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May 2006
This product is NOT safe and should be withdrawn from the market. We almost lost a 5 yr. old rat terrier last week because the vet suggested switching from Frontline Plus to Advantix. The dog got sick almost immediately...couldn't breathe, vomiting, couldn't walk, etc.
We spoke to Bayer, whose vet opened mouth and inserted foot by saying "it could not have possibly gotten into his bloodstream". Yes, those are the symptoms of it getting into his bloodstream. We believe he was poisoned by OP (organophosphates) and since 43% of the ingredients are listed as "other" we can't even know the all the ingredients. And what makes the matter much, much worse is this stuff does NOT wash out like all previous types of flea and tick meds. Even the vet did not know this...she said just give him a bath it will be gone.
People need to be aware of these dangers. Bayer is certainly not going to tell you, so we are. After bathing him twice in Dawn dish detergent, as prescribed by a Bayer Animal health consultant, he is still having problems with urgent, frequent urination. We are highly concerned about liver and kidney damage at this point.
Today, he went back to the vet due to a whitish urinary discharge, which had to be flushed out and treated with bacterial ointment. Could have happened during one of the many baths he had to have. A full week later he is finally starting to eat and breathe normally. He is even playing a bit now, but I wouldn't wish this past week on any animal lover. It was heartbreaking!
Barbara (and Max) 5/2/06
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I am horrified! I had no idea that this product was so harmful! I put this [Bio Spot] on my pug yesterday morning. . . and she started itching. . . . miserably. . . . and would just not be herself. I gave her a bath this morning to wash as much of it off of her as I could . .and gave her Benedryl for the allergic reaction. She is eating. . . but she is sleepy and not herself yet. I can't believe that this product is still on the market.
I wonder if I should take her to the vet at this point? No seizure. . .just lethargic.
Nancy C 5/4/06
Richmond, TX
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This is Tuesday morning, and I am still very sad, distressed, and can't stop crying. On Sunday evening, I saw that my beloved 14 yr. old calico cat was scratching, and I had Bio Spot in my cupboard so I put some on her to help her. It was "for dogs only" but I thought a small amount would not hurt my cat. Well within a few hours she could not walk right, she seemed very drunk, became very vocal, and it looked as though light was extremely painful to her eyes. I immediately washed her very good thinking it could be the Bio Spot, but after I washed her her condition accelerated. She was in extreme distress and in pain. She was stiff and cried out and labored so hard to breathe. She seemed like she was dying. I called my veterinarian and took her to be helped. It was too late, she had to be put down. She suffered terribly and it was my fault and I can't get her suffering out of my head. Please, please somehow warn the public about this. I wanted to put an article in the paper about it, but it would only be one more idea for a way for sick people to hurt these little creatures. Believe me, it was horrible, and I pitied my cat so much, I can't tell you how traumatic this event was for her or for me, I will never forgive myself. And the veterinarian insisted she be tested for rabies which I had done, and it was negative. It was me and the Bio Spot that killed her.
Martha 5/9/06
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A friend of mine from town used this product [Bio Spot] on her 3 adult cats last week. Two of the cats died and the other is still at the vet recovering. That is way more than enough evidence for me to know the product is DANGEROUS and should be pulled from the market.
KT 5/10/06
Southern Vermont
(I had asked KT to ask her friend if she used Bio Spot for Cats or if she mistakenly used Bio Spot for Dogs on her cats. Below is a reply from KT's friend. )
James TerBush
Hi KT,
Thank you for your concern. I want to assure you that we did not use the BioSpot for Dogs on the cats. Seth used the Dog Biospot on our two Springer Spaniels and the Cat Biospot on the three cats at 9:30 am Sunday. We did not see the cats until 6:00pm that night. In good weather they spend alot of time outside.
We will check the trash for the packaging.
My daughter Sara (the cats'official owner/mother, 12 yrs old) saw our tiger cat and wanted to collect all three cats to bring to our temporary house in the village. The tiger looked a little shaky. She checked the barn and found the beautiful tuxedo cat (everyone's favorite) seizuring in there. She started screaming and crying, it was terrible.
I drove and the kids held the two seizuring cats in their arms on the way to the Westminster Animal Clinic. That's the part that breaks my heart is that the kids were in the middle of it, as well as, the fact that the cats may have been suffering all day in the barn.
Seth found the third cat in the first floor of the barn and joined us at the vets within minutes. That cat was in the worse shape.
Seth tells me that the vet has left a message late yesterday that said Farnam (that makes BioSpot) faxed her a ltr about taking the product off the market. I haven't seen the ltr. They also want to autopsy the two cats. We still have them in our freezer since we wanted to bury them on our land. I am following up on getting the autopsy done.
I will keep you posted. Thank you for your efforts.
Jane 5/10/06
I started to worry alot yesterday at work and left early to check the trash at our house. Something wasn't adding up. I found two empty BioSpot for Dogs tubes and one package in the kitchen trash (for the two Springer Spaniels). With shaking hands I went upstairs and found three empty tubes of BioSpot for Dogs there. Seth must have used the Dog product on all three cats. I didn't find the packaging, the tubes are small and the print is very small but it was for dogs (35 lbs+), not cats.
