Update 6/29/06: Hamish has not had ANY seizures since we stopped using Bio Spot
4 YEARS AGO, and appears to have made a full recovery. We are thankful for each day
that he is with us.
Farnam reimbursed us for Hamish's medical expenses, provided that we accept it as "FULL AND FINAL SETTLEMENT FOR THE ALLEGED ADVERSE REACTION TO BIOSPOT."
Here are some of the e-mail 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.
CAUTION: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional veterinary advice. Please consult with your veterinarian before giving any treatment to your animals.
**********************************************************************************
A friend of mine from town used this product [Bio Spot] on her 3 adult cats last week. Two of the cats died and the other is still at the vet recovering. That is way more than enough evidence for me to know the product is DANGEROUS and should be pulled from the market.
KT 5/10/06
Southern Vermont
I had asked KT to ask her friend if she used Bio Spot for Cats or if she mistakenly used Bio Spot for Dogs on her cats. Below is a reply from KT's friend.
James TerBush
Hi KT,
Thank you for your concern. I want to assure you that we did not use the BioSpot for Dogs on the cats.
Seth used the Dog Biospot on our two Springer Spaniels and the Cat Biospot on the three cats at 9:30 am Sunday. We did not see the cats until 6:00pm that night. In good weather they spend alot of time outside.
We will check the trash for the packaging.
My daughter Sara (the cats'official owner/mother, 12 yrs old) saw our tiger cat and wanted to collect all three cats to bring to our temporary house in the village. The tiger looked a little shaky. She checked the barn and found the beautiful tuxedo cat (everyone's favorite) seizuring in there. She started screaming and crying, it was terrible.
I drove and the kids held the two seizuring cats in their arms on the way to the Westminster Animal Clinic. That's the part that breaks my heart is that the kids were in the middle of it, as well as, the fact that the cats may have been suffering all day in the barn.
Seth found the third cat in the first floor of the barn and joined us at the vets within minutes. That cat was in the worse shape.
Seth tells me that the vet has left a message late yesterday that said Farnam (that makes BioSpot) faxed her a ltr about taking the product off the market. I haven't seen the ltr. They also want to autopsy the
two cats. We still have them in our freezer since we wanted to bury them on our land. I am following up on getting the autopsy done.
I will keep you posted. Thank you for your efforts.
Jane 5/10/06
I started to worry alot yesterday at work and left early to check the trash at our house. Something wasn't adding up. I found two empty BioSpot for Dogs tubes and one package in the kitchen trash (for the
two Springer Spaniels). With shaking hands I went upstairs and found three empty tubes of BioSpot for Dogs there. Seth must have used the Dog product on all three cats. I didn't find the packaging, the tubes
are small and the print is very small but it was for dogs (35 lbs+), not cats.
My poor husband is now devastated. He was fully aware that the Dog treatment would hurt the cats. He swore that he had not made the mistake. It's clear that he made the mistake and he is sick over it. We
won't pursue this any further. I will return the call from Farnam Pet Products and tell them and tell the vet.
We will pay the $700+ vet bill ourselves. We will bury the cats. I would rather not let folks in town know because I don't want our kids to find out for Seth's sake. He is taking this very hard, especially now.
In his defense, the packaging for dogs and cats is identical, the print is a different color. The tubes are extremely small so that if they are not with the packaging it is very easy to mix the two up. I won't get into
it but we were moving temporairly to a different house, had an extra dog staying with us, are refinishing
the floors ourselves etc... Hectic, that's when mistakes happen, I guess.
Earlier yesterday, I did get a copy of a letter from Farnam (click here to read letter) dated August 16, 2005 signed by the president John Silvestri stating that Bio-Spot for Cats One-Step has been "discontinued". The ltr had been faxed to our vet. I went by the Feed Store in Westminster (where we had bought the Bio-Spot for Cats One-Step) and it was still on the shelf. The woman there took a copy of the ltr and took it off the shelf. She plans to speak with the sales rep. I suppose we will try to be reimbursed for the two pkgs
we have.
I hear that Bio Spot for Cat One-Step is on the shelves at Agway. I will bring a copy of the letter to them too. Seems to me that Farnum has a fairly loose definition of "discontinued".
Thank you for your concern. We plan to go to the Spfld Humane Society to pick out a kitten this weekend.
Jane 5/11/06
Thank you very much for the update. It was a terrible mistake, but as you can see from my website, MANY people have made that same mistake. Some didn't know that Bio Spot for Dogs would harm cats, and others just got the tubes mixed up in a drawer (after the packaging was opened) and put the wrong tube
on their cats. I don't blame any of these people for making the mistakes because Farnam KNOWS these mistakes happen year after year. Why is the warning, "May be toxic and potentially fatal if applied to or ingested by cats" still buried in fine print on the back of their packaging? Why are the tubes of Bio Spot
for Dogs IDENTICAL in size, shape, and color as the tubes of Bio Spot for Cats? To prevent this mistake from happening, Farnam could put a large yellow sticker with large print on each vial that reads, "DO NOT
USE ON CATS".
I am shocked that Bio Spot One-Step for Cats is still being sold in stores. Farnam discontinued it because "reports of adverse reactions have shown it does not meet Farnam's high standards." Their high standards stopped them from making it, but it didn't stop them from selling it or warning people not to use it.
I do not know how many people (and stores) ever knew that Farnam discontinued Bio Spot One-Step for Cats, and WHY it was discontinued. I certainly never heard or read anything in the news about it, and I doubt anyone else did either. I would not be surprised if Farnam kept it very quite to avoid liability and to avoid having to reimburse stores for thousands (or millions) of dollars of defective product. Farnam was also in the process of selling the company, which it did in January, 2006.
If Farnam was concerned enough with reports of adverse reactions to discontinue it, why is there no information about it on their website? And why is it still available in stores and online at places like Petsmart?
I still believe that Farnam should reimburse all of your vet expenses and the loss of your two cats because I don't believe that Farnam has done anything in the past 4 years to prevent this mistake from happening. I really get furious every time I hear of these tragedies. Why isn't Farnam asking themselves, "What can we do to prevent this from happening?"
James TerBush 5/12/06
Farnam's representative has offered to reimburse half of our vet fees and the cost of the two One Step for Cat products, which we never used.
Jane 5/12/06
***********************************************************************************
I had a similar experience though I didn't know what the problem was. Last fall I had (yes...had) a 12 lb kitty who was over run with fleas (I had 2 doses of advantage from the vet, and 3 kitties), so being as I use Vinnie in Rockingham and was short on time I figured I'd just grab some Bio-Spot from Community Feed.
Well I noticed she wasn't behaving like her old self so I took her to Vinnie a couple of days later....He did a ton of tests on her and couldn't find anything...but she died there. I always figured she had been too anemic even though Vinnie said her blood test didn't indicate a dangerously low red blood count, so it looks like I might have poisoned her.
Thanks so much for the heads up...I will pass it on.
Susan 5/11/06
***********************************************************************************
I just found your site and I thought I'd share my story and the solution I've come up with. Several years ago my then 2 year old Great Dane Guinevere began having seizures. I can't honestly say for certain that it was Frontline that caused them as she is a white Dane who is both deaf and blind and my understanding is that these "defects" are the result of neurological abnormalities that could also be the cause of the seizures. Regardless of what was causing the seizures, I stopped using Frontline and started searching online for a solution to both her seizure issue and a safer way to prevent fleas. Here's what has worked for me: Gwen eats an all natural food with no artificial preservatives, no artificial colors, no pesticides, and no by-products. This helps control the seizures and helps build her immune system to fight fleas naturally. If you aren't sure if your food is really all natural, check out the list of approved foods in "Whole Dog Journal". Just because a dog food has a $35 per bag price tag, doesn't mean it has quality ingredients. Next, I give my dogs brewer's yeast and garlic tablets. Something in both the yeast and the garlic make the dogs unappetizing to fleas. Last, I use an all natural flea spray about once a week. The one I use is called "Neem Protect Spray" by Ark Naturals. Since doing this, Gwen has gone from having a seizure a week to no seizures for over 2 years, and I've yet to see even one flea on my dogs. This is more impressive considering that there are 11 dogs in my home (all rescues). I just thought I'd share this information so people would know there are other ways to protect their pets from fleas because regardless of whether your pet has had a reaction or not and regardless of whether you use Biospot, Hartz, Frontline, ect.... they are all pesticides. Read the product label and you'll see it tells you to immediately wash your hands if you get it on your skin. If these products are so hazardous to people, what would lead us to believe that they are safe for our pets?
Dawn 5/12/06
***********************************************************************************
We are so happy to have found your website before we purchased Biospot. Back in the days of flea and tick "dips" for dogs our good friends nearly lost their beloved sheltie after a vet gave him a "flea dip" and he spent two weeks hospitalized after the onset of a grand mal seizure. After years of flea combing our dog we were happy to purchase the new products you have mentioned; Frontline, Frontline Plus, Advantage, etc. Although we applied the smallest dose; our beloved dog would vomit, tremor, shun food/water, foam at the mouth and be lethargic for days. We had stopped all flea and tick applications and happily returned to flea combing our dog. A feral cat was recently adopted and as he moved into our home we noticed an increase in fleas and found a few ticks on our dog. We applied Frontline Plus to our cat last night and were searching for a new product. After reading your article we will also be hand grooming our cat!
Our last cocker spaniel of 14 and ½ years was part of a cluster study of female dogs with breast tumors in the area surrounding Golden Gate Park. The cause published in The San Francisco Chronicle pointed to the exposure to Gopher poison which the dogs would walk on and ingest by licking off of their paws.
Our current rescued cocker spaniel has aggressive breast cancer also. Our neighborhood uses vast amounts of lawn and garden pesticide products. Sod is 1% of the world's "crop" and is the cause of 25% of the world's pollution. We believe pesticides are a cause of her cancer also.
