Update 5/25/07: Hamish has not had ANY seizures since we stopped using Bio Spot
5 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.
**********************************************************************************
I came across your website and have been amazed at how many dogs have had such serious reactions
and how many companies deny their products having anything to do with it.
In September of 2006 I applied Advantix to my 3 Samoyeds. I've never had a problem with it before so I
wasn't really concerned. I worked in a vet clinic that sold it and was confident that it would be fine to use.
Two of the dogs were fine and had no reaction. One of them was 3 years old and had never had a problem with Advantix. The other was 6 months old and I had put Frontline Plus on her the 2 previous months. The
3rd dog was also 6 months old and I had been applying Frontline Plus without a problem. This was the
first dose of Advantix and with the more I read I am certain he had a reaction to the Advantix. Within a
week of applying Advantix on him I woke up to him banging around in his crate. I called his name but he
didn't stop. By the time I was able to get up and get a light on the banging had quit but he was foaming
at the mouth. I assumed it was a seizure but it was hard to tell because he got up and seemed fine. I took
him to work with me and we drew blood to check everything out. While we were finishing up the tests he
had a seizure. My vet sent us to see a neurologist. The neurologist could see nothing wrong with him and
all his bloodwork was fine. At the time I didn't even think about the Advantix. He diagnosed my dog with epilepsy and put him on Phenobarbital. Since my dog had two seizures in such a short period of time
and at such a young age he said it would be difficult to control even with the medication and that we
would still see seizures.
The following day we washed my him, still not thinking about the Advantix, but just because he needed
a bath. He has gone 6 months completely seizure free and we haven't applied Advantix (or any other flea products) to him or the other dogs. We are currently in the process of weaning him off the Phenobarbital. Neither of the other dogs, who are his litter sister and his mother, have shown any signs of seizures.
Brandy 3/31/07
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On Monday 3/26/07 after my daughter had given our rat terrier a bath I put Bio-Spot on him...these
dogs are hyper dogs but within an hour after putting this stuff on he seemed to be more hyper..Tuesday morning at 4:00 am my husband woke me up and our terrier was having trouble walking on his right front
leg and seemed to be in a daze..we bathed him and watched him all day.... by that afternoon his back
leg on the right side was also effected..we took him to the vet, they ran test and kept him overnight...all the labs and x-rays came back normal..we picked him up from our vet on Wednesday and brought him home..
his whole right side was paralyzed...he did not eat or drink anything for 2 days...he is able to stand now
and is eating and drinking but his right front paw buckles under when he walks and his back leg extends straight out most of the time even when he sleeps..we also have noticed his breathing is not quite right..
we are taking him in again tomorrow to the vet.
I am in the process of writing this company about this product and have relayed to numerous folks the
effects of this product and possibly all of the products that pertain to flea and tick control of pets.
Thank you for this site and hopefully someday the people who make this stuff will wake up.
Ginger 4/2/07
Arkansas
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James - I have posted to your website before. I recently lost my Beagle and I truly believe K9 Advantix
led to his demise. Since having to put him down in November I still check your website and follow the
new messages being posted. It is so heart breaking to read the messages, old and new, where the
pet's seizures led to a diagnosis of epilepsy and how many stopped having seizures as a result of
stopping the monthly deadly dose. They come to the conclusion it is epilepsy when no other cause is
found through testing, bloodwork, etc. It's time the vets at least put this flea and tick medication, as
well as others, in their equation when trying to determine the cause of the disorder. It is so frustrating
that this can continue to be sold without some very serious warnings on the product. I realize there are
animals out there that will have little or no reaction but there are so many that do and, believe me, I can
only say to those that think these products are good for their pets and have had no reaction to them and
think that those of us who blame these products don't know what we are talking about, well you are one
of the lucky ones!.
We were so lost and lonely after losing Hunter we just adopted a rescue beagle and so far he is doing
well. We are going with the more natural products for fleas and ticks for this guy and will never again put
any pesticides on another pet. I decided to post another message because it is so sad that your web site
is just growing and growing with new messages every day from pet owners experiencing such sadness
and my heart goes out to every one of them.
Donna 4/2/07
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Here is an old effective way to control fleas.
I ran across this when I was looking for a non chemical way to control fleas. (I GOT sick NEAR the
old flea collars and was chemically intolerant to sprays and shampoos). So I went to the agriculture department and checked their files before 1946 to find this - the use of a flea light.
I suggested it to Judy B. who had tried lots of other methods and spent a lot of money but found this to
be the most effective ;o)))
Try the safe soapy water and light bulb flea controller. Hang light bulb 1 foot above a low container
(about a foot wide and 2-3 inches deep and with at least 1 inch of soapy water in it.) Just need a few
drops of soap to break water tension on water surface.
It is moved around about 5 feet a day or have several and the fleas jump to the light (heat) and fall in
the soapy water (very old method of getting rid of fleas)
Best places indoors is within 5 feet of where your pet sleeps and you sleep, rather they drown in the
bowl than the dog getting bit.
Remember that fleas are not found in your driveway gravel or in the open. The larvae do not survive
high temperatures. They are found in shaded areas, like under porches, decks, car ports, at the
edges of woods, and especially in places where your pets lay down outdoors.
Works very well :o))) It was suggested on one of my lists that you put it in a wire crate to keep the
other animals out of it.
Louise 4/11/07
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While I agree that Bio Spot is a dangerous chemical and ineffective pesticide that should not be used
on pets the prescription products that are used on pets are very safe (if used according to instructions)
and have been extensively studied in cats and dogs. The studies are VERY thorough, include hundreds
of animals, and are tested at very high doses. This being said these products may not be ideal for
everyone which is why they are prescription products. It is also important to keep in mind that there are FATAL diseases transmitted by fleas and ticks. Some of these diseases can be transmitted to people,
for example the bubonic plague which is endemic to the South West United States. I would also like to
point out that I have seen many toxicities from "natural" remedies such as chrysanthemum oil and garlic
pills.
My bottom line is that fleas are more dangerous to you and your pet than prescription flea controls. I understand that some animals will experience adverse reactions but this is true for any treatment. If you
must seek a natural remedy always consult your veterinarian first, just because something is natural does
not mean it is safe.
I would also like to add that if you see an adverse response to a prescription product you should report it
to the FDA not the EPA.
Jenny Bennett 4/11/07
Western University of Health Sceinces
College of Veterinary Medicine
DVM 2008
Thank you for taking the time to write. It's important for people to know that fleas and ticks can transmit diseases. It's also important for people to know that just because a product is natural does not mean
that it is safe. However, I do not believe that prescription flea control products should be regarded as
"very safe".
Most of these so-called prescription products (Advantage, K9-Advantix, Frontline, Frontline Plus) are available only through veterinarians as the result of a marketing strategy, not because of FDA regulation.
In fact, the products I just mentioned are NOT regulated by the FDA. They are registered as pesticides
(just like products used to control termites, cockroaches, and rodents) and are regulated only by the
EPA. Here is a link to the FDA's website which explains which products are and are not regulated by
them:
If someone decides to use a pesticide product to control fleas and ticks, regardless if it's purchased
over -the-counter or from a vet, they should be made aware of the signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning, seek veterinary care immediately if they suspect that an adverse reaction has occurred,
and report the incident to the manufacturer and the EPA.
James TerBush
***********************************************************************************
I used the Sergeants Gold Flea & Tick Squeeze-On for Dogs on 3 of my dogs on 4-8-07. Right after
I applied the product, my youngest, Sasha (who is 2 years old), started scratching, crying, and running
around like crazy. I immediately bathed her as it said on the package. I also bathed the other 2 (Gizmo,
5 years old & Lil Red, 6 years old) who were starting to show the same signs as the first. I called the emergency number on the package & got busy signals every time. As it was Easter Sunday, I couldn't
find a vet close by. So, I got on the internet & found your site. From information I read, I did all that the
other "Victims" had used on their pets to try & save them. I spent the next 10 hours trying to keep Sasha
alive (She was having the most trouble, including breathing trouble), and keeping the other 2 comfortable.
All 3 survived, thank goodness, and your website. After a few days, many oatmeal baths, Benedryl, and vitamin E oil later, Sasha & Lil Red are recovering nicely. Gizmo, the smallest of the 3, now has about a
2 or 3 inch sore on his back where the drops were first applied. I am sending you the pictures of him. I
am hoping the antibiotics will heal this up soon. Meanwhile, I am doing everything I can to make it up to
my 3 babies that I almost killed them trying to save money. But, thank you for your website, and thanks to others who told their story so that I could use that information to save these babies. And I hope that my
story may save another pet lover from the same mistake that I made. And by the way, I used the formula
for 9-20 pounds. Gizmo is 9.2 pounds, Sasha is 10.6 pounds, and Lil Red is 15 pounds.
