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September 2008
(Below is email that Central Garden & Pet sent to an individual concerning a severe adverse reaction that her dog experienced shortly after using Bio Spot)
Dear [deleted],
We are very sorry to hear about what occurred with your dog and we would like to fully understand what happened. Many of our employees are dedicated pet owners and have strong relationships with their family companions too, so we want to assure you that this incident will be carefully evaluated and properly reported.
So that your case is fully investigated by a trained animal care specialist, we ask that you contact the Animal Product Safety Service - a division of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. We use this service to collect information on the application of our products. You will be able to speak with a veterinary professional who has expertise in the use of flea and tick products for pets. This free service is available 24 hours a day, and can be reached at 1-800-345-4735.
The information you provide to the Animal Product Safety Service will be carefully documented and reported to our company as quickly as possible. Additionally, the information will be submitted to the appropriate government registration agency that will look for any industry trends related to this kind of incident. I would also like to speak with you personally regarding your request for veterinary bill reimbursement. I will try calling you today at the number you provided me. I can also be reached at 800-234-2269.
Once again, we regret the difficulties you and your cat are experiencing and we will review this occurrence thoroughly after we receive the report from the Animal Product Safety Service.
If you have a question, please call me at 1-800-234-2269, Monday through Friday, 8:00 - 5:00 P.M. Central Time or reply through this e-mail address.
Sincerely,
Kellie Cook
Biospot Product Specialist
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To make a long story short, I put the Bio [Spot] Flea medicine on my cat on Sunday, Monday, she started seizing, 6 hours later she was gone. Nothing could be done. I would like to be involved in a lawsuit against this company if there is one pending.
Losing an animal is like losing a child, and to know that these people are putting this product out and not warning consumers is unacceptable!
Jenny 9/3/08
Can you please let me know the age of your cat? Also, did you use Bio Spot for Cats?
James TerBush
Thank you, my cat was 11 years old, never had any issues and yes, I used the Bio Spot for cats. She started just shaking then went through the seizures. I did not take her to the vet, so there would be no expenses to reimburse, and there is nothing that can replace my cat, she was the best ever, a maine coon.
I will contact everyone and I hope that someone can shut these people down.
Jenny 9/3/08
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On the morning of August 27th, 2008, my husband and I immediately noticed blood all over the back of my Boston Terrier, Milo. We found that directly in the middle of his neck and shoulder area was a gaping bloody wound. We determined that the wound had been caused by Frontline purchased at Petco Inc. which had been administered to Milo on August 25th, 2008. We immediately tried to call Frontline and got their automated system indicating that no one was available to speak with. We then rushed Milo to our Veterinarian and she reached out to Frontline and spoke to a clinical specialist there who indicated that Frontline had never seen or heard of a wound like that before and could offer absolutely no help for treating Milo. We’ve had Milo since he was a puppy and he is a six year old Boston Terrier who was recently diagnosed with possibly Cushings Disease (tumor on the pituitary gland). A few months ago we noticed that Milo had excessive urination problems and after enduring numerous tests over the last couple of weeks, the veterinarian felt it was best to try treating him with Trislostane, which is a very common, well tolerated, medication for Cushings Disease. We immediately began to see a wonderful change in Milo as the excessive urination problem stopped. He had just started the Trilostane approximately 2 weeks before the Frontline application. Despite our best efforts, the wound refuses to heal and the skin around the area is being burned away daily by the Frontline product. After nine days of daily washing the wound and oral antibiotics, the wound is now approximately five inches long and two inches wide. I am familiar with animals and I have never seen a product so caustic as to burn away a dog’s flesh. Although we are fortunate that we have not lost him, we are heartbroken and devastated by the pain and suffering our dog is going through as a result of using the Frontline product. We are not sure what will happen to Milo if the Frontline continues to eat away at his flesh. Frontline reports their topical product repeals fleas and ticks for thirty days. We’re not sure he can survive thirty days of losing flesh, not to mention we have no idea what the long term side effects will be. We are exceptionally angry by the lack of help we’ve received from Frontline. We find their warning insert from the box, which states: Do not give to dogs on medication to be sadly lacking. Which medications? Shouldn’t there be a warning that states: May cause severe caustic type burns? While we’ve sought only to improve Milo’s life though medication and of course keeping him tick and flea free, we’ve now succeeded in making him worse off than when we started. We recently found your website and we are shocked and deeply sadened to read all the stories of suffering caused by these products. Please keep up the good work you are doing. I am enclosing pictures of our Milo's wounds.
Marla 9/5/08
Many other people have reported to me that Merial (maker of Frontline) refused to acknowledge that Frontline causes severe adverse reactions in dogs.
Merial knows that Frontline has the potential to cause bleeding wounds and other severe adverse reactions in dogs. They should offer you advice on how best to treat your dog and reimburse your vet expenses.
Please contact Petco's corporate headquarters (contact information can be found on their website) and ask them to assist you in getting help (including reimbursement for vet expenses) from Merial.
Also, please contact the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) and let them know what happened (they maintain a database of adverse incidents from pesticide products for the EPA). Their phone number is 1-800-858-7378.
I have forwarded your message to the U.S. EPA and have asked them to investigate it.
James TerBush
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On September 1, I used Zodiac Spot On on both my Bostons for the first time. I have used a product monthly from my vet until this month. Both were made ill from its use - vomiting and shaking. Today is the 5th and they are beginning to recover. NEVER USE THIS PRODUCT!
Judy 9/5/08
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Please, please, please, DO NOT use Sargeant's Gold flea and tick meds on your dog. I put the proper vial on my boxer last TH (8-28-08) about 12:30 am and in less than 2 hours he was gaging, vomiting, scratching, spot turned red, panting, drooling and overheated and hyperactive. My 9 pound, 7 month old minature dauchshund - with long hair, had similar but worse reactions. I washed it off but couldn't get it all out of her long hair. At 3:00 am or so, I called the poision line listed on the box: I thought I had killed them. They were little help and told me to bathe them twice with dish soap, it's bitter and makes them drool!
