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June 2009
Our cat was a victim of Bio-Spot a year ago. I just came across your website now so I thought I should post my story. Thank you so much for putting your efforts into fighting against Bio-Spot. I find it appalling that this product exists. Here is a brief recap of our story for you to post with the rest of your stories...
Bio-Spot made my cat extremely ill. He was severely ill for about 2 weeks straight. After many emergency room visits he finally recovered. However, it took a full 6 months for him to truly be back to the spunky cat he was before the Bio-Spot treatment. This product has synthetic pyrethrins in it which are very toxic to cats. Not all cats will get sick from it but too many have!! I had to watch my normally very active and happy 3 year old cat become extremely lethargic to the point that he could barely walk. It started the night we gave him the Bio-Spot. He had a very high fever by the next day and was tremoring. We took him to the vet twice and he spent a night in the ER. No one should go through this. So many people have lost their pets already to this product and other products similar to it. The EPA needs to be alerted by everyone who has had a pet get sick from this stuff so it gets taken off of the market.
Laura 6/1/09
Did you use Bio Spot for Cats?
Some people make the mistake of putting Bio Spot for Dogs on their cat, which can be fatal, but even if you used Bio Spot for Cats and followed the directions, it can still cause adverse reactions, which can be severe.
James TerBush
Thanks for the response. It was the product for cats and we used it correctly. We actually have two cats, one got mildly ill and the other got extremely ill. Bio-Spot did reimburse us for our vet bills which were over $500. They reimbursed us very quickly too. We had to sign a waiver that we wouldn't sue them in order to cash the check. We cashed it because we knew it would take a class action suit to get anywhere with a case like that.
Laura 6/1/09
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Thank you for this website. After applying K9 Advantix two consecutive months, one of my standard poodles had thinned hair spots along her back in the same areas I applied the Advantix. It has been 3 1/2 mos. since the thinning hair was noticed and seems to be growing back just in the last couple weeks. The vet did not think it was the Advantix. When I called Bayer, they said they had not had that reaction reported to them (I figured that would be their reply). Has anyone experienced this problem with their dog? I am not giving any kind of flea medicine to my dogs again especially after reading the horrible reactions others have experienced.
Antoinette 6/2/09
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I too am very concerned about my pets. I used Bio Spot 2 weeks ago on my two dogs and cat. I always used Frontline Plus in the past, but needed to save some money like everyone else, so I decided to try Bio Spot. I wish I stayed with Frontline Plus. Today we took our oldest dog, Ginger, in to see our veterinarian. We thought she developed heart worm because of the lethargy and lack of enthusiasm she has been showing. She has been very lazy and sleeping all the time. Her eyes are slightly glassy and droopy. She has no interest in playing with her playmate. My husband and I were baffled because her appetite has increased. She produces healthy bowel movements and has no problem with urination. The veterinarian thought the same as we did, so he performed
a blood test which turned out negative. He then did more blood tests to check her liver, kidneys, and for lime disease. At $159.00 later, everything came back normal. The veterinarian thinks we should try changing her food. One of the technicians warned against Bio Spot and stated she saw a television episode that warned against using Bio Spot. I just hope and pray that Ginger recovers from my selfishness of trying to
save a buck. Our second dog, Codie, has only developed an allergic itch. I hope his condition doesn't worsen. So far, our cat seems fine. I truly hope and pray that the EPA produces guidelines for pet products in the extremely near future. My pets are my like my children. I love them all very much.
Cindy 6/2/09
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We've just heard last week about all the adverse reactions to various flea treatments, including Biospot. We had a 13 yr. old calico cat named Katie, who was an indoor cat, but became infested with fleas anyway. When we took her to the vet, they recommended the Frontline treatment, but one of their technicians told us that if we didn't want to pay the higher price, she always put Biospot on her cat without any problems. So we started doing that, with no obvious immediate reactions besides a little scratching and a lot of licking. Being long-haired, that resulted in frequent vomiting, mostly of hairballs, but occasionally liquid. Sometime later, about a year and a half ago, she started vomiting constantly. When I took her to the vet, they ran various tests, but couldn't pinpoint the problem readily, so they did exploratory surgery and found an enlarged gall bladder, which they drained. The bill for all that was $500. That seemed to make her feel better, and we thought nothing more about it for the next year or so. Unfortunately, just over a month ago, she just didn't seem right and really lost her appetite. When I took her back to the vet, they noticed that she looked yellow and did a blood test. All three levels were very high, so they kept her overnight and started an IV. No change the next day, so they did an ultrasound and found a mass around her liver. They were fairly certain that she would not survive any surgery, and that it was too late. They urged us to put her down, which was the hardest thing we've ever had to do because she was part of our family! On top of all that was another $200 bill. What we are heartsick about now is the possibility that the Biospot was what caused the long-term sickness and death of Katie. By the sounds of your other responses, I doubt that we could make the company reimburse us for the vet bills. We miss Katie so much and nothing can undo the damage.
Now, my daughter is living on her own, and has adopted another cat from the Humane Society. The day before I read the article, we put the first Biospot treatment on her new cat. Within an hour, she started intense itching and by morning, she literally scratched her collar off. I asked another vet if she could be having a reaction to the Biospot, and they said absolutely and to wash her down with Dawn dishsoap. My daughter did that immediately after she got home from work, and again the next morning and the cat seems to be alright now. That same day, we read the article in the Wall Street Journal. We can't believe that so many pets have become sick or have died from these treatments! How can they still be on the shelves and being given out by vets, who are supposed to be protecting and helping the animals?! How many more have to die before they realize how toxic these treatments are? How would they like to have those same treatments put on their necks to try and see how "safe" they are? These companies must think that these are only animals....so what, but to some people, these pets are like their children and become attached to them just like family. Every day, I still continue to see advertisements in the paper and on TV for these treatments. Someone has to stop this and it should start with the vets who are in contact with the animals. Thank you for making it possible to further inform pet owners of this torture. Hopefully, word will get passed around soon to start making a difference.
