even rice krispy treats, we did it all. I still have my worries that this has done long term damage. For now, though, she is feeling pretty good. It was amazing that she survived. It took almost three weeks of constant care.
Thank you so much for your encouragement and advice during a very stressful time. It was difficult and exhausting and your kindness really helped.
Anonymous 5/10/05
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On Christmas eve I used Revolutuion heartworm flea and tick medication on my 2 yrd old Jack Russell and my 12 schnauzer. we were leaving for a trip to Florida for two months. When we arrived it was apparent both dogs were not feeling well. At first I attributed it to the long 2 1/2 day trip and nerves. But both dogs were sickly, diarrhea and a bit of throwing up...slow acting and not eating much. We took them to a local vet and he could find nothing wrong. I asked him if the Revolution could have done this to the dogs as we were very careful when we traveled and fed the dogs the same exact food they always eat. He sort of blew off the idea and gave the dogs a shot and some pills. In a few days they seemed to get better though still had the diarrhea....by now we are getting into two weeks... I wound up taking Eddie the JR back to the vet for a different type of pill as he was still having some problems.
Finally the dogs are both better...life is better. dogs are perky again. and I give them the next months dose of medication...(it is liquid and it goes directly onto their neck to be absorbed into the bloodstream)......boom. dogs are sick again. not quite as sick. but the diarrhea is back and Eddie threw up once or twice. Only this time I know what is wrong. I put it together without the help of vet....it is the Revolution doing this to my dogs. I am poisoning them each time I give them the medication. I looked up info on Revolution and the manufacturer admits to 1 percent of tested dogs becoming sick with stomach disorders a few rare deaths....every time we give our pets these flea and tick treatments ..we are giving them poison.....please research your product thoroughly before you give it to your dogs or cats.
Joann 2/11/05
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Don't believe the hype!
True, one should research products before using them, but I would suggest doing that research with a professional. I know far too many people, myself included, who through continuous, monthly usage of Advantage/Advantix, Frontline, and Bio Spot on multiple dogs over the span of years since the irintroduction, can debunk every claim here through proof of no problems or adverse reactions. Only one person in this forum has provided conclusive evidence to the contrary -- Farnam covered her expenses -- and that problem did not involve seizures. And, while I share your pain at having a sick pet, most have provided little more than conjecture and speculation, indicating that many do not care for their pets until emergencies arise. Of course then, the fault must lie with something or someone else, right?
Are you applying the product as prescribed? Is it the correct dosage for your pet? What is the state of your animals overall general health? When did your pet last have a blood work-up to determine if a propensity exists for liver or kidney damage? Your pet's breeder, if it is a genuine breeder and not a puppy-miller or a backyard "purebred" breeder, is an excellent source of help, too, and should gladly share with you information about their lines and the breed itself. If they do not, something is up. This is what is meant by research: Not listening to horror stories that drive people into withholding protection from their pets against deadly parasites. (On this note, I cannot find one iota of information on the EPA or Humane Society websites that mentions "Bio Spot" as some here are claiming). I should add that while there are myriad purported "natural remedies," who provides oversight on what and in which dosages is toxic, and what are these naturalists credentials?
Finally, if your dog is having seizures, you owe it to your pet to take him or her to a specialist, a neurologist, more exactly, to see what the problem is or is not. Yes, it is expensive buy you signed up for the expense when you took on the responsibility of caring for a pet. Tragically, Dalmatians, like Boxers and German Shepherds, run a high risk for seizures and epilepsy, and this site is a disservice in its failure to acknowledge that fact, or to provide links to organizations that assist with information on these known afflictions (the Dalmatian Club of America, for instance), preferring to whip up a frenzy over a flea control product. Speculating with inconclusive evidence on the Internet is not the way to care for a precious friend or loved one.
John 2/13/05
The fact that many people use products such as Advantage, Advantix, Frontline, and Bio Spot on a monthly basis without any apparent problem is not proof that these products do not cause adverse reactions. Likewise, anecdotal reports of adverse reactions is not proof that the product they used actually caused the adverse reaction.
