Update 10/12/05: Hamish has not had ANY seizures since we stopped using Bio Spot
40 months 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.
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This is the email I sent to Farnam Pet Products - the maker of BioSpot:
My cats are losing their hair where BioSpot has been placed & the sores are wet with a bloody
mixture. Can you please help? I am a nervous wreck because I have 4 cats and they are not acting right. One of the 4 was sick this morning. This is the second application of BioSpot. It was purchased on 6-23-2005 from PetSmart & all cats each got 1 application. On 6-24-2005, I noticed the cats severely scratching themselves where the application was placed. 3 of the cats had bloody scabs on their back where your product was placed. I could not wash the cats, as you know, they hate water. After about 1 week the scratching subsided. I decided to give your product a second try on 8-1-2005 with only worst results. I only had 2 applications - so I halved it up between the 4 cats. So, they didn't even have a full application, but they are having all sorts of complications! 2 of my cats are simply not acting like themselves. 1 cat, "Kramer" (2 years old), has completely lost his hair in 3 different sections on his back
& has oozing bloody sores. "Paco" (10 years old) has lost some of his hair & was very sick this morning (12 hours after application). "Binky" (6 years old) cannot stop scratching & "Kitty Ray" (6 years old) will
not eat and I have not seen her all day. (so I hope she is okay!) I am very concerned, please contact me ASAP. I am very concerned about Kramer, because his hair just grew back from his initial contact with your product.
I am still waiting on a response from Farnam Pet Products. I called my vet the other day to ask him about BioSpot & how well the product worked, but he did not know much about it. However, he did state that he recommends Revolution for cats, but has discontinued the sale of it for dogs. He stated that he has witnessed dogs get very sick from Revolution & even die from the product! In May of 2002, I had a very healthy yellow lab, named Zack, that all of a sudden died one Sunday afternoon. He was okay one minute & the next we found him lying in the bushes beside our house. Zack was dead. A week earlier he was given Revolution. Revolution was contacted, but stated they had no complaints or any adverse reactions that had been reported to their company & did absolutely nothing. Revolution is the most expensive product on the market today. Consumers need to realize & be made aware that these inexpensive as
well as "top of the line" (expensive) "flea & tick control products" are both dangerous & DEADLY.
Nicole 8/3/05
Here is Farnam's response:
Dear Nicole,
We are sorry to learn your cats are having an allergic reaction to the Bio Spot. Farnam has two different Bio Spot Cat products. Is this the one in the blue package with three tubes in the package or is this the pink package with two tubes and two wipes in each package?
Your cats will need to be bathed with a diluted dish soap (soap water). They will likely continue to have symptoms for the full month of the treatment if it is not washed off. Usually if an animal has a reaction to a product during the first application, a second application will increase the severity of the reaction. If you are not able to bathe them, you will need to contact your veterinarian and find out if they can bathe them for you and examine the skin irritations to see if any of the cats need to be on medication. There is not much you can do at home for them except give them a bath and monitor them in the event they need medical care. Skin irritations are the most common side effect from all flea and tick products.
Please let us know if you need additional information or if your veterinarian has questions.
8/3/05
Hi James,
It is the blue package. Which one are they having problems with? I managed to wash the cats with an organic product called "Miracle Soap" which is supposed to the best around for animals or humans to bathe in because it doesn't clog up your pores & it lets your skin breathe. You can even wash you clothes in it as well as your dishes & it cuts grease like Dawn. It worked wonders cutting thru the oily mixture of BioSPot. The soap detoxifies, so hopefully most of the pesticide is off the cats.
You can check it out at www.miraclesoap.com
The cats perked up after the bath & I gave them some catnip. They had a can of albacore tuna as a healthy treat & 2 of them even started purring again. So they are "so far so good" for right now, but we will wait to see in the morning. I will keep you informed. Thanks again for all of your help.
Nicole 8/4/05
Farnam referred to it as an allergic reaction, but it's hard to believe that all four of your cats would have an allergic reaction at the same time! You apparently used Bio Spot One-Step for Cats, which comes
in a blue package. You are the THIRD person to write to me about that product in the last week (please see the messages from Terri and Ronda posted in Volume 7).
I contacted Petsmart on 7/31/05 and alerted them to the email that I had received concerning Bio Spot One-Step for Cats and possible adverse reactions. They informed me that it was being removed from their stores, and they were taking steps to remove it from sale on their website and catalog. However,
as of 8/4/05, it is still for sale on their website.
James TerBush
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For those about to loose hope: Just had to drop a note. We just got our 18 pound cat back home
today (Wed). He went in on Sat 3am in the morning. On Sat and Sun it did not look good. He was not responding to the treatment. On Sunday the vet said that we might be looking at making choices... a medically induced coma until this gets out of his system or the other. Thank goodness his seizures finally stopped. He was still tremoring on Monday and not sure he was aware of his surroundings when we went to visit, but still progress. The vet called Tues and said he was a miracle kitty. He was starting to move about purring and eating... (I know when he came to food had to be the priority!) So today here he is. He
is walking like a newborn colt but his first steps were when we went to pick him up with my boys (his buddies!)
I will be fighting for reimbursement of vet bills. I bought this stuff [Bio Spot One-Step for Cats] because
I heard an advertisement that thier drops work just as well as Frontline (what we always used) and that they would save us money.... I dont think so! And I will be writing who I need to get the stuff off the market!
Karrie 8/3/05
I called [Farnam] and she is going to reimburse me after sending in a notice from the vet with an itemized bill. She also stated that the drops are "gone" meaning off the shelves? She seemed very sincere and I really hope she is right!!! That was a horrible, horrible experience. But Nelton is doing great today!!
Karrie 8/4/05
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Now that I've read the other's comments, I think BioSpot is what's causing my dog's problems. Last week she had fleas on her, and I was out of her usual monthly treatment of Frontline Plus. So, seeing BioSpot at PetCo at a fraction of the cost, I decided it would do for now. She has not stopped itching herself and chewing at herself since I applied the Biospot. She has developed hairless open sores on various parts of her underside and underarms, and seems to be more sluggish and less hungry than usual. At less than two years old, she was a very active, hungry puppydog. I will try and give her a bath with dish soap, and see if this works, and I will NEVER buy this product again!
