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November 2006
I raise Chihuahuas and have 16. We live in the country and they have a large fenced area to play in. My husband and I love them and try to provide quality care. There is not a cage anywhere on our property. Recently I purchased frontline plus and applied it to each of our "children". One of the younger ones had an episode where he appeared to be gagging or choking on something. He began to retch and expelled a small amount of thick yellow fluid. Then he simply fell over.I picked him up and checked his airway. Not finding anything - I then used a syringe to flush water down his throat in case there was something I didn't see. By this time he appeared to be fine and I did not connect what had happened to the flea drops. Two or three days later he had another similar episode. Both times the reaction was very short timewise-- only a minute or two. A friend that had no idea that anything had happened noticed that he wasn't as vibrant as usual. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that he was poisoned by frontline plus.
We were extremely fortunate. They will sell frontline plus to people in the USA, but ban it in Australia. I bought it from them (Australia) because of the price. All pet owners know that no amount of money could replace an animal lost.
Thank you for the information. Many lives will be saved!
Janice 11/2/06
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Just wanted to share my recent experience with Advantage. I applied it for the first time to my 1.5 year old cat. Knowing that she is generally very sensitive, I made sure to get the correct product and I followed the application instructions very carefully. She seemed a little agitated, but after a short time seemed okay. I discarded the tube of "medicine" (pesticide) in the manner laid out in the instructions, and even though I did not touch the "medicine" I washed my hands thoroughly for several minutes. I was also careful not to touch my cat for the rest of the day. The next day, my wrists began itching. Little raised red bumps appeared on both of my wrists. Strange. The next day red bumps spread up my inner arms to my elbows. The next day they wrapped around to my forearms. At this point it is a combination of itching and burning, and taking a shower is painful. Wearing a shirt is uncomfortable. Yesterday the rash spread up to my upper arms and is now coming up on my chest. Beware of Advantage!! Bayer says their pesticide just sits on the skin, but they're full of crap. It WILL seep into your pores and hair follicles and WILL enter the blood stream. I am quite sure that the toxins entered my blood stream and every single hair follicle/pore on my upper body is red and raised trying to get the poison out of my system. I have a doctor's appoinment tomorrow and will let you know what he says. I will never use a topical pesticide again. If this is the effect it is having on me, even though I didn't apply it to myself, I can only imagine what it is doing to my girl.
Kirna 11/7/06
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Hello. I came across your website while I was searching the Internet, and trying to decide which flea treatment to use on my dog and my cat. After finding your website, I continued searching for more info, and was able to find some toxicology study results published on the Internet. I wanted to share what I'd found (the links are at the end of my email -- this turned out to be a much longer email than I anticipated).
We live in Alaska where, with the exception of mosquitoes, we don't have a big problem with pests like fleas & ticks. Seasonally, we have a lot of mosquitoes, but heartworm isn't a problem here. My cat picks up fleas seasonally, because he hunts outside, but fleas have never been a big problem in or around our home. Sporadically over the years, we've applied OTC spot-on flea treatments to our cat, and were fortunate that he had no adverse reactions. Of course, I never knew that we should be worried about an adverse reaction. Like most people, I assumed that it was safe or it wouldn't be for sale.
I wouldn't have been considering the use of any flea treatments right now, but we recently acquired a new dog from Missouri. He ended up having fleas and tapeworm. I know that he could've gotten the tapeworm by eating a flea that was carrying the tapeworm larvae, so I wanted to do something to kill the fleas on him. I started researching the safety of spot-on treatments, not because I was concerned about my pet's safety. As I mentioned above, I assumed the products wouldn't be available for sale if they weren't safe for my pets. My concern was that I have a toddler in the house, and anyone who has children knows that anything in a toddler's environment goes straight from their hands to their mouths. I didn't want my daughter eating a flea, and getting tapeworm, but I didn't want to put a spot-on treatment on my dog or my cat, have my daughter touch the application site, put her hand in her mouth, and get poisoned. Hence, my Internet search began.
While I did find some toxicology study results for several spot-on flea treatment ingredients, my findings also left with me more unanswered questions than answers (toxicology testing on pesticides is woefully inadequate):
- If you apply these spot-on treatments to your pets at regular intervals, is there a cumulative toxic effect that won't be apparent with the first application -- an adverse reaction that won't appear until after a certain # of applications when a toxic level of pesticide has accumulated in your pet's body? Some of the studies appear to have answered this question, but . . . . .
- We know that Collies can have a lethal sensitivity to certain drugs or chemicals, so isn't it reasonable to assume that other dogs might also have a similar sensitivity, regardless of their breed?