Krystal 4/18/07
Just wanted to let you know that my 3 dogs, Sasha, Lil Red, & Gizmo are recovering very well. Sasha &
Lil Red seem to have no lasting effects from the poison I put on them. Gizmo still has a wound on his
back, but I have been giving him his antibiotics & using Vitamin E oil on the wound. It is healing better
than expected. (Thanks to a story I found on your site about using it). I did contact Sergeants, and got a
reply telling me about a reaction form they want me to fill out. And how "Very Rare Reactions Are In
Using Their Products". Yeah,right. Rare would be if one out of three of my dogs had a reaction. Not
all three. I also sent my information to the EPA. I am enclosing an updated picture of Gizmo's wound,
taken 10 days after using the product on him. And one showing all three of my babies as they are
today. Thank you again for your help.
Krystal 4/20/07
***********************************************************************************
I have a 114 lb Great Pyrenees that I put Frontline on for the second time one month ago. He has been anorexic and having diarrhea since then. He has lost 10 lbs in the past month. I have had him to the vet numerous times to no avail, on two courses of antibiotics and finally took him to the University of Florida
for a workup. They were not able to find anything either. They offered to do abdominal surgery and take biopsies to further try to diagnose his problem, to the tune of $1800-$4500. I've already spent over
$1400 in vet bills with NO answers, so I declined that. I didn't put it all together until I saw on the calendar
that the Frontline was past due. The vet had been asking me if my dog had been exposed to any toxins,
but I just kept saying "no". I didn't even think it might be the Frontline, since I had gotten it from my vet. I
went on-line to see if anyone had reported a similar reaction to Frontline and found a whole list of things, many of them the same that my dog was experiencing. Needless to say, he will no longer be getting ANY
flea products and I will hope this is part (or all) of the problem. I feel like I have been slowly killing my dog
in order to keep him flea-free. People need to know what can possibly happen to their pets in the use of these things. I don't know for sure that Frontline caused this, but so far, everything else has been ruled out.
Pat 4/19/07
***********************************************************************************
I have been able to find no reviews or usage reports on a new product for fleas and ticks by Sergeant's.
My wife and I have five cats and have stopped using Frontline as a result of reading posts on your site, however summer is approaching and I'm afraid that a real nightmare may soon be upon us!! The product
in question is called Nature's Guardian and it is a squeeze on, monthly product. It's active ingredients
are as follows:
Peppermint Oil......................................3.0%
Cinnamon Oil........................................4.5%
Lemon Grass Oil..................................4.5%
Clove Oil................................................5.0%
Thyme Oil..............................................5.0%
Other Ingredients:
Vanillin, Isopropyl Myristate...................78.0%
The product claims to be safe for use with pets and around children and is Vet tested. It does warn
about getting the product in eyes or around the genital or anal areas. The product claims to kill and
REPEL Fleas, Ticks, and Mosquitoes with natural ingredients.
I have purchased the product but figured I'd wait until I could run this by an expert on the subject of flea
meds. It would be wonderful if a product like this was safe and even somewhat effective. Thanks for
any info you might have and keep up the good work.
Jim from Maine 4/20/07
Thank you for taking the time to write. I have not received any email in regards to Nature's Guardian,
but several people have found my website by searching for information on it.
I have read that essential oils are extremely potent substances and should NOT be used on or around
cats. Here is one website concerning it:
There are several links on my website that discuss ways to control fleas without using pesticides. I
encourage everyone to read them, and only use a pesticide product as a last resort.
James TerBush
***********************************************************************************
Thanks so much for your Web site on Biospot. I just used it on my dog (an 8 pound pomeranian)
yesterday and have had similar effects. While she hasn't had the grand mal seizures, she has
complete numbness and pain in her back two legs .... I was in the emergency vet clinic with her last
night trying to get her better. This stuff is so terrible, and I can't believe it's on the market! If something
is so toxic to cats and can give humans cancer, why would I ever want to give it to my dog??
Keep up the good work, and thanks for spreading the word about this terrible product. I'm glad your
dog is OK.
Crystal 4/23/07
***********************************************************************************
Above you can click on the link of other horror stories after people used K9 Advantix on their trusting
little guys...how I wish I had read it before purchasing it for my baby, 6 1/2 lb. chihuahua, Billy!! I went to
the vet on Monday 3/19/07, asking which of the flea medications would be best for Billy. I was convinced
the K9 Advantix would be best, because it says right on the box that it's safe for dogs and puppies 7
weeks of age and older, weighing 10 lbs and under. Steve held Billy as I applied the tube to the back of
his neck as instructed. The two people Billy trusts so deeply!! Well, the scratching slowed down, but on Thursday as Billy followed me to the kitchen, he was walking as if his front paw was caught in his collar.
As I went to get a closer look, he growled at me and then stiffened up and his legs flailed from under him!
I freaked!! He's never done anything like this before. With all of the 'poison in the dog food' nightmares,
that was my first fear, but I knew he hadn't had any of those foods and that wasn't a known symptom. I ran
to the living room to find his favorite toy, 'ducky' and squeaked it. Within a few minutes Billy came to me.
I took him outside and he seemed pre-occupied and didn't listen or walk straight. I called my vet and remembered he wasn't in on Thursdays. I called the vet, recommended for emergencies, I told them
about Billy's experience and that I had applied K9Advantix recently. They told me they don't carry that
flea medication and couldn't help me!! They told me to call the number on the Advantix box! I reached
'David' a 'vet tech' for Bayer, the maker of this 'poison'!! After explaining to him what had happened, he
tried to reassure me that if there was an allergic reaction, it would be a skin irritation where the tube was applied, not what had occurred. I hung up, but still knowing something was wrong, I called my baby's
groomer. She told me to wash him in Dawn dish soap right away. I was too upset and asked if they could
do it, they told me to bring him right in. Finally, someone who cared!! Brenda, the groomer at our Pet Authority, was awesome! She gave him a real good bath, I bought him a new collar, as not to have any
of the chemical that was on his old collar touch him and we left for home. It's now Monday 3/26/07 and
Billy just isn't himself. When he's sitting or standing, he sways and wobbles and reminds me of a human
with Parkinson's. When he lifts his leg to pee, he loses his balance and has to regain it. He's not as
trusting of me (go figure) anymore, and it tears my heart out! Last night I cried and cried, wanting my Billy back! I cried harder thinking how much worse it could've been had the groomer not come through for us!
I have since gotten online and was stunned to learn of other horror stories involving K9 Advantix (above
link) Today I have an appointment with our vet. I'll let him know the reason when we get there! I want him
to see for himself what a product he's sells in his office can do! I called the Bayer company today, oh,
they are in such denial and quite rude. They said my vet should contact them if he finds a problem, like I,
the customer who is always 'wrong' , can't be trusted! They told me my vet would refund my money for the remaining 'poisonous' tubes. HA, we'll see! If Menu Foods can do a recall for bad dog food, then Bayer
should do the same!! Today I saw the cute little yellow lab puppy 'singing~"ain't no fleas on me"' Kind of makes you think it's a safe product, huh?! Time to have that commercial removed from television!! I can't
do it alone! Where do I start?! Sorry so lengthy...helps me deal with my anger~~and guilt!
Linda 4/24/07
PS It's now 4/24/07 and Billy is back to being himself!! He's no longer swaying or wobbling, he's
intelligent and as fiesty as ever! I'm so thankful to the groomer for having the insite to bathe him so
quickly! I still haven't found the perfect solution to the flea problem, but I'll continue to look (thank you
for this site!)...I just know I won't believe that cute little singing puppy from the commercial!!
***********************************************************************************
I lost my collie in 1999 to an internal product for fleas, ticks and heartworm. It was given it to me by a
vet. I had just adopted a new baby and wanted to protect her from fleas and ticks so I put my collie on it
as the vet recommended it. Within 5 months I had to put her down. I took her to several vets and noone
could do anything. The skin reaction didn't start until after the 2nd dose and by that time there was so
much in her system that it couldn't be controlled. None of the vets would admit it was the product that
had done it. It wasn't until a search of the web that I found it. She lost her hair and skin - the bleeding,
pain, it was heartbreaking. To this day it makes me weep to think of it. I recently bought bio spot from
a catalog because it was so much cheaper than the frontline my current vet assured me was safe for my
new collie. (I've had her for 7 years and I've been using it this entire time because the vet swore up and
down that there was no problems with this product and that the other product had been corrected to be
safe for collies.) Before putting on bio spot I decided to check the web and found your information.
Needless to say the products going back and now I'm searching for something to replace the front line.
We have a tremendous problem with ticks and she was treated for lime disease 3 years ago because
I used to not use the front line in winter. Apparently ticks are out all year long even in Massachusetts.
Anyway I have to use something to ward off the ticks so for now I'll stay with the front line since she hasn't
had an adverse reaction to it. But what a nightmare! Thanks for informing folks of the truth of these
products.
Sue 4/25/07
***********************************************************************************
I used Hartz One Spot on my 12 year old poodle. The next day he started having trouble using his rear
legs and hid under my bench and didn't want to come out. I took him to my vet. Epilepsy? Watch him
and report back she said. He was a little better the second day, and by the third day he seemed fine.
Since I'd owned a poodle in the past who'd had epilepsy, I figured maybe this was a mild form of it.
