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May 2008
I too just encountered an event with our chichua and use of Biospot. I am still concerned. I reported it to Farnam, then to poison control. I took him to the animal emergency yesterday. He is still exhibiting muscle spasms/uncontrollable hind legs. I gave him a bath he is on prednisone and restricted activity. ASPCA poison control seemed very skeptical of the association with the Adams. This was his first & only use of this product. I feel just awful thinking I'm trying to protect him and then I poisoned him. Did your dog get back to normal? I read about the seizures in 02. I'm searching the web for any information to assist to get my pet back to normal. I requested directly from Farnam information on adverse effects from their product but they won't supply anything more than the poison control number. I'm in the process of putting together a letter to Farnam requesting reimbursement for my expenses ( vet emergency visit + cost of product) Any advice you can provide is appreciated!
Cindy 4/30/08
Adverse reactions from flea control products can occur in ANY dog (regardless of age or size), but older dogs and small breeds are especially at risk of overdose from these products. For example, if your dog weighs only 5 lbs. and you applied a full tube of Bio Spot for Dogs under 15 lbs., your dog actually received 3 times more of the product than a 15 lb. dog would have received.
Bathing your dog with a mild dish detergent (such as Dawn) and thoroughly rinsing with large amounts of water is the best way to remove the Bio Spot. Sometimes bathing your dog 2 or 3 times will help to remove more of the product. However, if it was not washed off soon after applying it, some of the pesticide in the product is already in your dog's bloodstream and it could take several days for it to be metabolized and excreted. Make sure that your dog continues to eat and drink (it will help to flush the pesticide from his system).
Please contact Sherri Pike (Farnam's Risk Manager) at 1-800-234-2269 ext. 2259 and let her know what happened. I would ask her to reimburse your emergency vet expenses. She will ask you to send her copies of your dog's medical record (which your vet will give to you), the vet bill, and the receipt for the Bio Spot (if you still have it). I would also ask your emergency vet to write you a note on his/her stationery stating that your dog was treated for poisoning symptoms from Bio Spot, and send a copy of it to Farnam. It's best to send the letter to Farnam via Certified Mail with Return Receipt.
Regarding the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, I am sorry to say that I no longer trust their advice concerning adverse reactions in dogs from flea and tick control products. I spoke with one of their vets several months ago, and he also told me that Bio Spot does not cause adverse reactions in dogs - only in cats. I told him that it almost killed my dog and asked him to visit my website. The ASPCA receives money from Farnam (and several other manufacturers of flea and tick control products) to provide free consultation to people whose pets have been poisoned by their products. I believe that represents a clear conflict of interest.
James TerBush
Hi James,
Thank you for all of this. I really appreciate it and will contact Sherri Pike. I'm still amazed that this product is for sale for animals, none of the warnings on the label give any indication of these types of adverse reactions. The packaging leads you to believe that the reaction if any would be skin related, nothing about spasms, loss of control of limbs. I really thought my dog had Lyme disease. I only brought the package of Adams with me since I had put it on him on Sunday. I will keep in touch & hopefully his symptoms will clear when this is finally out of his system.
I too was pretty put off by the animal poison center, she Dr. Dolder, really tried to discourage me from this reaction. This is just wrong. My dog weighed 7.7 lbs, I thought I was protecting him.
Thanks for the info & support!
Cindy 5/1/08
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I had went into Wal Mart yesterday 4/29/08 and purchased Sergeants Gold Flea and tick for my Red Heeler. About 6:00 p.m I put it on him and within 1-1/2 hours he started salvitating protrusly, licking his paws, panting, regergitating and beginning to shake. I washed his back where I had applied the medication to try and get it off. I called our local Emergency Vet and was told to bring him in. They gave him a bath and a shot for nausea. They then started an IV on him and he had to stay the night where they could monitor him. They said he stopped his tremors about 11:00 that night. When I went in the next morning he was doing fine and they said that over the counter products were not good to use. I don't know if I'll use any of it again. It was a scary situation that I do not want to get in again. I do believe everyone should know how hazardous these can be to the health of your animal.
Thank you for your time and letting me vent.
Peggy 4/30/08
Just to update you on reimbursement. I sent in everything they requested and hadn't heard anything back so I called the Consumer affairs line and had to leave a message. She called the next day leaving me a message in return stating that they had sent the vet some paper work to fill out and once they received it back it would go before the board. Just thought I'd keep you updated on the situation.
Thanks again for caring.
Peggy 5/31/08
I would contact your vet and ask if they have received and returned the paper work to Sergeants.
If you sent Sergeants everything they requested, I don't know why they need additional information from your vet, and why it must "go before the board" for review. The only thing Sergeants needs is a copy of your dog's medical record and a copy of the bill from the Emergency vet. Given the number of animals that have been harmed by Sergeants Gold, they shouldn't need a "board" of experts to determine if your dog had a reaction to their product.