- If the directions tell you to remove contaminated clothing immediately, or to wash your hands in warm, soapy water for 15 - 20 minutes, or to ensure that your child does not come into contact with the product, is it really safe for applying to your pet's skin?
Furthermore, you'll see that the majority of test subjects in the studies were rats, and you can't compare the metabolism of a rat to that of a dog, much less a cat. There were some dogs used in some of the studies, but relatively few (the FDA wouldn't approve a drug for use in humans based on so little evidence). You can't compare the metabolism of a dog to that of a cat, either. (Laboratory testing on animals -- that's a subject for another email that I won't even try to discuss here.)
According to this website (http://www.cah.com/seasonal/frntline.html), fipronil, an active ingredient found in Frontline Top Spot & Frontline Plus, kills fleas on dogs for up to 3 months, so if you're only treating for fleas, and you apply this monthly, could you be exposing your dog to too much pesticide? If fipronil doesn't last as long on a cat, why is that? Is it because the cat is licking itself, swallowing its own fur, and therefore swallowing some of the fipronil, as well?
Speaking of pesticide overdose -- in pets, whose owners suspect an adverse reaction to a spot-on flea treatment, could their pet have had multiple exposures to pesticides that the owner is not aware of or hasn't considered, such as herbicide or pesticide in their yard or garden, pesticide or herbicide in their neighbor's yard or garden, a neighboring golf course, or a park that they frequent with their pet? Some communities spray pesticides or herbicides, and everyone, animal & human alike, is exposed. Some communities put pesticide in standing water to control mosquito populations by killing their larvae -- pets may drink from these rancid water sources. Could the the pet have been exposed to additional pesticide through flea bombs or sprays, flea powders, flea dips or baths, etc.? Maybe pets that have an adverse reaction to a spot-on flea treatment had multiple exposures to other pesticides in their environment, and the spot-on treatment was the "straw that broke the camel's back" -- it's an unknown factor. That leads to the possibility of other medications that might cause an adverse reaction when combined with a spot-on treatment. For example, has the pet with an adverse reaction to a spot-on treatment also had vaccinations recently (vaccines have other ingredients besides dead viruses)? Has the pet been given a heartworm preventive recently? Have they been dewormed recently? Are they taking any other medications? Have they had surgery recently? Are there known health conditions before the application of the spot-on? Or undiagnosed health conditions before the application of the spot-on? Could the pet have eaten a poisonous mushroom (they often grow right in your own yard)? As you can see, my research produced a lot more questions than answers.
[Note: Frontline Plus does contain an insert in the box, which states, "For external use only. Do not use on kittens under 8 weeks of age. Individual sensitivities, while rare, may occur after using any pesticide product. Pets may experience some temporary irritation at the site of product application. If signs persist, or become more severe within a few days of application, consult a veterinarian immediately. Certain medications can interact with pesticides. Consult a veterinarian before using on medicated, debilitated, or aged animals. Call 1-800-660-1842 for 24-hour assistance." I don't know if other spot-on products contain similar inserts, but if they do, and if pet owners read these inserts before using the product, maybe some adverse reactions could be prevented.]
In addition, the manufacturers of such products as Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Plus, Advantage, & K9 Advantix would have us believe that their products are not absorbed into the skin. However, this National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (NPTN) Fipronil Fact Sheet (http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/fipronil.pdf) states, "The technical product (96.5% fipronil) has a high order of toxicity with respect to ingestion and inhalation in the rat, but appears to be less toxic via skin absorption." [Fipronil is an active ingredient in both Frontline Top Spot & Frontline Plus.] The NPTN Imidacloprid Fact Sheet (http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/imidacloprid.pdf) states, "The technical product (94.0% imidacloprid) has a moderate order of toxicity with respect to ingestion in the rat by appears to be less toxic when absorbed through the skin or when inhaled." [Imidacloprid is an active ingredient in both Advantage & K9 Advantix.] Again, the question of cumulative affects from repeated applications arises, as well as the question of acute sensitivity in some animals. Some people can have extreme adverse reactions to topical applications of certain substances that don't seem to be harmful to other people, and no one can explain that, either.
Do some research on the Internet and you'll find that the medical and scientific community still has little knowledge or understanding regarding skin absorption of various chemicals and/or substances. [Note that the medical and scientific community often likes to refer to skin absorption as percutaneous absorption (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percutaneous_absorption).] And so many factors are involved with skin absorption -- the health of the human or animal at the time of application, the condition of their skin, the size of the molecule of the chemical in question (the smaller the molecule, the more readily it might be absorbed through the skin), for example. Is the skin well-moisturized and healthy? Is it dry, chapped, cracked, & split, or otherwise, prone to skin problems/diseases? Is the skin compromised in any way -- cuts, scrapes, scratches, punctures (might this include bug bites or vaccination sites, as well)? If an adverse reaction to a spot-on flea treatment or any other topically applied chemical/medication is suspected, there can be many other factors that need to be considered.