The next month I put it on him again and the next day he had problems with his rear legs. Like so many
others who've written, I just didn't put two and two together.
The third month, it happened again. I finally got it! (Human's can be so smart and stupid at the same
time.) Since I'd written down the dates I'd applied it, I compared the first one with the date of my visit
to the vets. Exactly one day after. I remembered the second time happened on the Saturday I was
repairing my roof. Sure enough, I'd applied it the day before. It had taken me three times before I
figured it out, but at least I'd gotten some really good evidence. (The third time I washed it off within
15 minutes of noticing it and it only lasted two days instead of three.)
I feel very lucky that my dog was only slightly effected by the permethrin. My heart goes out to all of
those (both humans and pets) who suffered so much more.
If it happened with this frequency in humans, there would be outrage and news stories. It might just be
pulled from the market. Of course, that would be after months of denial and legal battles; but at least
the human drug companies have to pay millions to lobbyists and congress to get this much leeway.
Companion animal drug companies can pretty much do what they want. The only way we could get
any attention from the FDA was if we started eating our dogs and cats. Then at least they'd get the
same protection as cows and chickens! (My dog just informed me that that wasn't very funny and
that he's been wondering what I tasted like since the day I got him.)
O.K., I'm old and cynical. But I really do think that this site, by its very existence (and encouraging us
to write the authorities), is having a little influence on the companies.
But where this site really shines is informing pet people of the possible dangers.
Thank you!!!!
Ray 4/26/07
P.S. I don't have any kids, but if I did, I REALLY wouldn't use any of these products. (Hmm... maybe
that's a way to get the FDA to pay some attention.)
P.P.S. I've also sent this to my vet, along with this site's URL.
***********************************************************************************
I was very torn between comfort that someone else had experienced the atrocity of chemical poisoning of
our animals versus utter disgust that more animals had suffered like ours.
I have done animal rescue for more than 10 years. I have seen my share of diseases, illnesses and horrible acts that people have committed against animals. But I have never seen anything like what we experienced
on Friday April 26, 2007.
My mother-in-law has 6 dogs that she applied "Sargeant's Squeeze-On Gold Flea and Tick Drops" on. This
is AFTER she talked to the company about doseages. They began falling ill. That is where the story begins.
People, this was NOT one dog but six. SIX DOGS!!!!!!! There was not a mystery as to what happened here.
I have videotape. I am not going into much more detail other than to say we are looking at legal action. The
suffering of these animals was so pathetic and UNNECESSARY!!!!! You can email me privately for more information. DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT.
Kelli 4/29/07
***********************************************************************************
I have a 4 year old Pug and have always used Frontline with no problems. Tuesday, April 24, 2007, I used TriForce Canine Squeeze-On for 21 to 39 pounds. My Pug weighs 22 to 23 pounds. The next morning he was acting as though he was having trouble breathing and vomiting. The vomiting subsided by noon, but on Thursday he had two lesions on his back on either side of the spot where I placed the TriForce. I have been putting an antibiotic ointment and sulfodene on the spots, but they are no better. I called the hotline and they said to bath him twice with dish washing liquid. I have rinsed the spots with cold water, but looks like I am going to have to take him to the vet, because the spots really look no better.
Anonymous 4/30/07
NOTE: Several people find my website EACH DAY by searching for the side effects of Tri Force Canine Squeeze-On. This product is made by Sergeant's, and is the same as Sentry Pro XFC for Dogs and Sergeant's Gold Flea and Tick Squeeze-On for Dogs. The main active ingredients in these products is cyphenothrin (40%) and pyriproxyfen (2%). Agri-Labs and Sergeants are promoting cyphenothrin as
being "more effective" than permethrin-based flea and tick products, but "more effective" means that
it is MORE TOXIC to dogs.
James TerBush
***********************************************************************************
James, we put Frontline Plus on our daschund. She exhibited all the symptoms of neurological problems similar to your dog. This was two days ago and she still cannot walk and may have to go down. The Vets
offer no explaination nor do they want to address Frontline as a cause. What did you do to get your dog
back in normal functioning?
Lee 5/2/07
Thank You for your reply. We did call the company, and just as you said, almost verbatum, they deny it
will cause harm and does not enter the blood stream. I'll let you know how we make out, at least she is
still eating and drinking.
Lee 5/2/07
James, I wrote you a couple of weeks ago about our Daschund Sattie and Frontline. Well, she is up and about, yet still shaky, but can walk on non-slippery surfaces. The makers of Frontline do indeed deny any
toxic reaction, yet they want us to send the Vet bills for reimbursement. We'll see if they really pay. I will
never use Frontline again nor any other drops or pesticides on our pets. Thanks for your web site. It
really helped since the vet could only say put her down!
Lee 5/15/07
Just to let you know. Frontline [Merial] refused to pay our Vet expenses, but as a consolation prize,
they refunded the cost of the Frontline. We also met another person in our area who put the Frontline
on their dog. Exact symptoms and the vet told him it was a stroke, put the dog down. The dog was
only six. Frontline [Merial] denies any connection between Frontline and the symptoms. Luckily, I am
not to keen on immediately putting dogs down, and our dog has recovered.
Thank you for your web site and all your efforts. It saved our dog.
Lee 8/21/07
***********************************************************************************
I see most of the messages here are about dogs but I can't help but write about my poor cat "Baby". She
died last night after seizing for 12 hours, after an application of Feline Bio Spot. This was not the first time
I had used this product, however, it is certain to be my last. The previous applications were without effect, including getting rid of the fleas!
CBvG 5/3/07
***********************************************************************************
I wish I was contacting you for some other reason. My dog died from the overdose of bio-spot. I tried to
save him for over a month with IV's and every means possible. He eventually got his brain infected and
we could not stand to see him suffer with the siezures and loss of his senses. We put Chance to rest yesterday 5-4-2007. I would like more information to get bio-spot off the market before more pets/loved
ones die.
You can see my beloved friend on my website linked below, please say a prayer for his soul.
Grieving.... 5/7/07
I wrote to you a month ago regarding the loss of my dog Chance. I contacted Sherri Pike at Farnam and
sent them all the vet bills etc and they sent me a "Geeze sorry" letter. I was wondering if you have or had
used a lawyer in any of these cases. I would like to follow up on this. It hurts to think they are so heartless.
Renee 6/11/07
***********************************************************************************
A week ago Sunday night, we applied Frontline Plus to our border collie/blue heeler mix. She is 1 and
in excellent health. Within 30 minutes she started acting funny and we thought the medicine was dripping
and bothering her. She was trembing, crawling around on her belly and trying to get into small spaces.
She can be a bit sensitive so we thought nothing of it. By morning she was listless, somewhat
unresponsive and disinterested in us (completely out of character), not eating and just plain lethargic.
This persisted for another day before we truly began to worry. We had been at my parent's farm in the
country and she had a full day of running ect. which made us think that maybe she had pulled a muscle or
something. Day two we took her to the vet, he ran a blood work up and thought she had injured herself,
gave her a steroid shot and indicated that she would likely be better the following day. She was worse
the next day. The blood work was normal and she was not getting better. By now it is Friday night and I stayed up all night reading websites and trying to figure out what to do. Then I revisited your site and
realized that I had to get the stuff off of her. So, on Saturday am we bathed her and put about a cup of
Dawn dish soap on her. If it works on cleaning the animals stuck in the oil spills, it should work on her
was our thought. Within 10 miuntes of being out of the shower, she perked up, within three hours she
was 75% better. A totally changed dog.
I called Merial this am. and the customer service rep said, " I am have to tell you that those symptoms
don't match the side effects. I went crazy and stopped her. As if all dogs react the same way. Thank goodness for your site. I will follow up with Merial, the EPA and the local paper. Interestingly, the vet I
bought the med. from easily returned it and Merial took the lot number ect. and said they would do the
same plus to send the medical bills for review. Interesting that they would concede to consider this if
there was no potential problem on their part. Thanks again for your site. I hope others find it and can
save their pets.
Shari 5/7/07
I am happy to report that after sending in my last email I put Sadie in the shower and scrubbed her
down with Dawn dish soap. I was worried that this would cause her too much distress but decided it
was our best course action. I was right. I used about a half of a cup of dawn and scrubbed her for
about 10 minutes. Upon finishing, I was able to see a difference. In fact, within an hour, she was
heading back to being almost normal. She ran after the kids, followed us around the house and even
came to the door when I returned home from the store. It is now 2:00am and I wouldn't say that she
is perfect but she does not seem to be in a lethargic, pained, stupor. We called our vet who didn't
dismiss our claim but was skeptical initially and he agreed it sounded like the Frontline Plus. The
coincidence is too great.
We will be on the phone with Frontline on Monday morning and I intend to call the local news. People
have a right to know. The product insert should list, "if your dog seems to be reacting...." Thank you
for your information and for having a place where people can see the potential in flea and tick meds.
I know Frontline may be the least of the evils but one pet who suffers is too many. And, clearly all dogs
and cats are not the same.