Elaine 6/2/09
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The ASPCA issued a press release today, stating that the data collected by their Animal Poison Control Center indicates "the overwhelming majority of animal illnesses associated with proper use of spot-on flea and tick control products are mild."
Here is the ASPCA's press release:
Excerpt:
"The important take-home message is that although adverse reactions can occur with all flea and tick products, most effects are relatively mild and include skin irritation and stomach upset," says Dr. Steven Hansen, ASPCA veterinary toxicologist and Senior Vice President Animal Health Services. "Pet parents should not discontinue using products as directed by the product label when faced with a flea infestation."
I have no doubt that the number of mild reactions that are reported each year from the use of flea and tick products far outnumber reports involving major incidents, such as seizures and death. However, that does not take anything away from the fact that an unacceptable number of pets are seriously harmed and killed each year by dangerous pet pesticide products. Nor does it account for adverse health effects in children and pets which may result from long-term exposure to these products.
I am also deeply troubled by the fact that the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has a financial arrangement with several manufacturers of pet pesticide products, which pay the ASPCA to manage their adverse incident claims, and "provide extensive veterinary toxicology consulting on legal cases, formulation issues, product liability, regulatory reporting, and biosurveillance."
Here is more information about this program:
Several people have reported to me that when they called the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center to report a severe adverse reaction in their dog from a flea and tick product, they were advised by the ASPCA's veterinary staff that flea and tick products do not cause severe adverse reactions in dogs - they only cause severe adverse reactions in cats. If the ASPCA fails to report these incidents to the manufacturers of these products, then these incidents are never reported to the EPA.
Taking money from the manufacturers of pet pesticide products to manage their adverse incident claims and provide them with advice on legal cases and product liability is a blatant conflict of interest.
James TerBush
Website Administrator
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I'm sad to report that I believe my dog is another victim of using "BioSpot". I have been using BioSpot for a number of years, and have never had a problem.
About a month ago, I applied BioSpot to my 13 year old Siberian Husky. Like I mentioned before, we have never had a problem with the product. Within a few hours of applying BioSpot, my husband found her in her bed, barely unable to move, letharic, foaming a bit at the mouth, and shaking uncontrollably, (mild seizures). We quickly took her to the animal hospital, where she was examined, given IV's to bring UP her temperature, x-rays were taken, etc. The vet concluded after view the x-ray that she was
"constipated", she was given an enema, and you can probably figure out the outcome!
Almost $400 later, we came home with our dog, thank God. It took her about 2 days to recover.
A few days later, I heard a news report about flea repellents. I quickly googled BioSpot and came across your website. I truly believe that my dogs' illness was due to using BioSpot. I am shocked that I used a product on her that could cause her so much harm...thank goodness I saw the report on the news, and found your website!!!
I am going to call our vet today and tell her of my suspicions. My next question is....is there anything out there that can control fleas that isn't harmful to pets?
Thank you!
C. Tumberger 6/3/09
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This is my story. A while back my mom and I went to L & M Pets in Hudson
New York looking for medicine to put on my ferrets because we saw fleas
on them after we went to TN. We had brought them with us. They then
recommended Bio Spot to us saying that it was a good product and it
works on Ferrets also. We looked around but the only thing that was
there for ferrets was the Bio Spot. And it was for Cats and Ferrets. So
to us that was great because we definitely weren't thinking that it
would cause anything bad to occur. We then used it on our ferrets and a
couple days later we noticed that our ferrets lost so much weight,
wouldn't eat, and were just pretty much dieing. We didn't think anything
of the Bio Spot. But we didn't know how they got sick. We brought them
straight to the Copake Vet once we noticed. He couldn't figure out what
had caused it. He gave us some medicine hoping that it would help save
our ferrets. And it did.
About a week ago the dogs were let loose by someone from our backyard
and once we found them they were covered in fleas. They gave it to the
rest of the animals in the house. I kept forgetting to ask my boss at
the Humane Society for medicine to fix the flea problem. Now on Monday
September 25th 2006 we noticed that we had another package of that Bio
Spot left from before. And we looked to see if there was an expiration
date on it and there wasn't. So we thought well to help the cats out and
now make them suffer anymore we could use it on them to get rid of there
fleas. We had 3 cats. Jasmine, a little kitten that I had recently got,
wasn't even a year old. Esmerelda, which is about 2 or 3 years old. And
Bagheera, a cat of 13 years. I put the Bio Spot on all 3 for them around
4 in the afternoon. In the order of, I put the medicine on Jasmine,
Esmerelda, and then Bagheera last.
Around 11:30pm, my dad yelled up to me to come down stairs. And Jasmine
was going crazy. She was shaking, could barely walk, drooling all over,
and was burning up. She could hardly keep her eyes open. She was
blinking very rapidly. So I grabbed her and brought her upstairs to go
show my mom but before I got all the way upstairs my dad called me down
again. This time he said Esmerelda is trying to jump up on the radiator
and she keeps falling. So I ran back downstairs. She was on the floor
shaking and blinking really fast. She also felt a little warm but not as
bad. So I was sitting down with both of them and my dad went to go wake
my mom. When he did that she came downstairs and sat with the cats with
me. Then not even 5 minutes later my dad yells again. I ran up the
stairs and likely to find Bagheera was going crazy as well. She was
shaking, drooling, and again was blinking so fast. We brought them all
downstairs with us. Right then we knew it was the Bio Spot cause there
was no way it could be anything else. We called the number on the box to
see what we should do and they wouldn't do anything for us. So I called
my vet at Mountain View. And since by then it was almost a quarter till
midnight we got the answering machine that told us to call the emergency
vet in Kingston. So we did and as soon as I told them that we used Bio
Spot, they said you have to bring them in right away. So we put all the
cats in laundry baskets because we didn't have carriers at the time. We
stopped at my job and grabbed 3 to use. Then made our way to Kingston.