And while we might assume that there's no way for our pet to ingest any of the product once we've applied it to their skin, in my opinion, they might still be ingesting some it. The manufacturers tell us that these products collect in our pets' oil glands and are gradually wicked onto their hairs. In the case of a cat, it licks itself and swallows its own hairs, so doesn't that mean it's swallowing some of the spot-on flea treatment? Another possibility is that the owner has mistakenly applied the product to an area where their pet is able to lick the application site. Or, in the case of a dog, he might scratch the application site, then lick his foot, thereby ingesting some of the product. While that might seem like too small of an amount to cause an adverse reaction, it brings you right back to the possibility of a particular animal having an extreme sensitivity to a particular chemical. It also brings you back to the question of cumulative effects -- what if your pet is ingesting small quantities of the stuff after each monthly application? What are the cumulative effects of that? It also brings up other questions again, as well. Is the pet ill (known or unknown) at the time of possible ingestion? Has the pet been exposed to other chemicals/pesticides at the time of possible ingestion (pesticides or herbicides in your yard, the neighbor's yard, or a local park that you and your pet frequent)? At the time of possible ingestion, was the pet also given other medications or vaccinations that might have overloaded its body with chemicals? In the case of multiple pet households, one pet might lick the spot-on application site of another pet. When applying a pesticide to your pet's skin, there's too many variables to consider in trying to determine whether it's really safe.
In my opinion (I have no facts to base this on), I believe that pharmaceutical companies will sell products that they know may harm or even kill some people or animals if they think that the profit margin is high enough. Given recent evidence, we also know that the FDA has previously approved drugs that have harmed or killed people (Fen Phen, Vioxx, & Celebrex to name a few). It's just my opinion, but I don't believe that you can rely on FDA approval to guarantee that you or your pets are safe when using any medications, treatments, chemicals, etc.
Finally, here are the links to the toxicology study results that I found [Fipronil is an active ingredient in Merial's Frontline Top Spot & Frontline Plus. S-Methoprene is a 2nd active ingredient in Frontline Plus. Permethrin is an active ingredient in Bayer's K9 Advantix & Farnam's Bio Spot for Dogs. (Permethrin is known to be toxic to cats.) Imidacloprid is an active ingredient found in both Bayer's K9 Advantix & Advantage.]:
I apologize if some of these links contain redundant information.
Fipronil:
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/insect-mite/
fenitrothion-methylpara/fipronil/Fipronil_tol_798.htm
http://fluoridealert.org/pesticides/fipronil.epa.facts.may.1996.htm
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/1997/November/Day-26/p30949.htm
http://fluoridealert.org/pesticides/fipronil--page.htm
Methoprene:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/ingredients/
factsheets/factsheet_105401.pdf
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/methopre.htm
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/consultations/west_nile_virus/
methoprene.html#bookmark03
Imidacloprid:
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/imidaclo.htm
http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/imidaclo.htm
http://www.inchem.org/documents/jmpr/jmpmono/2001pr07.htm#2.2
Permethrin:
http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc94.htm#SectionNumber:7.1
Last, but certainly not least, what are the so-called "inert/other ingedients" in these spot-on flea treatments? Such vague package labeling would not be allowed for human-grade topical treatments/medications, so you really have to wonder why all of the ingredients aren't listed on the spot-on packaging. Unless the manufacturers reveal what the "inert/other ingredients" are in their spot-on products, I, like everyone else, have no way of knowing what they are, but I did find some chemicals that *may* be used as synergists in conjunction with some pesticides. If any of these chemicals are some of the "inert/other ingredients" used in spot-on flea products for pets, it's just another reason that you might really want to reconsider putting this stuff on your pets. According to Page 1 of this document (http://www.pesticide.org/PiperonylButoxide.pdf), Piperonyl Butoxide can synergize both fipronil & methoprene (the document also discusses piperonyl butoxide's toxicity). And Page 18 of this document (http://www.ivis.org/advances/Beasley/Cpt2D/ivis.pdf -- last two bullet points under the heading "Mechanism") lists other possible pesticide synergists and describes how when combined with a pesticide, synergists can make a pesticide's effect in the body more toxic. Something as benign as sesame oil can act as a pesticide synergist. Following that information, is the statement, "Small animal poisonings occurs principally in cats." Some synergists that might be used with a pesticide can also be toxic as a stand-alone product.
[One final note -- the search phrase "toxicology studies for ____________" yielded the best results when searching for published clinical studies on the Internet regarding the safety of these chemicals. The same search phrase would probably yield good results for other chemicals, as well.]