Jenna 8/5/05
Just wanted to place an update on my dog's condition after Biospot...she itches herself a lot less now that
I have given her two baths with mild dish soap. She has muscle tremors and her breathing is so rapid at times I feel she is hyperventilating. I am taking her to the vet after work, and calling the EPA to report her conditons. I'm a little cautious about giving her Frontline once the Biospot is out of her system, now that
I've read more about it.
Jenna 8/12/05
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I've read many of the very sad accounts of reactions to flea drops. I'm so sorry. The most we've ever
had was a bit of vomitting about a day after we gave drops (which I hadn't at the time connected to the drops). My concern right now is about cancer. I used Advantage, Frontline and Revolution on our cats and dogs for the last 7 or 8 years. Over the last six years, EVERY SINGLE ONE of our dogs and cats who died, died of a sarcoma-type cancer. We lost 3 dogs and 2 cats (and maybe will lose another cat...we are waiting for biopsy results) to various forms of sarcoma....breast, bone, lymph node and salivary gland. I only used the drops 2 or 3 times a year, and the group stayed flea-free for months at a time. I stopped using them about 2 months ago when someone in the waiting room at our vet's office mentioned that they heard of a connection between cancer and the flea drops. Does anybody know anything about this? Our vet has never heard of such a thing, but admits he's never ever seen such a high incidence of cancers in his whole carreer as in the last few years. Any info would be helpful. P.S. our animals are vegan and so
are eating low on the food chain....i.e. it's not their food and I don't think it's our water.
Concerned Mom in Oregon 8/6/05
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I came across your web site today and was sadden by the stories that I read. A couple of months ago I bought Zodiac flea topical application for my cat. Petco and another pet store recommendation that Zodiac was one of the safer ones. When I applied the topical formula I experienced a very upsetting reaction that no one should ever have to witness in their lives as a pet owner. She was running and crying all over my house. I felt helpless, guilty, and did not know what to do for her not knowing what was wrong. I did not know if it was burning her or if the fumes where irritating her eyes. The fumes smell like some kind of methane or super glue. But I did do what the back of the product said about washing them immediately. After that she calmed down. As of today I do not know if she sustained any neurological damage. I was so upset that I wrote a letter to Petco telling them of what had happened and knowing what they know about the toxic chemicals in the product and the consequences how could they keep selling these products particularly (Hartz, Bio-Spot, Zodiac, Sergeants), which Bio-Spot is the worst of them all for what I have read. Even one of Petco's workers mentioned the same thing to me. How can we do this to our pets they are human beings also. This past December we had to put down one of my other cats, which I also put the topical stuff on, how do I really know the truth of her passing. She had a history of diabetes, thyroid, but at the vet her blood and everything came back with flying colors. All they could tell me is that she had fluid in her lungs and heart failure, I could have been poisoning her. It is heart breaking to even think of it. Since that day of my cat's incident a couple of months ago I have read enough to know that these products are harmful and they have to be taken off the shelves and the stores that carry them should be fined, they are liable too. If they are not going to protect our animals who will.
Barbara 8/6/05
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I am so happy to have come across your site -- thank you for this service. I recently applied FRONTLINE PLUS to my 16 lb bichon in July 2005 and within 30 minutes he was acting like a rabid wild animal -- turning in circles, biting himself, agitated. When I took him for a walk to see if the effect would wear off, he lunged and sneered at a passer by which is absolutely out of character for him. I was so disturbed by this reaction that I hesitated to give him his next dose and decided to research this on the internet before going ahead with it. By reading the other stories posted, I am more convinced than ever that this reaction was a direct adverse result of the product. I called Frontline to request a refund and although they will give me a refund upon return of the product, they denied any knowledge of such adverse effects being caused by their product (I just can't believe this!). This company was politely unhelpful and unsympathetic -- it's always easier to blame the "other guy" -- the customer.
I also called and reported this incident to the EPA 800# provided on your website. They told me it is very important for dog owners to report such incidents about these products so that they can track them and pick out patterns that could eventually lead to some action. Everyone who's experienced a problem should call them -- strength in numbers!
It looks like most of these products are problematic. My neighbor owns a bichon as well and her dog experienced an adverse sickly type of reaction to a similar flea/tick product (it began with an "A", I think it was Advantix). She actually took her dog to the vet and he didn't seem too concerned and told her to switch products and try Frontline (my product) instead! I advised her against it. Even if vets naively continue to endorse and sell these products, we need to be our pet's best advocate and make our own decisions.
I know it's a risk/benefit decision with these things but I don't plan on applying any other pesticide to my dog. Any advice on holistic products that work would be very much appreciated.
Pam 8/12/05
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I am new to this class of flea products since I only had a pair of indoor-only cats. (Last I'd heard growth inhibiting flea products were the latest thing.) This past Friday I rescued a pair of 54 pound German Sheppard mixes. To prevent fleas entering my home and to kill the ticks while fostering them, the lady giving me the dogs dosed them with the Frontline product after a bath. It appeared to work well on
them. Ticks died and fell off of them over the weekend; fleas jumped their little bodies to death as intended. About the only thing I was curious about was oddly rapid breathing, but heartworm from being
stray so long couldn't be ruled out until a vet clinic was open. They were oddly lethargic for 8 month-old puppies but we blamed it on the South Carolina heat and their rough living the past months. The dogs
went to their new home Sunday night and I went to Pet Smart for a preventive dose of flea meds for the cats incase any fleas had gotten into the home. I got the BioSpot cat drops. Dosed my six-year-old,
twelve-pound cat first and then my older cat of the same weight. The BioSpot package is so poorly worded I had no idea what a bad reaction to BioSpot was expected to be. I tried to keep them from grooming the application site. Dusty was first treated and after about ten minutes became more active. The initial "Dusty is excited about the goo in her coat" became concern when she began meowing, moving about room to room, and to pant like she was in a 102° heat index. I rushed her into bath to remove the product. She has spent the remainder of the night restless, skin twitching, body trembling and warm to the touch. This morning is somewhat less intense but she now is responding to me in a more normal way. The danger of ingestion of this product by cats is not emphasized enough on the package, either. "Back of the shoulders" is not enough for a flexable cat, she'll get to it somehow. I don't think I'll try to cut costs using a bargin brand of flea medication again. It's "buyer beware." And I am kicking myself for not getting a better background on what I put on my cats. Thanks for the website space and for keep on letting people know this isn't a
two-year-old consumer issue if this product is still out there with so little instruction and cautions in the packaging.