My poor husband is now devastated. He was fully aware that the Dog treatment would hurt the cats. He swore that he had not made the mistake. It's clear that he made the mistake and he is sick over it. We won't pursue this any further. I will return the call from Farnam Pet Products and tell them and tell the vet. We will pay the $700+ vet bill ourselves. We will bury the cats. I would rather not let folks in town know because I don't want our kids to find out for Seth's sake. He is taking this very hard, especially now.
In his defense, the packaging for dogs and cats is identical, the print is a different color. The tubes are extremely small so that if they are not with the packaging it is very easy to mix the two up. I won't get into it but we were moving temporairly to a different house, had an extra dog staying with us, are refinishing the floors ourselves etc... Hectic, that's when mistakes happen, I guess.
Earlier yesterday, I did get a copy of a letter from Farnam (click here to read letter) dated August 16, 2005 signed by the president John Silvestri stating that Bio-Spot for Cats One-Step has been "discontinued". The ltr had been faxed to our vet. I went by the Feed Store in Westminster (where we had bought the Bio-Spot for Cats One-Step) and it was still on the shelf. The woman there took a copy of the ltr and took it off the shelf. She plans to speak with the sales rep. I suppose we will try to be reimbursed for the two pkgs we have.
I hear that Bio Spot for Cat One-Step is on the shelves at Agway. I will bring a copy of the letter to them too. Seems to me that Farnum has a fairly loose definition of "discontinued".
Thank you for your concern. We plan to go to the Spfld Humane Society to pick out a kitten this weekend.
Jane 5/11/06
Thank you very much for the update. It was a terrible mistake, but as you can see from my website, MANY people have made that same mistake. Some didn't know that Bio Spot for Dogs would harm cats, and others just got the tubes mixed up in a drawer (after the packaging was opened) and put the wrong tube on their cats. I don't blame any of these people for making the mistakes because Farnam KNOWS these mistakes happen year after year. Why is the warning, "May be toxic and potentially fatal if applied to or ingested by cats" still buried in fine print on the back of their packaging? Why are the tubes of Bio Spot for Dogs IDENTICAL in size, shape, and color as the tubes of Bio Spot for Cats? To prevent this mistake from happening, Farnam could put a large yellow sticker with large print on each vial that reads, "DO NOT USE ON CATS".
I am shocked that Bio Spot One-Step for Cats is still being sold in stores. Farnam discontinued it because "reports of adverse reactions have shown it does not meet Farnam's high standards." Their high standards stopped them from making it, but it didn't stop them from selling it or warning people not to use it.
I do not know how many people (and stores) ever knew that Farnam discontinued Bio Spot One-Step for Cats, and WHY it was discontinued. I certainly never heard or read anything in the news about it, and I doubt anyone else did either. I would not be surprised if Farnam kept it very quite to avoid liability and to avoid having to reimburse stores for thousands (or millions) of dollars of defective product. Farnam was also in the process of selling the company, which it did in January, 2006.
If Farnam was concerned enough with reports of adverse reactions to discontinue it, why is there no information about it on their website? And why is it still available in stores and online at places like Petsmart?
I still believe that Farnam should reimburse all of your vet expenses and the loss of your two cats because I don't believe that Farnam has done anything in the past 4 years to prevent this mistake from happening. I really get furious every time I hear of these tragedies. Why isn't Farnam asking themselves, "What can we do to prevent this from happening?"
James TerBush 5/12/06
Farnam's representative has offered to reimburse half of our vet fees and the cost of the two One Step for Cat products, which we never used.
Jane 5/12/06
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I had a similar experience though I didn't know what the problem was. Last fall I had (yes...had) a 12 lb kitty who was over run with fleas (I had 2 doses of advantage from the vet, and 3 kitties), so being as I use Vinnie in Rockingham and was short on time I figured I'd just grab some Bio-Spot from Community Feed.
Well I noticed she wasn't behaving like her old self so I took her to Vinnie a couple of days later....He did a ton of tests on her and couldn't find anything...but she died there. I always figured she had been too anemic even though Vinnie said her blood test didn't indicate a dangerously low red blood count, so it looks like I might have poisoned her.
Thanks so much for the heads up...I will pass it on.
Susan 5/11/06
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I just found your site and I thought I'd share my story and the solution I've come up with. Several years ago my then 2 year old Great Dane Guinevere began having seizures. I can't honestly say for certain that it was Frontline that caused them as she is a white Dane who is both deaf and blind and my understanding is that these "defects" are the result of neurological abnormalities that could also be the cause of the seizures. Regardless of what was causing the seizures, I stopped using Frontline and started searching online for a solution to both her seizure issue and a safer way to prevent fleas. Here's what has worked for me: Gwen eats an all natural food with no artificial preservatives, no artificial colors, no pesticides, and no by-products. This helps control the seizures and helps build her immune system to fight fleas naturally. If you aren't sure if your food is really all natural, check out the list of approved foods in "Whole Dog Journal". Just because a dog food has a $35 per bag price tag, doesn't mean it has quality ingredients. Next, I give my dogs brewer's yeast and garlic tablets. Something in both the yeast and the garlic make the dogs unappetizing to fleas. Last, I use an all natural flea spray about once a week. The one I use is called "Neem Protect Spray" by Ark Naturals. Since doing this, Gwen has gone from having a seizure a week to no seizures for over 2 years, and I've yet to see even one flea on my dogs. This is more impressive considering that there are 11 dogs in my home (all rescues). I just thought I'd share this information so people would know there are other ways to protect their pets from fleas because regardless of whether your pet has had a reaction or not and regardless of whether you use Biospot, Hartz, Frontline, ect.... they are all pesticides. Read the product label and you'll see it tells you to immediately wash your hands if you get it on your skin. If these products are so hazardous to people, what would lead us to believe that they are safe for our pets?