Thank you for your website. I hope that some of this information will help other pet owners. Feel free to use any or all of this information on your website. Please do not include my name or email address in anything that is posted to your website. I don't want a lot of email or spam following this. I did this research for my own peace of mind, and wanted to share my findings with you after having seen your website. Thank you for taking the time to read all of this.
Anonymous 11/8/06
Thanks for your reply. I wanted to share with you a story involving my husband and daily use of Deet, another supposedly safe pesticide As we were discussing it this morning, it also raised more questions about possible unconsidered multiple pesticide exposures in pets (and people).
When my husband first moved to Alaska at the age of 18, he worked in construction. As I mentioned before, we have an abundance of several species of mosquitoes here spring through fall. The mosquito populations vary from year to year. Some years, it seems that we can't step outside the house without being swarmed by hundreds of them. One summer, I opened the garage door and swept out the garage. I didn't use any mosquito repellent. I was outside for 30 minutes, slapping at the mosquitoes all the while. When I came back inside, I had about 20 new mosquito bites! So, there are times here, when you don't ever want to step outside without some sort of protection from mosquitoes. We have the little no-see-ums, which people in the lower 48 often think are a myth (they are small, but you can actually see a no-see-um if you're really paying attention). My husband often wore a hat after he first came to Alaska, and once received so many no-see-um bites along his hairline where the hat exposed his forehead that his eyes swole shut. The mosquitoes here are, apparently, so tough that they appear before break-up, and the last survivors are still hanging around after the first several frosts -- strange to see the first snow and still have a few mosquitoes flying about. Anyway, he was working on HUD houses in native villages after his arrival here. The mosquito populations in villages are the worst, so he started using Deet every day. After a couple of months of daily use, not only did he start to feel physically ill, he started to get chemical burns on his skin. Needless to say, he had to stop using Deet immediately, and started dressing in protective layers instead. To this day, his skin still has a sensitivity to certain chemicals and substances. I'm so glad that I didn't use any Deet during my pregnancy. I don't even want to know how this stuff might affect a developing fetus. (Another "interesting" tidbit that my husband shared with me -- if you have Deet on your hands and touch something plastic, the plastic begins to "melt.") So, a couple of months of daily use of Deet or approximately 60 daily applications caused chemical burns to my husband's skin and made him feel physically ill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 years of monthly applications of spot-on flea treatments to your pet's skin is the equivalent of 60 applications of pesticide, and our pets (and small children) tend to be even more sensitive to such chemicals than us, not to mention that your use of Deet or a similar product on yourself, plus the use of a spot-on flea treatment on your pet, does indeed expose your pet to multiple pesticides. And that brings me to another possibility of a pet's exposure to multiple pesticides. A little research, and you'll find that Frontline Top Spot or Frontline Plus can repel fleas on your dog for up to 3 months. That clearly indicates that after 1 month, your dog still has fipronil residue (the active ingredient in both products), which also points to fipronil build-up as a result of monthly applications. I noticed that some people on your website mentioned switching from Frontline to Bio-Spot. So, if the dog in question had an application of Frontline spot-on 30 days ago (as described above, he still has some fipronil residue on his skin or in his system), and you then apply another product like Bio-Spot, you've just combined multiple pesticides on your pet creating an unknown synergistic effect (fipronil, permethrin, pyriproxyfen [aka Nylar, an insect growth regulator], s-methoprene [another IGR], if Frontline Plus was used, and "inert/other ingredients" of unknown toxicity and synergistic effects). The toxic, synergistic effect of multiple so-called safe pesticides is only just beginning to be recognized and discussed by a few people in the medical and scientific community. I think I followed one link on your website regarding the subject. Here's just one web link for a document discussing the toxic, synergistic effects of exposure to multiple pesticides (a little Internet searching and you'll find many more):
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/infoservices/
pesticidesandyou/Winter%2003-04/Synergy.pdf
And here's just one article (more can be found) on the dangers of those "inert/other ingredients" in pesticides:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_252/ai_n6160501
This is a bit off the subject, but if 60 days of repeated exposure to Deet could cause the effects that my husband experienced, then imagine what exposure to multiple pesticides could have done to Gulf War Veterans. Just a couple of documents that discuss this topic:
http://www1.va.gov/rac-gwvi/docs/
ReportandRecommendations_PressBriefing_Nov122004pdf.pdf
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/153/6/604
Again, please feel free to use any or all of this information on your website.