Cynthia 8/15/05
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Two nights ago, August 13th, I gave my 1 1/2 year old Siamese cat, Samantha, a bath with Sergeant's PreTect Flea and Tick Shampoo and within an hour she was lethargic and was salivating from the mouth. She went under the bed and went to sleep and I thought she would be OK. Yesterday, I noticed it a couple of times, but today when I got in from work, she was still salivating and just not acting herself. I called her emergency vet after hours and the doctor did call me back. I explained what was going on and she told me to re-wash her with a mild soap and if she is still salivating and acting lethargic in the morning to bring her in. She is an inside cat, and I really don't know why I saw any fleas on her. I only saw about 3 fleas on her, but I panicked and gave her the bath and put a flea collar on her for a few hours but she seemed to get worse, so I took it off. I will never use any over the counter flea medications on her again. I have read all of the stories posted here and other sites and I just hope she makes it through the night, because I read so many stories where the animal goes into shock and dies.
Phyllis 8/15/05
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We have two white 9lb male Persian cats.
Two months ago my wife applied Frontline to both cats. Within days one cat started to become lethargic, loosing motor skills and kept falling over and could not control his legs or stand up.
She took this cat to a vet emergency hospital where they provided fluids, antibiotics and observed overnight. The cat came home the next day and was standing (shaking) and was slowly regaining his strength and control.
At that time we thought he had a viral disease and the fluids and antibiotic had done the job.
Three days ago my wife applied Frontline again to both cats.
She went for a walk and when she came home 2 hours later the same cat was totally collapsed and contorted. He was unable to stand and could only pull himself 3 to 4 inches before his strength gave out.
We have taken him to every Vet in the Newport Beach area. They have all said that they have seen the exact same reactions in other cats from Harts and BioSpot but not from Frontline. THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS ! And yet, they feel that the Frontline is NOT the problem and want to do $2,000.00 MRI´s. They don´t seem to see the correlation between applying the Frontline and the cat´s condition.
Today he is home after having fluids for a few hours. He is unable to move and looks contorted to the right side. He cannot stand but when my wife brushes him and pets him he is purring. My wife is freaking out. She loves these cats and to see them suffer like this without being treated is not right. Not a single vet is treating him for potential poisoning. Can you recommend anything?
Have you heard of similar occurrences from other Frontline Feline owners ?
Have you heard of any treatments that have been successful?
I would appreciate any information you can provide.
Ken 8/16/05
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I work in a local pet store and was contacted today by a gentleman who after applying BIO SPOT to his pets has now lost 3 of his cats and his dog had seizures. His children have had to watch their pets go through this awful death. I have used BIO SPOT for years on both of my mixed breed dogs. I have not connected things until today while reading things posted on this site. After applying BIO SPOT to my female dog she always rolls and rubs on things I just thought she didn't like the liquid "running" down her back and sides. Our male always walks under things as if he is scratching his back. I only started using BIO SPOT because my male dog had a reaction to FRONTLINE PLUS and it burned a large spot on
the site where we applied it. Now I will NOT use either product. I would think that the makers of these products have pets of their own and wouldn't sell something this harmful to other pet owners. Guess I
am wrong! For those of you who purchase the products from a pet store.... don't blame the employees
of the pet store. We have to sell the products and trust that we are selling safe products as we use them
for our pets too. We (the store I work at) pulled the product from the shelves as soon as I hung up the phone. I do NOT want to sell another pet owner something that may harm their dog and /or cat.
Anita 8/17/05
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I have two dogs a rat terrior and a black lab/brittany spaniel mix. My lab mix had a very very bad reaction to Frontline Plus.. I placed it on her then 4 days later hair starting falling out where the product was placed. I rushed her to the vet, he shaved her back around the spot and found her skin was dying off in 3 spots we are talking baseball size spots, blood starting coming out. She was placed on antibiotics and a cream for the sores that are used for burn victims and many vet visits.. Well come to find out she is highly allergic to one of the ingredients in Frontline Plus which is Peanut Oil. The makers of Frontline Plus which is Merial paid the entire vet bill which was around $800.00 dollars. My vet said that all flea topicals contain Peanut Oil and that I will never be able to place them on the lab mix again..
She now is taking a once a month flea pill called Program which prevents the fleas from producing, should she get infested really bad I give her a pill called Capstar which kills all fleas with in 24 hours. Capstar is safe to give everyday for a week if needed... The two products are great but also so is Frontline Plus which I still have my ratt on..
Hope this helps
Chris 8/20/05
Well I've made an appointment for my dog to be tested for allergies, it seems that Merial is now saying its the Ethanol within Frontline Plus for dogs that caused the reaction (they will not confirm anything about peanut oil in the product), but my Vet insist that its peanut oil that they have in the product that caused the reaction.
Chris 8/20/05
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My cat Tink just turned one year old July 2005. He was the happiest cat in the whole world with the best personality. But now he is gone because I wanted to get rid of a few bugs. I also have five other cats. I
put Bio Spot on Tink and four other cats. All five got sick. Tink went into seizures within three hours of application and the other cats showed symptoms around 8 hours after application. After thousands of dollars later, all the other cats are home from the emergency vet where they needed extensive treatment.
I will put this company out of business. If I had known then what I know now, I would have done everything
in my power to educate people.
If anyone would like to help me with my crusade to put this company out of business, please contact me.
animalnutzo@yahoo.com
Laura 8/23/05
PS. We also had a really bad reaction two years ago with one of my dogs to Revolution. The company never responded. Our dog was in the ICU for three days and was on massive amounts of medication to counter act the reaction to that product.
(Follow-up message)
Thank you for the condolances. We are trying to get back to "normal" here, but of course it is hard with
a missing piece of the puzzle.