Dawn 5/12/06
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We are so happy to have found your website before we purchased Biospot. Back in the days of flea and tick "dips" for dogs our good friends nearly lost their beloved sheltie after a vet gave him a "flea dip" and he spent two weeks hospitalized after the onset of a grand mal seizure. After years of flea combing our dog we were happy to purchase the new products you have mentioned; Frontline, Frontline Plus, Advantage, etc. Although we applied the smallest dose; our beloved dog would vomit, tremor, shun food/water, foam at the mouth and be lethargic for days. We had stopped all flea and tick applications and happily returned to flea combing our dog. A feral cat was recently adopted and as he moved into our home we noticed an increase in fleas and found a few ticks on our dog. We applied Frontline Plus to our cat last night and were searching for a new product. After reading your article we will also be hand grooming our cat!
Our last cocker spaniel of 14 and ½ years was part of a cluster study of female dogs with breast tumors in the area surrounding Golden Gate Park. The cause published in The San Francisco Chronicle pointed to the exposure to Gopher poison which the dogs would walk on and ingest by licking off of their paws.
Our current rescued cocker spaniel has aggressive breast cancer also. Our neighborhood uses vast amounts of lawn and garden pesticide products. Sod is 1% of the world's "crop" and is the cause of 25% of the world's pollution. We believe pesticides are a cause of her cancer also.
Thank you for your information. We will never use any of the new products on our pets. It explains our dog's reactions to exposure. It could also be a contributing factor to her current aggressive breast cancer. We wish we had never exposed her to these products.
Amy 5/13/06
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I treated my cat and dog with bio spot. 7 hrs later my cat was thrashing, foaming at the mouth, I thought she was dying. We rushed her to the vet. To my surprise they new exactly what caused it. Bio spot. At this moment she is at the vet on iv. It has been 24 hours. Some improvements have been made. I felt totally guilty for doing this to my cat. Today it has all sunk in. At the urgency of the people at the animal hospital, I have begun to voice my concern for this poison that is being sold. They say they see so much of this, they are sick of it. Why is this stuff still on the market? It couldn't be good for anyone to handle this stuff. Anyone out there that can help me I would appreciate it.
Diane 5/16/06
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Thank heavens I came across your website, because I was considering trying BioSpot on my dogs. I've had my dogs on Frontline Plus but recently experienced a full-blown flea infestation. Frontline isn't cheap, so I was really pissed to see fleas all over my dogs. The original infestation likely came from another animal who wasn't on any preventive, but what good is flea control if it doesn't keep the fleas off the dog? With Frontline, the flea actually has to bite the dog; the Frontline then gets into the fleas system and kills it much later. It's the same with ticks - a friend of mine who uses Frontline has to keep pulling ticks off her dog.
After reading through the stories on your website, I've decided that maybe the natural route is the best way to go. I know some people give their dogs brewer's yeast. Others give garlic - however, it should be noted that garlic is one of the foods on the ASPCA's toxic list, so that's definitely a proceed with caution situation. I found this website while browsing today, so you might want to look at it:
Thank you.
Rachel 5/17/06
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My name is Janet, from Dayton Tennessee. My parents bought some bio-spot on a Thursday and put it on three of our dogs. They read the directions and followed the weight guidelines, and thought they were doing what's best for the dogs. The smallest dog ,( Rosie, an 18 lb. terrier mix) complained about it immediately and tried to rub it off, but she was such a sissy about everything that they dismissed her grumbles. On Monday night I noticed an area of broken, scabby, weeping skin on the back of her neck. I thought she may have had a tick bite there that got infected, and I cleaned and trimmed the wound and applied some peroxide. The next evening she did not eat her dinner, and the wound looked a little bigger. She didn't quite seem herself. I spoke with my mother and we realized that it was the same spot where the bio-spot had been applied, and I decided to take her to the vet the next day. It was already too late.
At 4am she began having tremors. At 5am she had her first seizure and I had already paged the vet on call. By 6am the seizures were 10 minutes apart and she had lost consciousness. The vets were able to quiet her seizures with valium, and started her on fluids to try to flush out her kidneys, but her little heart stopped at 9:30am, despite their best efforts. She had lost her kidney and liver functions.