Please let me know if Sergeants decides to reimburse you or not. It will greatly help others who are going through a similar ordeal.
James TerBush
P.S. One more suggestion - if Sergeants doesn't reimburse you, I would send a letter to Wal-Mart's corporate headquarters and let them know what happened to your dog (from a product that you purchased at Wal-Mart), and let them know that Sergeants refused to reimburse you. (Even if Sergeants decides to reimburse you, it would still be a good idea to contact Wal-Mart and let them know what happened).
Here is their address:
Mr. Lee Scott, President and CEO
Wal-Mart Strores, Inc.
702 SW 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716
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I lost our Cairn Terrier puppy in July of 2006, a week before he turned 1. The vet suspected he died of aflatoxin poisoning from bad food - his liver was ruined. Less than 12 hours after the symptoms started he coded and was brought back by his doctor. Just over 24 hours after his symptoms started he died as the doctor, 2 assistants and I tried everything possible. The CT DEP and Cornell tested all the food bags and the swab tests came back negative. Apparently this isn't uncommon but never gave us the definitive answer we needed.
I'm sure you're wondering why I am writing this on your site - well, its spring and we were given the option to get Frontline for our new dog. A bell rang in my head that at 6 months of age I gave our last pup a half dose of flea/tick medicine on the middle of his back. I felt squeezing out the whole capsule was too much. We tucked him into his crate where he slept. My husband woke up in the night because the pup threw up and was sick. We washed his back and he was quiet for the next day. We called the vet's office to let them know and never used the stuff again. I was googling for info on Frontline tonight and found your site and that other people's pets had liver damage/problems because of these types of products. It makes me wonder if perhaps that night our puppy's liver was damaged and that is why he later died of a liver problem - maybe the liver was already weakened. I'll never know but you have given me confidence that I made the right decision when I said no to the vet about Frontline.
Thanks for taking the time to put this info on the internet.
Jackie 5/1/08
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I have a 12+ year old miniature pinscher, her name is Abby. Through the years Abby has become more and more fragile. On the first of the month (like clockwork), I gave her heartworm medication, and applied her K9 Advantix. The first fell on a Thursday this month. I applied the Advantix late in the day, as the girl who cuts her nails was coming, and I did not want to have to struggle to hold her with this medicine on. Abby was fine until late in the evening. She started to whine and couldn't get comfortable. Her back left leg felt as though there were tremors running through it. Eventually, she settled down, and we all fell asleep. The next day, she wouldn't accept her morning medication (she has COPD and chronic bronchitis), couldn't find anything to wrap it in that would interest her, so I had to force the pills on her. All through the day, she became more and more lethargic, turned her nose up to food of any kind, which is just not like her! She walked around moaning and whining, and I was getting very concerned. I stayed up with her the whole night, fearing that she would be dead by morning! Saturday came, and she seemed a little better, but not her usual self. It then dawned on me, that maybe it was the flea and tick treatment. I gave her a bath immediately and tried to wash off as much as I could. I then went and did a search on my computer, and found pages and pages of stories of animals having seizures and horrific problems pertaining to the application of Advantix. I read, that applying Dawn dishwashing liquid helped in getting the oily residue off, and Abby was in for another more thorough bath. She seemed a little better by days end, and the next day, a little more better.
After this crisis passed, I remembered that I had brought Abby to the vet's 2 months earlier, as I had felt the same "tremors" in her left hind leg, and was concerned. I checked my calendar, and I had made and emergency visit to my vet on March 5th. Coincidence......I'm thinking not!
I have an appointment with our vet on May 12th and I am going to bring with me copies of letters that other's have written concerning this topic, so he can become aware of this problem. I feel so terrible, that with my own hands, I have put my beloved pet in harms way. She is in her golden years, and looks to me for love and protection, and I unwittingly have caused her pain and suffering. I hope that with the information that I give to my vet, that he can save other pets and pet owners from going through the same thing.
Debbie 5/6/08
I just wanted to give you an update on my Abby. We went to the vet's today, and she is in liver failure. Her numbers went from 44 in March to 755 today. We have started her on a medication that is supposed to help rebuild the liver, and we will retest her in 30 days. She is very tired, and so am I. This has all been just a horrible nightmare. I gave my vet copies of the letters from your website, and told him that he needed to read them, and inform his other patients of possible adverse side affects, so someone else doesn't have to go through what my little Abby and I are.
Debbie 5/8/08
There is currently a commercial on television for K9 Advantix which shows a cute little puppy (not more than 8 weeks old) singing, "There ain't no bugs me." The announcer then describes K9 Advantix as being gentle, despite the fact that it contains OVER 50% PESTICIDE. How gentle can it be if the directions warn you not to get it on your skin?
On April 4, 2008, the EPA sent a letter to Bayer advising them that the use of the word 'gentle' to describe K9 Advantix was in violation of federal law.