Shari 5/7/07
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My coton had a reaction to his last rabies vaccine and lost a 3 inch patch of hair where he was injected. It grew back. I had given him Frontline Plus topically 3 times last year with no problem. This month I put the Frontline on for the first time this year (using less) and his back began to swell and was red. I washed it off with detergent and there was no further problem. Now my vet is suggesting giving him Sentinel. I am afraid
to do it. Have you heard anything about small white dogs or any other dogs having a reaction to Sentinel?
I am thinking about just giving garlic or garlic and yeast or other natural remedies. I am not finding any comments on this with google. except your site so far.
I have declared my house and grounds pesticide free and we only use organic fertilizers. They actually
work better than the regular fertilizers.
Nancy 5/7/07
Chicago
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My story is a repeat of most of the stories on your site. Last week I gave my 12 pound tortoise shell cat Revolution. In the morning I noticed a red and raw half-dollar size bald spot on her neck where I put the
Revolution. She has been lethargic - totally different behavior than her normal feisty behavior that earned
her the name Wack Job. She is eating, and drinking, but is not the cat she was. I have always used Advantage on her with no side effects/reactions.
Thank you for your site. And to report adverse reactions to Revolution, you need to go through the FDA
site (http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/). The active ingredient in Revolution (selamectin) is not considered a pesticide so it falls under FDA's jurisdiction.
Leslie 5/7/07
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I sincerely wish I had found your site sooner. Below is the e-mail message I sent to my friends and loved
ones after using this product on our dogs. I am just stunned there is no warning on the label - no instructions AT ALL in case your dog begins to present with symptoms. I worked for a vet for years, but it was before any of these products were on the market. The dangers of these poisons ought to be ALL OVER the internet.
Shannon Duffy
Chief of Staff / Legislative Director
State Representative Bill Zedler, District 96
512.463.0374
512.463.0364 fax
Capitol Extension E2.814
_______________________________________________________
Just some personal experience this weekend for you to pass along to all your pet loving friends.
Since we're heading in to flea and tick season, I decided it was time to treat our "girls" (Tia, a Chihuahua,
apx 9 pounds and Angel, a Cockapoo, apx. 23 pounds) with a topical flea and tick product. (You know,
those drops you put on their backs.) I have used topical treatments on both dogs in the past, and had
changed brands once already because one of the products seemed to make Angel vomit.
In hindsight, I really should have connected seemingly miscellaneous symptoms with the application of
these products, but I didn't. Well, I sure do now.
On Friday, I purchased Sentry Pro XFC for dogs 9-20 pounds at PetSmart. This is the lowest dose per
weight made by the company and there are absolutely NO warnings or contraindications ANYWHERE
on the box. Actually, the product is advertised as "safe, gentle, and effective."
"Sentry's 5-way protection kills fleas (in as little as 1 hour!), ticks (in as little as 3 hours!), mosquitoes,
flea eggs, and flea larvae. Also prevents re-infestation. 12-week supply.
Use only on dogs and puppies over 12 weeks of age. Do not use on cats. To use: Snap or cut off top
end, invert tube over dog and use open end to part dog's hair. Squeeze tube firmly to apply solution to
dog's skin as directed on the package.
12-week supply (six .10 fl. oz. tubes).
Active Ingredients:
* Cyphenothrin: 40%
* Pyriproxyfen: 2%
* Other Ingredients: 58%"
On Saturday, before running errands, I treated both dogs. I did Tia first, and since she was at the bottom
of the weight range- I did not apply the whole packet (thank goodness). Since Angel was over the weight range, she got a full packet and the rest of Tia's.
When I got home on Saturday afternoon- Kevin was outside mowing and the girls were in the house. I
noticed immediately that something was VERY wrong with Tia. She was going in circles and licking the
floor. She seemed "twitchy" and EXTREMELY agitated. A little suspicious already, I picked Tia up, took
her in the bathroom and just rinsed off the place on her back where I had applied the topical flea and tick
stuff.
Tia continued to show neurological symptoms ranging from lack of muscle control, to what I can only
describe as localized seizures. She had trouble walking, and wanted to shake (like when she's wet) with
every step. Watching her, it was like she was so miserable she couldn't decide what to do - scratch, shake,
try to walk -- She absolutely could not sit still. It was terrible.
She started vomiting every so often until she was throwing up nothing but water - which I was trying very
hard to make her drink.
When Kevin came inside, I told him what was happening with Tia. Kevin was concerned it was actually something she had gotten into in the yard - like fire ants. He had taken her outside and she had gotten way
out in the yard and Kevin went to get her when he saw her rubbing her face on the ground and stomping vigorously. We looked her over carefully and she did appear to have a red mark and swelling on one side
of her muzzle, and red marks and swelling on one of her paws.
Now thinking that perhaps it was an allergy -- I had previously been instructed by my vet how to safely give
her Benadryl-- which we did with a bit of cheese. We also decided to give her a very good bath in Oatmeal
shampoo to soothe what appeared to be bites or stings. Even the Benadryl did not let her fully go to sleep,
but she did seem to settle down and the swelling subsided. She was unable to really rest the remainder of
the evening and she did not sleep Saturday night. The vomiting did subside and she would eat small bits
of food from us and drink when water was brought to her.
On Sunday she seemed a little better, she was still disoriented, but not nearly as "twitchy." She was
exhausted from not sleeping- but clearly could not get comfortable.
After much research, I did find this site
While many of these incidents involve a product called BioSpot, it is important to note that ALL non-prescription topicals (and possible even prescription ones) can pose a serious threat to your pets.
In reading these terrifying stories, the common advice from veterinarians was immediately wash your dog
in diluted dish soap since all these products are oil based.
So on Sunday, we gave Tia another bath - this time using diluted dish soap and rinsing with TONS of water.
Sunday afternoon, Angel - who was treated at the same time, began throwing up and seemed very lethargic. These are also symptoms of treatment mentioned on the websites.
Sunday night we did get Tia to eat and she rested better, but not well. She still woke up throughout the night, occasionally shaking and panting very loudly - like her breathing was strained. The seizing and twitching
were largely replaced by incessant scratching - mostly where the product had been applied - although this could also have been due to her dish soap bath. We kept her water bowl on our night stands and made her drink throughout the night.
This morning when she was still mildly symptomatic, but much better, I called my vet to see what could be done. My vet said that there was not much more we could have done - washing her immediately is critical
and then monitoring carefully for kidney failure. In other words - make sure she is drinking a lot of water -
but make sure she is also eliminating. (In some cases, an IV can be administered to help flush the system, and medication - mostly just sedatives and some anti-seizure meds - can be administered to help ease
the symptoms. The likelihood of recovery depends mostly on the health of the dog and the exposure to the
product.) In some cases the effect is compounded as the product is used. In other words - you might use it one month - not notice minor symptoms - but then use it again the following month and get Grand Mal
seizures. The effect can be cumulative, and the neurological damage from repeated exposure can be permanent.
I am happy to say both Tia and Angel seem better as of this writing. I was even happy to see mucus in their loose stools this morning - as that is one of the signs the poison is being eliminated from Tia's little body.
The vet said we need to continue monitoring Tia closely and continue with what we were doing. If the neurological symptoms returned OR if she stopped drinking and /or eliminating - we should bring her in
immediately. If no one was going to be home, then she needed to be taken to the vet just so she could be monitored.
I asked my vet about these topical treatments in general - she said they do not recommend ANY over the counter topical flea and tick product for this very reason. She also said they even have warning signs posted in their clinic and on all the doors at this time of year because of the number of dogs they treated last season for complications (READ: POISONING) from these products.
The vet said the only topical they will recommend is Frontline, and that they really don't recommend it unless the owner just insists on a topical treatment. No topical flea and tick product should be used on a dog with
any underlying health issues or a history of seizures.
I am FURIOUS that no warning information is printed on the box and that these products are even still available. There are various lawsuits with at least 3 of these manufacturers related to these products.
Bottom line - no flea or tick preventative is worth what almost happened to our dog. Tia is still not 100%
better, but we believe she will be soon - which makes her luckier than many others.
Please, please pass it on. Do not put this poison on your pets!
Shannon Duffy
Chief of Staff / Legislative Director
State Representative Bill Zedler, District 96
512.463.0374
512.463.0364 fax
Capitol Extension E2.814
I started my Bio Spot - Consumer Alert website five years ago because I, too, was furious after my dog
almost died from it. At the time, I could find virtually no information on the Internet concerning adverse reactions caused by Bio Spot. In the last five years, over 124,000 people have visited my website - many
of whom found it by searching for information on adverse reactions to flea control products. As you have pointed out, the product labels on these products DO NOT list the signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning. As a result, most adverse reactions are never suspected or reported to anyone.
The current pet food crisis, which has led to the illness and death of thousands of dogs and cats, has
revealed to everyone what is wrong with the FDA. I believe that tens of thousands of dogs and cats are sickened or killed by flea control products each year, but it doesn't make the headlines, and the EPA has done nothing to prevent it from happening. It's pretty sad when people can't rely on their government to
protect them from tainted food and inadequately labeled pesticide products.