Simply,
Concerned Alaskan mom and pet owner
You have provided a wealth of information, and have raised many excellent questions. I think anyone who takes the time to look into how pesticide products are approved for sale by the U.S. EPA will soon come to realize that the entire process is totally inadequate. Business interests often trump health concerns. Products are registered based on incomplete data and wrong assumptions. As a result, the health of the public (especially infants and children) is put at risk.
James TerBush
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We thought our 7-year-old English Setter had developed seasonal allergies. From spring to fall, she would have episodes of severe
itching, especially around her tail and vulva. She would groom obsessively and her eyes were dull and runny. We would take her to the vet and come home with Tritop, Benadryl, and occasionally, prednisone. She would improve temporarily.
She just experienced a flare-up again this weekend. It didn't make sense. We've had several hard frosts here in Minnesota. Also, since my husband and I have had bad colds, our dog hasn't been running in the dog park for several days.
About 5 a.m. today, I had an epiphany. We had just applied K-9 Advantix to her the day before this flare-up began. My husband expects to take her pheasant hunting the day after Thanksgiving, and he wanted to be sure she was protected from any remaining ticks.
I began researching adverse reactions to Advantix immediately and came across your web site. I am stunned to realize that we've been causing our sweet Sidekick a miserable reaction for the past few years. I am thankful that her reaction was not life-threatening.
I am calling our vet as soon as the office opens and filing a report with the EPA today.
Thank you for the information.
Susan 11/14/06
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I found your website by searching for 'allergic reaction to Advantix'. I was amazed to see how many responses you have gotten. My dog most probably is another who has experienced an allergic reaction to Advantix.
Since September 2001, I used Frontline or Frontline Plus on my Maltese to control both fleas and ticks. Never had any problem with any product or medication until March of this year. In March 2006 Gigi began obsessively licking her paw pads, between her toes and scratching her chin. All signs of an allergy but to what? The only thing I was sure of was a skin irritation from a leishmaniasis collar (Scalibor. We live between Spain and Turkey where this mosquito-born disease is endemic, rampant and very serious). Following the onset of constant paw licking plus skin flushing where the collar was, I permanently removed it in April. That relieved the skin reaction but the paw licking continued throughout the summer. She also had for the first time ever 2 ear infections, another common accompaniment of allergies.
On October 9 of this year I switched from Frontline Plus to Advantix. I thought maybe her undefined allergy and paw chewing was a reaction to Frontline Plus, so I decided to try Advantix. The first application of Advantix caused no adverse reaction. It always takes 2 exposures to an allergen before an allergy develops, so it is rare to see a reaction on the first exposure.
On November 9 I applied Advantix for the 2nd time. Some of it ran down on the fur on her right side (very oily, messy product). The next day she developed a neurologic tremor/quiver and extreme skin sensitivity directly in the area where Advantix ran down her side. If I touch her anywhere in the area where the Advantix was absorbed, her rib muscles contract so strongly that it pulls her head around and she literally does a right curve.
This is a neurologic problem or an allergic reaction. It is either the onset of White Dog Shaker syndrome or an allergy to Advantix. Because I previously observed a skin reaction to the leishmaniasis collar (different ingredient), and an earlier reaction to Merial's rabies vaccine, I believe there is a strong possibility that her localized quivering is a reaction to Advantix.
On the Bayer website they provide an email address to ask their vet a question. I have written to him on November 12 and described the circumstances and the reaction but as yet have not had a response.
Even if my dog -- or your dog -- has an allergy to any given product, that does not mean that it is bad for every dog. I'm sure that the vast majority of dogs suffer no adverse consequences to these products. However, I'm also beginning to think that accumulations of pesticides and vaccines can together favor adverse reactions, particularly in sensitive dogs.
Where I live there is no vet who can do allergy testing or who is versed in determining and treating allergies, let alone diagnose something as esoteric as White Dog Shaker syndrome. I am going to wash my dog and observe her for a few more days in the belief that if Advantix is responsible, the reaction will subside as the product strength weakens. That will tell me a lot if the quivering stops. If it doesn't, I will try a low dose of prednisolone. Wish me luck!
Keep up the good website!
Carole 11/14/06
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This product almost killed my cat! My cat, Eek is a 6 1/2 pound tortoise shell cat who suffered a severe central nervous system reaction to the pyrethrin in this product. She suffered from ataxia (loss of coordination), was barely able to walk... Her ears had a mild tremor as well. The veterinarian said this is not an isolated case, she treats animals with poisoning from this and similar products on a regular basis. Eek had to spend 24 hours in the hospital hooked up to an IV and was washed with Dove 3 times to get the toxin off her. She came home and was still having severe gait problems. A few days later she is almost back to normal, however she still has residual central nervous system problems. I am furious with this company and fully intend on getting my money back from them, informing the EPA and every person I know who is a pet owner. Please, take the warnings you read seriously, my cat is still not fully out of the woods. I don't want anyone to suffer the same trauma we've endured.