James TerBush
I just wanted to update you again on my little Abby. Today May 19th at 2:45PM, Abby went to God. We had to put her down, as her liver enzymes had increased from May 8th from 755 to today when we retested her (after she had been on her liver medicine) and they were 985. The treatment did not look like it was going to work, and my little Abby was getting more and more tired, and because she was refusing food, she was getting thinner and thinner. We chose to stop her suffering, and to have her euthanized. This is a very sad day for our family, and it will take a very long time for this hurt to fade. I have taken on the cause to inform other pet owners of the possible side effects from these flea and tick products, and if I can save one pet owner from having to go through the pain that we have, then I will know that Abby did not die in vain.
Thank you for giving me the information that your website offered. I truly felt like I was not alone!
Debbie 5/19/08
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One night a few weeks ago I discovered my pet had fleas and I was out of the regular medication I use (K9Advantix form the vet) and not being able to watch him suffer with all the scratching I went to Wal-Mart and bought SERGEANT'S GOLD FLEA AND TICK CONTROL little did I know that my dog would suffer even more after I applied this poison. My American Eskimo, Frankie, had a severe reaction to Sergeant's Gold Flea and Tick Control, just too bad I found your website a day after I applied it. Within 30 minutes of application my poor puppy was running around my house, itching and pacing like crazy, he didn't sleep for 3 days, didn't eat anything, wasn't even interested in eating treats that he loves. He was biting his legs and his tail like crazy, he bit the area when the back meets tail so badly that there is a rash/scab there and it bled a little. He seemed out of touch with himself, didn't want to run around or play with his friends. Once I figured the medication was affecting him I put the cone on his head to keep him from getting any in his mouth even though there is no way he could have eaten any on his back. The next morning he threw up everything he had eaten the day before and I took Frankie to the vet and got some Benedryll and the vet gave him a few shots. Later that day when I brought him home within an hour he was back to the running back and forth and pacing around and profusely drooling all over. I consulted my vet and washed my pet Dawn Dish liquid off of him, this seemed to help but he was still itching like crazy, drooling and had no appetite, late that day the vet informed me that the medication I used on him was harmful and I took him in to get an anti-dose shot, and a steroid shot to stop the drooling. After the anti-dose Frankie felt much better but was still biting himself like crazy, after a few days of keeping up with some pills and really bad diarrhea my dog is almost back to normal and getting back to his fun-loving, sock chewing, tennis-ball ripping self. PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM SERGEANT'S GOLD FLEA CONTROL IT IS NOT WORTH ALL THE SUFFERING AND VET BILLS. I paid around $500 in vet fee's over 3 days and not including all the pain that my poor dog went through. I just wonder why this product isn't off the market yet when there are so many bad reactions to it?
Jalpa 5/12/08
I forwarded your message to the U.S. EPA and urged them to cancel the registrations of Sergeants Gold Squeeze-On for Dogs, Sentry Pro XFC, and TriForce Canine Squeeze-On, which are all the SAME product made by Sergeants Pet Care.
James TerBush
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(Below is email that I sent to the EPA)
From: <james@biospotvictims.org>
To: <Lesher.Mark@epamail.epa.gov>
Cc: <gesalman.claire@epa.gov>; <Overbey.Dian@epamail.epa.gov>
Sent: Friday, May 9, 2008 10:17 AM
Subject: Unlawful Advertising Claims regarding pesticides for pets
Dear Mr. Lesher,
I would like to bring to your attention a television commercial for Bayer's K9 Advantix, which shows a cute little puppy (not more than 8 weeks old) singing, "There ain't no bugs on me." The announcer in the commercial then describes K9 Advantix (twice) as being "gentle and effective protection against fleas and ticks." This is one more example of Bayer's use of the word 'gentle' to describe their pet pesticide products which, according to a letter that your agency sent to Bayer on April 4, 2008, is a violation of FIFRA.
Please notify Bayer and advise them of this violation, and the numerous usages of the word 'gentle' which still exist on their Advantage and K9 Advantix websites.
Sincerely,
James TerBush
Website Administrator for:
(Below is a reply that I received from the EPA)
From: Lesher.Mark@epamail.epa.gov
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 15:42:29 -0500
To: james@biospotvictims.org, gesalman.claire@epa.gov, Overbey.Dian@epamail.epa.gov, Shepard.Barbara@epamail.epa.gov, Phillips.Todd@epamail.epa.gov, Johnson.Kent@epamail.epa.gov, Lesher.Mark@epamail.epa.gov
Subject: Re: Fw: Unlawful Advertising Claims regarding pesticides for pets
Dear Mr. TerBush:
Thank you for the additional information regarding safety claims on Bayer Advantage and K9 Advantix products. We have had several telephone conferences and a "in-person" meeting with Bayer Animal Health Division (Regulatory and Advertising) personnel and are working on addressing these advertising issues. Our review and negotiations with Bayer Animal Health Division are continuing.