Our vet told us that they see this all the time; that any pesticide containing permethrin will get into the bloodstream and start attacking the liver and kidneys. I tell everyone I see about this, but I have yet to contact the company. A friend told me about your website. I will see where I can go from here, and I am ready to get involved. Please share this with everyone everywhere. Thank you.
Janet 5/17/06
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I just wanted to drop a line, because I found your website while looking into the dangers of Biospot.
I am now owned by a newfoundland and belong to a newf message board where the topic of different flea and tick medicines was posted. I lost my beautiful golden in October of 2002, to what I believe was poisoning from the use of Biospot. She too seemed fine after using it for about 3 months, and then she started passing bloody diahrea and vomiting. She was diagnosed with Idiopathic thrombocytopenia and Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. She went from 130 lbs to less than 90 in less than 3 months. Two different vets asked if it were possible that she had gotten into rat poisoning because of the symptons she presented. I never thought to tell them that I was using biospot. I do believe that this product poisoned my beautiful girl and no one will ever be able to tell me differently. She eventually had to be put down because she was not getting any better, was no longer eating and we were so afraid that she was going to bleed out on us and that the children would find her.
I just wanted you to know that I have passed on your webpage to other newfoundland owners, and if I can convince one person not to use this product, my beloved Darby will not have died in vain.
Thank You.
Margaret 5/17/06
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I have 3 dogs and I don't use anything on the one that has cushings disease (thank goodness the fleas don't like her much) but I do live at the beach and whenever I have used topicals I have found them to be too strong. I do not apply them all in one day. I do it over 3 days. I used biospot in thepast (years ago) but it was not effective at all. I find the plain advantage to be a bit strong as well. I recently purchased a new product that has the ingredients like advantage but in a lower dose. I have not used it yet. The company used imidacloprid) in the lowest dose possible to get the same effect. I will try it as my one dog gets severe flea dermatitis from the bites and it is something that doesn't seem to be controlled by variousnatural products. She needs the help and is almost 10 and thank god tolerates this okay.
I use eucalyptus oil diluted in water and I spray that on my girls everyday before we go on our walks. This has proven to be a great thing. It's safe and effective and obviously a safe thing to inhale especiallydiluted.
Thanks so much for such an informative site. You did so much work on this and I am very grateful to you.You will definitely save lives.
What people need to know (as I have had 5 dogs) is that many have severe allergic reactions to many things and it could be deadly , I almost lost one from a vaccine. In California they have changed the vaccination schedule to every 3 years because yearly is not necessary. Also there has not beenrabies here in California in years, so unless a dog might bite someone?? You might want to go "rabies exempt" it's something to consider as rabies is a hard vaccination to take. I do the 3 most important ones (especially parvo as they had a large outbreak here in California) and to think that the live organism vaccine was more deadly than the disease is ridiculous so I weigh the options but I get the natural live organism vaccines with no additives. Also it's always safe to use dye free benadryl before vaccines just in case there might be an allergic reaction. Never leave an animal alone after vaccines, they need to be watched just in case.
My dog with Cushings Disease is on a totally natural program that is working now for 2 years. She consumes all natural foods, treats and has a daily regimen that is really incredible. If you can go natural it's better but of course if she didn't respond well to natural, I would consider the medications but honestly they are my last resort.
Luckily these days there are many wonderful sources and alternatives. These pets are our children and we have to realize like children they all are different and come with different genetic composition.
Thanks again and I know you will be blessed for caring so much to do so much work on informing us all.
Rev. Claire
Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God's gift of Himself.
- Mother Teresa
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I've had cats all my life, and for many years they have been flea-free. (Ticks are another matter, but the 'feel method' works great for me.) For all these years without fleas, I've been giving my cats both nutritional yeast (the yellow flakes sold in bulk at most food co-ops and health food stores) and Prozyme, which is available through the vet. It is an enzyme that aids in digestion and in the absorption of nutrients. This web site has a lot of information about Prozyme. http://www.prozymeproducts.com/index.html The site makes this claim: "PROZYME® is proven to increase the absorption of vital nutrients, including essential fatty acids, by up to 71%." Here is a testimonial from a vet, which can be found on the "What People Are Saying" page: “I’ve recommended PROZYME for over 15 years, and give it to my own cats and horses. Since giving PROZYME to my cats I’ve noticed that they are flea free, have no dandruff or skin problems. They have less shedding, and beautiful soft, shiny, matt free hair coats. This product is truly amazing!” You simply sprinkle a little Prozyme on their food at every meal. I add both this and the yeast at every feeding. I live in the woods and my cats are out all the time in the warm weather. SOMETHING is keeping the fleas away, and it's not any kind of poison!
KT 5/19/06
Southern Vermont
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I applied Biospot to my 90+ pound shephard mix earlier today. Within minutes, she was running wildly, jumping up and down, running into the garden to hide as if something was scaring her. She was also salivating heavily. This was her second dose of Biospot; she had no obvious reactions from the first. Fortunately, I had the common sense to wash the stuff off thoroughly with lots of water and mild soap which I repeated shortly afterward. The dog has settled down now, but seems lethargic. No energy to even bark at the post man--which is first.