Thank you for your information. We will never use any of the new products on our pets. It explains our dog's reactions to exposure. It could also be a contributing factor to her current aggressive breast cancer. We wish we had never exposed her to these products.
Amy 5/13/06
***********************************************************************************
I treated my cat and dog with bio spot. 7 hrs later my cat was thrashing, foaming at the mouth, I thought
she was dying. We rushed her to the vet. To my surprise they new exactly what caused it. Bio spot. At
this moment she is at the vet on iv. It has been 24 hours. Some improvements have been made. I felt totally guilty for doing this to my cat. Today it has all sunk in. At the urgency of the people at the animal hospital, I have begun to voice my concern for this poison that is being sold. They say they see so much
of this, they are sick of it. Why is this stuff still on the market? It couldn't be good for anyone to handle
this stuff. Anyone out there that can help me I would appreciate it.
Diane 5/16/06
***********************************************************************************
Thank heavens I came across your website, because I was considering trying BioSpot on my dogs. I've had my dogs on Frontline Plus but recently experienced a full-blown flea infestation. Frontline isn't cheap, so I was really pissed to see fleas all over my dogs. The original infestation likely came from another animal who wasn't on any preventive, but what good is flea control if it doesn't keep the fleas off the dog? With Frontline, the flea actually has to bite the dog; the Frontline then gets into the fleas system and kills it much later. It's the same with ticks - a friend of mine who uses Frontline has to keep pulling ticks off her dog.
After reading through the stories on your website, I've decided that maybe the natural route is the best way to go. I know some people give their dogs brewer's yeast. Others give garlic - however, it should be noted that garlic is one of the foods on the ASPCA's toxic list, so that's definitely a proceed with caution situation. I found this website while browsing today, so you might want to look at it:
Thank you.
Rachel 5/17/06
***********************************************************************************
My name is Janet, from Dayton Tennessee. My parents bought some bio-spot on a Thursday and put it on three of our dogs. They read the directions and followed the weight guidelines, and thought they were
doing what's best for the dogs. The smallest dog ,( Rosie, an 18 lb. terrier mix) complained about it immediately and tried to rub it off, but she was such a sissy about everything that they dismissed her
grumbles. On Monday night I noticed an area of broken, scabby, weeping skin on the back of her neck. I thought she may have had a tick bite there that got infected, and I cleaned and trimmed the wound and applied some peroxide. The next evening she did not eat her dinner, and the wound looked a little bigger. She didn't quite seem herself. I spoke with my mother and we realized that it was the same spot where the
bio-spot had been applied, and I decided to take her to the vet the next day. It was already too late.
At 4am she began having tremors. At 5am she had her first seizure and I had already paged the vet on call. By 6am the seizures were 10 minutes apart and she had lost consciousness. The vets were able to quiet her seizures with valium, and started her on fluids to try to flush out her kidneys, but her little heart stopped at 9:30am, despite their best efforts. She had lost her kidney and liver functions.
Our vet told us that they see this all the time; that any pesticide containing permethrin will get into the bloodstream and start attacking the liver and kidneys. I tell everyone I see about this, but I have yet
to contact the company. A friend told me about your website. I will see where I can go from here, and I am ready to get involved. Please share this with everyone everywhere. Thank you.
Janet 5/17/06
***********************************************************************************
I just wanted to drop a line, because I found your website while looking into the dangers of Biospot.
I am now owned by a newfoundland and belong to a newf message board where the topic of different
flea and tick medicines was posted. I lost my beautiful golden in October of 2002, to what I believe was poisoning from the use of Biospot. She too seemed fine after using it for about 3 months, and then she
started passing bloody diahrea and vomiting. She was diagnosed with Idiopathic thrombocytopenia
and Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. She went from 130 lbs to less than 90 in less than 3 months. Two different vets asked if it were possible that she had gotten into rat poisoning because of the symptons she
presented. I never thought to tell them that I was using biospot. I do believe that this product poisoned my beautiful girl and no one will ever be able to tell me differently. She eventually had to be put down because she was not getting any better, was no longer eating and we were so afraid that she was going to bleed
out on us and that the children would find her.
I just wanted you to know that I have passed on your webpage to other newfoundland owners, and if I can convince one person not to use this product, my beloved Darby will not have died in vain.
Thank You.
Margaret 5/17/06
***********************************************************************************
I have 3 dogs and I don't use anything on the one that has cushings disease (thank goodness the fleas
don't like her much) but I do live at the beach and whenever I have used topicals I have found them to be
too strong. I do not apply them all in one day. I do it over 3 days. I used biospot in thepast (years ago) but
it was not effective at all. I find the plain advantage to be a bit strong as well. I recently purchased a new product that has the ingredients like advantage but in a lower dose. I have not used it yet. The company used imidacloprid) in the lowest dose possible to get the same effect. I will try it as my one dog gets severe flea dermatitis from the bites and it is something that doesn't seem to be controlled by various
natural products. She needs the help and is almost 10 and thank god tolerates this okay.
I use eucalyptus oil diluted in water and I spray that on my girls everyday before we go on our walks.
This has proven to be a great thing. It's safe and effective and obviously a safe thing to inhale especially
diluted.
Thanks so much for such an informative site. You did so much work on this and I am very grateful to you.
You will definitely save lives.
What people need to know (as I have had 5 dogs) is that many have severe allergic reactions to
many things and it could be deadly , I almost lost one from a vaccine. In California they have changed
the vaccination schedule to every 3 years because yearly is not necessary. Also there has not been
rabies here in California in years, so unless a dog might bite someone?? You might want to go
"rabies exempt" it's something to consider as rabies is a hard vaccination to take. I do the 3 most
important ones (especially parvo as they had a large outbreak here in California) and to think that the
live organism vaccine was more deadly than the disease is ridiculous so I weigh the options but I get
the natural live organism vaccines with no additives. Also it's always safe to use dye free benadryl
before vaccines just in case there might be an allergic reaction. Never leave an animal alone after
vaccines, they need to be watched just in case.
My dog with Cushings Disease is on a totally natural program that is working now for 2 years. She consumes all natural foods, treats and has a daily regimen that is really incredible. If you can go
natural it's better but of course if she didn't respond well to natural, I would consider the medications
but honestly they are my last resort.
Luckily these days there are many wonderful sources and alternatives. These pets are our children
and we have to realize like children they all are different and come with different genetic composition.
Thanks again and I know you will be blessed for caring so much to do so much work on informing us all.
Rev. Claire
Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God's gift of Himself.
- Mother Teresa
***********************************************************************************
I've had cats all my life, and for many years they have been flea-free. (Ticks are another matter, but the 'feel method' works great for me.) For all these years without fleas, I've been giving my cats both nutritional yeast (the yellow flakes sold in bulk at most food co-ops and health food stores) and Prozyme, which is available through the vet. It is an enzyme that aids in digestion and in the absorption of nutrients. This web site has a lot of information about Prozyme. http://www.prozymeproducts.com/index.html The site makes this claim: "PROZYME® is proven to increase the absorption of vital nutrients, including essential fatty acids, by up to 71%." Here is a testimonial from a vet, which can be found on the "What People Are Saying" page: “I’ve recommended PROZYME for over 15 years, and give it to my own cats and horses. Since giving PROZYME to my cats I’ve noticed that they are flea free, have no dandruff or skin problems. They have less shedding, and beautiful soft, shiny, matt free hair coats. This product is truly amazing!” You simply sprinkle a little Prozyme on their food at every meal. I add both this and the yeast at every feeding.
I live in the woods and my cats are out all the time in the warm weather. SOMETHING is keeping the fleas away, and it's not any kind of poison!
KT 5/19/06
Southern Vermont
***********************************************************************************
I applied Biospot to my 90+ pound shephard mix earlier today. Within minutes, she was running wildly, jumping up and down, running into the garden to hide as if something was scaring her. She was also salivating heavily. This was her second dose of Biospot; she had no obvious reactions from the first. Fortunately, I had the common sense to wash the stuff off thoroughly with lots of water and mild soap
which I repeated shortly afterward. The dog has settled down now, but seems lethargic. No energy to
even bark at the post man--which is first.
This stuff is scary and should be taken off the market. I have reported this episode to the EPA.
Thanks to you and this site for educating us all.
Terry 5/19/06
***********************************************************************************
I was so happy to have found your web site today as I was trying to research adverse reactions to flea and tick medications. I have a 6 month old Golden Retriever puppy. April 10th he had his first dose of Frontline. For 5 days after it was administered he had diarrhea. Not even suspecting the Frontline the Vet said he had a slight fever and put him on antibiotics. He was better after two days. Last week we gave him his second dose of Frontline and again he developed a severe case of diarrhea. More worrysome was the spot where the Frontline was administered became an open pussy wound. His entire neck is covered with red bumps and bleeding sores and we are now treating it with animax cream and another dose of antibiotics. The Vet is still not totally convinced that Frontline is the culprit but my husband and I find it hard to believe that this is just coincidence.
Thank goodness for sites like yours. Otherwise we would be led to believe from all of the product websites that these medications are completely safe and have no adverse reactions. From what I've read on your site I should be thanking my lucky stars that I didn't treat my dog with Bio Spot. That is one scary product that should not be on the market.
Rita 5/20/06
Saratoga Springs, NY
***********************************************************************************
I purchased bio spot for my dogs. My cat was around them a full twenty four hours after I applied bio spot and began having problems - he stiffed up and began convulsing. It's been another twenty four hours and he is still having effects of being around my dogs. My grandson was over and started breaking out in a rash and was taken to the hospital. The doctor said they could not rule out that it was a reaction to the bio spot. He was treated with steroids and benadril and seems to be ok at this point.