Mark K. Lesher
Environmental Scientist
Toxics & Pesticides Branch
Water, Wetlands, & Pesticides Division
U.S. EPA Region VII
901 North 5th. Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
913-551-7054
lesher.mark@epa.gov
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I believe my dog has had a reaction to Sergeant's Gold flea and tick product. I purchased the product for dogs between 40-60 pounds. My dog weighs 47 pounds, so she was in the correct weight range. Since this was the first time I used Sergeant's, I read the instructions thoroughly, and carefully applied the product to my dog. Within a couple of hours, she became very restless, running from place to place in the house, and trying to crawl into corners she has never bothered with before. Later, she started to pant, and a while after that, I noticed she was drooling. I finally made the connection with the flea product when she started rolling on the floor, trying to scratch at the place I applied the product. This was probably about 4 or 5 hours after I had applied it. Immediately, I put her into the tub and washed her. By the time I had washed and dried her, nearly another hour had gone by. It was now about 1:30 Sunday morning, so I didn't try to get ahold of the vet, and she seemed to be settling down. Within the next hour, she finally fell asleep and seemed to be OK. She was much better when we woke up Sunday morning, but wasn't really back to normal until today (Monday). She never threw up, and definitely didn't lose her appetite. I'm just thankful that I made the connection with the flea product. Maybe washing her off saved her life.
Carol 5/12/08
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We are holistic with our dog and used to live in Seattle area with no worries on ticks or fleas, so life was good.
We now live in WI where ticks are a huge problem so decided very reluctantly to use frontline plus :(
Now I am terrified after seeing some of your horrific stories. We just put his 2nd dose on today and now I find this nasty rash that I am convinced is from the first does we gave him a month ago. I am horrified that I do this to him...I knew better.
So does anyone have any suggestions of homeopathic remedies for tick control. I see sentry natural defense that claims to be all natural. I am ringing my trusted holistic vet back in Seattle tomorrow for help as now I also don't know how to treat this nasty rash he has and the next one he will get from the stupid dose his stupid owner (ME) put on him today. I wonder if this could have anything to do with his questionable appetite over the last month, now I'm terrified and hope he doesn't have a really bad reaction to the second dose we just gave him.
Thanks so much for everyone's stories to help us all be better for our four legged companions.
Randi 5/12/08
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I am so thankful for your website! Please see my [Sergeants flea med] story by clicking on the link below:
Missy 5/13/08
Did you use 1/4 of a tube of the 21 lb. - 39 lb. product on your 8 lb. dog? I am sure that if you had used an entire tube of the 9 lb. - 20 lb. product, your dog would have had the same reaction. In fact, the reaction may have been even worse because an entire tube of the 9 lb. - 20 lb. product is actually a larger dose than 1/4 of a tube of the 21 lb. - 39 lb. product (which should have been the correct dosage for a 5.25 lb. - 9.75 lb. dog).
The article mentioned Sergeants national consumer education campaign called "Look at the Label." Here is their website regarding it:
Here is an excerpt:
"Flea and tick control products can go a long way toward making your pet comfortable. But too many consumers may not know how to use them properly, which can put their dog or cat's life in danger."
The reason why many consumers may not know that flea and tick control products, including Sergeants Gold Squeeze-On for Dogs, have the potential to harm or kill dogs is because THERE IS NO WARNING ON THE LABEL. Instead of the label stating, "look for the dosage amount for the size and age of your pet", it should warn you that applying too much of it can HARM OR KILL YOUR DOG.
Here's another excerpt:
"Sergeant's Gold Flea & Tick Squeeze-On for Dogs is safe and effective when used as directed."
Really? Sergeants may be interested in knowing that it is a violation of federal law for a pesticide product to claim that it is safe - even when it is used as directed.
If Sergeants accused you of misusing their product, I would go back to the pharmacy and ask them to reimburse your vet expenses. If they want to encourage their customers to misuse a product, they should stand behind their advice in the event that something goes wrong.
James TerBush
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I put the bio spot on my dog and about less than 15 min he was shaking and laying down,,, something wrong with him,,, I washed it off and he is better ... do not use this product if you love your pet ,,it's bad stuff and it would of probably killed him if I wasn't watching him.......bio spot thanks for nothing,,, i'll never use you again.