Laura 11/15/06
Below is email that Laura sent to the EPA:
Dear EPA,
It is imperative you are aware of the adverse reaction my Tortoise Shell cat, Eek had to the product, Zodiac Spot On Flea Control. After CORRECTLY applying this product to my cat (I did not use the dog treatment and I diligently followed the directions), my cat was soon ataxic, walking as though she was inebriated with a clumsy gait and her ears were quivering. She took refuse under a bed and was barely able to move, despite any coaxing we did. I immediately took her to my trusted veterinarian and reported to her that I’d used this Zodiac Spot On product. She informed me Eek displayed the signs of Methoprene poisoning and that she would need to stay in the clinic for 24 hours to cleanse her system. She was bathed with Dawn, lathered 3 times and hooked up to an IV to rid her body of this toxin.
Eek is a small cat, only 6.5 pounds as a full-grown cat. The same flea treatment was given to my other 2 cats with no adverse effects, both of these cats are twice the weight of Eek. My veterinarian theorizes that Eek's ill response was due to her low weight, however nowhere in the precautions does Zodiac address the potential risk for small cats. Wellmark only warns that this Zodiac Spot On treatment should not be given to kittens less than 12 weeks old.
My veterinarian assured me this is NOT an isolated case of this Methoprene poisoning and that her toxicity is NOT my fault. She sees cats with similar reactions to methoprene regularly. I followed the directions, I read the entire package from beginning to end and my cat became very ill. She is better today, but still suffering some lingering ataxia.
I hope you will consider Eek’s poisoning as a valuable example of not putting weight restrictions on the packaging and the potential risks of this over the counter insecticide. I do not want this to happen to any other family with a beloved pet.
Sincerely,
Laura [deleted]
I spent quite a bit of time on the phone yesterday to Wellmark International and EPA's Animal Products Safety Service. Per your recommendation, I called Wellmark and left a message with Sherri Pike. She then forwarded my complaint to a very helpful woman named Kelly Cook. She asked a lot of questions about my experience with Zodiac's Spot On Flea Control... She wanted to ascertain that I'd applied it correctly (I reassured her I had) and wanted to know if there are any other pets in my house and whether or not they'd become ill. I told her my two bigger cats were fine (my cat that was poisoned is only 6 1/2 pounds). My dogs were also just fine.
She explained that the active ingredient in this Zodiac Spot On Flea Treatment for cats is called methoprene and that it is a growth inhibitor for fleas and does not attack the central nervous system of cats. However, the active ingredient in the dog Zodiac Spot On Flea Treatment is Pyrethrin, which according to the company is not toxic to dogs, but VERY toxic to cats. She theorized that my cat, Eek inadvertently rubbed up against one of the dogs and was thereby poisoned with the Pyrethrin in the dog product. I told her there should be a very strong warning on the packaging that households with cats should either not apply this dog product, or there needs to be some isolation procedures in place to avoid unintentional transmittal onto the cat. I mean, let's face it, lots of households have cats and dogs. She asked me what the total was for the product plus the veterinary bills I accrued. The total is: $302.63. She gave me the address of the company and asked me to send her 4 items: 1) an itemized vet bill, 2) a copy of the receipt from PetSmart, 3) a copy of my cat's case notes and 4) a piece of paper with my name, address and phone number for verification purposes. I am to mail all of this to:
Wellmark International
Attention: Consumer Relations
1501 E. Woodfield Rd, Suite 200W
Schaumburg, Il 60173
Wellmark's fax number for such complaints is: 847-330-5391
My wonderful veterinarian is also writing a letter to Wellmark to not only vouch for Eek's poisoning, but to tell them she's dealing with similar cases on a regular basis.
By law, Wellmark is required to report this to the EPA. I was transferred by Zodiac to the EPA's Animal Products and Safety Service to a DVM named Dr. Zolder. Her number is: 888-299-2973. She agreed that Eek suffered from Pyrethrin poisoning from the transfer of the dog Zodiac Spot On Flea Control and stated this is not an isolated incident. She, too would like to see improved warnings on the packaging and encouraged me to pursue this further (as I have). She was very helpful, I highly recommend her as a valuable contact.
I will let you know if Wellmark Int. does indeed reimburse me for my costs.
Sincerely,
Laura 11/18/06
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Has anyone had any luck in getting compensation or any understanding from Merial? My dog Casey a Cavalier had his last seizure August 5, 2006. Since not using the product [Frontline Top Spot] he has been seizure free. Merial called my Vet and he told them that he did not think they were the cause. What is it with these Vets. Are they brainwashed in Vet school? I am not so interested in money but my boy has been through so much for two years including high doses of Phenobarbital and suffering from pancreatitis. He is such a happy dog now without all the drugs. At least they should admit some problems with some animals and put warnings on their packages.