This stuff is scary and should be taken off the market. I have reported this episode to the EPA.
Thanks to you and this site for educating us all.
Terry 5/19/06
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I was so happy to have found your web site today as I was trying to research adverse reactions to flea and tick medications. I have a 6 month old Golden Retriever puppy. April 10th he had his first dose of Frontline. For 5 days after it was administered he had diarrhea. Not even suspecting the Frontline the Vet said he had a slight fever and put him on antibiotics. He was better after two days. Last week we gave him his second dose of Frontline and again he developed a severe case of diarrhea. More worry some was the spot where the Frontline was administered became an open pussy wound. His entire neck is covered with red bumps and bleeding sores and we are now treating it with animax cream and another dose of antibiotics. The Vet is still not totally convinced that Frontline is the culprit but my husband and I find it hard to believe that this is just coincidence.
Thank goodness for sites like yours. Otherwise we would be led to believe from all of the product websites that these medications are completely safe and have no adverse reactions. From what I've read on your site I should be thanking my lucky stars that I didn't treat my dog with Bio Spot. That is one scary product that should not be on the market.
Rita 5/20/06
Saratoga Springs, NY
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I purchased bio spot for my dogs. My cat was around them a full twenty four hours after I applied bio spot and began having problems - he stiffed up and began convulsing. It's been another twenty four hours and he is still having effects of being around my dogs. My grandson was over and started breaking out in a rash and was taken to the hospital. The doctor said they could not rule out that it was a reaction to the bio spot. He was treated with steroids and benadril and seems to be ok at this point.
Michelle 5/21/06
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I had an outdoor cat that had alot of fleas on him. I gave him a bath 2 times to get all the fleas off of him. I used a product that had permethrin in it. With in an hour he was having seizures. I did not know what was wrong with him. He was nine years old. I did not link the flea bath with that. Now I know what killed him. It breaks my heart to know that instead of helping him I killed him. I was on my way this morning to get something to get rid of fleas for my dog and ran across this website. Thank you so much for the information. What do you use now? I thought the bio spot would be safe?
Cheryl 5/23/06
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I am beside myself with horror after reading the posts on your site. Our cherished 10 year old Springer Spaniel has been suffering with seizures since November of last year and we have exhausted ourselves trying to find the source and cure.
We finally resigned ourselves to the fact that he is probably dying and we were heartbroken. We have two Springers, 10 and 10 1/2 years old, who in their younger years were given the Program for flea and tick control. Approximately 3 years ago, we switched them to Frontline, with no side effects - that we were aware of.
Two years ago our female, Roxy, had a huge tumor on her leg (knee) and we had it removed. Six months later the growth came back and after testing it again, our Vet said it was cancer. He gave us the option of removing the leg or removing the tumor again and going through a month of radiation on her leg. We opted for the radiation, which required bringing Roxy to the Oncologist every day for a month. While there, we bonded with several other dog owners, who were going through the same process. Over the next month, we kept hearing people complain about Frontline, Advantage, Hartz, et al; with most people (not the staff) believing strongly that they were the source of their dogs’ cancers.
We took both dogs off their Frontline for several months. Each time I asked my Vet about the possibility Frontline might be the cause of Roxy’s cancer, I was told that the theories were basically hogwash and that the product was perfectly safe for animals.
In October of last year, we switched veterinarians; due mostly to the very impersonal care my dogs had received over the years from their doctor. When we met our new Vet, he also assured me that Frontline and the other flea and tick treatments were safe. We decided to put the dogs back on Frontline, as we frequently take them to the mountains, where ticks are everywhere. Several days after the application, my male dog, Calvin had a huge seizure that lasted about 1 minute, losing all bladder control. We had never seen a seizure before and it was terrifying. We rushed him to the Vet, where he was admitted overnight for tests and put on Seizure Watch.
It never occurred to us that Frontline might be the source. The theories we had heard about months before were related to tumors and cancer. I searched the internet for hours, researching dozens of Canine Epilepsy sites and gathering theories about seizure causes. I am furious with myself that I never made the connection THEN about the Frontline and in none of my investigating, did I read about any connection between them. I did read several posts where people thought Greenies, Rawhides, improperly washed vegetables, eating cat poop etc, might be responsible.
When we picked up our dog the next morning, I had tons of notes about everything I had researched on the internet and a lot of questions for our Vet. As with our previous Vet, he assured us that these were “wives -tales” and explained that this condition is very common in “older” dogs. and that there was really nothing we could do. He discouraged me from trying to seek information from the net, saying most articles and peoples’ posts are “conjecture and non-professional opinions”. He told us it was very likely that my dog ate some plant or poison in the backyard and he may not have another incident.
One month later, another seizure - this time Calvin wasn’t admitted to the hospital. Then one month later, it happened again; this time he had two within one hour. We rushed him to the Vet and he was admitted to the hospital again. This time I insisted that my dog be prescribed Phenobarbital, as I had heard it helped control seizures. Whenever I had requested an MRI, I was discouraged to do so; my Vet has basically said that I have an “elderly” dog whose time is winding down and that these seizures are very common in the last stages of life - all the while with NO conclusive diagnosis! This has frustrated us enormously because the rest of the time, I have a dog who wants play ball, swim in the pool and runs and acts like a puppy. When admitting Calvin to the hospital on one occasion, the receptionist guessed he was 3 years old, judging by the spring in his step. Calvin has ALWAYS been athletic, extremely active and healthy.
