Flea & Tick Medicine

[Jimmyd65]

I saw a disturbing segment on the local Philadelphia news yesterday (see link below). I don't know if it's a coincidence, but since we put Layla on her HW meds and Flea & Tick meds she's gotten sick just days after the treatments. (Mostly diarreah). We've questioned the Vet and he thinks she just caught a bug and may never know what caused her to be sick. She's been on Metronidazole & Famotidine and is back to her normal self. "Thank Goodness".. We're going to administer both meds for the 3rd time at the end of May and if she get sick again we're thinking of STOPPING both immediately.

 

Question: Has anyone else had these type of reactions?

 

 

http://cbs3.com/topstories/Spring.Fleas.Ticks.2.1009282.html

[juliepoudrier]

I haven't had any bad reactions in my dogs or cats, and I've been using flea/tick products for years. That said, I started with Program (ingestible) when it first came out and then went to Frontline and Advantage/Advantix. I've never tried any of the other topical products.

 

Not to be mean, but I have to wonder why the owner of the golden didn't take him to an emergency clinic. I don't care what my vet said, if my dog were seizing, etc., for more than a few minutes, we would have been at the emergency vet.

 

J.

[bc4pack]

Most of this stuff is the OTC flea/tick stuff.

 

And yes a few years back my dogs did have a reaction to one product....a lot of drooling, acting 'off', lethargic

almost immediately after application.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

I had a horrible experience last summer with the Sargeant's Gold product. Every one of the dogs I applied it too got a huge sore which traveled in some of the more sensitive dogs as the product spread down their spine or flank. Several of them had a bad day with low appetite, low energy, and Lynn did some vomiting.

 

I didn't immediately connect it with the product because the illness hit about 48 hours after I applied it. But when I saw the sores later that day I realized what had happened. I gave everyone a thorough bath (it took three hours - thirty min in the tub per dog!!) and planned to go to the vet if things hadn't improved by the morning. But by that evening everyone was back to their spunky selves.

 

The sores were really creepy. I applied oatmeal compresses which helped the itching somewhat but a couple of dogs were going through such intense discomfort that I did end up going to the vet to get them some relief. Oddly, Ben was not one of the dogs that had a problem though he used to be my "canary in the coal mine" on other things.

 

I'm not against chemical anti-flea products, but I think some of the companies have not been up front about the dangers of concentrating a product for use as a "spot-on" treatment. And some don't have a good track record on safety and taking responsibility at all. I'd love to try Promeris, but it's put out by Fort Dodge and I won't use anything made by them anymore.

 

I'm combining Program and Sevin dusting, plus treating the house thoroughly, and so far so good.

[juliepoudrier]

Most of this stuff is the OTC flea/tick stuff.

If you look at the complete EPA list of products it's reviewing, yes, it includes the "OTC" products, but Merial (Frontline) and Bayer (Advantage/Advantix) are also on the lengthy list.

 

J.

[Liz P]

That list is not all inclusive. I've seen much worse reactions to products not on it. Sargeant's is supposed to be one of the worst offenders.

 

I think people need to keep in mind that most adverse reactions happen when products are used improperly. I saw one heartbreaking case of a woman coming in through the ER with 5 cats. She had gone to the pet store to buy flea and tick product and they were out of the Hartz cat flea and tick drops. The store employee told her that the package for little dogs weighing the same as a cat was fine to use. She bought it and applied it to all her cats. All but one died and the surviving cat never fully recovered.