James TerBush
NOTE: Several people find my website EACH DAY by searching for the side effects of Sergeant's Sentry
Pro XFC for Dogs and Sergeant's Gold Flea and Tick Squeeze-On for Dogs. The main active ingredients
in these products is cyphenothrin (40%) and pyriproxyfen (2%). Sergeants is promoting cyphenothrin as being "more effective" than permethrin-based flea and tick products, but "more effective" means that it
is MORE TOXIC to dogs.
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I had a perfectly healthy 71/2 year old tabby who had never been ill and was my best friend. I had a friend watch him while I was away for 5 days. Knowing she was bringing her cat with her I mentioned I combed
out a few fleas from him. I usually used Advantage flea control and didn't have another dose for him. She bought Farnam's Bio Spot Mist and used it on him with water and a comb. That was on 04/27/07, I returned early after hearing he wasn't eating. I thought it was because there was another male cat in his domain. On 05/02/07 I found him lethargic and listless and rushed him to the Vet. A blood test confirmed his BUN level was 186 - the highest my Vet ever saw, his CREA was over 6 times normal, PHOS was double than normal. My perfectly healthy cat of 5 days earlier and best friend was in severe kidney failure. After 2 1/2 days of 24 hour emergency care with constant IV's, I had to put my boy down after his breathing started to fail and he
just had enough. That was on 05/06/07. I miss him.
He has spent alot of time with my friend's cat and the only thing different that happened was the flea bath
with Farnam's Bio Spot Mist. I didn't even think twice about having this product used on my cat, though I
wish I had. If I had researched it he would be with me today. I hope my story might save some other cats
from the horrible ordeal I had to see Oscar go through. Please email me if you have had a similar situation with this product. gr8yachts@comcast.net And watch out for our furry friends. It seems us parents are the
only one's who care.
Roy 5/8/07
Stuart FL
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I found your website researching adverse reactions to flea treatments and thought I'd share my recent experience.
I awoke last night to our 2-year old English bulldog having a serious head seizure, about 8 hours after we
had applied Frontline to the back of his neck. He has never had seizures before (and we hadn't applied
Frontline once before, over a year ago).
His seizure lasted for about one minute. We're taking him to the vet to be checked out, but they basically
said over the phone that it couldn't be a reaction to the Frontline. That doesn't appear to be the case.
Thanks for your website postings.
Andrew 5/11/07
NYC
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I live in South Texas, have 10 rescue dogs and 8 rescue cats (we live in the country. People who no longer want their pets dump them out here so the wonderful farmers can take them in and give them good homes - which we have done).
At any rate, we treat our yard (12 mowable acres) with bi-weekly flea/tick treatments such at Diatamaceous Earth and have once treated with nemotodes. We also apply Frontline Plus every 3-4 weeks, not bathing 3 days prior or 3 days after. NOTHING seems to be working this year!
We have never had a problem with ticks at all, but the fleas are out of control. There was even a news broadcast recently about the flea problems in Corpus Christi. They showed people spreading Gain
detergent granules around on their yards, saying it would kill fleas. What do you know about this? Also,
if you have not heard of this remedy, do you have any other suggestions?
Today I brewed a batch of Rosemary tea and after bathing all 10 dogs for the second time in 6 days, I
poured the tea on them after rinsing off the shampoo (purchased from the veterinarian's office specifically
to kill fleas, ticks, lice.) Then I sprayed them with Adams.
This is backbreaking, expensive and very frustrating. I've even made dog biscuits with Brewer's Yeast and Garlic hoping it would help.
Also, we have all tile floors, which I keep vacuumed and mopped, so I don't think the fleas are reproducing
in our home.
Another thing, the neighbors have 3 dogs and goats. The dogs visit routinely and I'm sure they aren't
receiving flea prevention.
Thank you and any suggestions would be appreciated.
Becki 5/13/07
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I just came across your website tonight and read most of the horror stories the poor people and their
furry babies have experienced.....very sad stories. I did not see much about using Frontline Plus. Have
you heard that the Frontline Plus causes the same problems? I have two 5 year old Goldens and have used Frontline Plus on them since they have been puppies and have not experienced any of the problems other people have. I also used Frontline on my first Golden for 13.5 years and never experienced any problems. I can remember one time my first Golden went through a few minute episode of being confused and walking around in a circle. Of course I ran straight to him and cuddled him and he laid down and was fine with no
other problems after that. It has been several years ago so I cannot say the Frontline contributed to his episode. But now that I have discovered your website I will no longer use any of these products. I just
bought a six pack of Frontline Plus but it is going in the trash. But getting back to what a really wanted to
know was have you heard alot of stories about Frontline Plus? And my heart goes out to all the people
and their furry babies who have suffered from these products.
M. Morris 5/13/07
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My mixed Dachshund 5 year old beloved pet became critically ill (was otherwise in perfect robust health)
just days after I applied Frontline. He is still (a week later) not out of the woods and not the same dog he
was before Frontline. I had to rush him to the vet and he barely made it as his kidneys and liver had shut
down we discovered with the blood tests. They gave him I.V's and he was nearly dead. HE WENT FROM
A PERFECTLY HEALTHY PET TO NEARLY DEAD AFTER I FOLLOWED THE EXACT INSTRUCTIONS ON THE FRONTLINE BOX TO APPLY TO MY DOG. He was in a tremendous amount of discomfort and
cried constantly. I am livid and will never use this product ever again and just hope he does not die. I love
this dog as if it was my child.
Lee 5/14/07
James, Merial just informed me that they will NOT be paying my $750.00 Vet bill for my dog's absolutely horrible reaction to Frontline Plus. This was after they had me & my vet fax all the information to them they asked for and my vet did tell them he thought this was a negative reaction to their product. They just told
me they would reimburse me for the cost of the product and that is all.
You were correct....they told me the product DOES NOT enter into the animal's system and is merely topical!
I gave them the links you sent me to review that tells a different story. They tried to say the people saying this stuff are merely uninformed individuals that do not know what they are talking about. I gave them the links to see differently as some are by Merial in other countries, etc.
My dog survived but still does not quite have his strength back just yet....cannot take him for long walks as
he tires quickly and has to lie down before we get too far so I will wait before taking him again for a week or two. He is, otherwise, eating and acting well now. It took about 3 weeks and I had to miss work to take care of him during that time. I am a"straight commission" sales person and that has really hurt me, financially. Lucky was like a "clingy" small child when he was ill and I just went with it as I really thought he might not
make it....neither did my vet. He got better after a week and then he relapsed and got even worse than
in the beginning.
The main reason they are now using is " THAT I DID NOT PURCHASE THE PRODUCT FROM A VET
BUT RATHER FROM PETCO".
Any suggestions now???
Lee 6/8/07
Thanks very much for the update. Many people have told me that Merial refused to accept responsibility
for adverse reactions caused by Frontline and Frontline Plus.
I would contact the EPA (Office of Pesticides Program), and let them know about Merial's actions. Hopefully, they will request that you send them the information from your vet and they will contact Merial about it.
I would also contact Petco's corporate office and let them know that Merial is refusing to reimburse your vet expenses because you purchased the product from Petco! If Merial won't stand behind the products they
sell, Petco should!
Lastly, I would contact your local media (newspapers, television stations) and let them know what happened
to your dog. They may be interested in doing a consumer alert report on it. They may be able to shame Merial into doing the right thing.
Please let me know how everything works out.
James TerBush
My dog will NEVER be the same and I cannot even take him for walks as he just cannot make it any more.
It is so sad to see him this way as he used to LOVE his walks. He is now 5 years old.
Lee 7/26/07
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I am so amazed at the amount of people on your website that have had problems. I get to be another
addition to it. We recently couldn't find our usual flea treatment and purchased the Sergeants Gold Flea
& Tick Squeeze-On for Dogs. We applied it per the instructions at 10:00pm one evening. Raskal our
1 year old Chihuahua has always been a great sleeper and never wakes us up over night. But around 12/12:30 I hear him whimpering. I let him out of his crate and he went bonkers running and rolling and
rubbing against anything and scratching like crazy. I put him in the bath and gave him a good bath and
when we finished I put him back to bed. Needless to say I was up every 30-45 minutes with him. Around 7:00am I noticed inside his ears what looked like burns. We took him to the vet and he received two
shots of antibiotics, the vet said the flea control did more damage to him than the flea (which he has
never had). It was very scary. The vet said he should feel better in a couple of days. He now has spots
on his neck, belly and legs. None of which where the flea control was applied. I am now afraid to use anything, but living in South Florida he will have to use something. Glad to have found you on the web.
I hope this site helps other moms.