In March, my husband and I went on vacation for two weeks, leaving our dogs with our son and his girlfriend. We were terribly anxious leaving the dogs and gave my son thorough instructions on what to do if Calvin had a seizure while we were gone. I failed, however, to instruct him to give the dogs their Frontline. In the two weeks we were gone, my dog didn’t have a seizure, thank goodness. Several days after we returned, we were taking the dogs again to the mountains, when I learned the dogs hadn’t been given their Frontline while we were away. We applied it to both dogs, went to the mountains and returned 3 days later. The next night, my dog had two huge seizures again, within one hour. I took him to the Emergency Hospital, where they kept him overnight again on Seizure Watch and they DOUBLED his Pheno dosage, making him practically comatose for the next week and a half.
My husband and I decided after that week and a half to cut back on the high dosage of Phenobarbital. We figured if Calvin was going to have seizures anyway while on the drug, we couldn’t bear watching him act like a zombie. We had truly resigned ourselves to the fact that our dog is dying and we have shed so many tears over it - it has been heartbreaking.
Last week, we decided against our vet’s advise to take our dog to a Neurologist and get the MRI if she recommended it. I requested my dog’s file from our vet and in reviewing all the seizure incidents, the light bulb FINALLY went off in my head. My dog’s seizures are always a month apart. I went to my computer calendar and cross-referenced all the dates with the monthly reminders I have to give them their Frontline. I was due to give him his Frontline this week and he hasn’t had a seizure for the last four weeks. This prompted me to investigate the Flea and Tick medications on the net - and lo and behold - there a dozens of sites reporting these seizures and hundreds of complaints! How could I be so stupid!!! For all these months!!
I called my Vet and told him that I think Frontline is the cause of Calvin’s condition and asked if he has heard about this connection before. He tells me he has NEVER heard any complaints about Frontline or any other Flea/Tick medications and that “it is safe or they wouldn’t be able to sell it”. I called the Pet Store where I buy the medication and they told me “they have NEVER” heard of any side effects from these products. This all seems like garbage to me. How can there be so many complaints - on your site alone - and Vets and Pet Stores “haven’t ever heard of such a thing”. BULL____!!!!! I don’t believe them and have lost faith, especially with the Vet, who I am now convinced, doesn’t care about my precious dogs.
In the last six months, my male dog’s vet bills have exceeded $5,000.00. If the source of my female dog’s recurring tumors and subsequent radiation is Frontline related, then my last Vet and the Oncologist who treated her made another $9,000.00 from me. The emotional stress has been exhausting, not to mention the unspeakable pain of thinking my dog is dying and having NO explanation as to why!!! I’d happily pay double that amount though if I could turn back the clock and undo all the stress, pain, fear and anxiety my pups have been through. Is it truly possible that these chemical companies, veterinarians and retailers can be this uncaring and greedy?
I have discarded my 3 month supply of Frontline and I am entirely convinced this is poison for our animals. Again, I am so disgusted by my naiveness and stupidity. In retrospect, it seems obvious that applying a toxic pesticide into my dog’s system could NEVER be alright - no matter what all the profiting parties might say! I just wish I had realized it sooner.
I am confident Calvin’s seizures will not return, however if I am wrong and they do, I will make another post to this site, with an apology to Frontline and our dogs' Vets. Don’t hold your breath though - I am convinced I am right and relieved to have finally made the connection. I am praying for a full recovery for Calvin from this nightmare and for no further complications for either dog. We have all been through hell.
Sandy 5/23/06
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It is now one week since my cat Max died. Like many of you, I didn't have a clue that on-label use of Farnam's BioSpot on my dogs, without direct contact that could not have occurred, could kill my friend. For 12 years he was one of my best friends. It is the type of person I was, and the type of cat that he was. Not a lot of friends, but the ones I have mean the world to me. Now he is gone, his final 10 minutes of life painfully burned into my mind. He seized from hypothermia and blew the capillary beds in his nose on the floor. He seemed to gain consciousness briefly to meow letting me know his terror and pain. It is the sort of thing that changes a person. His twin sister is still mourning.