The whole time Bagheera was having seizers and drooling. Once we got to
the vet we saw the cats in the light. Bagheera looked dead. She was
laying there with her mouth wide open, white foam all around her mouth,
with her eyes barely open, and completely stiff. The doctor didn't even
say anything and came out and grabbed her hooking her up to IVs and
everything else. Then came back to get the other two. They all got baths
there. Then were treated. With valiums and other muscle relaxers.
Bagheera and Jasmine were put on IVs. They had to stay overnight but
Esmerelda was able to come home. And did shake all night. But the next
day we went to pick up Jasmine and Bagheera to bring them to Mountain
View. Jasmine ended up being fine just drowsy and couldn't walk so we
brought her home. But Bagheera still shaking and having violent seizers
all the time had to stay there. All day we called and called to see how
she was doing. But there was no change. Every time they took her off the
IV to see if she was getting any better she would have another seizer.
The next morning on Wednesday September 27th my mom got a call from our
vet saying that she passed away.
Now this was all over flea medicine by Bio Spot! We were trying to help
our cats and look what it did. There is no reason for that its just
plain unfair!
I went on the internet looking for information about others that have
used Bio Spot. Here is one website.
http://www.elversonpuzzle.com/biospot.html. If you click on the likes
that say volumes and have a date next to them it tells other stories
bout people that have used Bio Spot on dogs and cats. These stories are
the same as mine. MANY people have lost there pets to something that
should only be out to help animals. But haven't done anything about it
because they don't know what there is to do. My family and I want them
out of business. And so does all the vets I know. Our vet said he has
seen this happen before and heard about it many times. It should never
be out to sell. Oh and get this. The Emergency vet looked on the
internet the day that she had the cats and found on vet websites that
Bio Spot has a packaging error and when packaging the cat and ferret
flea medicine they put in large dog 33+ pound flea medicines. AND NEVER
RECALLED THE PROUDUCT! They shouldn't be able to sell such a product.
Please help us and sign this petition. It won't help us get our cat back
but we are fighting for her and all the other animals out there that
suffered from Bio Spot! Help us get them out of business. Thank you!
Chelsea 6/3/09
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Thank you for your website. I have a 7 month old Wheaten Terrier puppy and bought
Bio Spot Flea & Tick Control for Dogs (small dogs). The label says not to administer
to puppies younger than 6 months. Charlie was six months and one week and he was going to the kennel for a few days and protection was required. I went to PetSmart believing they would screen for unsafe products before putting them on their shelf. Fortunately, Charlie did not have a reaction like some other animals I have read about on your site, but after my wife and I picked up Charlie from his 5-day stay at the kennel we started to notice that his behavior had changed - sleeping more, a stronger affinity for toys (a more solitary behavior, which could be a positive self-soothing behavior to relieve boredom or impatience, but maybe not) and a little less enthusiasm in general, nothing major but enough of a difference to notice. We attributed it to his change of schedule at the kennel - different sleeping, feeding and play times. But after reading
the stories, news reports and EPA releases we are not so sure. While his change of behavior could be caused by a number of things, knowing that Bio Spot could be a factor is invaluable information.
I can't thank you enough for running this website. The large body of evidence - testimonials, news reports and the EPA investigation - is enough for me to discontinue use of Bio Spot.
Drew 6/3/09
San Francisco
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ATTENTION
Here is a law firm that is currently investigating health problems and injuries
reportedly caused by "spot-on" flea and tick control products:
James 6/5/09
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(Below is email that I sent on 6/5/09 to the EPA)
Dear Ms. Gesalman,
In April, the EPA issued an Advisory concerning a recent sharp increase in the number of incidents being reported from the use of spot-on pet pesticide products, noting that it received more than 44,000 reports of adverse incidents in 2008. That is an appalling
number of incidents, but what is even more appalling is the fact that registrants of pet pesticide products have been known to underreport these incidents to the EPA.
One way to solve this problem would be to require product labels to include the National Pesticide Information Center's phone number, along with the symptoms of toxic exposure (such as loss of appetite, vomiting, incoordination, and seizures), and advise
consumers to report suspected adverse reactions to the NPIC. That would eliminate the possibility of underreporting adverse incidents by the product manufacturers, which has been a concern of the EPA for a long time.
The EPA already allows product manufacturers to perform their own safety tests and risk assessments, which are often faulted by EPA scientists. Why should the EPA expect these companies to provide it with accurate adverse incident data?
Sincerely,
James TerBush
Website Administrator
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(Below is email that I sent to the EPA on 6/8/09)
Dear Ms. Gesalman,
Below is a message that I received this morning concerning an illness in a dog from Frontline Plus, a popular flea and tick control product.
As stated in the email below, the manufacturer (Merial) refused to accept any responsibility for the dog's illness, and most likely, Merial did not report this incident to the EPA. Also, as stated in the email below, the label and package insert did not list nausea, confusion, lethargy as potential side effects of the product. If it had listed these side effects, they would have determined the cause of the illness much sooner and would have discontinued use of the product long ago.
If the EPA is genuinely concerned about the number of adverse incidents that are reported each year from the use of pet pesticide products, I hope that it will take steps to address these two very important issues: the underreporting of adverse incidents from manufacturers who refuse to accept responsibility for their products, and the absence of information on product labels concerning the potential for serious side effects.
