Flea and Tick Products: Deadly For Pets?

Products intended to treat cats and dogs for fleas and ticks kill hundreds of pets each year and injure tens of thousands, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday as it outlined plans to make the products safer.

The EPA said it will develop stricter testing and evaluation requirements for flea and tick treatments that are applied to a pet's skin. The agency also will begin reviewing labels to determine which ones need to say more clearly how to use the products.

The EPA's effort follows increasing complaints from pet owners that the "spot-on" products have triggered reactions in dogs and cats, ranging from skin irritation to neurological problems to deaths. Cats and small dogs appear particularly vulnerable, the EPA said, especially when given products intended for larger animals.

Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, said new restrictions will be placed on flea and tick products, with additional changes for specific products likely - including possible changes in some product formulas.

"These are poisons," Owens said. "These are products designed to kill fleas and ticks - and they do their jobs."

The EPA is committed to better protecting the health and safety of pets and families, Owens said, but added that pet owners "need to carefully read and follow all labeling before exposing your pet to a pesticide."

The agency announced last April it was increasing scrutiny of topical flea and tick products because of the growing number of bad reactions reported.

The EPA said it received 44,263 reports of harmful reactions associated with topical flea and tick products in 2008, up from 28,895 in 2007. Reactions ranged from skin irritations to vomiting to seizures to, in about 600 cases, death of an animal.

An EPA spokesman said he did not have a breakdown of how many deaths were dogs and how many cats.

Dog and cat owners say their pets have suffered burns and welts on their skin; started to drool excessively; begun to shake uncontrollably; lost control of their legs or experienced other neurological problems after using the flea and tick treatments.

A 2009 study by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported that the majority of illnesses linked to proper use of topical flea and tick products were mild. Cats were more susceptible than dogs to illnesses and deaths from misuse of the products, the report said.

"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," said Dr. Steven Hansen, ASPCA veterinary toxicologist and senior vice president for animal health services.

Pet owners should keep using the products as directed when faced with a flea infestation, Hansen said.

Georgia-based Merial Ltd., which makes the popular Frontline tick and flea treatment, defended its product and disputed the EPA data.

"The number of adverse events reported for Frontline has remained consistently low since the product's introduction in 1996," the company said in a statement e-mailed to reporters. The vast majority of reactions are minor, the statement said.

In a 29-page report, the EPA said the majority of problems for dogs occurred in smaller dogs, weighing 10 to 20 pounds. Some incidents occurred when products intended for larger dogs were given to smaller animals, the report said. Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, miniature poodles, Pomeranians and dachshunds were among breeds where problems occurred the most, the EPA said.

Similarly, many problems for cats occurred when they were given treatments intended for dogs. The EPA is likely to require companies to revamp labels to clarify that products intended for dogs should never be used on cats, Owens said.

[jessica2020]

I think Pesticides are not the solution. I never put pesticides on my Pet, the reason is that it does not make sense to spray pesticides on the Pet, instead I take care of my Pet's Cleaning on day to day basis which helps in him not getting any fleas.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Acai-Max-Cleanse-Trial

[tsigili]

The most deadly item for pets......is pet FOOD.....from CHINA! None of it, is safe.

[joule18]

I always heard that a little brewer's yeast in their food will keep fleas and ticks at bay. Has anyone ever tried it?

[sadiesachamp]

A little research into this issue demonstrates a tremendous problem exists. Think about it--over 44,000 adverse incidents reported in one year. Dogs and cats injured or killed. And how many go unreported? Possibly many thousands more. This industry has been allowed to market products that have proven to harm animals and raise questions about health risks to infants, children and pregnant women. The behavior of Hartz, Sergeants, BioSpot and others has been reprehensible over the years. As recently as 2005, Hartz Mountain Corporation was using d-phenothrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, in their cat and kitten products. After thousands of reported adverse incidents with cats and kittens the EPA finally issued a CANCELLATION ORDER on Hartz's cat products. Synthetic pyrethroids are also responsible for injury and death of thousands of puppies and dogs as well, but the EPA has not yet terminated the sale of these products. Hartz continues the use of d-phenothrin in their dog products in the highest volumes in the industry. Incidentally, Hartz Mountain Corporation has one of the most deplorable records in the industry over the years in terms of health and safety of their products. Since 1987 with their product Blockade, they have been responsible for many reported adverse reactions and animal deaths. Blockade was terminated by the State of California and the EPA and Hartz has had other products subject to labeling revisions and, again, in 2005 cancelled by the EPA. Hartz has been fined for not reporting incidents in a timely and accurate fashion as required by law. Theirs is one of the most reprehensible records in the industry. Please be very careful when considering any flea and tick topcial spot-on, but avoid Hartz, Sergeant's, BioSpot, Vectra and other over the counter products altogether. These products are made with pesticide neurotoxin ingredients and are meant to KILL. There are safer alternatives and not all of them are expensive.

[formrusmcsgt]

People who don't live with other species don't have to worry about parasites in the first place.

[KingKoda]

This is absolutely false. Of course, people can transmit parasites to other people AND of course, we cannot control our environment and what enters our home through food and water. Please read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parasites_of_humans I am also stunned that on a site where people who are horrified that something has happened to their beloved pet, your response is you should not live with another species!! The worst species that has spread destruction is human, and we, the worst parasite (that which feeds off of others) are everywhere!

[rf35]

My 2 cats and dog wear flea collars. They appear to work (never had fleas) and the critters don't have any problems with them. The cats actually get upset if they have to go any amount of time without their "necklaces." I would never put one of those topical pesticides on our chihuahua...he is way too small for that stuff. Plus, the cats would probably feel obligated to wash it off him and that would not go well.

[erasmus111]

Flea collars can kill kittens.

[rf35]

That's why we didn't use them until they were old enough to go outside and play without close supervision.

[erasmus111]

Sorry for the double post. There was a message saying that my post hadn't gone through and to submit it again. So I did. : )

[erasmus111]

I absolutely refuse to put pesticides on my animals. They no longer get fleas, but when they did, I would use a flea comb on them everyday and also vacuum often.

The reason they do not get fleas anymore is because I got rid of my carpeting. I didn't get rid of it just for them, but because I have allergies to dust and also because carpeting is TOXIC. FORMALDEHYDE.
Anyways, since then, NO MORE FLEAS!

[erasmus111]

I absolutely refuse to put pesticides on my animals. They no longer get fleas, but when they did, I would use a flea comb on them everyday and also vacuum often.

The reason they do not get fleas anymore is because I got rid of my carpeting. I didn't get rid of it just for them, but because I have allergies to dust and also because carpeting is TOXIC. FORMALDEHYDE.
Anyways, since then, NO MORE FLEAS!

[liebestode]

Great news! Now if the EPA will only ban the insecticides that are devastating the honeybee and insect populations there will be some progress in restoring the pollinators. Beekeepers and scientists in the new documentary,"Nicotine Bees" indict those same corporations for coating seeds with those same poisons.