Michelle 5/21/06
***********************************************************************************
I had an outdoor cat that had alot of fleas on him. I gave him a bath 2 times to get all the fleas off of him. I used a product that had permethrin in it. With in an hour he was having seizures. I did not know what was wrong with him. He was nine years old. I did not link the flea bath with that. Now I know what killed him. It breaks my heart to know that instead of helping him I killed him. I was on my way this morning to get something to get rid of fleas for my dog and ran across this website. Thank you so much for the information. What do you use now? I thought the bio spot would be safe?
Cheryl 5/23/06
***********************************************************************************
I am beside myself with horror after reading the posts on your site. Our cherished 10 year old Springer Spaniel has been suffering with seizures since November of last year and we have exhausted ourselves
trying to find the source and cure.
We finally resigned ourselves to the fact that he is probably dying and we were heartbroken. We have two Springers, 10 and 10 1/2 years old, who in their younger years were given the Program for flea and
tick control. Approximately 3 years ago, we switched them to Frontline, with no side effects - that we were aware of.
Two years ago our female, Roxy, had a huge tumor on her leg (knee) and we had it removed. Six months later the growth came back and after testing it again, our Vet said it was cancer. He gave us the
option of removing the leg or removing the tumor again and going through a month of radiation on her leg. We opted for the radiation, which required bringing Roxy to the Oncologist every day for a month. While there, we bonded with several other dog owners, who were going through the same process. Over the next month, we kept hearing people complain about Frontline, Advantage, Hartz, et al; with most people (not the staff) believing strongly that they were the source of their dogs’ cancers.
We took both dogs off their Frontline for several months. Each time I asked my Vet about the possibility Frontline might be the cause of Roxy’s cancer, I was told that the theories were basically hogwash
and that the product was perfectly safe for animals.
In October of last year, we switched veterinarians; due mostly to the very impersonal care my dogs had received over the years from their doctor. When we met our new Vet, he also assured me that Frontline
and the other flea and tick treatments were safe. We decided to put the dogs back on Frontline, as we frequently take them to the mountains, where ticks are everywhere. Several days after the application, my male dog, Calvin had a huge seizure that lasted about 1 minute, losing all bladder control. We had never seen a seizure before and it was terrifying. We rushed him to the Vet, where he was admitted overnight for tests and put on Seizure Watch.
It never occurred to us that Frontline might be the source. The theories we had heard about months before were related to tumors and cancer. I searched the internet for hours, researching dozens of Canine Epilepsy sites and gathering theories about seizure causes. I am furious with myself that I never made the connection THEN about the Frontline and in none of my investigating, did I read about any connection between them. I did read several posts where people thought Greenies, Rawhides, improperly washed vegetables, eating cat poop etc, might be responsible.
When we picked up our dog the next morning, I had tons of notes about everything I had researched on the internet and a lot of questions for our Vet. As with our previous Vet, he assured us that these were “wives -tales” and explained that this condition is very common in “older” dogs. and that there was really nothing we could do. He discouraged me from trying to seek information from the net, saying most articles and peoples’ posts are “conjecture and non-professional opinions”. He told us it was very likely that my dog ate some plant or poison in the backyard and he may not have another incident.
One month later, another seizure - this time Calvin wasn’t admitted to the hospital. Then one month later, it happened again; this time he had two within one hour. We rushed him to the Vet and he was admitted to the hospital again. This time I insisted that my dog be prescribed Phenobarbital, as I had heard it helped control seizures. Whenever I had requested an MRI, I was discouraged to do so; my Vet has basically said that I have an “elderly” dog whose time is winding down and that these seizures are very common in the last stages of life - all the while with NO conclusive diagnosis! This has frustrated us enormously because the rest of the time, I have a dog who wants play ball, swim in the pool and runs and acts like a puppy. When admitting Calvin to the hospital on one occasion, the receptionist guessed he was 3 years old, judging by the spring in his step. Calvin has ALWAYS been athletic, extremely active and healthy.
In March, my husband and I went on vacation for two weeks, leaving our dogs with our son and his girlfriend. We were terribly anxious leaving the dogs and gave my son thorough instructions on what to do if Calvin had a seizure while we were gone. I failed, however, to instruct him to give the dogs their Frontline. In the two weeks we were gone, my dog didn’t have a seizure, thank goodness. Several days after we returned, we were taking the dogs again to the mountains, when I learned the dogs hadn’t been given their Frontline
while we were away. We applied it to both dogs, went to the mountains and returned 3 days later. The next night, my dog had two huge seizures again, within one hour. I took him to the Emergency Hospital, where they kept him overnight again on Seizure Watch and they DOUBLED his Pheno dosage, making him practically comatose for the next week and a half.
My husband and I decided after that week and a half to cut back on the high dosage of Phenobarbital. We figured if Calvin was going to have seizures anyway while on the drug, we couldn’t bear watching him
act like a zombie. We had truly resigned ourselves to the fact that our dog is dying and we have shed so many tears over it - it has been heartbreaking.
Last week, we decided against our vet’s advise to take our dog to a Neurologist and get the MRI if she recommended it. I requested my dog’s file from our vet and in reviewing all the seizure incidents,
the light bulb FINALLY went off in my head. My dog’s seizures are always a month apart. I went to my computer calendar and cross-referenced all the dates with the monthly reminders I have to give
them their Frontline. I was due to give him his Frontline this week and he hasn’t had a seizure for the last four weeks. This prompted me to investigate the Flea and Tick medications on the net - and lo
and behold - there a dozens of sites reporting these seizures and hundreds of complaints! How could I be so stupid!!! For all these months!!
I called my Vet and told him that I think Frontline is the cause of Calvin’s condition and asked if he has heard about this connection before. He tells me he has NEVER heard any complaints about Frontline or any other Flea/Tick medications and that “it is safe or they wouldn’t be able to sell it”. I called the Pet Store where I
buy the medication and they told me “they have NEVER” heard of any side effects from these products. This all seems like garbage to me. How can there be so many complaints - on your site alone - and
Vets and Pet Stores “haven’t ever heard of such a thing”. BULL____!!!!! I don’t believe them and have lost faith, especially with the Vet, who I am now convinced, doesn’t care about my precious dogs.
In the last six months, my male dog’s vet bills have exceeded $5,000.00. If the source of my female dog’s recurring tumors and subsequent radiation is Frontline related, then my last Vet and the Oncologist who treated her made another $9,000.00 from me. The emotional stress has been exhausting, not to mention the unspeakable pain of thinking my dog is dying and having NO explanation as to why!!! I’d happily pay double that amount though if I could turn back the clock and undo all the stress, pain, fear and anxiety my
pups have been through. Is it truly possible that these chemical companies, veterinarians and retailers can be this uncaring and greedy?
I have discarded my 3 month supply of Frontline and I am entirely convinced this is poison for our animals. Again, I am so disgusted by my naiveness and stupidity. In retrospect, it seems obvious that applying a toxic pesticide into my dog’s system could NEVER be alright - no matter what all the profiting parties might say! I just wish I had realized it sooner.
I am confident Calvin’s seizures will not return, however if I am wrong and they do, I will make another post
to this site, with an apology to Frontline and our dogs' Vets. Don’t hold your breath though - I am convinced
I am right and relieved to have finally made the connection. I am praying for a full recovery for Calvin from
this nightmare and for no further complications for either dog. We have all been through hell.
Sandy 5/23/06
***********************************************************************************
It is now one week since my cat Max died. Like many of you, I didn't have a clue that on-label use of Farnam's BioSpot on my dogs, without direct contact that could not have occurred, could kill my friend. For 12 years he was one of my best friends. It is the type of person I was, and the type of cat that he was. Not a lot of friends, but the ones I have mean the world to me. Now he is gone, his final 10 minutes of life painfully burned into my mind. He seized from hypothermia and blew the capillary beds in his nose on the floor. He seemed to gain consciousness briefly to meow letting me know his terror and pain. It is the sort of thing that changes a person. His twin sister is still mourning.
Like many of you, I did the responsible thing and contacted the company, the EPA, was given the run-around by Sherri Pike, was told to contact the "Product Safety" consultants that I was assured were not
affiliated with Farnam and later found out that they are financially compensated for by Farnam for their services. I feel awful for all of us. And I ask all of you, even if you were lucky enough to receive compensation
for your losses by this company, to read the next paragraph carefully and then watch for my next post:
I need 40-60 fellow petitioners to sign on and we can have a class action lawsuit against Farnam and against the EPA for not taking action before now. This is not about trying to receive any additional compensation for our losses. We are not going to get any anyway. Class actions only make your legal representation wealthy. And the established value of a cat is around $100 and for a dog it is the price of purchase. Would $100 give me satisfaction for the death of Max, and the countless others that will
follow? This page reads like bad opera, it never seems like it will end, and it won't until someone hits them where it hurts! I don't want their blood money; I want their product to be a role model of what happens when you sell a product that knowingly damages the consumer. I can say this at the very least: more people will learn the truth. And I really think that if we can't bring them down with the obvious (I mean, come on! 2% of the male population is red/green colorblind and couldn't read their warning anyway!), we can at least get their products pulled off the shelves in a few states. We can't let the EPA off either, not with the copious evidence they already have. I am researching how to go about it and will try to orchestrate things so that
there will not be hang-ups from the previous class actions against permethrin products (thus there might be several different petitions to sign in the coming months). I have spoken at length with an experienced
environmental lawyer and as soon as the remaining petitioners are identified, I will take the case to the best Plaintiff Attorney I can find and I WILL go forward, and the death of my cat WILL be avenged.