James TerBush
Website Administrator
(Below is email that Rosalind and Wayne sent to the EPA on 6/8/09)
Dear Mr. Lescher. Our 8 lb yorkie, Hobbes has been sick since 2006 when our vet recommended that we place Frontline Plus down his head and back for flea control. At this point we had NO fleas nor had we seen a flea on Hobbes or in our yard. Because we walk him twice a day, he said we might pick up fleas so protect him. Within a few hours he was vomiting bile, then bloody foamy vomit. He also began having diahrea that was black and loose. He acted very confused thinking the back of the house was outside and would try to use the bathroom in one of the back rooms instead of outside. At this point he was thoroughly trained to go outside and even had his doggie door to allow him to come and go at his own will. He became lethargic and would not play as he had before.He also acted as if he did not recognize us. He would turn his nose away from all foods offered and would only lick a little water from my fingers. Of course we went to the vet (actually we went 27 times over a 14 month period.) The vet tested him for everything imaginable and could not find anything wrong with organs, or etc. He took xrays also. After many months of this type episode, occuring each month, it was recommended that we go to a vet in our area who was a specialist with sick dogs. This vet ran many expensive tests and again nothing showed up. Dr. Taylor recommended that we keep a very detailed diary of what he ate, his activities, what meds he took, walks, etc. all aspects of his life. We also separated by 2 weeks the heart worm treatments and used the pill instead of the beef wrapped squares. We eliminated all food allergies by trying different types of foods and noting reactions and changing and evaluating. By the end of 5 months, the diary showed that after the monthly application of the flea and tick spot on treatment, the episodes began. We feel that they became worse with each month, suggesting a cumulative effect. We have discontinied the treatment as we really did not need the flea treatment and he is gradually becoming better. The episodes are recurring monthly at the exact time he was given the treatment (every 30 days) just not as severe. It also appears that when he is groomed or washed, mild symptoms occur. This would indicate that the water is activating the poison in his system. Please Mr. Lesher, could you do something to help all of us pet owners who are inadvertantly poisoning our animals thinking we are doing the best for them. If this were dispensed on humans, it would have been removed from the shelves immediately. This winter toys from China that were painted with lead were removed completely, and they were toys for children ages that no longer chewed or bit their toys. Could we not protect our pet family members with similar actions? Please help us. The frontline people, Merial have denied any fault and offered to reimburse the cost of the last pkg of frontline we purchased. At this point, we have incurred $2400. in emergency vet visits and Hobbes has endured days and weeks of nausea, lethargy, confusion and not feeling well enough to play, walk, or even eat. I feel that if they were made responsible for the damage and vet bills, they would be motivated to remove the product from the market or at least research a safer ingredient that did not make pets sick. I would refer you to the many web sites that have sprung up regarding all these sick animals due to the spot-on flea and tick treatment. As pet owners we only have you to rely on to help make our animals environment safe and we do not consider it safe to use these pesticides on our pets. If the box and package insert would have mentioned a side effect of nausea, confusion, lethargy, I would have determined the cause of his physical and mental state much sooner and would have discontinued the product long ago. Can you help us??
Sincerely,
Rosalind and Wayne
(Below is email that Rosalind and Wayne received from the EPA on 6/8/09)
Dear Mr. and Mrs.
EPA Region 7 Pesticide Program is sorry to hear about the problems you and your
pet dog "Hobbes" has had with the use of Merial's Flea & Tick control product, known as FRONTLINE PLUS FOR DOGS, EPA Registration No. 65331-5. Your complaint about the effects of this product on your dog has been forwarded to the EPA Office
of Pesticide Programs, Registration Division. The FRONTLINE PLUS FOR DOGS product is considered by EPA as a pesticide and it's sale, distribution, and use is
regulated under the jurisdiction of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, Registration Division (OPP/RD) takes your complaint about pesticide products seriously and tracks complaints of health effects caused by pesticides. If OPP/RD needs additional information from you, they will contact you. Thank you for notifying EPA on this issue and your concern for your pet's health.
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
(Below is email that I received from Claire Gesalman at the EPA on 6/15/09)
Dear Mr. TerBush:
Thank you for forwarding the Morelands' e-mail regarding their dog Hobbes's adverse reaction to Frontline Plus. We have responded to the Morelands (as has Mark Lesher
of Region 7) and also want to address your concerns.
While there certainly may be some underreporting of incidents in general, manufacturers like Merial do report a large number of incidents to us. Registrants are required to report incidents to us whether of not they think the incident was caused by their product.
The spot-on pesticides are undergoing increased scrutiny by EPA. As part of the intensive evaluation that the Agency is conducting, we are looking at a variety of issues. We expect to receive additional information from all registrants of pesticide spot-on products on the incidents reported. Once received, we will expeditiously and thoroughly review the additional information. We will also review the domestic animal safety data submitted or cited for all of the registered products, as well as our domestic animal safety guidelines to determine if the guidelines result in studies that accurately predict safety to pets. In addition, we have established a team of veterinarians who work in our office who will thoroughly analyze all of the information. After that analysis is complete,
we will take appropriate regulatory action to address any concerns with these products. Possible actions could range from requiring label changes to include stronger precautionary statements and use directions, to encouraging voluntary cancellation of some of the products, to pursuing formal product cancellation where other agreements cannot be reached with a registrant.
Thank you for your ongoing interest.
(Below is email that I sent to the EPA on 6/15/09)
Dear Ms. Gesalman,
Thank you for your response, and I would also like to thank Mark Lesher for responding to the Morelands. It must have been frustrating for them to be told by Merial that Frontline Plus could not have caused vomiting, lethargy and other neurological
symptoms in their dog, when in fact those symptoms are listed on an information sheet for the product, which is published by Merial (UK):
Excerpt:
"Excessive salivation, reversible nervous signs (increased sensitivity to stimulation, depression, other nervous signs), vomiting or respiratory symptoms have also been observed after use."