Lora 5/15/07
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I had a siberian husky who was the love of my life. I bought Sargents flea & tick control medicine from
wal-mart and applied it to my pet. Two days later I noticed what the vet considered to be a hot spot. I
bathe him and treated him at home with neosporin. By the end of the week it wasn't getting better. He
stopped eating and wasn't very active. I thought he stopped eating because I had just took him off Nutro Natural Choice, due to the recall and put him on Purina One. Well, I took him to the vet. He treated the
hot spot I told him I noticed this two days after treatment of Sargents flea & tick meds. He gave Harley antibotics, and steriods to get him to eat. Well, he ate, but started throwing up. I rushed him back to the
vet. They gave him a shot to calm his stomach and told me if he didn't get any better bring him back in.
Well, he eventually stopped drinking water that day so I brought him back in. They put him on an IV, gave
him antibotic shots and took blood. He stayed the night there (this was Saturday). By Monday they
wanted me to put him down, because his blood work came back very bad. His creaton and bun was
very high and his red & white blood cells where very very low. They said he needed a kidney transplant
in order to survive which was told by the vet would be 10 to 20 thousand dollars. I said no I needed a
second opinion. I took him to another vet he put Harley on two IVs, Vitamin shots, antibotics, he stayed
that way for a week he seemed to be getting better, just started showing signs of having trouble breathing.
He took blood work again and said the levels are going down very slowly, wanted me to take him home
for the weekend and see how he does. Well, he just laid around all weekend. I spoiled him with his favorite food beef jerky. I just assumed this would be something I would have to live with him not being normal, I thought that was ok as long as he lived. Well, I took him back in on Monday as instructed from my vet. He
took his blood work again and I had to leave him there over night till the results came back. They put him
on the IV again, but Harley kept chewing the line, so they took him off. Well, Tuesday I went back to get
the results. His creaton and b.u.n where sky high and he needed a blood transfusion. The vet said he
was suffering and would not make it through the night. All this time I thought it was the dog food recall.
My vet thought it was poison from antifreeze which I knew was wrong, because Harley was never unsupervised. He was an inside dog and never left alone. All my nieghbors loved Harley he was a
great pet, never barked, loved people and other animals. So many people at my kids school and in the neighborhood were so concerned for Harley, constantly giving me flowers and cards. I was talking to
one of them about Harley's story and she said you know my cat just died from the use of Sargents flea
and tick medicine which caused her to have kidney failure. A bell rang so loud in my head and I began
to cry. I never put the two togather. Neither did my vet, but it all makes sense now. I was the blame, I
was the one who killed my beloved pet. I searched for info on her claim and found your web site. I
emailed EPA as suggested in your site and will call Sargents in the morning. Harley was the only
animal I used that stuff on. My cat and pups I did not. My cat had eaten Harleys dog food before and
through investigating it, I came to a dead end to what had happened to my dog. The loss of my dog
was devastating. I still a week later can not stop crying. We had a funeral for him in our cemetary in
Monaville, Texas where he is currently buried with a nice little head stone under a gardina bush. I do
not understand how people could not value the life of an animal the same as a human life, when they
are so depended upon to heal our sick and dying. They are used to help the blind to see, depressed
people from their state. The old and young benefit from their companionship. If I could havegiven one
of my kidneys to my dog, I would have. Thank you for your site. It has opened my eyes to dangers I
never would of thought of. I will no longer use over the counter meds.
Denise 5/15/07
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Hello James, I was looking for other alternative flea and tick meds for our 4 month old Akita and happened
to come across your site. How awesome, thank you.
About 2 months ago we purchased Advocate, Flea/Tick & Heartworm, 21-55lbs., by Bayer. We applied
the liquid as directed, on our pup at 6:30pm and went about our evening at home. At 10pm we noticed her
rubbing her face on the floor and within a half hour she was having a full blown seizure. Her eyes were
dilated, her body was shaking and convulsing and she whined and yelped like she was in horrible pain.
She would lay real still breathing really crazy and shallow then she would run through the house out of
control and wouldn't let us touch her. I sat on my kitchen floor and cried thinking that we were watching
our pup Asha die.
We called our Vet after hours number and they instructed us to give her Benadryl, 25mg. per 20lbs. of
dog. We did so and continued to watch her closely. The benadryl took immediate action within a half hour
and she calmed down. We stayed awake for hours watching her and listening to her breathing.
We're really leery of trying anything else after this experience so I've done a lot of research and found a
few alternatives that work really well and I'll share below.
Alternatives:
Collar dip. 10 drops Lemon grass oil, 10 drops Rosemary oil, 10
drops Palmarosa oil and 10 drops clove oil, mixed with equal parts
grapeseed or olive oil. You can find the essential oils at a local
health food store. Coat the fabric collar, both sides and
drain on a paper towel for a few hrs., place back on your pup. You will
have leftover oils in a bowl, cover and save for re-use. Reapply once a
week
Rosemary wash. Boil 2 quarts water and add 2 cups of fresh
Rosemary leaf or 1/2 cup of powdered rosemary. Let steep for a half hour
then strain any leaves or powder residue. place that 2qts of rosemary
wash in a gallon jug and fill to top with tap water.
Wash dog as normal, rinse out all suds and let the rosemary wash be the
last rinse. Pour jug of rosemary water over the pup, avoiding eyes. Do
not rinse off and let air dry.
We were happy to discover that not only were we getting great flea and tick repellent but we also had a
good smelling pup. Takes the puppy smell right out of the house.
Cheers,
jen 5/17/07
Bayer's Advocate was recently introduced to the U.S. market under the name, Advantage Multi.
Here are a couple of links regarding it and potential adverse reactions:
James TerBush
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I have a 5 year old Chesapeake Bay retriever who is exhibiting muscle spasm in back and sides. I administered the Sentry Pro XFC treatment Thurs. 5-17-07 and noticed these spasms the next day (Fri).
I took her to the vet on Sat. , along with the treatment box to show the vet. He didn't think her problem had anything to do with the treatment. He performed acupuncture and prescribed muscle relaxers and set a
follow up appointment in ten days. After reading other pet owners experiences, I'm now convinced that
the flea treatment is the problem.
Tony 5/21/07
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I put bio-spot on my 8 month old dachshund around 6p.m. on 5/18/07, and within about on hour and a
half she was vomiting. I did not think anything was too wrong just that she may have eaten something
that did not agree with her. The next morning I awoke around 7 am and there was about 4 more times
she had thrown up that night and she was shaking and did not want to get out of bed. I immediately
rushed her to the vet, he ran all kinds of blood test (to the tune of $200.) and then I told him I had given
her the bio-spot and he immediatly bathed her and gave her injections for poisoning. Around 1p.m. she started getting better but he thought she was going to die. Like the others I hope this product did not do
long term damage to her. It just killed me knowing I gave her this. You think because it's on the market
it must be safe. We need to stop the sale of this product.
Susan 5/21/07
I don't know if you remember me or not, but my dachsund had a severe reaction to the bio spot and
almost died. She seems to have fully recovered now and I filed my claim with Farnam and they have
already reimbursed me.
Just thought I would let you know, thanks for all your help!
Susan 6/8/07
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We have a "just" 3 year old dalmatian. My husband bought "Adams" brand flea and tick control on
Thursday, May 17th, from Wal-Mart. He applied the same day. The next day, she was showing signs
of abdominal blockage/or back leg torn muscle...based purely on her "crying yelp"....which I am sure
that you all know exactly what I mean.
She was very lethargic, not drinking or eating...or anything! Very unusual for a still "very puppy" dalmatian. (she is my third dalmatian-so I know!). The fact that she did not sleep with us that night said everything.
First thing Saturday morning-vet trip! Doctor did all tests...mind you, her adrenaline was very high (normal going to vet)...but, Doctor said no pulled muscles, no apparent intestinal blockages, no fever, checked her anal glands, we gave her a stool specimen (which Baci did outside Dr. office for first time in 2 days) ...awaiting results.
Please advise if anyone else has experienced anything similar to this - the following is what my husband bought from Wal-Mart:
Adams flea and tick control for dogs (between 33 and 66 lbs) - Baci is 53 lbs.
Manufactured for Farnam Pet Products
A division of Farnam Companies, Inc.
P.O. Box 34820
Phoenix, Az. 850674-820
Product Code: 3005665
EPA Reg No.270-278
EPA Est. No. 270-NB-003
U.S.Patent No. 5.942.525
Please help in any way!
Most Sincerely,
Baci's Mommy and Daddy,
Lynda and Adam 5/21/07
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I have used Biospot for years now. I had a chocolate lab and it worked fine on him in the beginning.
Then I noticed everytime I used it he would start scratching. He had skin allergies and it seemed
what ever I used caused the same thing. Well at 15 years I had to finally put him down. Couple
months later I got a cocker and started using Bio spot...everything went smoothly for 3 months.
Last night I put it on her and this morning she started vomiting, was lethargic, would not eat or drink.
I read your post after wondering if BioSpot could be making her sick. I washed her immediately.
I am watching her closely and if something does not change soon I am vet bound. I did notice her
vomit was nothing but white froth. I will keep you informed.