Anonymous 11/15/06
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I applied this product to my 3 poodles from a Petsmart employee's recommendation. I am so unhappy with the fact that the baby poodle still has sores on his back. The day after I applied it to them, I gave them a good bath to try and rid their bodies of the poison that you are offering to everyone who has pets. I just regret putting it on my baby's to try and rid them of fleas. Never again will I purchase crap like this.
Jean 11/20/06
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A little over a week ago I took one of my cats and my dog to the vet. The dog is an old dog and is a flea magnet. The cat had some fleas and was scratching herself to the point of bleeding in one spot. The vet recommended Revolution for them both and gave me some for my other cat. Fortunately, the dog seems fine.
Even though my cat had some fleas she had a good appetite, was very active, etc even though she is 13 years old. Within a couple of hours of Revolution being applied she became lethargic and lost her appetite. Thank goodness I hadn't given it to my other cat yet. I took her to the emergency vet. The vet found some abdominal inflammation. There had been no inflamation prior to this being applied - it states so on the vet's report. The emergency vet said that her reaction was most likely due to fleas. She was not lethargic and had a good appetite prior to this being applied. I called Pfizer and told them what was going on with my cat. They did say the lethargy and loss of appetite are rare side effects that should dissipate within a couple of days. They asked my permission to call my vet and emergency vet. They also told me that they are required to report adverse reaction to the FDA. They told me that this goes into the blood stream and once it is there there is no way to get it out. According to them it takes 8 days for half of it to be eliminated by the body and then it takes another 8 days to eliminate the half that remains and so on.
The emergency vet and my vet both told Pfizer that the cat's reaction was most likely was due to her having fleas. It makes me wonder how many adverse reactions caused by products such as these are attributed to something else. Also, it makes me wonder whether the side effects really are that rare.
I took my cat to a third vet. My cat has inflamed kidneys. She was treated with subcutaneous fluids. Also, she was put on some antibiotics. Its been 9 days since Revolution was applied. She has perked up a little. She is eating. However, she is eating very little. She wasn't eating at all before. Some of her playfulness has returned. I am hoping that she pulls through this. I suppose, it is possible that she had some condition prior to Revolution being applied. It is possible that Revolution triggered something. Fleas did not turn my cat into a zombie - Revolution did.
I will never apply such a product to an animal again. I had some success with using the holistic approach a few years ago. I will go back to that.
Nina 11/20/06
I will call Pfizer next week after I have a better idea of how my cat is doing.
The current vet is starting to beleive that this was caused by Revolution. I brought her the report from the emergency vet that I went to a day after the Revolution was applied. Blood work was done at the emergency vet. Three days after I went to the emergency vet, I went to my current vet because the cat didn't seem to be improving. Blood work was done there too. The blood work done three days earlier showed no indication of kidney problems. Three days later blood work indicated kidney problems. Kidneys clean the blood. I beleive and the vet is less reluctant to believe it too that my cat's kidneys are trying to eliminate this from her system. The vet says that this would be hard to prove. She did give the cat another shot of subcutanceous fluids. She said it would help remove the Revolution from her blood faster. Her kidneys are less inflamed and less painful now. Some more blood work was done. I am awaiting the results.
I have had a conversation with a Holistic Vet and a breeder. Both people told me that cats do not tolerate Revolution well.
I will let you know what happens with Pfizer.
Nina 11/22/06
I called Pfizer again. Their response was that this doesn't happen with Revolution. Meanwhile the vet recommended that my cat be on subcutaneous fluid twice a day for several days to bring her kidney values down. One of the values (creatine(sp)) went down. The Bun value is still high. That is why the vet recommended the fluid injections.
My recommendation for anyone considering putting anything like this on their pets is - DONT. If you must use something use something that is least toxic and doesn't absorb into the blood stream. Think twice before applying anything to your pet.
Nina 11/27/06
Thank you for the update. When you called Pfizer the first time and described the symptoms that your cat was experiencing (loss of appetite and lethargy), they told you that these are "rare side effects" of Revolution. If you go to Pfizer's website for Revolution:
Under "Adverse Reactions - Pre-approval clinical trials", it says,
"Other signs observed rarely (?0.5% of 1743 treated cats and dogs) included vomiting, loose stool or diarrhea with or without blood, anorexia, lethargy, salivation, rapid breathing, and muscle tremors.
