Mar
Investigation in to Potentially Fatal Pet Products Raises Concern
“Do I want to risk my own cats to that? No!” ~ A leading Los Angeles vet in answer to whether he’d be prepared to use some approved pet medicines on any of his six cats.
For many of us, pets are like members of the family. Which is why we’d be utterly devastated if our dog, cat or other much loved pet were to suddenly collapse and die after being treated with approved pet product.
Flea, tick and other parasite treatments have come under scrutiny in a US-based investigation (in to US-sold pet products) and the findings are alarming.
Heidi Woehler of Santa Clarita, bought Bio Spot Flea and Tick Shampoo for her two cats, Hummer and Samson:
“I read the directions and I followed them thoroughly,” says Woehler.
But within minutes of applying the shampoo, she says both cats began having seizures, especially Hummer.
“He’s shaking, he can’t breathe, said Woehler, recalling the incident. An emergency room veterinarian saved Samson. Hummer didn’t make it. Woehler says, “He died a horrible, violent, fast death.”
I have to agree that alot of products are not safe, I used Frontline on both my collies, sparingly over the summer months but after using it in October 07, I shall never touch the stuff again.
3days after applying the stuff to my youngest dog, he had a seizure in the early hours of morning, after phoning my vet, I was told to try & wash as much of the stuff off his coat but he then had more seizures that night.
This pattern continued once a month, always the same days & groups/clusters of seizures that lasted for two days, afterwards Gizmo would be left in a terrible anxious state & vacant for up to 2weeks.
He was started on Epiphen in November & after each session of seizures, we had to increase his medication.
Until January, where he had the worst seizures he had had & went into status, he was at the vets all of Sunday afternoon & eventually we got him stablized.
Since then he has had no more fits, he is now off all his medication & has been seizure free for over a year.
I researched alot on the internet on adverse reactions to Frontline, came into contact with many other people who’s cats or dogs had experienced the same reaction.
Nearly every animal has reacted 3 days after application, this is when the Fipronel (the Neuro Toxin that is in Frontline) gets into the blood stream & the animals follow the same seizure pattern & then recover, eventually.
Some have not been so lucky & have lost their pets or have been left brain damaged.
Meriel the maker of Frontline say that the neuro toxin cannot get into the blood stream but there is scientific proof that it does & we all know that substances applied onto the skin can & does enter the bloodstream.
They paid my first vet bill & wanted me to keep quiet about the effects of Frontline on my dog & others that had the same problem, here & in America.
I reported it to the relevant authorities & so did my vets but still this product is sold as safe, “A gesture of love, you can trust” it is not safe for many animals.
I watched my dog go through hell for 4mths & I nearly lost him, he is not only a pet but I compete with him in Obedience & he is a assistance dog too.
This reaction is a lot more common than you think, nearly everyone I speak to in Obedience has heard of this reaction & other vets have too.
Many of the flea products are not safe, just type in Adverse reaction to flea products into Google, see what comes up. It is frightening to read.
Remember the pet market is a lucrative market & many companies make a lot of money, after all we want the best for our pets.