Bill 5/13/08
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I'm wondering if I should take my cats to the vet to be on the safe side after reading this website. Last night, I applied Bio Spot to both of my cats. Within about 30 minutes, one of them started acting erratically. He would sit under the coffee table for a minute, and then would dart around the room, shaking his head continuously and scratching at his neck. He's usually the passive cat, so instantly I felt like something was wrong. I went online, and found your website, and after reading a couple of stories, decided to bathe him immediantly. I did, and he seemed calmer, although he did hide under the bed for most of the night, but I tend to attribute that to the bath. The other cat seemed fine, and since it was a two person task to even get the treatment on him, I decided to just take a wet cloth to the back of his neck to get off as much as I could, but without going through a full bath. Both cats seem OK today as far as their behavior goes, but I've noticed a few out of the ordinary things. The one with the worse reaction has been shaking his head some, as if he has water in his ear or something- which he very well might because of my panic and rush to get the Bio Spot off of him asap. The other one has been shaking his hind legs every now and then, sort of like he does when he gets water on his paws, but seems normal other than that. Should I take them to the vet to be on the safe side? I'm definitely going to call my old vet tomorrow morning, but I just moved to a new town and have not established a local vet.
Anonymous 5/13/08
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I lost a healthy 6 yr. old yorkie to K9 Advantiz last year after we switched her from Frontline Plus. I did not know the dangers of permethrin at the time and it wasn't until after my dog expired after 3 months use of K9 Advantix that I discovered that so many other people had experienced the same horrors. Our lives have been forever changed as our little angel was taken from us prematurely by claims of safety of use. Our vet could find no other explanation for her untimely death. She actually started having seizures the same month we first put it on her and we didn't even make the connection until it was too late. Please let other people know that they cannot put permethrin on their dogs and feel safe. It is absolutely NOT SAFE to use and should be taken off the market. I can't get Lucy back but maybe some other little animal will be saved if their owners can be educated in time. In memory of my little darling, Lucy. You will be missed forever and are thought of every singe day.
Your Mom,
Gail 5/14/08
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I just saw your input to the EPA (the open comment period) for reregistration of d-phenothrin. As usual, your written communications were impeccable in terms of logic and presentation. I also provided input but it will not show for a few more days as I submitted my commentary on the last day--May 13th. I understand it takes a week or so for the EPA's "editors" (censors?) to review the language, etc., and allow for posting. I had also alerted Sandra Hammond of RAS Naturals about the open commentary period and was very pleased to see that she also provided input.
I'm not naive--I realize that the EPA will conclude that reregistration is appropriate. However, I feel that all of this input can make a difference over time. I'm actually using some of your input in my communications with PETCO senior executives and senior counsel in an effort to convince them that these products are not what a great pet care organization would carry and retail. PETCO, unlike PetSmart, has been genuinely interested and concerned. Their senior veterinarian does not like these products. I believe they truly would like to discontinue this stuff and are looking for a way out. PetSmart, on the other hand, has a senior executive team (including Phil Francis, the CEO, and Scott Crozier, their senior general counsel) that has a completely different corporate culture and no interest in doing the right thing from a pet care standpoint. They have demonstrated to me a complete lack of business integrity (incidentally, they both know that I feel this way and I've told them that I'm communicating this every opportunity I have).
I have a second conference call scheduled with senior regulatory officers, scientists and executives of Hartz Mountain Corporation. I will have my own veterinarian once again participating. I am looking for a veterinarian toxicologist and/or neurologist that would be willing to review our pet's medical history and charts and interview our attending veterinarians regarding the death of our pet. It's amazing to me how difficult it is to find these people even when I'm willing to compensate them for their work. When they hear what my objective is they seem to think I'm Sisyphus and the time and effort isn't worth it. Additionally, as you well know, many of them are retained by pet care manufacturers and have no interest in jeopardizing those relationships. If you have some ideas I would certainly appreciate it.
I'm continuing to work with major retailers and the time and effort is worth it. The only reason Bill Ecker, the CEO of Hartz Mountain, has been willing to make senior resources available to address my issues is because of the number of inquiries he has been getting from major retailers in addition to the discontinuance of some of his products by Unified Western Grocers in the Pacific Northwest.
Thanks again for your continued leadership. Your website has made a positive difference in the lives of pets and families, and the work you do with the EPA and other regulatory agencies is to be commended.
All the best. - Rich 5/15/08
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Looking for consumers whose cat/kittten suffered fatal reactions to Sergeants Gold Squeeze-On for Cats and Kittens.
I have a client whose healthy kitten died within 12 hours of application.
Law Offices of Ira Marc Fladell, L.L.C.
Marc Fladell, Esq.
1000 West McNab Road
Pompano Beach, Florida 33069
Voice (954) 984-2700
Fax (954) 582-5002
(Posted 5/15/08)
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I recently purchased the new Tri Force flea drops....I bought the 9lb - 20lb. I put it on my chihuahua mix dogs who weigh well over 10 pounds...They are deathly ill...my little one is drooling at the mouth terribly....I immediately put him in the bath and began to wash that stuff off of him....He is still drooling so bad...I am so scared ....I may actually take him to the overnight emergency vet....What is this stuff....after a few minutes my other chihuahua started drooling and now they are both throwing up clear liquid....I will never use this stuff again! We have got to warn people about this stuff!