I did accidentially use the Bio Spot for dogs on the cats. It was just one drop that I had put on Tink. I also put it on the dogs, but have bathed them since. After we got back from the vet after having to put Tink down, I read the "fine print" and went into a screaming/crying fit. I couldn't believe that it was written so small on the back. Yes, it was in a different color than the rest of the writing, but that's it. And one of my cats grooms the dogs all the time. He thinks it is his job. So that is a very big possibility here also.
I also used the "dog" one because I refuse to use a whole tube on one dog, so I had put half on one dog, half on another, and then had a few drops left, and figured it couldn't be that different from the cat stuff, so
I put a drop on each of them. Unfortunatley made a deadly mistake. I don't think I will ever forgive my ignorance. And what infuriates me the most is that this has happened TO OTHER PEOPLE!!!! Why is this being allowed!!! I don't understand!
Thank you so much for getting me those phone numbers. I will call tomorrow on my lunch hour. I will let
you know what they say. I want to contact everyone I can. I work at a dog training/boarding kennel that sees well over 200 - 300 dogs a week. I will most definately be putting signs up everywhere there and
at the local shelters that I volunteer at. Anywhere I can get the word out. If my friend does not write the article I will probably send in an opinion column.
Yes, this is what you called it.... A tragedy, but with me, I will always make sure to NEVER make the same mistake twice and I will do everything in my power to make sure no one else makes that mistake either!
Thank you so much for making your website and helping people with this. I know I really appreciate it. I will keep you posted.
Laura 8/24/05
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Thank God for your web site! I was online about to re-order the frontline flea and tick medication from a
popular online pet pharmacy, when I came upon the product Farnam Biospot for Dogs. Seeing the word
Biospot made me wonder if this was a more "Natural" form of flea prevention. I googled the product name and your web site was the first hit from the search engine.
I buy only natural handmade treats from a great lady in NY at dogsdelight.com, we make our own dog
food and additional treats as well. I am shocked that I was using something apparently so toxic when I take such great care of my 3 year old female beagle-mix Bella.
On our last visit to the Vet's office I had a long discussion as to why they were still trying to push the Heartworm shot when I had heard some very disturbing news on CNN about thousands of Dogs dying
from the vaccine. (Once I heard that we immediately switched to a chewable medicine that does not have the same risks.) I am not surprised that they never once explained the risks of this topical flea medication to me even though they are fully aware how proactive we are about natural health care and food etc.
Thank you for having this web site. We luckily have not had any problems with advantage and did not
use it every month as it directed because she was flea free for 6-8 weeks with one dose. I will not be
ordering any more Advantage or others.
We have found that treats and food containing brewers yeast and high garlic content works great to
combat not only fleas and ticks but mosquitoes as well. (again the treats at dogsdelight.com are made
to order and have all natural ingredients and boy can you smell the garlic, Bella Loves them!) SO, from
now on we are going to steer clear of the chemicals and stick to the natural way to repel the pests.
Thanks you again for having such valuable information available.
Deb 8/23/05
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I had a dog of 13 years and was my husband's best friend. We put biospot on him Sunday night
August 21, 2005 and the cat also. Our cat started having seizures that night. We did not know what
the problem was and had no idea that anything was wrong with our dog "Boomer". We sat up all night holding the cat trying to figure out what to do. The next morning we walked outside and our dog was dead. I took the cat to the vet and sure enough it was the biospot that was making the cat have seizures and tremors. The cat is going to be ok after staying at the vet for 2 days and costing $274 but we lost our best friend of 13 years. I'm outraged and want to know what I can do to prevent this from happening to anyone elses pet. Please e-mail me and let me know what to do.
Rhonda 8/24/05
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Just this past Thursday, 8/19/05...two of my three kittens had an adverse reaction to Bio Spot.
I have three Libra (1 year, 3 months), Cyrrus (11 months) and Minerva (11 months). I have used FrontLine Flea treatment on them and never had a single problem but had not had a chance to make it back to their vet to get more. I live in Texas and for whatever reason the heat brings out the fleas..I have a dog who comes in and out bringing my girls (the cats) a bug or two and as I am sure you understand one or two is
all it takes.
At any rate, I was at Pet Co buying food and saw the BioSpot Flea Treatment and decided since it cost a little more than the other over-the-counter treatments that it was probably okay. I took it home and split one tube amongst two of my babies...Libra and Cyrrus..(Minerva was hiding and now I realize why). As I said I split one application between the two of them and went to bed. It was about 11 pm. I woke up at around 5am to what I thought was one of them sneezing several times. I looked on the floor and my sweet little Cyrrus (who is small for her age and just an easy going, non vocal sweet heart...so precious) trembling and foaming at the mouth. My dog was licking her like crazy and was pacing back and forth outwardly upset. I picked her up and tried to give her water. She just kept trying to get down. I just held her unsure what to do...thinking maybe she had gotten into something when I realized it was the flea drops.
I scrammbled to get my keys and in the may lay I opened the door and Libra..who at this point seemed okay ran out. I never let them out but had no time to lose getting Cyrrus to the vet. I told my neighbor to find Libra. I went back inside to get Cyrrus who was on the bed at this point having convulsions. I picked her up...screaming, wailing...and held her has she had a seizure vomitingand urinating on me in the process but I held her and hugged her and cried as I thought this was it...then of course she came back to and was trembling not knowing what was going on...
I got her to the vet and went home to find Libra...three hours later we found her under the next door neighbor's shed...in worse condition than Cy. I have never seen anything alive that looked like she did when we found her. I rushed her to the vet hospital and they started to work on her too.
Luckily....they are home today. Of course almost 1000 bucks later...but really worth every penny. I thought I lost them both.
Just typing this makes me want to cry. I am a "new" pet owner....I have never had pets and I never realized how much happiness they can bring. This is unacceptable. This type of thing is so entirely avoidable and senseless.
I just wanted to share my story and see if there might be anything else I can do to prevent this from happening to other pet owners.