Want to come along for the ride? I'll be posting a link to a website in the next few days. As soon as I figure out how to put up a sufficient firewall to protect our personal information I'll post. It will only be used
to begin the lawsuit and given to the legal representative who takes the case. The more the merrier and will increase the chances for success. I really welcome any Vets who are willing to sign, and folks that have proof of permethrin exposure in their animals was the cause, even though it IS a clinical diagnosis and few of use could afford the necropsy and veterinary pathologist's evaluation. Also, remember that this suit is not for money. It is beyond that. If a jury or judge decides to award it, so be it. I don't want it. This is not about fines or anything like that; it is about CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE on the part of the company that continues to advertise their products on television without any mention of potential side effects. It is about CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE on the part of the EPA that has not acted despite the overwhelming number of reports they have received from us. It is about getting these products regulated by an agency that will require a
prescription for all veterinary use of this compound, and prominent packaging that also includes details of what poisoning looks like and what to do about it. The other option being to have these products eliminated. It is insane that what happened to us could have been prevented, and that the peer-reviewed scientific literature is so very clear about the risks. I will post the web address in the next few days after I make absolutely sure no one will hack it and your information will be safe. Otherwise I will mail it to individuals. I have ~40 signatures so far that I've combed the Internet for. I want as many people as possible so that if any individual signature is questioned, another can be used in its stead. I want to see Farnam hanging from a yardarm ASAP, and most importantly save a lot of animal lives!
It is the moment of the ford, it is TIME! No one else is going to do it. Do you want Farnam to keep this sad death march going?
Steve 5/23/06
Hello Again,
I hope to have it up and running by the end of next week, 6/2/2006. I have
decided to go ahead and obtain legal representation to find out exactly what
information is required from participants in order to ensure your efforts
will be productive. In the mean time I have requested all documents related
to these products from the EPA under the Freedom Of Information Act version
2002 (FOIA hereafter), and all internal EPA documents concerning this issue.
So hold on folks, this is going to happen, and I'm going to get this right
the first time. In the meantime, compose your stories, and dig up all of
your correspondence with Farnam Industries and also all communications with
the EPA regarding your loss. The sent folders in your email accounts might
be a good place to look if you think they are gone. All of this information
can be used as evidence and you should print out copies with the full
information on the header. The header is the part that has all the gibberish
that lets you know how the email got to you, what servers it passed through,
and where someone can make sure it was sent to you by them, or vice-versa.
We will win this thing! I'll post again when the site is up.
Yours,
Steve Brogdon 5/24/06
"First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then
you win." -- Gandhi
***********************************************************************************
i went to walmart on 5/26/06 and purchased sergeants silver 3 way protection drops for my cat. the product says it is for cats 5lbs and over. my cat is 21lbs. i read the directions from top to bottom before using. i applied the product as directed and 5 minutes later she was running through the house and foaming at the mouth. i quickly put her in the sink and washed her off and rushed her to the vet, where she remains over night. i don't know if she will survive. i will post another letter as soon as i find out her condition.
Catherine 5/26/06
this is a follow up on sergeant's siver three way protection flea and tick drops for cats. I put some on my cat on 5/26/06 and she started foaming at the mouth and going into seizures. I rushed her to the vet right away. they kept her overnight and she did survive, but i will never use this product again.
Catherine 5/28/06
***********************************************************************************
Our healthy English Bulldog, age 11, had two major seizures last Tuesday, after my wife gave him Biospot the Monday before,and we rushed him to the emergency clinic at 1 am. He had another seizure Wednesday evening at the clinic and was given Valium and Phenobarb. He's home now with no more episodes but wobbling on his feet due to the effects of the drug. He's undergoing testing for various causes, and the clinic suggests numerous other tests costing more than $1,000. No more of this product for us.
Marty 5/27/06
thanks, I just left a message for Sherri Pike, and emailed the EPA. The Critical Care receptionist told me she has seen other pets brought there after use of Biospot and other similar products. Our Buster seems to be stabilizing thank God. However, our vet wants to at least reduce the phenobarb dosage asap.
Marty 6/2/06
Hi Jim, this is to let you know that Farnam indeed has reimbursed us for all expenses related to Buster's care. So far, he's still on Phenobarb, with no seizures in 6 weeks. hooray!!! I might add that our vet called the National Poison Control Center for Animals, and got no support from the folks there. Some rep told him there was little chance that Buster's seizures were caused by the product. But that did not stop this bulldog. The receptionist at the critical care facility warned us to avoid Biospot at all costs,and that's what counts to me. So we will use Program again, despite its very high cost.
Thanks for your assistance Jim,
Marty 7/1/06
***********************************************************************************
I recently applied Sergeants Pretect on my shi tzu dog of a year old. I have noticed that he has a slight twitch or muscle tighting in his side, and his back where I applied the "tube of death as I read other articles" seems to be sore to the touch. And slight hind leg problems. However, he seems to be eating normal and no vomiting or seizures. Took him to the vet and he gave me some pain killers and told me to check back in a week if not better. Or, if it gets worse to call. Just worried about my little buddy and wanted to know if anyone has experienced the same thing? thanks
Chad 5/28/06
***********************************************************************************
My cats are getting old, close to 20. During the winter the fleas disappear. In summer they build up and bother the cats. I've been using sergeants pretect which contains only an insect growth regulator, nylar, and no insecticides. One application a year worked well. Tried a long time ago flea powder in small amounts that contained permethrin. The cats didn't seem to like it but since I was uneasy about insecticides and it was totally useless, stopped, thank the stars. There is enough information out there now that permethrin, in
my opinion, shouldn't be used on animals.
Been reading the threads on your website and haven't heard too many complaints about the insect antihormone treatments such as nylar. Still given my cats advanced age, this year am leaning towards a chemical free program. Anyone have any suggestions? Combing probably won't work, one might tolerate it, the others probably won't.
Anonymous 5/29/06
***********************************************************************************
Thank you for contacting Petsmart regarding your concerns about Bio Spot(r) for Cats One-Step. We
take all customer inquiries very seriously and have thoroughly investigated your concerns. As part of that
investigation, we contacted the manufacturer of the product, Farnam Companies, and confirmed the "discontinued" product you referred to was indeed removed from store shelves and replaced with the
re-launched product that passed a rigorous quality inspection. Following is an explanation of the situation provided to us by Farnam. We are confident the product on our store shelves is not harmful when used
as directed on the label.
Bio Spot for Cats One-Step Statement
Farnam Companies has reintroduced Bio Spot(r) for Cats One-Step, after
voluntarily discontinuing production in 2005 while we investigated
unexpectedly high reports of adverse reactions during the product's
introductory period. We worked quickly and thoroughly to resolve this
issue. The remediation process involved making specific manufacturing
changes to meet Farnam's high quality control standards and to ensure
they will continue to be met in future production. With the confidence
that Bio Spot for Cats One-Step has helped hundreds of thousands of cats
remain free of fleas, whose blood meal bites can create health problems
such as dermatitis and anemia, the product was put back into production.
Farnam takes all reports of adverse reactions very seriously and submits
them to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for assessment of
unusual trends. Bio Spot(r) for Cats One-Step has a proven record of
safety and efficacy, including years of rigorous testing prior to
approval and registration by the EPA.
Farnam stands behind the safety of Bio Spot for Cats One-Step, and we
are confident in returning this product to store shelves. It is
specifically formulated for use on cats and should not be used on other
pets. Likewise, products formulated for dogs should never be used on
cats as their active ingredients may cause adverse reactions for
felines. We guarantee all Farnam products 100 percent when used as
directed. As with any animal health product, it is always important to
carefully follow label instructions and consult your veterinarian if you
have any questions. Farnam remains committed to providing high quality
products for animals and the people who purchase them.
Barany Chittenden 5/30/06
Product Care Specialist
Store Operations
PETsMART
Ext. 2271
Farnam states that Bio Spot for Cats One-Step has a "proven record of safety". They introduced this product in April, 2005 and discontinued it in August, 2005 after receiving many reports of adverse reactions, including several deaths in cats. Where is the proven record of safety?
According to the label information on Bio Spot for Cats One-Step, it states:
"Do not get this product in your cat's eye's or mouth. Do not apply more than once every 30 days. Use
only on cats. Do not bathe pet within the first 24 hours after product has been applied. Households with more than one cat should not allow cats to groom each other until solution has dried."
The label does NOT say what would happen if a cat happens to ingest the product while grooming, but I think it would be very difficult to stop cats from grooming each other, or from grooming itself in an effort to remove the product (which will inevitably occur if a cat dislikes the odor of the product, or if the product is irritating to its skin).
Time will tell if the reintroduced Bio Spot for Cats One-Step is safer than the previous one, however,
IF this product has the potential to seriously harm or kill cats which ingest it while grooming, it should
NOT be reintroduced.
James TerBush
***********************************************************************************
Our 7 month old American Water Spaniel had picked up a 2nd tick in 2 days and we bought the Hartz drops and applied them as instructed. The next day she would not eat and and vomited 5 times. After searching on the internet I found enough to warrant giving her a bath and scrubbed her very well. The next day she was better but still would not eat much. By the third day she was back to normal. There is no doubt what caused it. Is there anyone who has tried any of the natural flea and tick repellents and do they really work. I do not know what would have happened if I had searched the internet.
Tom 5/31/06
***********************************************************************************
Ok, Who out there has had a dog poisoned by Frontline Plus? If so, how were the neurological symptoms treated and what was the recovery? I can find info on toxicology of this product but nothing on treatment. It is as if no one wants to talk about the dirty nitty gritty on a product that is making so much money for Merick and some vets. My dog is a full throttle,90 mile an hour fox terrier. UNTIL, he met Frontline Plus last week. Now he has serious neurological problems. He can will only walk,head and tail down. CONSTANTLY!!