I have no doubt that Merial reports a large number of incidents to the EPA, but how many of those incidents are categorized as "unlikely" or "unrelated"? How many involve neurological symptoms, such as seizures? Hopefully, Merial reports a lot of incidents
that are "unlikely" or "unrelated" because they advise everyone who calls that Frontline could not possibly cause (fill in the blank).
It's a shame that the EPA relies on pesticide registrants to provide them with complete and accurate adverse incident data for their own products. It would be far better if all incidents had to be reported to the National Pesticide Information Center. That could
easily be done by requiring pesticide labels to have the phone number of the NPIC and inform customers to report suspected adverse reactions. It would also be helpful if pesticide labels were required to list potential adverse reactions, such as lethargy,
vomiting, and seizures. A full disclosure of known adverse effects is required on products that are approved by the FDA. Why isn't that kind of disclosure required by
the EPA?
Do you really expect to learn much by reviewing the domestic animal safety studies, which were funded and submitted by the pesticide registrants, and which involved a handful of young, healthy dogs -- all of the same breed? The FDA requires much more rigorous safety studies before it approves a veterinary drug, but even the FDA recognizes the importance of post-approval surveillance of adverse incident reports. Here is the FDA's website for reporting suspected adverse incidents from veterinary drugs:
Excerpt:
"Veterinarians and animal owners are encouraged to report Veterinary Adverse Drug Experiences (ADEs) and suspected product failures to the government Agency that regulates the product in question. Pre-testing by the manufacturer and review of the data by the government does not guarantee absolute safety and effectiveness of approved veterinary drugs due to the inherent limitations imposed by testing the product on a limited population of animals. Anyone with information to report is also encouraged to contact the manufacturer of the suspect product."
Why has it taken over 44,000 reported adverse incidents, and several investigations of these products by the media, before the EPA decided to sit up and take notice? It really makes you wonder, if the domestic animal safety studies are seriously flawed, perhaps the probabilistic risk assessments, including the residential post-application risks to toddlers, are seriously flawed, too.
I am glad the EPA is finally reviewing these adverse incidents. It will discover (without much analysis) that Sergeant's cyphenothrin-based spot-on products have been causing a tremendous number of adverse incidents. According to this EPA memorandum, those products had raised serious concerns even before they were allowed to be registered:
Unfortunately, that was four years ago. Many animals have suffered and died as a result of Sergeant's cyphenothrin-based products, and I expect that many more will suffer and die before Sergeant's voluntarily withdrawals those products, and before retailers are
allowed to sell through their existing inventories.
Sincerely,
James TerBush
Website Administrator
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I have six dogs and one cat that I use Frontline Plus on. My largest one is over 130lbs, so he gets the largest dose. He and my cat started vomiting. The cat changed her behavior. At first, I didn't see a connection. My dog had gotten out, so I thought someone might have poisoned him. My dog ended up with stroke like symptoms. He had difficultly getting up with no control of his urination. This lasted one day. He stopped eating and drinking water. He had to have help walking. He wanted to hide under the house away from people. He is slowly coming back,but a head tilt remains. None of the other five dogs had a reaction. The only other thing that they had was heartworm treatment. Reading another post, I am thinking it was the combination. It is getting close to the 30days, so I am hoping my dog will come back. He was a rescue that I have had 7yrs, so he could be geriatric. I didn't know that you aren't suppose to give it to geriatric animals. My cat is also a rescue, so I don't know her age. I won't be using it again. I never had this problem with Frontline when I used it years ago. I am hoping my Pyr at least comes back to eating dog food. He may never come back to being coordinated
in his walking. This is a dog who had been an escape artist getting out and walking distances. I believe he was healthy.
Ellen 6/9/09
Something I really regret is trusting a product, Frontline Plus, because I used Frontline in the past. I never questioned that I was poisoning my animals. I even thought my cat was just acting badly, wetting and pooping on the bed. She was always so perfect. I looked for other reasons. I never associated my cat and dog both had been given Frontline. I called the Pesticide Control Center. They said the EPA is working on studies. If it were people, they would pull these products, not take time on studies. I felt disappointed. I am questioning everything now because I am sure the government doesn't care. Thank you again for your website.
Ellen 6/10/09
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I just now came across your "BioSpot Victims" website and I only wish I had done this research earlier. On Saturday, I applied 'BioSpot for Cats" on my 4 year old long hair cat, Kramer. It matted on his fur and I just know that he licked himself that night. The next day, Sunday, I found him having trouble defecating and that he was having diarrhea with what little would come out. This continued until Monday. His appetite did not suffer, and he continued to eat and drink water and urinate. On Monday morning I was worried about his defecation problems and diarrhea so I called the number on the "BioSpot" box. They took all the information from me and connected me with a poison control center who opened a case number for me. They informed me that I should wash him with Dawn dishwater detergent and he will be ok. They informed me that since he was not having tremors or vomiting or no appetite. I washed him good and immediately could tell he felt better, and I did too but his defecation problem did not get better. I took him to the emergency room at the Animal Hospital that Monday afternoon and the vet also told me not to worry about him unless his diarrehea continues in 48 hours and watch lethergy and inappetite. That trip cost me $85 and I'm retired on a fixed income and I live alone. I've got him home now and he is sleepy alot more than usual but he still eats and drinks water and urinates, however, he has not defecated at all since we left the vet on Monday afternoon. (It's now after midnight on Thursday morning.) He still eats and drinks water and plays with his toys and besides the sleepness and not defecting you would not think anything is wrong. I hate to take him back to the vet and pay $85 and have them tell me not to worry he will get better. Will he get better? If I take him to the vet, what should I expect them to do? Is there an antidote that will make him healthy again? Is there something they can give him that will make him better and defecate again? A medicine? Please let me know your thoughts. I love him so much and I'm scared that if his condition doesn't change soon, I will lose him. Thank you very much for your help and your website. I hate myself for using this product in the first place.