Tricia 8/24/05
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I purchased Bio Spot, over the counter, flea and tick control for my bengal cats and german shepard. The very next day, my daughter telephoned me at work to advise that two my cats were shaking tremendously, unable to walk and refused to eat or drink. The other two cats were fine and at this time so is my son's german shepard. I washed all the animal thoroughly, took the two cats to my local veterinarian. He proceeded to give my cats atripene injections every 1/2 hour for 5 hours and then reduced to every 45 minutes and so on. By midnight that night, my oldest Bengal showed signs of stopping his seizure and by morning I was told that both cats would make it through this horrible ordeal. I, like other customers, have always used Frontline and due to some unforeseen bills had purchased this product over-the-counter. My vet informed me after I arrived that he had been advising his patients owners to not purchase Bio-Spot as he has seen several animals have an adverse reaction (like what I have had) but, not so lucky in being able to save them. The product contains insecticides that enter into the bloodstream. This is very harmful to any pet whether it be dog or cat. I will never purchase another product from Farnum due to the fact that they do not list all of the side affects on their products and portray them as being similar to Frontline. After additional research and knowing that Hartz is having to remove their product from the shelves by March 2006, I do believe that both products need to be removed immediately so that future, unnecessary risks, and even death, can be stopped from harming our loving pets.
Central Ohio Pet Owner 8/25/05
Thank you for your response. I purchased two different products. Bio-Spot for Dogs and Bio-Spot for Cats. The Bio-Spot was the One-Step as is mentioned in your note below. My oldest cat (3 years old) just doesn't seem to be himself since this incident. I will definitely make contact as recommended below. I called the pet supply location where I purchased it and asked them to remove it from their shelves. They stated that until the received notification from the manufacturer, they would not do it. Thank you very much for caring.
Central Ohio Pet Owner 8/26/05
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Just came across your web page regarding Bio Spot. Sadly too late for my 3 year old cat who died yesterday. Per my vet, his death was a direct result of Bio Spot. How this product can be sold for
feline use is beyond my understanding. Unfortunately we didn't see any of the side affects that would
have caused me to have taken him to an emergency Vets; nor did I have the information with regard
to toxicity of its active ingredient when used on cats until it was too late.
I WILL be following up with the stores and web sites that carry this product.
Chantell 8/25/05
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Last week our blind epileptic 4 year old lab received a flea treatment. Our Vet checked the product information sheet before applying the widely used treatment of Revolution. There was nothing to indicate he could not receive a treatment. We are an Animal Sanctuary and use the product always without so much as a question as we regard it as safe. Our lab came into contact with some rescued kittens that had fleas which is why we gave him the treatment, more as a preventative measure. We love our boy very much and spare nothing on his care (he broke his two front legs and spent over $8000.00 on surgery to fix them)
Anyway, three days after applying Revolution our epileptic dog who has seizures like clockwork every three weeks, went into a series of cluster seizures. We brought him to our regular Vet who had him transferred over to an emergency centre. We started to rule out what was causing the clustering. That
is when I remembered the Revolution treatment.
I called the drug company and asked in desperation if possibly this is what could have caused his cluster seizures. Their response was "Based on your dog's history of epilepsy, he would not be a
good candidate for our product." When I asked them why they simply could not put that in the product information leaflet, Their response "Not enough research to warrent so." They also explained the time of 3 days after application as to time of seizing. It takes that long to be absorbed into the central nervous system.
Our Vet was furious, as she had no idea and she felt horrible as she truly loves our special dog, nearly as much as we do.
Our boy survived the clusters (THANK GOODNESS), and the drug company has agreed to pay for all the bloodwork we did, however we are on our own for the other $1000.00 we spent on the emergency ICU care to pull him through.
We love our boy, and would never do anything to harm him, why can they not just put this stuff on the label?????
Kelli 8/30/05
Pfizer will only reimburse my fee's associated with bloodwork...not the 36 hour care in ICU or the IV hookup or medication. They said that is in accordance with their policy.
They also said they have no information linking dogs with epilepsy going into cluster seizures, so they will not change the general product information sheet due to my one epileptic dog having a (possible) reaction.
His blood was so obscured the day of the cluster seizures the bloodwork was useless, so they had to redraw blood today. CBC toxology, phenobarb/KBR therapeutic test, thyroid test etc...
I am just worried sick for the next month until this stuff is suppose to be out of his system.
His epilepsy is controlled to like I said earlier..1 seizure every three weeks....seems odd that three days after receiving revolution (the only change) he went into a series of cluster seizures :(
Why do they not want to put the "possible side effect" on their general information sheet?
I now have told three of our Vet's about it, and they said they were NEVER told about that possible
side effect ever.
Kelli 8/30/05
Pfizer claims they have no information linking Revolution with cluster seizures when it's used on dogs with epilepsy. However, they DO have information linking Revolution with serious adverse drug experiences (ADEs) when it's used on "sick, debilitated or underweight animals." That's why the FDA made Pfizer put a warning on their label in 2002, stating, "Do not use in sick, debilitated or underweight animals" That's also why Pfizer's representative told you, "Based on your dog's history of epilepsy, he would not be a good candidate for our product."
Here is a document from the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine concerning adverse reactions to heartworm drugs for dogs (including Selamectin, which is the generic name for Pfizer's Revolution):
James TerBush
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WELL I ONLY WISHED I WOULD HAVE FOUND YOUR SITE SOONER. SNORKEY A 7 YEAR OLD
LASAPSO WE RESCUED FROM A LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER ABOUT 6 YEARS AGO,VERY
HEALTHY AND ACTIVE DOG WHO ENJOYS PLAYING WITH MY TWO BOYS. WE SWITCHED FROM FRONTLINE TO BIO SPOT WORST MISTAKE WE HAVE EVER MADE. THE FIRST TREATMENT WAS A MONTH AGO. WE SEEN NO PROBLEMS. WE APPLIED THE SECOND TREATMENT WITHIN A WEEK WE NOTICED SHE WAS NOT HER ACTIVE SELF. SHE WOULD LAY AROUND AND DID NOT WANT TO PLAY OR EAT. WHEN SHE STARTED VOMITING WHITE FOAMY STUFF WE NEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG SO WE TOOK HER TO THE VET TODAY. WHILE IN THE VET'S OFFICE SHE STARTED HAVING SEIZURES ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER. THE VET RAN VARIOUS TEST SAID IT WAS IN HER LIVER SO I GUESS WE ARE NOT AS LUCKY AS SOME. SHE PAST AWAY AT THE VET'S OFFICE SO I HAVE TO GO HOME TODAY AND BREAK THE NEWS TO A 9 YEAR OLD AND A 2 YEAR OLD BOY THAT THEIR BEST FRIEND IS GONE. THERE SHOULD BE A LAW AGAINST SELLING SOMETHING THAT COULD KILL YOUR ANIMALS. WHILE READING THE SIDE AFFECTS ON THE PACKAGE NOTHING WAS SAID ABOUT (DEATH).