He is uncomfortable laying down. Sometimes when I try to get him to lay down his limbs are stiff as a board. His walk is very stiff and stilted. He shakes uncontrolled at times. He has had trouble drinking although he
appears very thirsty. He has not barked once since the problems started. He is obviously going on overload with too much stimulus so we are keeping the house dark and quiet. He had Frontline Plus applied on Friday evening He was itching and licking like crazy by late night so I bathed and gave him
Benedryl. Sat Am. He was a whole new dog..and it was NOT GOOD. We promptly visited the Emergency Vet clinic who said dogs don't get poisoned by Flea products. They thought he had a neuro problem due to his age- he is 12. (NOT old for a terrier). They gave him fluids and a muscle relaxer. We then visited our regular vet 1 ½ days later. He also did not think it had to do with the product.looked up in PDR they can have 5X applied to them and still be ok. I think the dog ingested it because it was applied to his cat buddy
at the same time and I caught dog licking cat later in evening. Nothing in PDR about ingestion. However, I found Toxicology reports on Fipronil and it totally describes the problems my little Oscar is having. One vet looked at me like I had rocks in my head and was from Mars or something... The fact of the matter is Oscar was totally normal playing with the kids and a few hours after the Frontline application he was seriously messed up. Neither vet could find anything wrong or explain his symptoms. His blood/urine workups
are completely normal. He sees his vet every 6 months and has been very healthy. I want to know what needs to be done to help my little friend.
Margo 6/1/06
Thanks for taking the time to repond, it made me feel better. We had a very bad night last night. I took highlighted copies of the toxicology reports and Aussie report to my vet this A.M. and he definitely took it seriously at this time. He has contacted the poison control, EPA, Merial, and the Pharmacologist who
wrote the Vets PDR book. Oscar is now hospitalized and getting IV fluid, muscle relaxers, anti-seizures medication, and pain killers. If he is going to pull thru I have full confidence that my vet will do it for him at
this point. I will let you know the progress for future reference. By the way, Merial did deny any repercussions in mammals to the vets office. It did not bode well with my vet as he was reading my paperwork at the time of the call!
Margo 6/1/06
I wanted to let you know that our Oscar lost his battle today. My family fully believes that Frontline plus killed him. I will send you further details at a later point, it's a little too sad to tell it all right now.
Margo 6/12/06
***********************************************************************************
We used the product [K9 Advantix] last night after washing and conditioning our labrador. I rubbed about half the contents of a tube into our dog's coat and he has itched constantly until we rebathed him this morning. I washed my hands afterwards and also felt itchy. I won't be using Advantix, manufactured by Bayer, ever again. This stuff is poison.
Fred 6/4/06
***********************************************************************************
Due to your product Bio Spot Stripe-on Flea Control for Cats my 8 year old cat, Lady, suffered for 6 days before dying. She began having seizures shortly after application. I washed the spot with Dawn dish liquid two or three times and called a vet close by as mine is 20 miles away and rushed her to him. He started IV fluids and Valium. 29 hours and $491 later he called and said he thought it was best to put her to sleep. I could not accept that and pick her up and carried her to my regular vet. He tried his best to save her, but she died last night.
Since having to take her to the vet, I have checked the Internet and found that MANY dogs and cats have died from the use of Bio Spot. It makes me MAD that they do not care enough about our pets to make sure their product is safe for them. It seems that profit outweighs safety.
It will not make the loss of my dear pet any easier to overcome, but I plan on telling as many people any way I can about the harm this product has caused and keeps on causing. I also will be contacting EPA about Bio Spot.
Mrs. R.A. Arnold 6/5/06
***********************************************************************************
I have a couple of cats I treated them w/BIO-SPOT trusting in their product! An 8 MO OLD KITTEN AND
1 / 3 YEAR OLD CAT. THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES!!!! LITERALLY!!!!!!!
I put bio spot on both of them and within 20 minutes they both were seizing in my arms and my sons arms. They both were looking up to us just pleading for their life and understanding as to why THIS HAPPENED TO THEM!! They are our family and we have bottle raised each one from when they were 1-3 days old!
We love them so much and I would give anything not to have put that deadly lethal....BIO_SPOT on them!!!
They have went from the emergency clinic to the veternarian clinic. Both Veterinarians said they were familiar with the BIO-SPOT PRODUCT AND SEE THIS ALL THE TIME !!!!!!!
It has been 30 hours and they are still fighting for their lives. I can't bear to see them this way!!!!
Is there any hope?????
PLEASE HELP SOON THEY MAY NOT HAVE LONG....EVERY MINUTE COUNTS......PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!
Ann Marie 6/6/06
***********************************************************************************
Hello, my dog Riley also reacted after I applied the Biospot as directed. He started trying to bite his back, rolling around on the floor whining in pain and discomfort. Then he started acting really hyper! He was running around the house, jumping up on the beds and furniture running down the hall at breakneck speed, etc. I decided he was having a problem and so I got out the package and it said if you suspect a reaction give the dog a bath. So I gave the dog a bath, rinsed him thoroughly, wrapped him in a towel and tried to
comfort him. He remained hyper all night, not sleeping well at all. He barked at any little noise and was still trying to bite his own back. He was still somewhat hyper this morning, not acting like himself. I am concerned about the safety of this product.
Sara 6/8/06
South Riding, VA
***********************************************************************************
I have a 1 year old pug who had a very severe reaction to Advantage. About 36 hours after the application he was paralysed for about 12 hours. I was very scared and would have taken him to the emergengy room
if there was one near us. I waited until morning and he was finally able to stand. He could not move his bottom half and when I would stand him up he would fall. I bought 160.00 dollars worth of Advantage for
him and my 4 month english bulldog. She did not seem to have a reaction. I called the vet to see if I could return the Advantage, they gave the refund but were very hesitant to link the temporary paralysis to the product. They even asked me why I would want to return the Advantage for the unaffected dog. I think my puggy is ok now but I will never use insecticides on my babies again.
Thanks for the website.
Amber 6/8/06
Bayer claims that Advantage does not get into the bloodstream, but your dog's paralysis indicates otherwise.
James TerBush
***********************************************************************************
Just thought I would let you know. I have a one year old Shih Tzu That I applied Bio spot to on Tuesday the 6th of June and he has not been the same and we are on day four. He is growling attacking his backend crying all the time and hiding in his kennel. We can not get him to go outside. I took him to the emergency room and they said it was just a reaction. The following day he was no better so I took him to our vet who could not find anything wrong. I am very worried about my dog and do not know what to do. Do you have any suggestions?
Angel 6-9-06
***********************************************************************************
I own 9 beloved dogs. I came across your website tonight, with the many accounts of the horrible damage Bio Spot has done to people's pets.
You may already have done this, but the first thought that occurred to me was, "I should contact '60 Minutes'."
Have you ever contacted them (via the CBS website)?
I will do so this weekend. Maybe if you put a call out to all the readers of your webpage to write the producers at "60 Minutes" (and include their email address), the program would find it worth their time to investigate further. You have gathered so many testimonials--that would have to catch the attention of their producers.
Just a thought, anyhow... Thanks for providing your website to warn other pet owners.
Alejandro 6/10/06
***********************************************************************************
What a scary evening! We applied the Hartz 4 in 1 Advanced Care Flea & Tick Drops Plus+ as per the instructions to our Yorkshire Terriers tonight, Bonnie & Max. The product was purchased appropriately according to their low weight. They IMMEDIATELY started reacting to the application. They just lay down and would not react to our voices or touch. They would not even lick our hands or want their toys. I immediately searched the internet for information on other similar reactions to these types of chemicals. We were soooooo glad and fortunate to come across this website in time! After reading only a few of the stories we immediately bathed them to clean and rinse off these toxins. We hope that we were able to avoid any further adverse reactions and damage to our precious family member pets. So far, so good! We will be watching them throughout the night to be sure they remain in good health. Thank you for posting all the horrible stories of suffering and loss. We are sad for anyone and their pets who have experienced this type of unbelievable and avoidable pain. The ingredients for this product are: Phenothrin-85.7%,
S - methoprene-2.3%, Other Ingredients-12% (wonder what they are?). We will be in contact with Hartz first thing in the morning when their office is open!!!!! We wanted to post our story so others could be informed and warned.
Thanks for networking so effectively.
Debbie and Jenelle 6/10/06
Phoenix, AZ
***********************************************************************************
Hi... last night i accidently grabed my dogs bio spot and put it on my cat, Buddy, hes at the vets office right now, not doin so good. im hopin hes ok i dont know if ill ever forgive myself if anything happens to him hes our baby. i feel so bad. from what everyone has been saying i will not use bio spot anymore... i know it was my mistake but i dont like what im hearing for my dog, Harley's sake. i will try the natural way and am trying to convince my mother to try the same with her dogs. i was hoping i would find someone else who has
wrote about this on the internet so i could help my vet out she doesnt know what else she can do besides muscle relaxers and time? please if anyone knows anything let me so so i can tell her? thanks...
Sallie 6/11/06
im happy to report that my cat is 100% back to normal! my vet bill was only 160 dollars its not bad for saving his life! im happy! im returning the un used bio sport for my money... and ill be happy! we think what helped save his life is because he is over weight! and it was the puppy bio spot! i just want others to know my horrible mistake!