Mick 6/11/09
I am so happy this morning because Kramer, my cat, had a very healthy and solid defecation during the night. He seems so healthy and happy now. I am so grateful but
I will definitely do as you recommend and report the incident and seek reimbursement for the vet expenses.
Thank you so much and I will never put any flea medication on my cat again.
Do you believe that the vet recommended Revolution when he had his last vaccination in February which would have cost me $52, and that's why I went to BioSpot in the first place. My cat is an indoor cat and doesn't even have fleas! That recommendation is what started the whole thing in the first place. Last night, I went online and read some horror stories about Revolution too.
Mick 6/11/09
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My 3 year old, 10 lbs Shih Tzu was given a bath in Sergeants Flea and Tick Shampoo and then we applied the "Gold" topical stuff down his back for 9-20lb dogs. He has not been right since and it has been 4 days. He is sooo jumpy, he hasn't slept in 3 days, he falls, runs into things, pants heavily, wines, digs at the ground uncontrollably, he is very confused, exhausted, paranoid, etc. He still is eating and drinking and hasn't thrown up but I am sooo worried about him. I have called the emergency number on the product and they said that once I washed the product off he should be okay within 24 hours. NOT. My vet told me that I can give him half of an adult Benedryl tablet, which I have done for the past 2 days with not much improvement. I just hope this wears off so my puppy can rest and hopefully have no long term damage from this. I will never use this product again! If anyone has any other ideas as far as helping my dog or getting the word out to other pet owners please let me know..
Billie 6/15/09
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(Below is email that I sent to the EPA on 6/15/09)
Dear Ms. Gesalman,
Flea and tick control products are often referred to as "flea medications," and are
often promoted (in violation of FIFRA) for their disease-fighting capability by product manufacturers, retailers, and the veterinary community, but they are regulated as pesticides, not drugs. Even products like Frontline and Advantage, which are
marketed through licensed veterinarians, are regulated by the EPA as pesticides. However, some pet pesticide products are regulated by the FDA. For example, Advantage Multi -- a "spot-on" product that is designed to prevent fleas, heartworms, and intestinal worms, is regulated by the FDA as a drug. This concurrent
jurisdiction of pet pesticide products creates confusion among veterinarians and consumers. Should adverse reactions be reported to the EPA or the FDA? Should they be reported by veterinarians or by the owners of companion animals? Here is
the AVMA's website concerning this issue:
There are significant differences in the approval process for EPA-registered and
FDA-approved pesticide products. The EPA will register a pesticide product if it will not cause "any unreasonable risk to man or the environment, taking into account the economic, social and environmental costs and benefits of the use of any pesticide..."
In other words, the EPA attempts to strike a balance between safety and the interests
of the pesticide industry. This may explain why Federal law (FIFRA) prohibits an EPA-registered pesticide product from claiming it is "safe" to use. In contrast, the FDA will approve a product only if it is determined to be safe and effective.
There are also significant differences in the label statements on EPA-registered and FDA-approved pesticide products. EPA-registered pesticide products have risk-based labels, whereas FDA-approved pesticide products have hazard-based labels. In risk-based labeling, the only side effects that appear on the label are those deemed most likely to occur. In hazard-based labeling, adverse reactions that are less likely to occur, but are often more severe, are included on the label. The pesticide industry is strongly opposed to hazard-based labels because they claim that consumers would be overwhelmed by excessive warnings.
Here is the risk-based product label for Bayer's Advantage - an EPA-registered flea control product for dogs:
Here is the hazard-based product label for Bayer's Advantage Multi - an FDA-approved flea/heartworm/intestinal worm control product for dogs:
The above two products are similar in toxicity, but there are significant differences in the warnings on each product.
Another important difference between EPA-registered and FDA-approved pesticide products concerns the disclosure of inert ingredients. EPA-registered pesticide products do not have to identify the inert ingredients that are in the product. Pesticide product manufacturers claim that the inert ingredients are trade secrets. FDA-approved pesticide products must disclose the name and percentage of each inert ingredient that is in the product. This is significant because inert ingredients can be more toxic than the active ingredient, and they are often added to pesticide products to increase the toxicity of the active ingredient.
The EPA has a long history of registering dangerous pet pesticide products and allowing them to remain on the market for years after they were known to be harming and killing animals. In contrast, the FDA has a robust post-marketing surveillance program for assessing drug safety. They will send a Warning Letter to the manufacturer if they have concerns about the product's safety or effectiveness. They also monitor advertisements and other promotional materials to ensure that no false or misleading claims concerning safety or effectiveness are made, and take enforcement action when neccessary.
Based on the significant differences between the approval process for EPA-registered and FDA-approved pesticide products, and based on the inability of the EPA to adequately protect pets and people from dangerous pet pesticide products, I believe the EPA should consider transferring jurisdiction of all pet pesticide products to the FDA.
The EPA has transferred regulatory authority to the FDA for certain pesticide products (pediculicides, anti-microbials, and "systemic" preparations for ectoparasites on pets) in the past. I believe the transfer of regulatory authority for all pet pesticide products could be achieved by a Memorandum of Understanding, or the FDA could declare pet pesticide products to be new animal drugs, or they could establish conditions for use of these products in a regulation.