Like many of you, I did the responsible thing and contacted the company, the EPA, was given the run-around by Sherri Pike, was told to contact the "Product Safety" consultants that I was assured were not affiliated with Farnam and later found out that they are financially compensated for by Farnam for their services. I feel awful for all of us. And I ask all of you, even if you were lucky enough to receive compensation for your losses by this company, to read the next paragraph carefully and then watch for my next post:
I need 40-60 fellow petitioners to sign on and we can have a class action lawsuit against Farnam and against the EPA for not taking action before now. This is not about trying to receive any additional compensation for our losses. We are not going to get any anyway. Class actions only make your legal representation wealthy. And the established value of a cat is around $100 and for a dog it is the price of purchase. Would $100 give me satisfaction for the death of Max, and the countless others that will follow? This page reads like bad opera, it never seems like it will end, and it won't until someone hits them where it hurts! I don't want their blood money; I want their product to be a role model of what happens when you sell a product that knowingly damages the consumer. I can say this at the very least: more people will learn the truth. And I really think that if we can't bring them down with the obvious (I mean, come on! 2% of the male population is red/green colorblind and couldn't read their warning anyway!), we can at least get their products pulled off the shelves in a few states. We can't let the EPA off either, not with the copious evidence they already have. I am researching how to go about it and will try to orchestrate things so that there will not be hang-ups from the previous class actions against permethrin products (thus there might be several different petitions to sign in the coming months). I have spoken at length with an experienced environmental lawyer and as soon as the remaining petitioners are identified, I will take the case to the best Plaintiff Attorney I can find and I WILL go forward, and the death of my cat WILL be avenged.
Want to come along for the ride? I'll be posting a link to a website in the next few days. As soon as I figure out how to put up a sufficient firewall to protect our personal information I'll post. It will only be used to begin the lawsuit and given to the legal representative who takes the case. The more the merrier and will increase the chances for success. I really welcome any Vets who are willing to sign, and folks that have proof of permethrin exposure in their animals was the cause, even though it IS a clinical diagnosis and few of use could afford the necropsy and veterinary pathologist's evaluation. Also, remember that this suit is not for money. It is beyond that. If a jury or judge decides to award it, so be it. I don't want it. This is not about fines or anything like that; it is about CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE on the part of the company that continues to advertise their products on television without any mention of potential side effects. It is about CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE on the part of the EPA that has not acted despite the overwhelming number of reports they have received from us. It is about getting these products regulated by an agency that will require a prescription for all veterinary use of this compound, and prominent packaging that also includes details of what poisoning looks like and what to do about it. The other option being to have these products eliminated. It is insane that what happened to us could have been prevented, and that the peer-reviewed scientific literature is so very clear about the risks. I will post the web address in the next few days after I make absolutely sure no one will hack it and your information will be safe. Otherwise I will mail it to individuals. I have ~40 signatures so far that I've combed the Internet for. I want as many people as possible so that if any individual signature is questioned, another can be used in its stead. I want to see Farnam hanging from a yardarm ASAP, and most importantly save a lot of animal lives!
It is the moment of the ford, it is TIME! No one else is going to do it. Do you want Farnam to keep this sad death march going?
Steve 5/23/06
Hello Again,
The web address for the forthcoming website is: http://www.StopFarnam.orgI hope to have it up and running by the end of next week, 6/2/2006. I have decided to go ahead and obtain legal representation to find out exactly what information is required from participants in order to ensure your efforts will be productive. In the mean time I have requested all documents related to these products from the EPA under the Freedom Of Information Act version 2002 (FOIA hereafter), and all internal EPA documents concerning this issue. So hold on folks, this is going to happen, and I'm going to get this right the first time. In the meantime, compose your stories, and dig up all of your correspondence with Farnam Industries and also all communications with the EPA regarding your loss. The sent folders in your email accounts might be a good place to look if you think they are gone. All of this information can be used as evidence and you should print out copies with the full information on the header. The header is the part that has all the gibberish that lets you know how the email got to you, what servers it passed through, and where someone can make sure it was sent to you by them, or vice-versa. We will win this thing! I'll post again when the site is up.
Yours,
Steve Brogdon 5/24/06
"First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then
you win." -- Gandhi
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I went to walmart on 5/26/06 and purchased sergeants silver 3 way protection drops for my cat. the product says it is for cats 5lbs and over. my cat is 21lbs. i read the directions from top to bottom before using. i applied the product as directed and 5 minutes later she was running through the house and foaming at the mouth. i quickly put her in the sink and washed her off and rushed her to the vet, where she remains over night. i don't know if she will survive. i will post another letter as soon as i find out her condition.
Catherine 5/26/06
this is a follow up on sergeant's siver three way protection flea and tick drops for cats. I put some on my cat on 5/26/06 and she started foaming at the mouth and going into seizures. I rushed her to the vet right away. they kept her overnight and she did survive, but i will never use this product again.
Catherine 5/28/06
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Our healthy English Bulldog, age 11, had two major seizures last Tuesday, after my wife gave him Biospot the Monday before,and we rushed him to the emergency clinic at 1 am. He had another seizure Wednesday evening at the clinic and was given Valium and Phenobarb. He's home now with no more episodes but wobbling on his feet due to the effects of the drug. He's undergoing testing for various causes, and the clinic suggests numerous other tests costing more than $1,000. No more of this product for us.
Marty 5/27/06
thanks, I just left a message for Sherri Pike, and emailed the EPA. The Critical Care receptionist told me she has seen other pets brought there after use of Biospot and other similar products. Our Buster seems to be stabilizing thank God. However, our vet wants to at least reduce the phenobarb dosage asap.