JAMES 8/30/05
WELL I CONTACTED SHERRI PIKE [AT FARNAM] AND GAVE HER ALL THE INFORMATION. THEY SENT ME A REIMBURSMENT CHECK FOR THE BIO SPOT $26. I HAD MY VET SEND HER ALL
THE INFORMATION. SHE SENT ME A LETTER STATING THAT WE USED THE BIO SPOT NOT TO
MANUFACTUER'S DIRECTIONS. SHE IS CLAIMING I GAVE IT TO MY DOG TWICE IN TWO
WEEKS. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I HAVE BEEN GIVING MY DOG FLEA AND TICK MEDICINE FOR
OVER 6 YEARS. I CAN READ DIRECTIONS. I HAVE CALLED HER BACK TWICE BUT ALL I
GET IS HER VOICE MAIL. I LEAVE HER MESSAGES BUT NO REPLIES.. MY VET BILL WAS
$140. ALSO WE ADOPTED ANOTHER ANIMAL WHICH COST US $130. WHAT ELSE SHOULD
I DO. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANKS AGAIN.
JAMES 9/27/05
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I purchased the bio-spot brand for my cats at PetCo. Within a few hours my cats were foaming at the mouth, one began to vomit blood and literally turned "MAD". One began to slam himself into the bricks of my fireplace. The other ran into walls, knocking everything over as if it was possessed. The tremors began for the cats and I rushed them to the ER Vet clinic. The vet told me they see 3 to 4 cases a WEEK (not a month or a year) with this same problem. It is my understanding that Bio-spot is WELL AWARE of the situations they cause and yet they continue to sell. They treated them the best they could and said it was a good possibility they could die and if they were not better within the next 12 hours to consider humane euthanasia. I felt helpless as my 3 and 8 year old watched this horrific display, with great fear. One of the cats has recovered almost completely, however, after 3 days in the hospital, our older cat still has problems. I went to the store where I purchased the product and filled an incident report. I made calls to the manager of the PetCo and the manufacturer themselves. Petco accidentally let it slip that there has been a "RECALL" on this product, yet I continue to see it in the stores. I have decided to notify the stores that carry this product (and supply them with proof of liability) of the extreme danger and cruelty this company continues to put our animals in. If Bio-Spot refuses to stop making this product, then I will stop purchasing from any store that doesn't care about the lives it will endanger for a dollar or two.
J. 8/30/05
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I found this website searching for information about adverse reaction to flea and tick control. My niece's cat had siezures, but survived. I have heard from several people that feeding your cat or dog garlic will help keep fleas and ticks off. Apparently they do not like the taste of garlic. I also am feeding garlic to my children to keep fleas and mosquitos from biting. So far, so good.
If you search online for natural pet remedies, or go into a vitamin shop or health food store, there is a
lot to find. Just be wary of any product and do a lot of investigating before feeding it to your pets. Americans, I think, do not look enough for natural remedies for these type of issues. Western medicine has taught us that we need to injest chemicals, that chemically derived medicines are the only solution.
Reida 8/30/05
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I came across this site and had read some of the comments from people about their pets and the effects of flea and tick products. My beloved pet (Jazmin) died on Friday 9/3/05, less then 20 hrs after
I had put a small ampule of Advantix flea and tick product on her.
She was a very healthy Westy, who was in great shape on Wednesday and on Friday I witnessed two violent seizures and had rushed her to the vet. They bathed her and tried to get the product off her, but she continued with the seizures until she went into full cardiac arrest, ( I write this to you in major sadness and distress.) The vet had stated he administered cpr with no avail of reviving her. She was a very young spright 13 yrs old Westy, with no medical problems preceding this incident. I guess, what I'd like to know,
if you could direct me to a site or someone who could give me some information on Advantix and if this could have caused her death. I asked the vet and two of them stated that this was a good product they have suggested their customers to use with great success. So, I can't get any objective information from them, I'm afraid to say. I asked for an autopsy to be done to her and the third vet said he didn't see anything remarkable wrong with her. So, I have come to the conclusion myself that, it had to be the Advantix. I would appreciate any help you could offer.
Chris 9/3/05
This is an update regarding my Dog (Jazmin's sudden death from K9 Advantix).
I had our NH-Vermont Vet perform an autopsy on our beloved pet Jazmin because I was so confused about her turn for the worst in such a short period of time. The Vet who performed the autopsy stated that he found nothing remarkably wrong with any of her organs but did find spots on her liver? She didn't have any liver problems before, because of blood tests performed previously for her teeth cleaning. He stated
"I cannot understand why Jazmin's health failed so quickly, and how she died was drastic". Mind you, this was what the vet said to me and also to my former spouse who spoke to him before I met with him at the vet office.
When I met with him at the office, a young vet, and him took me to a room to talk. It seemed as though, this is not standard procedure, or, they are not used to talking to pet owners about autopsy's that they perform on pets. Needless to say, the young vet stated that "K9 Advantix" side effects were not present on Jazmin, that cats were the only pets that had shaking and weakness in legs etc... She said that Jazmins seizures were not from the poisoning of "K9 Advantix". But, she didn't know what it was from.(that was my first indication of her ignorance of not really researching supposedly hard facts from Bayer, and the reality of results from there consumers) Dr. Sv-- stated that they have used this product with great success on geriatric dogs in his practice for a long time with no problems, he didn't know how long its been on the market. He took out the instructions from the box and it did say not to use on cats or aged dogs. He also stated that they contacted the poison control center and they have also indicated that they have had no reports on this type of poisioning and the symptoms were not "k9" poisioning. Now, if I had not been searching for answers for my pets untimely death, I would not have found hundreds of letters of owners losing there DOGS from "K9 Advantix" poisioning. I brought copies of letters I had read on the valid internet site, with their response being, "anyone can lie about their dogs being affected by this product and lie about it on the internet". Vets are going to deny any responsibility for deaths occurring from this "DOG KILLER PRODUCT". I received the same uncaring concern from BAYER. Unfortunately, this inexperienced young vet with book and stat knowledge wrote the report to Bayer and therefore has stated that in her opinion this was not a "K9 poisioning. Do not expect to get any truth from this company, they are making too much money from this product and not enough people are reporting this DOG KILLER PRODUCT to the EPA, PEST CONTROL and other agencies that can change the use of this product and to limit it's use to who will take precaution and be responsible for the products they distribute as being safe. I know of another friend's dog (Westy) who died of Liver cancer within a short period of time and didn't realize the "k9" product was the contributing factor, because she also trusted this clinic with her 13 yr old family member.