Pam 5/23/07
The problem is the vet did not say that it was the BioSpot. He said it could be and he of course treated
her for it, but he also said it could be a virus that was going around in our area. She rallied after I throughly bathed her..she was not as lethargic but I believe it had been in her system too long. I truely believe, had
I not taken her to the vet when I did she would be dead and I also believe had I not bathed her she would
not have survived the night. I do not think any vet will go up against a big pharmacuetical such as Farnam. Nellie received three injections and an antibiotic. She is now at least drinking water. I thank you for your
post. Had I not read it I may not have bathed her and I probably would have used regular dog shampoo... being that you said it was oil based I used dawn. Thanks ever so much.
Pam 5/24/07
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Thank you SO MUCH for your website. I think it just saved my dog's life !!!! I have a 135 lb. Great Pyrenees that was given Frontline Plus by my vet. I put it on as indicated, and within half an hour he was pacing wildly. Within an hour he was foaming at the mouth. In horror, I called the emergency vet clinic where they did some checking with Frontline and told me that this was not due to their product. I then raced up to my computer
and, sure enough, as I suspected, read of similiar reactions. I grabbed the dog shampoo and scrubbed his back and washed him down with a large bucket of water. Within the hour the wild pacing stopped and
several hours later his breathing returned to normal. I am never one to say things like I am 100% sure of
something..but let me say I am 99.9999% certain that this was due entirely to the Frontline application. This was a 3 year dog that had knee surgery 5 weeks ago (and all the blood and urine cultures to go with it to make sure he was healthy.) He was not on any medications. He was not yet very agile and had been very careful as he walked, and yet all of a sudden there he was tearing around like he was trying to get out of his own skin. I don't know why they are not aware of these kinds of results, but I am only to happy to add mine to the list. He was perfectly fine before the Frontline, and near death after it until I washed it off. Needless to
say, I will NOT be using it again and will do some more investigating to find other remedies to deal with any flea problems. THANK YOU , THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!
Nancy 5/27/07
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My 1 1/2 year old pug has had a reaction to the K9 Advantix flea treatment. He quit barking and couldn't
jump up. He is currently at the vet's taking cortisone and antihistamines. After contacting other pet owners,
I discovered their animals had suffered severe acid like burns. I contacted Bayer but have had no response. One of my friends called them and surprise, they have never heard of any reactions to their products. Thank you for your website and pointing us in the right direction.
Jan 5/30/07
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thanks for the web site
it helped save my dogs life
larry 5/31/07
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Jim...I think I've just finished reading almost all your emails concerning biospot reactions. I think I didn't
realize an occasional tick could be better than watching my 2 sick Min. Schnauzers. I had just bathed
and groomed them on Thurs. and remembered, per instructions on package, that Biospot would need
to be reapplied after shampoo. I reapplied Biospot to both dogs on their newly sheared coats on
Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon, one of my dogs was not responding to call, from the fenced
in backyard. I searched and the dog came slowly and shakily and I carried her inside to moniter her
activity. She took water but seemed very listless. The other dog awakened me at 1AM panting and
whining. After I let them both outside, I noticed she was attempting to have a BM in numerous areas
and in obvious GI distress. I also found vomit in their crate area and diarrhea with frank blood. No
one has mentioned bloody stools but I see no other explanation except Biospot. I had used it last
year without adverse reaction and therefore used the same product again......but I guarantee no more.
Seems like my "babies" could be one of the luckier ones. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else had
seen BLOODY STOOLS with any of these products.
Jodi 6/3/07
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My little pit-girl, Molly, has had epilepsy since she was 6 (under control with Potassium Bromide) and up
until last year, I'd been able to avoid using any kind of flea/tick products. Unfortunately, we moved to an
area that has much higher concentrations of ticks (and West Nile Virus) and I finally opted to use
Frontline Plus. So far she's only had 2 doses and hasn't had any bad reactions to my knowledge, but
I'd much rather avoid using anything toxic altogether...particularly since she's prone to seizures in the
first place. While there's tons of info on this site about things to avoid (great stuff!), I didn't see much
about what might be safe to use (aside from white vinegar). During some additional research, however,
I came up with the following site:
Only thing is that it does mention using a gentle shampoo containing pyrethrin or pyrethrum under
"Natural ingredient-based sprays, lotions, shampoos." Are those not also a problem? Any additional comments?
I noticed some recommended essential oils (and some to avoid), but no guide as to how to use them.
I work in a healthfood store and know that many essential oils are too concentrated to use without diluting, although I don't know exactly what is best to use for dilution purposes or what the ratios might be.
Finally, there are some "natural" products listed that are sold over the counter, but I'd want to see a
complete ingredients list, as many so-called natural products contain substances that don't exactly qualify,
or have essential oils that may be seizure-inducing, like sage or rosemary. The Spay/Neuter Incentive Project (under snips animal care tips) site, as previously mentioned, has a number of formulas, but I
noticed in one place they caution against using pennyroyal on dogs or cats, but further down it gives instructions for applying pennyroyal directly on pets. What's a person to do?
Also, I've also had Molly on the heartworm preventative, Interceptor (milbemycin oxime), for about the
same period of time (the vet felt it was somewhat safer than Heartgard and I can use it once every 6
weeks, instead of once a month). Any feedback on that?
Lastly, and somewhat off-topic, someone mentioned that extended use of Phenylbarbitol and Potassium Bromide for seizures causes liver damage. To my knowledge that is only the case with Phenylbarbitol
(Milk Thistle will help protect the liver and doctors are now prescribing it for that purpose). If anyone out
there has addiitonal info on Potassium Bromide (KBr), I'd appreciate it. Molly's now on a lower dose
of the stuff, but if there's anything that I should be guarding against, I'd like to know about it.
Thanks for your wonderful site!!!
Donna 6/4/07
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I want to report that we applied BioSpot for Cats to our 2 cats yesterday afternoon. They both salivated
heavily and are still tremoring. We are bathing them now and hope they'll recover. Both are now quite
lethargic and we're reading of all the problems with BioSpot and wanted to report our issue right away.
This stuff is bad news.
We advocate that this product be pulled from the shelves. It is killing our cats. I wish we had found your
site before purchasing and applying this horrible product.
Jeff 6/5/07
We took the cats to the vet yesterday. Jake (male, 9 lbs), recovered quickly after we bathed him 3x in
Palmolive. Sadie (female, 6 lbs) had a horrible bout of muscle spasms and tremors, so they placed her
on an IV of muscle relaxant for 5 hours. We then brought them home, and they were exhausted but ate
their dinner and today appear to be fine. What a scary ordeal.
I don't believe we have the receipt, but we have the packaging and have followed up with EPA. The vet
was on the phone with Farnam yesterday, but we'll call Sherri directly.
Thanks again for your crusade here in sharing information. I'm going to report this to the retailer where
I purchased the product, too (Pet World in Natick,MA).
We'll follow-up with you if we do not get the appropriate response from Farnam.
Jeff 6/6/07
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Biospot with Permethrin, a neurotoxin, killed 2 of my English Bulldogs due to, in my opinion, company neglegance. We had to helplessly watch our babies bodies shut down and reject its own natural
responses. My children are scarred from this experience and so are my other Bulldogs. The mother
actually sat by her mate and whimpered. Although she was affected too she didn't die. However, she
is very sad at the moment. It sounds far fetched but this dog and her mate were never apart. She
actually ate through a wall once to get to where he was. I can't help but to think of Big Dan and Little
Anne. Thousands of animals have been reported to have suffered or brutally died due to this same
flea and tick med. (Bio Spot) that's components are similar to DDT and the neurogases used in
Desert Storm. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified permethrin as a carcinogen
because it causes lung tumors in female mice and liver tumors in mice of both sexes. Permethrin
inhibits the activity of the immune system in laboratory tests, and also binds to the receptors for a
male sex hormone. It causes chromosome aberrations in human and hamster cell. In a recently
published journal entitled, Experimental Neurology, researchers at Duke University Medical Center
found that frequent and prolonged use of Permethrin on adult rats lead to cell death in their brains.
In another recent study, researchers at Virginia Tech found that low-level exposure to Permethrin
caused changes in the brain that could lead to Parkinson's Disease.The International Organization
for Biological Control tested the acute toxicity of permethrin to 13 species of beneficial arthropods
and found that permethrin caused 99 percent mortality of 12 of the species, and over 80 percent
mortality of the other. Because of the effects that this med. has on animals and the lack of research
I fear about the health of my kennel and most importantly the health of my children. This product is
not clearly defined on the pkg. and is dangerous and the company is aware of this. Vets offices
refuse to sell it so they put in in smaller stores for those of us who just don't know. The packages
are not clear at all about the odds that your animal may suffer. In fact, they make it seem like they
won't have any "real" problems. The little diagram even shows a naked hand putting the medication
on a dog. My finger tips tingled after I applied it to my dogs and that is probably why I knew in the
back of my mind what it was. For me as a breeder I have lost my babies and much income. My
daughter is 3 years old and was raised with these dogs. This is her first time actually loosing
someone that she was this close to. Both of my children's eyes have been swelled for days from
all of the tears that have been cried. Now we just don't know what to do but we know that something
has to be done. I'll say that if this had harmed my children there would be no phone calls or emails.