The purpose of this website is to make people aware that pesticides pose health risks to animals and people. It also provides a forum for people to make others aware of possible adverse reactions to flea control products. These messages are anecdotal, but I believe they can provide valuable information to those whose pets have experienced a similar reaction. This website also encourages people to report suspected adverse reactions to the manufacturer and the EPA, so that it can be investigated.
I agree that dogs experiencing seizures should be examined by a professional. Seizures can be caused by many things, including exposure to toxic substances such as pesticides. Here is what the Dalmatian Club of America says about seizures:
Here is an excerpt from their website:
"Seizures are the result of muscle responses to an abnormal nerve-signal burst from the brain. They are a symptom of an underlying neurological dysfunction. Toxic substances, metabolic or electrolyte abnormalities and/or imbalances cause an uncoordinated firing of neurons in the cerebrum of the brain, creating seizures from mild 'petit mal' to severe 'grand mal'."
Fortunately, my Dalmatian stopped having seizures when we stopped putting pesticides on him over 30 months ago.
James TerBush
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Please look at this photo. This should not have happened. This kitty was treated with Sergeants flea drops. This product, Hartz advanced flea and tick drops, and other products containing pyrethrins for use on animals must be banned from sale!
I was at my vets last night and I checked on this kitty and the Dr. told me "he's beating himself up, he won't make it, it's time... but he sure put up a brave fight." They he went to contact the owners. This poor animal has suffered horribly. The pic does not show the tremors and shaking this kitty was experiencing. Dr. told me they tried easing up on sedation and he would go into full blown seizures. His tongue was swollen. He was completely unresponsive. THIS BABY SUFFERED LIKE THIS OVER A $5 TUBE OF POISON!!!!! His vet bills will be in excess of $500.
This is a failure on the part of the government. These products are regulated by the EPA, not the FDA like Frontline, Advantage, and other vet products/meds. I always wonder, every time we hear about one of these, how many do we NOT know about? How many have REALLY died from this garbage?????? How long will these deadly poisons be sold in grocery stores and mass retailers everywhere????
This kitty is not suffering now. He never should have suffered like this in the first place. Please, I'm BEGGING, help stop the sale of this poison....the cheap price is not worth the potentially deadly consequences....Rest in Peace, little baby, I'm sorry you had to pay this price, simply because of corporate greed and government inadequacy....
Julia 2/17/05
P.S. you know the worst part? This kitty STILL had fleas.
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Is anything being done in an attempt to get BioSpot pulled? I am willing to do what I need to do, and I am sure there are many others who would join in the fight to get this stuff off the market. Here is my recent experience:
I placed a rescued Boxer named Winston with a wonderful, wonderful family 31/2 years ago. I got a call yesterday morning saying that Winston had died. He had had many of the same symptoms I have seen from others, and he had started having seizures. Winston had been given a dose of BioSpot last fall and had his second dose this past Tuesday 2-15-05. Winston died on Thursday, 2-17-05. Winston's owners vet told them that he didn't think the BioSpot could be responsible. I had been told years ago by my vet not to use BioSpot or any Permethrin-containing product on my dogs. My vet told me that if a cat even slept next to a dog that had used BioSpot the cat could get seizures. I have since called several vets asking them what their opinion is of BioSpot and of products containing Permethrin for use on dogs. I did not tell them of Winston's situation or this website, as I wanted their opinions to be pure and not jaded. Each vet I phoned advised me not to use BioSpot or other products containing Permethrin. I think the comment that a vet made on this website speaks volumes. The highest percentage of permethrin he had seen used in livestock was 10%. BioSpot uses at least 45% in their product for canines.
Again, I would like to become proactive and attempt to do something about the manufacture of this product for dogs. Please let me know if there is already a campaign to do this under way and if there is somewhere I can send my support.
Patty 2/19/05
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I was reading your story about Advantix poisoning. I hope all is well. Can you tell me what you did? I think my dog has the same thing. No problems with her until I applied Advantix. She has been throwing up and having bloody diarrhea for over a week.
Angela 2/21/04
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DISCLAIMER: Below are messages that I have received from others whose dogs and cats experienced adverse reactions after using flea control products. I have no way of knowing if the information in these messages is factual, or if the products they used were the actual cause of the adverse reactions.