Until I spoke to her, she thought her dog just happened to get liver cancer and was old (Westy's normally live between 13 and 16 yrs.) I'm sorry if this letter is so harsh, but, I had no idea that Vets and chemical companies (BAYER) could be so irresponsible, but I guess "the almighty Dollar" is what talks. If any lession is learned here, please follow up on these "DOG KILLER PRODUCTS" and watch all dog sites for the good of our silent family members who cannot protect themselves. Bayer has stated to me that until they receive the report from our vet, they will review and let me know if any of the $600 bill I received from the vet will be reimbursed to me. (They are so far denying responsiblity). If anyone would like to contact me,my email address is chocklatefreak@yahoo.com
Chris 9/12/05
P.S. By the way, there was an artical in Vet Tech Magazine called "K9 Advantix, I hate it". I found it on
"I Dog" but I tried to retrive it with no success, I contacted the magazine they said it is no longer available to view, so they removed it from the site and will not allow anyone to view this artical (go figure).
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This past weekend was a the most horrible experience I have ever had. My husband & I were trying to rid the house of fleas. As usual we gave the 2 cats & our dog a flea bath & put this product [Bio Spot for Dogs] on the dog. Our cats Brat & Tie are best friends with the dog they sleep next to each other & they clean each other. The next thing we know one of our cats had a stroke & rolled down the stairs...... So we did the immediate thing & took it to the vet. 2 Hours later I had to make a second trip to the vet with our other cat who was starting to have some sort of tremors. As I was approaching the door she had a seizure in my arms, I thought she was dead. There is nothing worse than seeing your baby in that state & thinking that would be the last time you ever held her. I have had nightmares about this since then. On top of that I am trying to figure out how I am going to get caught back up financially. Both cats in the emergency room for two days. They had I.V's in them & they were giving them muscle relaxers. The bill was close to $900.00. My biggest concern is the fact that my 2 year old daughter, who is about 10 pounds heavier than my Cat Brat, could have been effected by this product. I am appalled by the fact that a product of this nature is on the market. They Always talk about antifreeze being so dangerous. I think this should be in the same category. People should be aware of of how harmful this product really is. This has been a traumatic experience. I think I have every right to a full refund for the product itself & the vet bill that I now have. I am considering contacting my attorney.
Melissa 9/6/05
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I unfortunately used Hartz Flea and Tick Spray on my cat and flea and tick conditioning shampoo on
my dog on the 29th in the pm of August 2005. Both dog and cat had adverse reaction to both products, my cat was rushed to the ER Vet where she suffered and died 3 days later from the flea and tick spray. My dog has been ripping and pulling her hair out from any body part that she can get too and has not recovered yet. The vet told me that she wished I`d be there when she tells people to get pet supplies from a vet and not over the counter, because people don`t listen and act like she`s just trying to make money. I am here to tell you that HARTZ and many other pet supplies are being sold in dept, drug and pet stores such as PETSMART and are all known to be poisonous to your pet. I was told the reason why they are on the counters still is because it is cheaper to pay off law suites than to pull their products off of the market. This doesn`t bring my cat back. IN MEMORY OF KITTY SEPT,03 2005
Anonymous 9/14/05
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I had always heard horror stories about Biospot (I had a co-worker whose 2 cats died when she used
it on them and this was over 8 years ago), so I never tried it. I have always used Advantage and haven't had any problems with my dogs or cats, but I had an allergic skin reaction to it this week. I took my 14 year old dog to the vet for his shots and a dose of Advantage. He has arthritis and had a really hard time walking on their slippery floors. When they applied it to his shoulder blades, he was laying down and it sort of ran off to his right side. When we went to leave, I didn't think anything of it, but put my arms around him from behind and sort of lifted his front end up, with his back to my chest to help him out. The next morning I had a slight rash (it wasn't raised; just red and itchy) on my right arm, where my arm wrapped around his chest and a rash on my chest, where his back pressed against me. I took a shower and made sure I didn't scratch. By the end of the day I had raised bumps, where it had just been red. It is 3 days later and it hasn't spread, but hasn't gotten any better. I have been applying an over-the-counter cortizone cream that my pharmacist recommended. I'm sure I'll be fine by next week and I've had poison ivy a lot worse. I've always had good luck with Advantage (I've got 13 dogs and 6 cats), so I won't stop using it, but but thought
I would write, so others will be careful, especially if they have children. Sometimes you forget that what might be safe for pets may not be safe for people (or the other way around).
Kristen 9/15/05
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I purchased bio spot four days ago. I applied it to my maltese who had fleas. She began to not act right...not as active. Her appetite decreased and she started to whine. I thought it was just a bad day. This morning I awoke to find her stretched out...not responding to my voice or anything. I lay her on her wee wee pad and she used it without moving. I just knew she was dying. She's 7 and I've never had
this to happen to her before, but also have never used bio spot before. I got her up and immediately bathed her with warm water and a mild shampoo. She was almost lifeless...I fried her an egg and mixed up some sugar water. She's eating fine and is somewhat better. I have to take her to our vet in an hour....but I'm just glad she's not like she was hours ago. Honestly, I don't know what caused this....but it does appear that after I washed her, she began to improve.
Cindi 9/15/05
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My warning is for the topical application of Sergeant brand flea control for cats. My Mother is currently awaiting word on whether two of her beloved pets will live thru the night. She applied the liquid as directed on the package early this morning. By this afternoon the cats had gone from "restless" to staggering, unable to stand and finally, seizures and unconciousness.