Sallie 6/20/06
***********************************************************************************
I just got through reading your website and about your Hamish. I hope he is doing well. I have a multiple pet family, 2 male Italian Greyhounds and my 13 year old female cat, whom I took off the streets when she was only a few weeks old. She has been treated with bio spot for the past few years, usually only 1 or 2 a season as well as the dogs. I also purchased it because it was affordable. Last week was time to treat everybody. In the rush to get the 3 of them done, I put Bio Spot for DOGS, on my girl. I grabbed the wrong tube! The reaction didn't come until the next morning, about 12 hours after application. I was watching her from the window and she didn't look "right". So, being over protective and totally nuerotic about my pets, I continued to watch her. I thought she was losing her sight. She first walked into a fence picket. Then, her movements became erratic and apprehensive. When I ran to get her, she was shaking. Something told me to get her to the vet. Just as I arrived at the vet, she starting seizing. It took almost 2 hours to get the seizures under control. She wasn't out of the woods for 72 hours though. And we don't know if there is any permanent damage yet. I can't tell you the guilt I will live with for a long time for my mistake. But if I had known the possibilities about this product, it would never have been in my home. I've already contacted the EPA but didn't hang up feeling any better. There is actually an EPA Reg Number on the tube. But no warning label. I will put Hamish in my prayers.
Karen 6/12/06
Just thought I would update you on what's going on here. First, Boots is doing excellent. Even the vet is surprised. He informed me the other day, (which he said he saved for now) that he hasn't seen any success stories in his hospital. He then kissed her on the head and said she's his new mascot. Second, Sherri Pike hasn't returned my call as of yet. I have left her 2 messages since you sent her number. I'm going to give her till the end of the day, before I ask for her boss. This will probably roll over until Monday, but I'd love to start their week off with a boom from me. Hope Hamish is doing good as well as you and yours. I checked out Steve Brogdon's website and cried my eyes out this morning along with more stories on your site. Thanks for adding mine. Something has to be done. This is making me sick to my stomach. The fact that it is happening right now somewhere is heartwrenching. I'll keep you posted. I'm wondering if getting Farnam to pay my $2000.00 vet bill is the way? I have to make a decision. Thanks in advance for everything.
Karen 6/16/06
I just came across this press release from the makers of Zodiac flea and tick control products (which are similar to Bio Spot) and thought you would like to see it:
It shows you that using the wrong flea control product on cats is a huge problem in the industry that "previously has not been adequately addressed." They are just now trying to do something about it, but what is Farnam doing? The tubes that Farnam uses for Bio Spot for Dogs and Bio Spot for Cats are
IDENTICAL in size, shape, and color. The only thing which distinguishes them is a .25" x 1.25" label with writing too small to read.
Since Farnam has chosen to not adequately address the problem, they should not have a problem reimbursing vet bills which resulted from using Bio Spot for Dogs on cats by mistake.
James TerBush
***********************************************************************************
Thank you for having a message board so that dog owners everywhere can see that this problem is happening all over, even to the most careful dog owners.
My Bandit is a 2-yr-old, healthy Papillon (he weighs 13 pounds) and I've given him Frontline Plus all this time. I like the product, but it's only drawback has been that it doesn't kill all of the ticks (but it does kill most of them) or prevent them from latching on. This spring has been a really active one for ticks in my area of Central NJ and last weekend poor Bandit and I got bitten by ticks while on a hiking trail and despite our taking precautions. He had 30 ticks on him that I was able to remove (I don't wait for Frontline to do its stuff, I start removing any ticks I see right from the minute we get home).
Because this seemed like a very bad season, I considered switching to K9 Advantix because it is supposed to "repel" as well as kill ticks. The repellant aspect was what appealed to me. Since it was a liquid that is applied topically just like Frontline, it seemed like a simple swap to me. This weekend, Bandit was due for his monthly Frontline, but this time I used the K9 Advantix appropriate for his weight.
I applied it at 7:30am on Saturday, and within two hours, Bandit was scratching and itching and biting his tail area non-stop. He does NOT do this with Frontline. I thought maybe it would pass...so I watched closely for a bit, but instead it got worse. Then his back foot started kicking involuntarily when he was laying down, which he suddenly wanted to do ALOT. I took a washcloth, saturated it with water and began to put water on the area where I put the drops, hoping to dilute the forumla.
The box of the K9 Advantix had a customer service hotline AND a "Medical Emergency" hotline listed. I called the Medical Emergency one and got a recording from Bayer (the makers of Advantix) saying that all operators were busy with customers but to leave my name and number and someone would get back to me "as soon as possible." I explained the situation on the voicemail tape and mentioned the twitching of the back legs, which was just starting to happen. No one called back.
I waited for a call back for about 20 minutes, then took Bandit out for his regular bathroom break and he could barely walk! He was hunched over like he had to poo and was basically barely waddling. He seemed unable to use his back legs normally.
Well, that was it. I called the nearest emergency animal hospital (this was a Saturday, so no vets in the area had office hours). They told me to wash Bandit with anything I had handy, even if it was dishwashing detergent, and to bring him in. I did just that and got Bandit to the hospital in about 40 minutes (it was far away).
Luckily, the vet on duty examined Bandit thoroughly (rectal temperature, checked his gums, anal sacs, muscles in the hind legs) and thought he could go home under observation. At that point, after the bath, Bandit seemed able to stand more securely on his back legs but he was still acting oddly. Bandit is now with our regular vet (which the animal hospital faxed the results of the exams to) and being evaluated for improvement and whether there will be any lingering neurological damage.
Meanwhile, the people from the Bayer (makers of K9 Advantix) "Emergency Medical hotline" called me back at 9:30am MONDAY morning. I had called them in a panic on SATURDAY afternoon. Well, I was just livid. I told them what I thought of their "emergency medical hotline" and also what had happened to Bandit. Basically, they acted surprised about the reaction Bandit had to Advantix and apologized for the response time. Sorry, it was unacceptable (not that they care).
Do you or anyone know how to apply for reimbursement of the vet bills related to this incident? Also any way to lodge a formal complaint against the company? Today, I have taken your suggestion and emailed my state's pesticide control organization as well as the national EPA.
Thank you for your time and your help.
Linda 6/12/06
***********************************************************************************
I have 2 chihuahua's. I normally use frontline and usually have purchased online. However I had been busy and kept forgetting. So I ran into Petsmart and tried to purchase. They were out. So I spent a great deal of time in the OTC aisle and settled on Biospot. BIG MISTAKE. My 1 year old, Penny, was running around like she was on fire all day. The little 5 month old was clearly uncomfortable but not as much as Penny. I felt horrible. I did call my vet who said to bathe in Dawn and give Bennadryl. I am now shocked after seeing all the complaints that this has not been pulled off the market. At the very least it should be prescribed and used under vet supervision. It is not for general public use. I am going to keep a close eye on my animals and hope they have no further reactions. I will also warn severely anyone considering purchasing not to do so.
Michelle 6/12/06
***********************************************************************************
I recently used a flea product on my miniature poodle, Zodiac Spot On Flea and Tick Control for puppies, toys and miniatures. My dog had an adverse reaction that I have not been able to relieve him of. He is obviously uncomfortable, trying to bite his skin (application site), rolling to scratch the area, behaving anxiously and easily agitated. I have given him a bath and applied copious amounts of water, and after 3 days he is still uncomfortable. He doesn’t have any other symptoms, obvious skin rashes or lesions so I don’t think I need to take him to the vet. Do you have any suggestions to relieve his discomfort?
Melissa 6/16/06
Redmond WA
***********************************************************************************
Our Bichon almost 12 months old had a very disturbing reaction to Advantix....
Is there an alternative flea and tic control?
Shantha 6/19/06
Thanks for the prompt reply. It was very difficult to find others with similar problems, on the web, which I find surprising...
I am thankful to your website. I am positive this must be more prevalent than it seems...our dog almost
went mental...
Unfortunately I have purchased a two years supply. I will visit your website to look for alternate treatments.
Shantha 6/19/06
I read most of the messages on your site. The information contained therein...it is hard to place a
value on it. Thank you for what you do.
Bayer help line was useless...one of denial and the person refused to credit the unused portion of
the Advantix, since I had purchased it from an internet site, the internet vendor agreed for partial reimbursement. However when I called my vet...he agreed to reimburse for all the leftovers...put me
in touch with his Bayer rep who was a lot more helpful. He mentioned that they have had similar
reports, in about 5% of the cases.
Bottom line is even though Bayer and the Vet. community are well aware of the problem, no one will
ever put a warning label on the product, since this will cost millions of dollars, and some vets recommend this drug without a verbal warning.
The vet and Bayer rep. now tell me Advantage and Frontline are a lot safer.
For now I will prefer the tick bites, since the alternative is slow poisoning of my dog.
I read of the same symptoms on other dogs, described by the owners, on your site.
Disorientation, loss of appetite, loss of bladder control, a phase of psychosis, unbearable suffering
(of owner and pet)...surely all these cannot be the result of dermal tingling.
Thank You again
Shantha 6/22/06
It was very good of your vet to offer to reimburse you for the unused amount, and to put you in touch with his Bayer rep. I am shocked the rep said that 5% of Advantix customers have reported adverse reactions. That's a huge amount. How many more have experienced adverse reactions and never suspected that it might have been caused by the Advantix (even if they had suspected and reported it, Bayer would try to convince them that it was not caused by the Advantix).
K9 Advantix has the same pesticide and the same amount as many of the over-the-counter flea products (which vets have discouraged people from using for years). It's no surprise that Advantix customers have reported the same type of symptoms in their dogs as many of the OTC customers have reported. What is surprising is that some veterinarians "prescribe" it without any mention of possible side effects.
James TerBush
***********************************************************************************
I have 2 dogs. Rocco is a 130 pound rottweiler and Bo is a 100 pound
lab/boxer mix. Both had fleas so today my dad and I applied SEARGEANT"S
BANSECT squeeze on flea and tick control for dogs. (Bansect has 45%
Permethrin) I thought it would be ok since it says it's for dogs up to 33
pounds. Well my Rottweiler started rolling on the grass crying like he was
irritated so we went to give him a bath to wash it off. Once we got him in
the house he LAID LIMP on the floor not moving. We tried picking him up but
he was just completely limp and staring into space not responding. He sort
of snapped out of it and we quickly got him into the bathtub and washed him
off with soap and water. He seems to be ok now but I'm very worried after
reading that seizures can happen hours later. My other dog didn't have a
problem but we washed him too.