Christy 5/15/08
Lonoke, Arkansas
I used the information from your website to help my dogs..."Festus" & "Chunky Monkey" I read on down where some used dawn dish liquid ....so I got my dogs in the bathtub and I scrubbed them down good including inside their mouths .....and within minutes they stopped foaming and chomping and drooling....I believe the information within your website saved them...Thank you so much...They are outside playing as normal and I have not seen any other type of reaction so far....We contacted the place we bought the Tri Force and the man didn't take us seriously and said well I put it on my dog and it didn't hurt him....I wanted them to know that this stuff could kill a small dog even large dogs....he just didn't care....So I will keep speaking out....Maybe all of us together will make a difference....Anyway, Thanks so much again for your website.....
Christy 5/16/08
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After reading about all of the other medicines for tick and flea control, I felt compelled to write about one of the newest products on the market. My vet encouraged me to try Promeris. I have an absolutely stunning Chow, Akita mix named Yogi Bear. He is a brilliant red color and weighs approx 75 lbs. I love this critter with all of my heart and I am very careful about any medicines that I have to give him. I wasn't gung ho about the decision, but after a lengthy discussion about ticks and fleas and what they could do to Yogi, I decided to trust that my vet had researched the new product and knew of all of the side effects. Well after applying it last night not only did Yogi become VERY sick, but I did as well. The smell is absolutely horrible and before the night was over my throat, eyes and nose were burning and I was vomiting as well. I had to shut Yogi outside just so I could get some sleep. Today Yogi keeps vomiting and has diarrhea. He is drooling out both sides of his mouth, which he has NEVER done. His head is hanging low, his tail is down and I can't keep the feces off of his bottom. He's drinking profuse amounts of water and frankly I am scared that it could get worse. I have notified my vet and if he continues to get worse I have to take him in to be treated. After reading about this product, the manufacturer's lame excuse is that the dog ingested the product and it isn't their fault. Now I don't know what kind of dog they designed this product for, but MY dog is NOT capable of licking between his shoulder blades. There are several reports of animals becoming extremely ill and even some fatal cases with Promeris. Of course they will say that none are documented but we all know that they don't care if your pet dies they just want your money. I just hope that I can save someone else from this nightmare. I know how sick that it made me, and I could get away from the source, my poor dog is stuck with it until it wears off. Also makes you wonder if they ever did any testing on how it affects humans. I can't imagine how it might affect a small child. I weigh 150 lbs and it made me sick, imagine a child that weighs 60 lbs. I pray to God that my dog will get through this. My nightmare is just beginning with his treatment. This is just my opinion...PROMERIS is NOT a good alternative. For any one else going through this...my heart goes out to all of you..I will pray for all of our babies. Thanks for letting me tell my story.
Julie 5/15/08
Thank you for responding. I did give Yogi a good bath and I also gave him a buzz cut to make sure that the product was all gone out of his fur as well. He looks pretty funny right now, but at least he is more comfortable. He is still sick with severe diarrhea, but the vomiting has slowed down. I am not sure how to contact Fort Dodge because I have returned the product to my vet's office. I am going to find out how and follow this up. I am trying to wait until I see what is going to happen to Yogi. I am still feeling the effects myself and may have to go to my doctor as well. My biggest concern is how many children will be affected by this before something is done. After reading about how Amitraz works with the central nervous system, I wonder how many people will be diagnosed with other ailments that are in reality caused by this product. Scary......Very Scary. This leads me to my next question... do you have any information on exactly how this product works? I know about the ingredients and how they work on the fleas and ticks but I am talking more about the animal. They say that it doesn't enter the blood stream, but how could it not? If what they say is true, then how does one spot on the animals back take care of his entire body? I know they have explained how it works on the pest itself, but where in the treated animal is this product stored to last for an entire month? Sorry to have so many questions and I appreciate all of your help and well wishes. Have a great day :)
Julie 5/16/08
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Hi James,
I just wanted to send you an email to tell you how FANTASTIC your website is.
My name is Stacy Strickland and I am listed with the (Organizational List) on our Website at DogsAdverseReactions.com
I am also the Public Affairs Officer with one of Jacksonville, Florida's- Small, Breed, Dog Rescue Group, Papillon Pals Rescue, Inc.
I guess most important is I am a 5 year member of DogsAdverseReactions.com due to the fact that Proheart 6 killed my Pomeranian and made my Sheltie very ill for months. My personal Adverse Reaction cases (reported and filed with the FDA) are one of thousands that were responsible were forcing the FDA, Fort Dodge, and Wythe Labs to pull this deadly product off the market.
It took me years to get over this shock, and now I am working with Papillon Pals Rescue, Inc. to help them with any and all information on Pet Meds and Pesticide Information in regards to our rescue dogs.