The EPA should consider transferring to the FDA regulatory authority over all pet pesticide products to ensure that these products are safe and effective for companion animals, and safe for people (especially children) who have daily contact with treated pets.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
James TerBush
Website Administrator
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(Below is email that I sent to the EPA on 6/16/09)
Dear Ms. Gesalman,
I have asked the EPA to consider transferring regulatory authority of pet pesticide products to the FDA because the EPA is either unable or unwilling to protect people and pets from these products. If that is not feasible, the EPA should at least consider
transferring regulatory authority of pet pesticide products that are distributed exclusively by veterinarians.
Flea and tick products are often referred to as "flea medication" and they are often promoted as a way to prevent vector-borne diseases. Many people believe that flea and tick products that are sold by veterinarians are safer and more effective than
over-the-counter products. I believe that when someone purchases a flea and tick product from a veterinarian, they have every right to assume that the product is
FDA-approved -- that is, held to higher standards for safety and effectiveness than
over-the-counter products.
By requiring all vet-prescribed flea and tick products to be FDA-approved, it will stop Hartz (and other makers of over-the-counter pet pesticide products) from boasting that their products have gone through the same "rigorous" safety tests as the products that are distributed exclusively by veterinarians.
Thank you again for your consideration.
Sincerely,
James TerBush
Website Administrator
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It's so important to get the word out about the serious concerns of these products
(mine was SentryPro XFC.) I had no idea that I should have any serious concerns
and I hadn't heard anything about the EPA advisory, but believe me I know now. I
was up at 2:00 am last night washing my dog with Dawn. Thanks for your website,
keep up the good work.
Donna 6/17/09
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I purchased a Sargent's flea collar for my cat this past Saturday, and by Sunday morning, he was almost dead. He started by gasping for breathe and then had a seizure. I rush him to a vet and she said that he had toxic poisoning from the
Sargent's collar. He had to have 2 IV bags to get the poison out of his system. It
cost me $234.00 for putting a $4.00 collar on my cat. It almost cost me my cat.
I would like to know who to report this to and to be reimbursed for the cost of the
vet call.
Thank you!!!
Patty 6/22/09
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Thank you for maintaining this site. I have a 10-month old Italian Greyhound and last night gave him his second dose of Bio Spot. About an hour after properly applying it,
I took him outside with me to walk around the yard and play with his frisbee. After
about 7 or 8 tosses, he brought it back to me in true IG fashion (really, really fast) only
to apparently lose control of his hind legs and fall over. He was able to get up a few times, but each time immediately fell over again. Even though he hadn't been running hard enough to be exhausted and it wasn't all that hot outside, my first thought was that he was being affected by heat exhaustion. Shortly after that I began to wonder if it was the Bio Spot. Thinking that a cool, soapy bath would be the fix for either problem, that's what he got. He was fine the rest of the night and I haven't seen any more problems
yet today. After searching the internet for a possible problem with the Bio Spot, I found your site and my suspicions were confirmed.
Thanks again for all of the work you continue to do on this subject. I will make my calls this evening to both the EPA and the manufacturer of Bio Spot.
Andrea 6/25/09
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Less than one week ago I noticed my dog Buddy was slugish, lethargic and depressed. I also found some vomit. I took him to my local vet who confirmed he was anemic through a blood test. Also, there was blood in his urine. She told me that this is sometimes (33%) fatal in dogs. She recommended I go to a specialist in Norristown, PA. Around 12:30 a.m. I awoke with a bad feeling that I should immediately take Buddy to Norristown. $200.00 later I was told that he might need a transfusion costing between $2,500 and $3,500. I was absolutely stunned. I began to cry because I knew I didn't have that kind of money to afford the transfusion.
I began to research Anemia and blood donors, etc in dogs online. I saw somewhere that there were adverse reactions to Bio-Spot. Just this morning for kicks, I Googled: "CAN BIO-SPOT CAUSE ANEMIA IN DOGS". I was shocked to see the other postings.
Please let me know if anyone is considering a Class Action Suit against these people - please put me on the list. I had no idea that flea/tick control medication could do this kind of thing.
It also made me realize that we really don't know what is being put in products we buy. I talked to a pharmacist looking for Vitamin K for Buddy. He said he could order it in special and that it would cost $72.00 for the prescription. When I told him about Buddy he said "He must have eaten something". That statement stayed with me and motivated me to write this posting.
I thank God that buddy is responding to prednisone and an antibiotic. I'm hoping for a complete recovery.
Anyone who has lost their pet to this company - My heartfelt condolences. Please let me know if there is anything as a consumer that we can do to prevent or educate the public on this issue.
Rosemary 6/28/09
(See follow-up message from Rosemary in Message Board for August, 2009)
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Hello, I am sending you what I posted to every cat breeding list that I currently belong
to. It was also cross posted to other lists as well by other breeders. I want this product off the market!!!
Let me tell you about my day.... Well it has been a WET spring/summer season over here in Kentucky, so as a result the fleas have been running rampant over here. Now, I have been breeding for about 9 years now. I have always used high end flea treatment for my cats. However, these darned fleas seemed to be immune this year. At my wits end, and not wanting scabby bengals... and now having my third baby boy (human). I sought another route, and I am ashamed to say a cheaper route... I decided to give
Bio Spot a shot.... I mean, it says Bio... so that means homeopathic right???
Could I have EVER been more foolish in my entire life??? Well I guess I could. I put some on several of my house cats and my cats out in the cattery, including one
that was leaving on a plane the next day with her new owner... SIGH..
So at 2am when I got up with my son I noticed Klondike, my DSH twitching. I immediately rinsed him off as well as every cat that I medicated, twitching or no twitching. Later that morning he was still twitching only ALOT worse. I then looked up Bio Spot and started to get a picture as to what damage I had done. I bathed him completely, this didn't help, infact he then started seizuring and away to the vet he
went with my husband. At the vet all we had to say was Bio Spot and poor Klondike was immediately rushed to the back. At home, Biscuit my bengal girl that was leaving today, (new owner already on the plane to pick her up) started twitching... I immediately packed up the baby and headed to the vet.