I had a cat about ten years ago that went crazy after giving him a flea dip.
He didn't have seizures but he was running around crying and trying to cram
himself into a drawer that was only open about 2 inches. He was a very
lively, talkative cat but after the flea dip he was never the same. He just
laid around the house and looked sick. I still feel bad to this day. I agree
that this stuff shouldn't be sold. You don't know which animals will have a
bad reaction and there's nothing worse than poisoning your family members.
Truly sympathetic and angry,
Steph 6/19/06
***********************************************************************************
I have a 2 year old Shih Tzu named Peaches. I too used an over the counter flea medicine (Hartz) and the next morning, JUST LETTING IT SIT OVERNIGHT AND USING IT ONE TIME, my dog was so sick that she couldn't move. She was lethargic almost to the point that we thought we were going to lose her. Thankfully, we immediately washed off the flea medicine the first morning because I just had a feeling that was the problem. She was vomiting constantly and had diahrrea all day and night. Two days later, she is still not herself, although she is slowly but surely recovering. I am not sure if it has anything to do with it, but I have been having similar symptoms. This needs to STOP! I called my vet and was told that they had received several calls in regards to their pets becoming deathly ill from over the counter flea medicines that aren't even killing the fleas! The only thing we could do was to make sure it was washed off and we kept an eye on her to make sure she didn't worsen.
Someone is going to wind up losing their pet, if they haven't already, if something is not done to stop them from selling this product. AT LEAST put some kind of a warning on the packages! I read somewhere else that says there is a class action lawsuit against Hartz. Do you know if there are any other petitions or lawsuits that are pending? I'd like to get involved with that.
Michelle 6/21/06
***********************************************************************************
i have a 13 year old chihuahua in very good health. i put frontline plus on her, 2 days later she started having seizures. took her to the vet and she said at the dogs age she was having strokes. the vet said there was nothing she could do for her. my dog went from having 6 to 7 strokes a day to 1 a day now. i am not a vet but i think the frontline made her have seizures. i cant prove it but i know i will never use it again.
paula 6/21/06
***********************************************************************************
I'm so furious right now, at myself, the FDA and EPA. How could this have happened? With all of these cases just on YOUR website...they can't do anything about this? Bull****!
Here's my story. I have two wonderful Pomeranians that are children to me. Well Monday my husband and I found tics on our pups and so we got some of our biospot out, they were due for it this month, and put it on. My one dog kind of freaked out. He was ok for a couple of days and then Thursday he started twitching a lot. More like he was trying to get something that was biting him.
Well, I'll admit now I'm really stupid. I gave him a bath and then thought I should put more on. I know...stupid. But I did. Well he didnt sleep all night bless his heart. He twitched and whinned and something obvioulsy
isn't right with his back end. My other pom seems ok, but I gave them both baths on Friday. And I used conditioner to soothe their skin. I'm just worried about the next few days. Thank God I'll be home with them for at least 3 days. Do you think that is enough? I have an appointment with the vet today as well. I'll give you an update of course.
I just can't believe that this put my babies lives in danger and even now I'm so worried. Hes playing but hes not acting right....he twitches to his back end and like I said...he can't sleep. Its like he is jittery and jumpy
just like others have said. Thank God they haven't had any convulsions or foaming at the mouth. But I'm terrified....scared.....these pups are only 2 years old and they are my life! How could this have happend? Even to this second, he is whinning :( It breaks my heart that I did this to him.
Now I don't know which Flea product to use next month? I've heard bad things about everything....what do you use now?
And HOW can we get this stuff off of the market? I see it's been years since.
Jennifer 6/23/06
***********************************************************************************
I have been using Frontline Plus on my lab for 5 yrs with no problems. I use Revolution on my cat (he
won't eat the heartworm "treats") with no problems for 3 yrs. My other cat is on Frontline Plus for 5 yrs;
no problems. I hate to use these toxic chemicals but don't see a viable solution. What I have learned
from this site is that it seems every product is dangerous but that some work okay with different animals. Although I really have a hard time affording the medications that I currently use, I won't be changing to anything else for fear of some horrifiing reaction. Thank you.
Thanks for this site,
Rachell 6/22/06
***********************************************************************************
On June 19, 2005 I purchased an over the counter Hartz flea and tick product for our cat. We read
the directions very carefully and proceeded to apply the product. Within 20 minutes she was having difficulty walking. Her back legs were like rubber. We snatched her up and bathed her for about 15 minutes. The smell of the product was still there the next day. Of course it was a weekend so we
had nowhere to take her for a bath.
WE WILL NEVER USE THAT PRODUCT AGAIN. AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND
THAT NO ONE ELSE BUY IT EITHER. MY FRIENDS DOG - A SMALL TERRIER-MIX
DIED AFTER THEY APPLIED THE PRODUCT TO HIM.
Crystal 6/25/06
If I had not given her a bath when I did she would have been dead! We had to have a full blood work
done on her at a cost of $200.00. But we thank God that she is fine. Don't you wonder what these corporate big shots think, knowing that this is causing harm to our pets? It makes me wonder if they
have pets themselves. I would like to give them a big old dose of their flea/tick medication right on
the nape of their neck and see what kind of reaction they have.
Hopefully someone will read this before they think about using a Hartz product. I have thrown out all
of our Hartz products including the hampster food. And I have written the EPA and Hartz asking for a reimbursement for services rendered. Does the word class action suit mean anything? Where is
Erin Brockovich when you need her.....
Thanks again for responding.
Crystal 6/26/06
***********************************************************************************
Please, Please, Please help me get this horrible product [Sergeant's Silver Squeeze On 3 Way Protection] off the shelves & similiar others.....I applied this to my very healthy ragdoll cat & followed the directions to a tee. Two hours later he was running around the house like he was on drugs, shaking, tremors, seizures, panting, he couldn't breathe.. I rushed him to the emergency pet clinic at night & thank god I got him there in time, although I don't think he will ever be the same, he is still very weak, and not eating well.. I have an appointment with my vet tomorrow...... I am writing a letter to sergeant's, and asking for compensation.. we will see how that goes, if not I may have to get a lawyer... anyway, the only ones I trust now are vet approved like, frontline & Advantage, the others have pesticides...... PLEASE GET THE WORD OUT DO NOT PURCHASE ANY SERGEANTS FLEA AND TICK PRODUCTS................. thank-you for your time..
Nikki 6/30/06
***********************************************************************************
A sad day,
I was reading through the countless number of related stories linked to the adverse affects of Biospot, and accidental use of dog formulae on cats. This happened to me just last night.
My mom decided to put bio-spot on my cat. Her eyesight is failing and she didn't think to put on her glasses to carefully read the package. The sad part of today is that there are so many counts of this travesty. I can only hope this testamonial will bring judgement to those it is aimed at. The manufacturers. It was Bio-Spot Flea and Tick control for Dogs, with 45% permethrin. Within minutes my cat began racing wildly around the house, growling at himself and licking at the area. He was lying down when my mom applied it, so he had easy access to the applied area. His mouth was hanging out and he was panting. His eyes grew large. I immediately began researching Biospot after find the tube she used. I told her she used the one for dogs on the cat. After looking on the web, I found it it was lethal. She was appalled. I told her we needed to bathe him in dish soap with luke-warm water, for hot water will cause the pores to open up and the poison to be absorbed 'more efficiently'. I am not sure whether or not I should rub him down in vegetable oil, as I saw prior one the message boards. A simple remedy like that would most likely be on all of the warning sites, no?
Permethrin is oil-based in itself. You need a degreaser to break it down. Mild dish detergent works the best. I wash him with the detergent about 15 minutes after application. He calmed down slightly, but continued to scratch at the windows, wanting to go outside. It's a natural cat instinct, if they feel they are going to die, they will go far away. He was hissing at the other animals in the house as well. He would lick the offending area, then his head would shake, and his mouth would hang open, and his tongue would loll out and he would start panting. I brought him to the emergency hospital an hour away, as it was almost midnight by the time I got there. Either the symtoms are delayed, or I was lucky, he seemed to be ok. He seemed fine on the car ride back, but he immediately ran when he got into the house and has been hiding in the closet for about 6 hours now. His eyes are extremely sensitive to light, and his legs are weak and shuddering when he sits or stands.
I don't know! Is this a sign that the symtoms are getting worse, or is it just playing it's course. My mom used a whole tube on him I think, either that or half.... I keep shuddering thinking of opening my closet door to check on him to find him lying there lifeless on the floor... I don't know what to do...
We have to find a way to get this product off the shelf.
I could have/might lose my one and only friend.
pianoforte 7/1/06
Update.
Thank you for your prompt response. 7 hours after I sent my initial post, my cat started to tremor and twitch. He showed lethargy, difficult walking and shortly thereafter had a seizure which involved him flailing around, oddly enough when I was on the phone talking to the emergency doctor because I thought his symptoms were getting worse. I rushed to him and held on for dear life, having read all of the dangers of brain damage. I rushed him to a nearby animal hospital, where they were surprised that his syptoms took so long to develop. The first visit, the vet told me there was a 95% chance he would be fine, since 2 hours after inital application, he showed no signs of tremors. He showed signs of hyperthermia, open-mouthed breathing, and general irritability. After 2 hours at the hospital, he now has a catheter and IV for fluids, and has had medications to stop him from seizing up and tremoring. "We're not out of the woods yet." But they feel that there will be no severe complications. Along with the misleading initial visit, and now the overnight treatment, I'm looking at a 1000$ bill. This hurts incredibly, since me and my mother are both on a fixed income. I intend on doing my best to contact the correct individuals to do my best to right this wrong.