I found your site through ours, and I gotta tell you, your site is incredible! Thank you so much for (all the hard! work) and getting this information together and putting it out here (on the web) for all of us dog owners.
I keep going back to your site to help me search areas I cant find through a regular search!
I dont know how much info you guys are hearing on "PROMERIS"....but here in Florida and our website, the word is flying around like wildfire, that the Adverse Reactions to Promeris are mimicking Proheart 6.
We are passing the word as fast as we can, (DONT USE IT) in efforts to save as many pets as we can to its deadly side effects.
If it is mimicking Proheart 6, this is one horrific side effect no pet owner wants to see.
Please, keep your fantastic website going... it has helped us at DogsAdverseReactions.com! And, it has helped me tremendously! with my work here with Papillon Pals Rescue, Inc.
Thank you so much!
Stacy 5/17/08
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Hi James, like many on the site I'm sitting here in shock due to seeing my pet suffer from a product my husband bought and put on him for fleas and ticks. To make matters worse it's Sat. today and while he was at the vet earlier she did not give pain meds and he is biting and licking and in obvious pain still. Took him off of the pain stuff due to conflict with prednisilone. So here we are watching him try to figure out why his skin has begun to bleed and weep and ooze pus. He has about a three by two inch patch of oozing skin which last night was acutely painful and hot. Do you know of people who have sued Sergeant? Is that the only way to stop them from doing this to people's pets?
We too were told that this is not a common reaction our German Shepherd has had. Poor thing is only 4. We are worried now that we have seen other posts about people where the animals have died. They said it sounded like a "RARE" reaction, just "wet dermatitis" and not serious, that by the poison control site of the ASPCA.
The company has an emergency line on the box where the animal has a reaction and their people have already assured us that they will pay vet bills. That made me very suspicious. Companies usually don't offer to do that unless they have been seeing a lot of cases and do not want to be sued.
Hope to hear from you,
Dori 5/17/08
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I am in need of some advise. My dog, Eli a 9 month old AKC registered white GSD with no medical problems known, has had a reaction from Frontline Plus for dogs. She has lost a baseball size patch of hair between her shoulder blades (a red bloody area with white sores has appeared in it's place) and has also started biting and licking her rear side to the point it has went bloody also - though not blistering - in a 2 inch by 6 inch area.
I applied the frontline plus about 5 days ago and just noticed the hair loss / irritation yesterday. As soon as I saw it I washed her off with cold water, let her dry and washed it again, followed by another wash and scrub with some shampoo. This morning I used warm water and a wash rag to go over the areas. It doesn't seem to be blistering as bad as it was yesterday.
Is there any type of solution I can put on the area to reduce the inflammation and treat the sores? I am really upset about the response I got from Frontline's help line and need to know if there is anything else I can do. They referred me to take the dog to the vet's office and pay them to treat the problem. I am at the point where I am going to get the EPA, news media, and others like you involved to create awareness of this problem. Is it possible that too much of the poison was put in the frontline applicator I used on the dog? How can I get justice for what's happened? Let me know what you think wdigh@yahoo.com
Robert 5/19/08
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I gave Dutchess K9 Advantix on May 7th for the first time. She has had this in her system for 16 days. At first we were unsure as to what was wrong with Dutchess. We had just taken her to the groomer (she's a cocker spaniel) and when we brought her home - my husband put it on her as the paper had stated. He also dabbed it on her hind end. A few days went by and she began to skits out. Changing. Hiding under the table. Panting. Walking weird and acting in pain. If we went towards her, she would scream out in pain. Show me her paw. Things like this. Next thing she began to go back to her old self. Then, she began to act out again. We took her to the vet - he ex-rayed her and said there was nothing wrong with her. Gave her steroids and pain pills. We thought it helped her. A friend at work here mentioned what has changed in your home? I realized Advantix. She is still having this problem today. It has been in her system for 16 days. I want to detox her or something to that effect. Is there a way? Please help us. I don't want to loose my dog. She would break my heart.
Karen 5/23/08
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We are in a bit of a mess. We applied Seargents Gold Flea and tick last night and woke up this morning and my dogs that looked like they had parkinson's disease and were drooling and obviously in a great deal of discomfort. The dogs both weigh about 65-75 pounds and no vets are open today or tomorrow because of the holiday. We bathed them with Dawn dish detergent and scrubbed them. I am FURIOUS about this. What can we do to stop this from happening? Please respond!
Scott 5/25/08
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Just thought after reading about adverse reactions that I should tell you about my Mom and Dad's dog. When she was about three Dad noticed a little nodule under her shoulder. We had it examined and it was Mast Cell cancer. She was operated on and did fine for 5 years. One day my parents said they thought she had fleas so I used Advantage on her. Within a very short time the cancer was back. I firmly believe the chemicals in Advantage started the tumors growing again. Please advise people not to use these chemical forms of flea control if their animals have a history of any kind of cancer. After 2 more operations, Christa just suddenly just died during the night. I'm sure this didn't have to happen.
