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What flea shampoo was causing the dogs’ deaths?
“We bought Hartz Flea & Tick for our dear kitty “Sparky” when she was three years old and applied it to the nape of her neck. She began to slump down after only a few minutes, unable to stand. She wobbles when she stands and walks to this day. I’d like to investigate the possibility of pursuing or joining a lawsuit against this terrible product. Our pets are our children, and it’s difficult to know that you gave them something you believed you could trust and that would keep them safe, but it instead cripples them.” Jenny Kearns recounted her story.
“Before leaving on vacation this weekend, my parents decided to give our family dog, Teddy Bear, a wash last night. He was unable to walk after receiving a bath with Hartz shampoo. My mother assumed he was simply slipping on the tile floor and didn’t think much of it. They went to bed after he resumed his normal behavior. Teddy was acting suspiciously when my mother awoke this morning. He appeared to be upset, but he’s a funny little kid, so she wasn’t sure what was wrong. Teddy lost his ability to walk totally later that morning. My parents hurried him to the vet, and the first thing she said was that it was the Hartz shampoo. Teddy is a 10-pound yorkie-poo, yet he still needed two valium shots and three baths to avoid a seizure. He appears to be getting better, but he is still unable to walk and appears to be sluggish. The existence of this website is proof that Hartz should be removed from the market. How is it possible for a corporation that claims to help animals to kill them and get away with it? I’ll do everything I can to ensure that something gets done. Teddy Bear is still here, which is a blessing, but I never want anyone else to have to cope with this or worse.” teddyb88 shared this story.
Is flea shampoo harmful?
The symptoms of flea control product poisoning can appear anywhere from one to 12 hours after administration and vary depending on the type of poisoning.
Muscle tremors and excessive salivation are the most prevalent symptoms of pyrethrum-based flea products poisoning.
Diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, tiny pupils, muscular tremor, weakness or falling over, and drooling are all common symptoms of organophosphate toxicity from flea products. Organophosphate toxicity can be lethal in a matter of minutes, depending on the chemicals and dose given to the pet.
Is it possible for flea shampoo to harm my dog?
A flea dip is a potent chemical that must first be diluted in water before being sponge-applied to the dog’s fur or poured over their back.
You will not rinse your dog after using the dip product, as you would with a shampoo bath.
Adult fleas are usually killed in two weeks or less by the chemicals used in flea dips. Because these chemical treatments can be highly toxic and messy to use, flea dips have fallen out of favor in favor of other techniques of pest control.
Consult your veterinarian to see if a flea dip is appropriate for your dog; improper use can result in harmful reactions in both pets and those who treat them.
Which flea treatment is the safest for dogs?
To adequately protect their patients, veterinarians often recommend dog flea and tick collars, topical flea and tick treatments, or oral flea and tick drugs (sometimes in combination). Here are some of the safest flea treatments for dogs now available, along with some of their benefits and drawbacks.
Dog Flea and Tick Collars
Newer dog flea collars are safe solutions for flea and tick control in many situations (unlike older collars, which were largely ineffective). Right present, the Seresto collar is a highly popular choice.
It kills fleas and ticks at various phases of development using flumethrin and imidacloprid. The collar’s effectiveness lasts for 8 months (as long as it isn’t exposed to water), making it a practical alternative to monthly preventative treatments.
If you have little children, don’t allow them play with the Seresto collar or the reflector clips that come with it. Because all flea and tick collars tend to leave traces of the chemicals that make them effective in the dog’s environment and on your pet, this could be a problem for young toddlers who like to eat everything.
Local skin responses to the collar have occurred in some dogs, which have resolved once the collar has been removed. “Consult your veterinarian before using this medicine on debilitated, elderly, breeding, pregnant, or nursing animals,” Seresto’s product insert adds. All flea and tick preventatives fall into this category.
Topical Flea and Tick Treatments for Dogs
There are several safe flea treatments for dogs that are topical (or spot-on), and many of them protect against more than just fleas.
Advantage Multi, for example, is a prescription therapy that kills heartworms, hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, sarcoptic mange mites, and fleas with the active chemicals imidacloprid and moxidectin. Ticks aren’t killed by it, and dogs shouldn’t be permitted to lick the application site for at least 30 minutes to avoid major negative effects.
Frontline Plus is an over-the-counter flea and tick treatment that employs fipronil and (S)-methoprene to kill fleas and ticks at all stages of their life cycle. It also helps to reduce sarcoptic mange infestations and eliminates chewing lice. While it should not be consumed, a few covert licks by your dog won’t cause too many difficulties.
A topical therapy, like flea and tick collars, may not be the best option if you can’t keep your pet away from small children or animals who may come into direct touch with the drug before it has dried or absorbed into your pet’s skin.
If you have cats, you should consult a veterinarian before choosing a topical flea and tick treatment for your dog. Some contain pyrethrin or permethrin, both of which are extremely harmful to cats.
Bathing a dog should be done many days after the application. Topical treatments are usually done once a month.
Oral Flea and Tick Medications for Dogs
There are a number of prescription oral flea and tick treatments that are deemed safe for dogs. These preventatives are available as pills or chewables. Your veterinarian can assist you in determining which one is appropriate for your puppy’s age.
Trifexis uses spinosad and milbemycin oxime to protect dogs from heartworms, intestinal parasites, and fleas, however it is not effective against ticks. This therapy must be prescribed by your veterinarian.
Bravecto chews (also available as a topical) provide flea and tick protection for 8-12 weeks per dosage. Fluralaner is the active component, and it kills adult fleas and ticks. Bravecto also requires a veterinarian’s prescription.
Oral flea and tick meds are ideal for families with small children or other small pets that could be exposed to chemical residue from flea collars or topical flea and tick remedies.
Vomiting is the most prevalent side effect of prescribed oral flea medicines.
There are side effects to any drug, but keeping parasites untreated is considerably more harmful. Based on your dog’s age, lifestyle, health status, and other specific factors, your veterinarian can help you choose the safest and most effective flea and tick treatment.
Is it possible for flea shampoo to cause seizures in dogs?
The US Food and Drug Administration stated Thursday that dogs and cats treated with some flea and tick medicines may be at an elevated risk of neurologic episodes such as seizures.
The alert affects treatments in the isoxazoline class, which are used to prevent flea and tick infestations. Bravecto, Nexgard, and Simparica are among the products in this category.
The FDA says the affected items are still safe for most animals, but they have been linked to muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizures in some pets.
According to the FDA, the medications will soon have “additional label information to highlight neurologic problems because these events were seen consistently across the isoxazoline class of drugs.”
The FDA stated in a fact sheet for pet owners that while most pets have had no adverse responses to the therapies, some have had seizures without a prior history.
The FDA issued the warning after routine data collection revealed that some pets treated with isoxazoline family medications “had experienced adverse effects.”
Is Dawn soap effective against fleas?
You’ve probably seen the commercials where Dawn dish soap is being used to clean wild birds harmed by oil spills. If Dawn is powerful and gentle enough for wildlife, you might ask if it will also eradicate the fleas on your cat or dog.
While Dawn dish soap can kill fleas, it isn’t the most effective or efficient way, and it won’t keep infestations at bay.
Here’s why Dawn dish soap may not be the flea-killing miracle you hoped for for your four-legged family member.