I've never been so scared in all of my life, looking over while on the phone to a vet, and seeing my cat's body twisting and flailing uncontrollably. We have to stop this...I just don't understand,.. This should be on the media. Or at least be PRESCRIPTION treatment, not over the counter. Thank you again for the information!
pianoforte 7/1/06
***********************************************************************************
I have 6 dogs currently on Biospot and all are doing well. Two of them seem to "go a little nuts" right after putting it on, but that does not happen all the time. I use to use Frontline but I had a bulldog that would get
black skin on her flanks and then the hair would fall out. I spent thousands of dollars trying to find out why. Well, no one could ever pinpoint anything. Here is my theory. I used Frontline and like many owners switched to Biospot due to the cost. After a year or so on Biospot, the black skin disappeared and the
hair grew back. A few years later we ran out of Biospot and the store was out of it too, so I bought Frontline again. Low and behold, a month or so later the black skin started again and the hair fell out. We had resupplied with Biospot and again after about a year the black spots disappeared and the hair was back. She has been on Biospot ever since.
So, I am not here to advocate any product over another. Just to point out that any of these products seem capable of having weird reactions on some pets. The bad thing is we can't tell which product will affect which one of our pets. I guess it is just like humans taking meds or getting exposed to things, what bothers one may not bother another.
I hope your pup continues to do well.
Gary 7/4/06
***********************************************************************************
My family includes a nine year old half lab/half boxer named Tigger. We adopted him at 6 weeks of age.
He is the most beautiful shade of brindle. Tigger has always been on a flea treatment and has never had
an adverse reaction nor an infestation of fleas. We have used both Advantage and Frontline.
However, when I went on Dr. Foster and Smith's website to order a new batch, the vets were strongly recommending that their clients try Bio Spot. They were even offering their clients a free trial. Since, they are both vets and stated they stand behind the product, I decided to give it a try.
Well, the first thing I noticed was the strong warning the product listed about cats. That cats should not even be in close contact with dogs who use their product. Since our 100lb dog is afraid of the cat who recently adopted our family, I decided to still try the product.
The first dose didn't seem to effect. So little, that within 3 weeks I found Tiggers first flea in over nine years.
I was devested! I couldn't believe it! I thought that maybe it just jumped on him from our walk, and continued with the Bio Spot. I gave him another dose and within a couple days of his second dose...Tigger came to me and kept pushing his head into me...hard. I found that he was having a local seizure. It only lasted for a few minutes, but seemed to have lasted a few hours.
I was looking into Bio Spot when I came across your web site. I admire and thank you for your web site!
I am now going to write a letter to Bio Spot and to Doctors Foster and Smith.
Lisa 4/6/06
Teacher
***********************************************************************************
I have a Corgi mix who almost died from Advantage flea control medicine. The company has given me
the run around. I have reported them to every agency that will hear me. I have two questions. Is there any resource you know of that lists the number of reactions to specific medicines? Is there any safe flea and
tick control that works? I thank you for your time and keep up the good work.
Josh 7/7/06
***********************************************************************************
I used K-9 Advantix on my boxer, after appling this to her back she would twist up like a pretzel and
walk twisted. I took her to the vet and he said that it could not be the Advantix. I took her to a specialist
in April of 06 and was told that she had neurological disorders with a spinal cord tumor. They put her
on 20 mg of prednison twice a day, then cut bact to one a day. I was told she had 3 to 5 months. She
died 3 months to the day, I had to put her down July 5, 06.
I truly believe it was the K-9 Advantix that caused this.
She was only six years old.
Donna 7/7/06
***********************************************************************************
I have just spent the last 3 days of my life with a shaking panting pacing fightned not eating or sleeping dog since I applied k9 Advantix to her. She is a little Bichon Friche and most time just the sweetest little dog. I took her back to the vet and he said it would wear off in 24 hours and that some times dogs react to this medicine in this way. He said his Lab reacted the same way and he said "what the heck is going on with her. I am a Vet and don't know what to do for her." So I trusted the vet as I stayed up at night with her and she continued to pace the floor and not eat and shake and not rubbing my leg leg like a cat now and almost falling over. 56 hours later and I find her huddled in the corner of my bathroom under the vanity. I called the
emergency Vet Hospital as my Vets office was closed and they told me to call the Animal Poison Control Center which I did. I was also told that there was a $35 charge for this non profit organization to consel me. It was worth the money!!!!
We were told that some dogs react to this product in such a way as I described .......but that 56 hours was a long time for this to be going on. I was told that k9 Advantix does not penetrate their skin or go into their blood supply, but that it is an oil based product and attaches to the hair foliclies. She said that some dogs react either because it burns or it itches or they can not tolerate the smell of it. She told me to go buy some Dawn dish washing liquid and to wash her completely in tepid water and rinse her off and then to repeat the wash and the rinse. Which we did!!!!
I am happy to say that so far for the remainder of the day that she is doing ok.......very very tired, but not pacing and panting and shaking and rolling all over the floor.
I will NEVER put this poison on my dog ever again. I do hope she is recovering because all I have been able to think about is that I did something to my dog and it is going to kill her.
Will post again if things change.
Debi 7/9/06
***********************************************************************************
I have been using Frontline for the past 2 years on my dog & did not see any adverse reaction-Last night however I decided to use Bio Spot on my darling toy poodle. Few minutes later he was restless, walking back & forth he would hide under the bed when I tried to get him out, he was very very agitated, he was breathing heavily and attempted to bite me, I have never seen that look on his face before. I was able to hold and carry him to get some ice cubes, suddenly my nose was bleeding -- I thought that maybe it was
just hot then he started running like his back was on fire. He cried would come to me then would run and hide again. I feel so helpless and didn't know what to do, so at 2AM I decided to give a shower so did I,
he feels a little better after that but still very agitated with me. While I had him in my arms I tried to search
on the possible reaction to Bio Spot & luckily I came across your site. As I read through the horror story of this terrible product, I have cried & sincerely apologized to him for the pain and misery this product & my ignorance caused. I gave him shower again @11am and I am constantly monitoring him. I haven't had any sleep but my nose had stop bleeding. Thank you for letting me share this horrible nightmare. If anyone
has a safe alternative, please let me know, my precious dog mean the world to me.
Ade' 7/8/06
***********************************************************************************
I have read the reports from people on this site and I am deeply saddened to hear what they have gone through. I am lucky to report a minor reaction (in comparison to others) to Frontline Plus. I have used over the counter Frontline on my dog, Tobey, who is a terrier mix and had no adverse reactions. I recently have moved to the UK and brought Tobey over in October. Amongst his tests and preparations, my US
vet prescribed him Frontline Plus, which apparently is a different potency to the stuff you by in the shop.
So I gave it to him in the beginning of the summer as that is when ticks and fleas are a problem and within two weeks he was showing skin discoloration and his hair was thinning in the area where the frontline was applied (between the shoulder blades). I was suspicious of the frontline but wasn't sure, so I took him to a local vet here in the UK. I asked him if it could be a combination of things, the Frontline, fox mange, sunburn, hot spot, etc, he said it was none of these and gave me some shampoo for sensitive skin and ANOTHER batch of Frontline and told me to come back in a month and if Tobey's condition hadn't
improved, we would test him for an under active thyroid. So this past Saturday, we were on our daily jog
and I got to thinking about it and it really started to irritate me that the vet was so quick to dismiss Frontline being the culprit. It is just too big of a coincidence that I applied a pesticide to my dog and now he is reacting in a negative way. So the moment we got back, I opened this new box of Frontline and read the
"undesirable effects" section. Lo and behold, the two first symptoms were skin discoloration and local alopecia! I couldn't believe it. This vet, who you assume is a professional looking out for your pets best interest, couldn't even advise us that these are in fact symptoms of a reaction to Frontline and it should be investigated further, instead he gives me another box! Another coincidence is that the Frontline costs as much as the visit. I think it's pretty clear who's "interest" this vet was looking out for! I have contacted the
vet about my findings and have yet to hear back.Thus, I have lost all faith in pesticides and chemicals for
my beloved Tobey. I will now look into homeopathic treatments to aid any condition from now on and I
urge others to do the same. Furthermore, if I come across any that are effective I will post them to this
site.My heart and thoughts go out to the people who have had problems with these topical solutions. Our animals mean so much to us and we think we are doing the right thing, even told we are doing the right thing, by subjecting our beloved pets to unnecessary doses of pesticides. I can't even begin to fathom
what the victims of bio-spot must be going through. I'm just very lucky our complications were less serious.
With great concern and dissatisfaction,
Sarah 7/10/06
Sussex, UK
***********************************************************************************
Doing some research on dogs having seizure problems. We have a 3 y/o Husky who out of the blue
started having seizures. About $3,000.00 later and keeping a journal we noticed that 1-2 days after applying Frontline he would have a episode requiring IV and all the bells and whistles that the vets
throw in. We stopped the Frontline and it now has been 2 months without a seizure. We know this
isn't long but to us it's a lifetime.
Dave 7/10/06
***********************************************************************************
How do I report an adverse reaction to a flea control product?
Please contact the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at 1-800-858-7378, seven days a week excluding holidays, from 6:30 AM to 4:30 PM Pacific Time - or fax them on (514) 737-0761 - or email them at npic@ace.orst.edu. Also report the adverse reaction to the manufacturer of the product by calling the phone number listed on their packaging.
I would also report it directly to the U.S. EPA by contacting:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pesticide Programs (Mail Code 7509C)
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20460
***********************************************************************************
If your dog had a severe adverse reaction to Bio Spot Flea & Tick
Control (or any similar product), or if you have found a safer way to
control fleas & ticks, please let me know.