Now, I have two cats at the vet as we speak seizuring.. constantly, they are under sedation and on fluids until they can metabolize the poisons that I gave them. I gave them. I GAVE THEM. I don't know if I will ever forgive myself. It could have been alot worse, but two is bad enough. I had to pick up a disappointed pet buyer at the airport, and together we went to the vet and looked at my babies shaking in almost lifeless in metal cages.. I held them and I cried. I have been doing alot of crying.
Anyway, please please if anyone hasn't heard of Bio Spot DO NOT USE IT. It has an insecticide that works in the blood stream. Not the oils on the skin... the blood stream. My babies have a 50 50 shot, I bought a product and silly me, assumed that if it was on the shelf at a chain pet supply store, it was safe. My vet said they have called the company several times, they don't seem to care.
I am sending this out to warn people. If anyone has an " I told you so" or a "you should have known better"... please save it. I have beat myself up over and over.. trust me I know what a mess I have made at there expense.
Thanks for reading this long -winded post and pass this on... still hoping my kitties will come out of this. Keep them in your prayers.
Angela 6/28/09
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(Below is email that I sent to the EPA National FOIA Officer on 6/29 in regards to a request that I filed under the Freedom of Information Act, with copies sent to EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and EPA Assistant Administrator James J. Jones)
Re: Freedom of Information Act Appeal
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to appeal the Final Response (enclosed) to my FOIA request, HQ-RIN-1297-09, which was a response to my request for a transcript of the meeting which took place on May 5 between the EPA and several manufacturers of spot-on pet pesticide products. Unfortunately, this meeting was not open to the public, or even to members of the veterinary community. The only stakeholders who were allowed to attend this meeting were the registrants of the spot-on pet pesticide products.
In January, President Obama said in a memorandum to agency heads, "Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing. Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset."
In a memorandum, dated April 23, 2009, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson wrote:
"The success of our environmental efforts depends on earning and maintaining the trust of the public we serve. The American people will not trust us to protect their health or their environment if they do not trust us to be transparent and inclusive in our decision-making. To earn this trust, we must conduct business with the public openly and fairly."
"In 1983, then-Administrator William Ruckelshaus promised that under his leadership, EPA would operate ‘in a fishbowl.’ I wish to reaffirm this commitment and take the opportunity to provide guidelines about how we will ensure transparency in our interactions with all members of the public. These guidelines are intended to maintain the fairness and openness of our operations and thus strengthen public confidence in our decisions. I am relying on EPA employees to use their good judgment to conduct themselves with the openness and integrity that alone can guarantee public trust in EPA."
"In all its programs, EPA will provide for the fullest possible public participation in decision-making. This requires not only that EPA remain open and accessible to those representing all points of view, but also that EPA offices responsible for decisions take affirmative steps to solicit the views of those who will be affected by these decisions. This includes communities of color, Native Americans, people disproportionately impacted by pollution, small businesses, cities and towns working to meet their environmental responsibilities, and others who have been historically underrepresented in EPA decision-making. EPA will not accord privileged status to any special interest, nor will it accept any recommendation or proposal without careful, critical, and independent examination."
“As President Obama has stated, the Freedom of Information Act should be administered with a clear presumption that openness prevails. All Agency personnel should ensure that this principle of openness is applied to the extent possible when responding to a FOIA request. Managers should give their staffs and the Agency’s FOIA professionals the support needed to satisfy FOIA’s transparency requirement in as timely and efficient a manner as possible. In accordance with guidance issued by Attorney General Holder on March 19, 2009, EPA offices should exercise their discretion in favor of disclosing documents whenever possible under the FOIA. Offices should assert an exemption to disclosure only where the Agency reasonably foresees that disclosure would harm an interest protected by an exemption or disclosure is prohibited by law.”
As a private citizen and a companion animal advocate, I believe the EPA is not living
up to the commitment set forth by President Obama and EPA Administrator Jackson.
It is not operating with fairness and openness concerning the issue of dangerous pet pesticide products, and does not appear to be seeking the fullest possible public participation in decision-making on this issue. By not inviting the public to the May 5 meeting, and by not releasing a transcript of the meeting to the public, it is according privileged status to a special interest, specifically the registrants of pet pesticide products.
If it is your position that any portion of the requested transcript is exempt from disclosure, I request that you provide me with a Vaughn index, which describes a document claimed as exempt with sufficient specificity to permit a reasoned judgment as to whether the material is actually exempt under FOIA.
In the event that some portions of the requested transcript are properly exempt from disclosure, please disclose any reasonably segregable non-exempt portions of the requested transcript.
The requested transcript is likely to contribute to greater public awareness of the process that the EPA employs in evaluating the nature of the threat posed by spot-on pet pesticide products and the EPA's efforts to hold accountable those responsible for injuries and deaths of pets.
I hope the EPA will reconsider my request for a transcript of the May 5 meeting with the registrants of pet pesticide products, and seek public participation as it attempts to find a solution to this serious issue.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
James TerBush
Website Administrator
UPDATE 7/17/09: I received a letter from the EPA's Assistant General Counsel, stating that my appeal is denied because "no transcript of the meeting exists. EPA therefore cannot supply you with a copy."
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I just wanted you to be aware that I purchased the Tri-Force flea and tick product for
my cat on May 27, 2009. One week after using it his hair fell out where I put it on him.
I notified the maker of this product and was told that this was not a normal side effect. That was the jist of their replay. They advised me how I could obtain a refund. They
did not seem too concerned.
Terri 6/30/09
Copyright © 2002-2009 BioSpotVictims.org All rights reserved.
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.