S. Pemberton 5/26/08
Victoria, BC
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My brother in law works for a pet store and got me this new flea medicine called Sentry pro XFC. Last year when I applied it to my 2 year old German shorthaired pointer she started to foam really bad at the mouth, about an hour after I applied. I was concerned but she was fine after a couple hours. So this year when I applied her meds she foamed at the mouth again and was up all night pacing, she could not stay still I had to lie down with her and try and calm her down, I took her into the bathroom and washed her down with soap and water to get off any remaining flea medicine. Now she is flapping her ears constantly like she has an ear infection and my husband seems to think it is all related to the flea medicine. Now after reading all of the blogs on this message board I believe it's all connected and am getting rid of this brand and going back to my old brand of flea meds. I am also going to contact the manufacturer and let them know what there products side effects are and pray that my dog will be fine through all of this.
Kathy 5/27/08
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read your web pages and pages of emails and now i can add myself and my dog to the list of victims of poison. my dog has severe chemical burns and overnight changed from a healthy happy puppy into a tortured soul. she appears to be in constant pain. the vet shaved the area and gave me creme. i will be so thankful if she survives and returns to normal. i will never use another product like this [bio spot] again ever. i might as well have fed her draino. wish i found the site before i made the mistake.
Anonymous 5/28/08
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I lost a cat two years ago to a look alike Frontline made by hartz. My cat was foaming at the mouth and her body became stiff it was horrible, I rushed her to the vet where they gave her valium to ease her suffering.
The vet said that he had seen hundreds of cases of pet owner's accidently poisoning their animals. I had another incident where my father bought Sargeant's all organic flea powder and it was applied to my precious Shihzu, Frodo Baggins . I didn't even ask who did it, I rushed him to the vet because he wasn't able to move. He made it and is fully recovered today.
I would like to go to Walmart and the other stores who sell this poison and take it off the shelves, but I can't. I was in the pet isle buying fish food and heard a woman talking to her child about buying some Bio Spot and I told her what my vet said. She didn't buy it.
Anonymous 5/28/08
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I just found your website about adverse reactions to flea/tick medication.
I had used Triforce on our Foxhound 3yo and Sheltie 9 yo, 2 weeks ago. We started noticing that both dogs were itching a lot shortly after the application. Within a week, the Sheltie had lost a large patch of hair near her shoulders. Two days later the Foxhound lost a large patch on his hip area. I called AgriLabs (on a holiday weekend) and was advised that it was most likely a rare occurance. They offered absolutely no remedy for the continued itching. I finally used an Aloe Vera lotion that gave them some relief. They had received different doses as they were different weights, so it wasn't even an association with the same batch#.
After visiting your website though, I see how fortunate we are that this was the only problems that we experienced.
I have used Frontline in the past and never had any problems.
I see one person who made a post was checking into homeopathic control, has she contacted you with any information or do you have any information regarding homeopathics?
Thanks for your website.
Cheryl 5/29/08
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We treated our 7 month old italian greyhound [with Bio Spot] and that night he had really messed his kennel and bedding up. The next morning he stayed huddle in his house or would run and hide in the closet or open cabinets. He clung to me like he was scared to death. He cried out when you would pick him up and any chance he could, would hide under towels or linens in the house. I washed him and he was better by afternoon but still not eating well. He would get a bite of food and run over to me and eat then maybe take a few bites. He is scratching his ears, shaking his head, and nipping at his legs. He would rub on bedding as if he was trying to get something off him. From what I read this is similar to other owners observations. This product should be banned. I am talking to Pet Smart tomorrow and see if they will look into this awful product.
Bill 5/31/08
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Do you know of any other safer products for flea and tick control? My dog has had a reaction 2 days after I applied frontline plus, the vet said it would not take that long to have an effect so I had blood work done on her and am waiting for the results. Do you know if it would take this long for her to have a reaction? She is 7 months old.
Linda 5/31/08
Thank you for getting back to me. My dog weighs 8 lbs she is a 7 months old. Her symptoms were excessive drooling some what like a seizure lethargy and she snapped at my husband which is not her character she is a toy spaniel very affectionate, that's when we took her to a 24 hour vet hospital our vet was not there. I got the results back for her blood and they said her enzyme level was high and also her platlets were off. I am going to call her vet tomorrow and have more blood work done and she what she has to say. The vet I took her to said that it would not take a couple of days for the drops to give her a reaction which I did question. Now she said the platlets are probably off because she was nervous at the hospital, and she insists she never heard of the drops causing a problem. I am interested in what my vet is going to say when I call her.
Is there anything else out there that can be used for fleas and ticks that is safer? I will let you know what the vet says. Thank you again for responding.
Linda 6/1/08
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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.