Post-approval experience
In addition to the aforementioned clinical signs that were reported in pre-approval clinical trials, there have been reports of pruritis, urticaria, erythema, ataxia, fever, and rare reports of death. There have also been rare reports of seizures in dogs (see WARNINGS)."
If Pfizer tries to tell you that Revolution does not cause adverse reactions like loss of appetite or lethargy, let them know what the Pfizer representative told you when you first called to report the adverse reaction, and let them know that these symptoms are listed on Pfizer's own website as possible side effects of Revolution.
I would ask your vet to contact Pfizer on your behalf and seek reimbursement of the vet expenses for you. Your vet should be willing to do that if she believes that your cat MOST LIKELY had an adverse reaction to the toxins in Revolution. If your vet does NOT believe that, I doubt that she would be attempting to flush the toxins from your cat's system with subcutaneous fluids.
James TerBush
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I have a 5 year old male black pug. We only apply frontline as needed, 2 years ago, we applied it, and about 12 hours afterwards, my pug had a seizure, (my other dog, a chihuahua was fine). I only witnessed a minute of it, stumbling around, and then recovering and walking sore for 2 days. I brought him to the vet for the "soreness" I hadn't thought seizure. I also didn't connect the episode. This past summer, we applied Frontline plus to all (now 3) of my dogs. 12 hours later almost exactly, my pug had a seizure that I actually got to witness the whole thing. The foaming at the mouth, legs kicking, on his back, he urinated and defecated himself, cried. It was awful. When he could finally stand up, he stumbled around looking dizzy. This is when I connected it to the previous episode. I called the vet. It was 3:30am. They told me it could wait until morning, so I called them at 8 am. I explained to them the connection I thought it had with frontline. They told me Frontline was about the safest thing on the market, it NEVER causes adverse reactions. I insisted. They contacted Frontline, and told me that they would be contacting me for "statistical purposes" in case the frontline had anything to do with it. Needless to say Frontline obviously wasn't interested in speaking to me. They never called me. I no longer use Frontline. Prolonged exposure to any pesticide can cause any reaction, but I use this so RARELY. I was going to use Frontline at the beginning of next summer, as I hadn't found this website, and monitor him, thinking I could be wrong. Thank God I found this site.
Jessica 11/21/06
Vermont
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I originally posted on your website on 8/01/06 regarding my cat Chauncey. After I applied Sergeant Silver topical flea product at the beginning of July, Chauncey was ill for three weeks, and we had to have him euthanized on July 26. This is an update to his case.
I contacted the Coordinator of Consumer Affairs at Sergeant's. They sent me a Product Adverse Reaction Report which I completed and returned to them, along with a 3-page letter detailing day-by-day what happened to Chauncey and requesting payment for my vet expenses. They also sent my veterinarian a questionnaire, which he returned to them. The hearing on my case was in October, and the Coordinator called and told me that the panel agreed that Chauncey had suffered a reaction to their product, but because the package states on the back to consult a veterinarian before applying to aged animals, they would only pay half of the vet bill. I accepted that and signed a release form.
Today, I received a check in the mail for the agreed amount, but along with the check, they sent a letter and cat treats. In the letter, they state, "We have also enclosed some treats for Chauncey, and we hope that he will enjoy them." I couldn't believe it!! The letter was signed by the Coordinator who I had been dealing with!! Does she have so many similar cases that she can't keep them straight? I called and left a message on her phone, stating this was adding insult to injury. Every time I see anyone with pets, I warn them to be very careful of these flea products.
Norene 11/25/06
Congratulations, Sergeant's. You have just been inducted into my Flea Product Hall of Shame. Instead of advising your customers to "consult a veterinarian before using on aged animals", and burying the message on the back of the package in fine print, you should have a black box warning on your packaging which states, "DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT ON AGED OR DEBILITATED ANIMALS."
James TerBush
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I had to rush my little Shih Tzu Susie Q to the emergency vet last night at 10:00pm. That was Sunday November 26, 2006. On Friday night around 11 pm or so, I applied the Frontline Plus Flea product. Last night {Sunday} she started vomiting and then extremely salivating. She spent the night at the Emergency Vet to the tune of $650.00 and I picked her up this morning. She is still very lethargic but did eat a little food. I called Frontline and spoke to a very nice person and she said that sometimes dogs may have a reaction from licking the area,but,it was on the back of her neck. She took my name and gave me a Case # and address to get a refund for the Frontline. I asked her about a refund for the Veternary care and she said I could submit the bill for a review. If she isn't better by later today, I will have to bring her to her regular vet for observation. Anyway..what should I do from here? Can anyone do anything about this? Losing anyone's beloved pet is not worth putting them through this or even taking the chance that this could happen. Thanks for listening to my Vent!
Rose-Marie 11/27/06
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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.