There would be foot tracks right up to Farnam Companies, Inc. There are many accounts that can
be found on websites and many signatures on the petition. Who has a powerful enough voice to
be heard? I know that I sound a bit extreme but I'm thinking of sending a collection of events along
with notes on this situation and the research that I have found to every major talk show and
newspaper that I can think of. I have family in Washington D.C. and New York that think that they
might be able to help get it to these places if it is the thing that I need to do to make this right. I
mean you can't even really talk to these people and feel safe or good about it because you know
that they are armed with their little loops and lies and waiting for any moment to make it right for
them. I think each of the workers involved in Farnam should let us test this product on their own
animals and if they are so sure that it is safe for our children than maybe they should apply it
to their house dogs and then let them sleep in the bed with them. As if people are suposed to
isolate the animal. Please help us all who love our pets and children. I think that pharmaceutical
companies are selling products that they know may harm or kill some people or animals because
they think that the profit will be high enough for it to be overlooked or dealt with. Many people
aren't aware of the risks associated with this product and it is hard to when it is not clearly
advertised on the pkg and all they tell you is a loop hole. Thank you.
Ashley 6/6/07
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On May 13th, 2007, our perfectly healthy, six year old Scottish Terrier died a terrible death
after the application of Hartz Flea & Tick Drops Plus. Our pet died after suffering seizures,
highly elevated temperature, extreme dehydration, vomiting, inability to stand and finally
respiratory and cardiac arrest.
Again, our dog was perfectly healthy prior to this tragedy. I have contacted the Federal EPA,
the state of California EPA, the National Pesticide Control Center and major retail outlets
warning of the toxicity of this product. Actually, any product that contains the ingredient
Phenothrin is potentially lethal. In the case of this product the active ingredients include
Phenothrin (85.7%) and (S)-Methoprene (2.3%) which can potentially be extremely injurious
or deadly.
No pet should have to endure what ours went through. This was a painful, torturous way to
die. And no family should have to suffer the sense of loss and devastation that ours has gone
through. It is my hope and desire that all pet owners be extremely careful in administering flea
and tick medications, and certainly no one should ever use this product.
Thanks for reading.
Richard 6/8/07
Thank you very much for your kind words. And thank you also for the helpful websites and links.
This incident has turned me into an informational activist. I'm not interested in suing Hartz but
I am determined to inform retailers, consumers and governmental protection agencies about
the extreme dangers of the Hartz products with Phenothrin as an active ingredient (I am very
concerned about Permethrin as well based upon my research).
I'm having some success. Safeway Stores, which is the parent of Von's and Pavilions has
agreed to take the product off the shelves of all their stores in the country. This was after a
meeting between me and the local store manager here in La Quinta which developed into a
corporate alert. Obviously, this required a lot of dialogue and factual documentation (which
I gladly provided) but it can pay off. I'm now working through the process with Walmart,
Petsmart and Petco. It's slow but I'm just beginning. My best friend owns the largest
independent retail grocery store in the state of Oregon and he immediately took the Hartz
products off his shelves. I'm planning on working with Kroger in the near future. The state of
California EPA is planning on meeting with the two veterinarians who attended our dog.
These are just a few examples of the early activities I'm involved in.
Thanks to people like you I think we can make a difference. I don't ever want another animal to
go through what our Scottie endured. Thanks for what you're doing--it's a tremendous service.
All the best.
Rich 6/8/07
A few years ago, the EPA forced Hartz to cancel their Advanced Care Flea & Tick Drops for
Cats (which contained 85.7% phenothrin and 2.9% (S)-methoprene) because of many reports
of illness and death in cats. Unfortunately, the EPA felt that it did not have enough information
at the time to force Hartz to cancel their Advanced Care Flea & Tick Drops for Dogs. Here
is information about it:
In my opinion, you are doing MORE to protect animals from a dangerous pesticide product
than the entire EPA. The EPA will only take action against a company after they are shamed
into doing so by people like you. Your approach of focusing on the retailers of these products
is a better strategy because they are concerned about their image and possible litigation.
Congratulations for getting Safeway Stores to remove the Hartz product from all of their shelves
in the country. That's a HUGE accomplishment. Please keep me updated on any future
developments.
Thanks again for proving that individuals can change the world!
James TerBush
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I applied Seargeants gold flea and tick squeeze-on for dogs to my 18 pound dog June 5. The
dog developed a sore oozing spot where the product was applied, (exactly as in the photo
provided by Krystal on your site) and within days was lethargic, refusing to eat or drink, and
acting strangely, looking up and around in an odd manner, seeking out dark places. On June 9,
my Vet prescribed cephalexin and benadryl for symptoms. Sergeants emergency hotline said
to bathe dog and remove all product from skin. I am hopeful that no lasting damage done but
very concerned that product could cause such a severe reaction. Lessons learned include:
monitor pet carefully after applying ANY product or giving ANY medicine. If any strange behavior
or symptoms, remove product if possible by bathing thoroughly. Seek vet help immediately.
As for me, I will no longer use any flea or tick control product, but try to deal with problems with
natural products. Thanks for this site.
Karen 6/10/07
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I'm just sick that I didn't know about the problems with BioSpot before. I had taken my dog to
the Vet's for his yearly shots and also bought some Revolution Flea & Tick preventive (at the
tune of about $60.00). When I got home I somehow managed to throw the bag away with the
Revolution in it and I just couldn't afford to go back and get some more at that time. I decided
to go on-line to Drs. Foster & Smith and ordered some BioSpot. When I put it on my dog (a
cockapoo), within a few minutes he began to run around like a man on fire, barking, growling,
and unable to stay still. He didn't settle down until 3:00 in the morning and even then he got as
close to me as he possibly could and would still whimper from time to time. Today, I went online
to see what I could find out about the product and was shocked when I read the comments from
other pet owners. I'm really appreciative these comments were posted as I was not sure if the
BioSpot was the culprit or not. Why in the world is this product still on the market?
Paula 6/11/07
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Thank you for this Website. I was having great luck with Advantage and Frontline to control fleas
on my four cats, but then I needed something for mosquitoes as they are merciless on two of the
cats' ears. I was so relieved to find Bio-Spot last year because it claimed to repel mosquitoes
besides controlling fleas and ticks--to say nothing of the savings. I put it on all four cats, and within
a few hours, our Maudie was drooling and lethargic (no reactions in the other three). I wiped the
spot down with water and watched her closely. We had suffered through a bout of idiopathic
vestibular disease with her the prior year and I was panic stricken that it might be recurring. This
disease, by the way, is worth knowing about as it presents as total loss of balance, eye shaking,
tilted head, howling, quivering--we were sure she had been poisoned. We rushed her to a fine
emergency vet center in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where they put her on valium immediately and
set up a watch. We left her there, expecting dire news in the morning. When the doc called, she
told us about this disease. It isn't all that uncommon, but many people put their animals--dogs get
it too--down before they know what they truly have because the symptoms are so darn scary. She
required no medications, just time (about five weeks) to recover fully. It was a minor hassle, in light
of how much we adore her, to hold her while she used her box and ate and drank. We got our
Maudie back just as wonderful as ever. Actually, I never really gave the Bio-Spot another thought
until this year when the mosquitoes began coming out again. I didn't trust it anymore and started
searching the Internet. Thank goodness for this site. I still had a couple of tubes left and might have
been tempted, but they are now in the garbage. If anyone knows of a safe control for mosquitoes
on cats, I would be grateful to hear about it. The cats all got a Frontline treatment two weeks ago
for fleas and ticks and (knock wood) are fine (itching ears on Maudie and Mack from mosquito
bites, but healthy otherwise).
Cathy 6/12/07
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I bought some bio spot at petsmart here in florida and put it on my 9 pound pomerianian...I put it
between his sholders and at the base of his tail as directed...sometime later he started acting
strange...when I took him outside to go to the bathroom , he acted like he didn't want to walk and
would just sit down...I got very fustrated at him but picked him up and took him inside and began
to look him over...his butt was on fire..and his left leg was turned in at the knee! Evidently he was
having a horrible skin reaction around his anus and underneath was fire red! I immediately bathed
him and then got some diaper rash medicine for babies and put it on him and kept it on him for
3 days and he finally got better....I dont know why it did this but it scared me and also made me
mad! He's better now and I will continue to use this product but I won't put it anywhere near his
rear end!
Lonnie 6/14/07
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A month ago I noticed my 11 year old lab was having some problems focusing. I had not realized
then that we had just treated him with Frontline. A month later he got another treatment and 16 hours
later he was having GM seizures. Vet says no way Frontline caused this. I always run to the internet
when I have problems, and quickly found this site. It took me about two minutes to realize I needed
to get him washed down.
He has been OK for about 4 days now. We have four other dogs and washed them down too, as
we did the cats. Probably wasted over $100 of frontline that day.
Sure glad I found this site quickly, I think it is why our dog is still with us. There is so much to read,
but I'm convinced enough that my animals are done with this stuff.
My heart goes out to those who have lost a pet.
Jim 6/15/07
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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
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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.