Both had to have shots for allergic reactions and the puppy had oozing sores. She had to be shaved, cleaned up and get an antibiotic spray 2 times per day. Izie has lost 7 ounces because she can not eat and will not come out from under the bed. Ozzy, 71 pounds boxer/American Bulldog has a red stripe down his neck and back with scabs which he keeps scratching, red toes and a reddened place under his tail.
I had to throw away collars, their bedding, and trying to get it out of my sheets, pillows, etc. Izie wanted "mommy" and rubbed up against my face and neck. I burned for 3 days and had to take atarax for it. I know it is contaminated in the carpet where she hid. I am so glad the cats have stayed away from these areas, probably due to the highly offensive smell.
My puppy especially, has been traumatized. And I've STILL seen a few fleas on Ozzy (he is white). Izie has a sore, dry bare spot on her shoulder over a week later which she does not want touched. They both still will not sleep in our bed and Izie is still hiding under the bed and is not the loving trusting puppy she was before.
Sargeant's called and said they would have the medical staff call but... What we need is to get someone like Oprah upset by this lousy treatment from pet companies and agencies which allow these products to keep
being sold.
Anna 9/6/08
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I stumbled across this website while researching Revolution and Advantage Multi for dogs. My vet recommended either of the products for our 7lb min pin as preventative control for fleas, ticks, mites and heartworm. Our boy did have a mite problem, but after two weeks of meds he is better and the mites have decreased. I'm just wondering if anyone knows anything about Revolution or Advantage Multi and its safety. I'm horrified by the stories I've read so far and would be devastated if anything happened to our boy. My heart goes out to the people who are currently or have been through these horrible experiences. Any information on the above mentioned products is greatly appreciated. I want to be sure what we give him is safe.
Desiree 9/6/08
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Hi, I know this is a different case, I haven't used Bio Spot, but I bathed my Corgi with Adams flea shampoo then put a Adams flea collar on her, this was saturday, monday I noticed she has been sleeping a lot more then normal. Now paying more attention to things she just doesn't act normal at all, so I called the Vet and he said take her temp and if its high to bring her in, No fever, however now she is worse, she can't get off the bed or walk down the stairs in the morning, I took the collar off after the vet said it shouldn't bother her. Monday morning I am taking her in to the office. She is eating and drinking, just tired and coordination problem.
Lee Ann 9/6/08
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I used Triforce on my dog on Sunday. Because the stuff is more like a jell, it did not readily absorb into the skin and was a mess on his fur. I used the lower of two amounts as he is just on the edge of the weight recs. By yesterday (Tues.) his skin was very red and he kept trying to scratch or lick the area. Because the whole area was a bit of a mess, he must have licked a bit of it. I had to rush him to the vet last night as he was drooling profusely and foaming at the mouth. The vet said we were lucky that I noticed his problem so quickly. Today he is resting and hopefully will recover completely. Don't use the stuff. I've never had any problem with his skin etc. before this.
Patty 9/10/08
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Hi just found your website, we are pursuing legal actions against bio spot, We applied it to our miniature daschund and with in 2 days she had blisters and burns all down her back. Her skin has now fallen off and it looks like she got into a tustle with a machetti. I am attaching a power point we made for legal purposes. She has undergone several vet visits to remove the dead areas and try to repair the damage, she will probably be permanently scared. thx for posting this website.
MW 9/11/08
James, I emailed you earlier, but after going thru your website more thouroughly I felt the need to write back with a more detailed story. I will start off by saying how appauled I am. I can not believe all the pets that are killed or sick because of bio spot and not one person has tried to sue them. Well I for one am going to press this legally, and my dog is still alive, thank god. We have a 7 month old minature dacshund named Ellie. We applied bio spot on our dog on a Saturday night a few weeks ago, Sunday she had some large welts on her back. By Monday she had more, and they were spreading. We had no idea what was going on, then it clicked that we had put the flea treatment from biospot on her and this was probably a reaction of some sort so we called the vet and took her in. By then it was all the way down her back and across her shoulders. Puss was starting to come out of the bumps. The vet shaved her and you wouldnt even believe what was under her skin, huge, pussy bloody welts all down her body. The vet said it was a chemical burn. So for the last few weeks she has had several vet treatments, has had to be put under anesthesia and have her skin peeled off, because it is all dead. Now she has huge open wounds all across her back from neck to tail. You can literaly see the line where we put the product. I will be pursuing legal action against this company. They seem to think they are immune to the fact that they can put out such a dangerous product and get away with it, I think more of us need to stand and fight. I am attaching pictures of my dog today. Thanks so much for your site. It really opened my eyes. I thought we were the only one, I mean farnam tells us this has never happened before, wow, ignorant arent they?
MW 9/11/08
WARNING: Several of these photos are very graphic.
Hello James, I wanted to update you on Ellie our miniature dacshund who had severe chemical burns (I attached photos last time) from using Bio Spot. She is doing well, she has permanent scars all down her back and the hair that grew back is white, she is black so she looks a bit like a skunk. It is the daily reminder of what this lethal dangerous horrible product did to my dog. Luckily she did not die. We settled with Bio Spot for her vet bills and the product. They still wont take full responsibility but paying us for the bills says it all. I tell everyone I know not to use it, thanks for your website, keep it going, we have to warn everyone about this product. I go to the petstore and warn ppl that are looking at buying bio spot all the time. If your new to this site and reading it, please please never use this product, it could kill your dog.
MW 11/8/08
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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.