Marty 6/2/06
Hi Jim, this is to let you know that Farnam indeed has reimbursed us for all expenses related to Buster's care. So far, he's still on Phenobarb, with no seizures in 6 weeks. hooray!!! I might add that our vet called the National Poison Control Center for Animals, and got no support from the folks there. Some rep told him there was little chance that Buster's seizures were caused by the product. But that did not stop this bulldog. The receptionist at the critical care facility warned us to avoid Biospot at all costs,and that's what counts to me. So we will use Program again, despite its very high cost.
Thanks for your assistance Jim,
Marty 7/1/06
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I recently applied Sergeants Pretect on my shi tzu dog of a year old. I have noticed that he has a slight twitch or muscle tighting in his side, and his back where I applied the "tube of death as I read other articles" seems to be sore to the touch. And slight hind leg problems. However, he seems to be eating normal and no vomiting or seizures. Took him to the vet and he gave me some pain killers and told me to check back in a week if not better. Or, if it gets worse to call. Just worried about my little buddy and wanted to know if anyone has experienced the same thing? thanks
Chad 5/28/06
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My cats are getting old, close to 20. During the winter the fleas disappear. In summer they build up and bother the cats. I've been using sergeants pretect which contains only an insect growth regulator, nylar, and no insecticides. One application a year worked well. Tried a long time ago flea powder in small amounts that contained permethrin. The cats didn't seem to like it but since I was uneasy about insecticides and it was totally useless, stopped, thank the stars. There is enough information out there now that permethrin, in my opinion, shouldn't be used on animals.
Been reading the threads on your website and haven't heard too many complaints about the insect antihormone treatments such as nylar. Still given my cats advanced age, this year am leaning towards a chemical free program. Anyone have any suggestions? Combing probably won't work, one might tolerate it, the others probably won't.
Anonymous 5/29/06
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Thank you for contacting Petsmart regarding your concerns about Bio Spot(r) for Cats One-Step. We take all customer inquiries very seriously and have thoroughly investigated your concerns. As part of that investigation, we contacted the manufacturer of the product, Farnam Companies, and confirmed the "discontinued" product you referred to was indeed removed from store shelves and replaced with the re-launched product that passed a rigorous quality inspection. Following is an explanation of the situation provided to us by Farnam. We are confident the product on our store shelves is not harmful when used as directed on the label.
Bio Spot for Cats One-Step Statement
Farnam Companies has reintroduced Bio Spot(r) for Cats One-Step, after voluntarily discontinuing production in 2005 while we investigate dun expectedly high reports of adverse reactions during the product's introductory period. We worked quickly and thoroughly to resolve this issue. The remediation process involved making specific manufacturing changes to meet Farnam's high quality control standards and to ensure they will continue to be met in future production. With the confidence that Bio Spot for Cats One-Step has helped hundreds of thousands of cats remain free of fleas, whose blood meal bites can create health problems such as dermatitis and anemia, the product was put back into production.
Farnam takes all reports of adverse reactions very seriously and submits them to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for assessment of unusual trends. Bio Spot(r) for Cats One-Step has a proven record of safety and efficacy, including years of rigorous testing prior to approval and registration by the EPA.
Farnam stands behind the safety of Bio Spot for Cats One-Step, and weare confident in returning this product to store shelves. It is specifically formulated for use on cats and should not be used on other pets. Likewise, products formulated for dogs should never be used on cats as their active ingredients may cause adverse reactions for felines. We guarantee all Farnam products 100 percent when used as directed. As with any animal health product, it is always important to carefully follow label instructions and consult your veterinarian if you have any questions. Farnam remains committed to providing high quality products for animals and the people who purchase them.
Barany Chittenden 5/30/06
Product Care Specialist
Store Operations
PETsMART
Ext. 2271
Farnam states that Bio Spot for Cats One-Step has a "proven record of safety". They introduced this product in April, 2005 and discontinued it in August, 2005 after receiving many reports of adverse reactions, including several deaths in cats. Where is the proven record of safety?
According to the label information on Bio Spot for Cats One-Step, it states:
"Do not get this product in your cat's eye's or mouth. Do not apply more than once every 30 days. Use only on cats. Do not bathe pet within the first 24 hours after product has been applied. Households with more than one cat should not allow cats to groom each other until solution has dried."
The label does NOT say what would happen if a cat happens to ingest the product while grooming, but I think it would be very difficult to stop cats from grooming each other, or from grooming itself in an effort to remove the product (which will inevitably occur if a cat dislikes the odor of the product, or if the product is irritating to its skin).
Time will tell if the reintroduced Bio Spot for Cats One-Step is safer than the previous one, however, IF this product has the potential to seriously harm or kill cats which ingest it while grooming, it should NOT be reintroduced.
James TerBush
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Our 7 month old American Water Spaniel had picked up a 2nd tick in 2 days and we bought the Hartz drops and applied them as instructed. The next day she would not eat and and vomited 5 times. After searching on the internet I found enough to warrant giving her a bath and scrubbed her very well. The next day she was better but still would not eat much. By the third day she was back to normal. There is no doubt what caused it. Is there anyone who has tried any of the natural flea and tick repellents and do they really work. I do not know what would have happened if I had searched the internet.
Tom 5/31/06
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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.