They are in critical+ condition at the hospital now. The vet told my mother that he has had numerous
such patients due to the cat flea control made by Sergeants. The Walmart store where the Sergeants
was purchased has removed the product from their shelves as of this evening's request by my mother.
I would encourage ANYONE who has the stuff to return it IMMEDIATELY to the store where it was purchased and request that it be removed from the shelves. DO NOT USE this on your cats!!!!!!!! We
pray that Whiff and Mayze will pull thru ....... and that this won't happen to anyone else's cat.
Thanks for a place to educate and ventilate.
Lily 9/16/05
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We lost our 5 yr. old Black Lab Male to hemangiosarcoma. The vet said he is seeing this in younger
and younger dogs. We dosed our dog with Bio-Spot monthly his entire life. Coincidence?
Dennis 9/17/05
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WE JUST USED SOME [BIOSPOT FOR CATS] ON OUR CAT AND SHE WENT INTO THE SAME THING THAT YOU WROTE ABOUT. WE CALLED THE VETS AND THEY WERE VERY UPSET THAT BIO SPOT WAS USED AND SAID TO CLEAN HER RIGHT AWAY. WHAT A SCARY THING
TO HAPPEN. THE PET STORE SAID THIS WAS A GOOD PRODUCT. THE VET SAID IT GOES RIGHT TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND CAN CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. I WILL
NOT USE THIS STUFF AGAIN.
ANDY 9/20/05
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I am sad to hear all the horrible stories on your web site. I currently have 10 cats and 4 (ALL OVER
60 POUNDS) dogs. My cats are treated with Revolution. We used to use Frontline but I have a few kitties that always get ear mites and the Revolution seems to take care of that problem. All of my cats are healthy and I never had a bad reaction with the Frontline or the Revolution. My cats are not related. Out of 10 genetically different cats I have had no problems. My cats range in age from 1 year to 14 years. My dogs are all treated monthly with Frontline. Again they have never had any problems with the Frontline. My dogs are all unrelated and they range in age from 4 years to 13 years. All of my cats and dogs are mixed breeds and they were all rescues. Could purebred dogs and cats be more sensitive to the topical treatments?
I volunteer with a local animal rescue and meet a lot of people who have had problems with the Bio
Spot and Hartz flea treatments. We have heard horror stories about illnesses and deaths and it disgusts me that this crap is still on the market. I tell everyone who chooses to use a topical flea treatment to get it from your vet. These companies are preying on low income people who want to do right by their animals but can't afford to go to a vet. How you care for your pet is a very personal thing and everyone has their own ideas of what is right and wrong. For those who have suffered high vet bills and the loss of their pets I urge you to not let off these companies. Hold them accountable. Has anyone called their local paper? Get all your information together and call a reporter.
Good Luck!
Bonnie 9/21/05
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For the first time, I applied a full dose of K-9 Advantix to my 2 dogs. After a couple of hours, I noticed
my younger dog's ear was twitching and she would shake her head often. She was also a bit quieter than usual but I thought she was just tired. My older dog is always quiet but he too seemed even more so. After another hour of watching her ear, I decided to check the box of Advantix to see if there are any adverse reactions that I might have missed. I always give any kind of medications during the day when I can keep an eye on them because you never know when a reaction could develop- the first time or the hundredth. Unfortunately, neither on the box or in the pamphlet was there any mention of adverse reactions. I find that highly unusual since all medication has SOME reaction to even a very few. So I decided to take a soapy cloth and rinse her ear to see if that would help. In the meantime, I logged on to do some more research. I found quite a few emails on a different flea protection but didn't want to take any chances. I stopped reading and immediately gave both dogs a bath, soaping the application areas several times (using regular dog shampoo). Both dogs immediately perked up. My younger dog absolutely hates being bathed and was unusually calm during this one. Maybe she really wanted that crap off her! Or maybe the "medicine" (I use that term very loosely!) was affecting her. Well, they are definitely acting much much better although her ear is still twitching. I just rebathed her ear again as well, taking care not to get any water inside, of course. I am up at 1:30am keeping an eye on her for a while longer before I go to bed. I also finished reading the other emails and decided to give them both canned dog food (I keep it on had for possible hurricane emergencies or medical emergency) because it made sense that it would go into their systems faster than dry food.
I also took the precaution of calling my vet who said bathing them is the best thing to do and just keep
an eye out for possible seizure (rapid eye movements, sluggishness). I then called the number on the box for medical emergencies and they told me some dogs can develop a mild reaction. I asked if that was all and he said yes. He also said that there were no other precautions I could take. He didn't seem very concerned. He didn't tell me anything further to watch for. I find it ridiculous that an emergency number for a pesticide (even a mild one) could not (would not??) give me more information. It was like pulling teeth. He finally took my name, number, town and state before ending the call. It was done reluctantly.
Do yourselves a favor after reading all of the comments. Stay away from all of these products. One is no better than the other and if you love your dogs (cats?) as much as I do, it is not worth it to take a chance. My other dog I had before this one died a few weeks after I used Hartz flea control. It was a last minute purchase and convenient. I really believe the product had something to do with the grand mal seizures
she started having at 13 yrs old! Never had them before. She died 2 weeks after her first seizure and a couple of grand at the emergency hospital. My heart was broken. I had her since she was 6 weeks old and she was family to me. No one would credit the flea control for contributing. They just cannot figure
out what happened. Can you????
Laura 9/26/05
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Just found your website. Looking for a natural way to control fleas also. Logan is a 1 year old Golden Retriever. He is on Frontline Plus. Recently I have put it together than whenever I apply the product, he freaks. First when I get it out of the box he runs and hides and then when he is calm again, I apply it and he takes off trying his hardest to rub it off and then walks around the rest of the day with his head down and hiding like he is a broken dog. :( I called the vet...they said it's from the smell... other dog owner's on my Golden Retriever forum say it's poison...and that prompted me to search on the web...where I found your website and have read all of the horrible stories. Poor Logan hasn't had it as bad as many of those on the website and I am thankful. I realize Frontline is supposed to be one of the safer ones ...but I really didn't think there was a risk at all before...especially since it's prescribed by the vet. My last Golden died at age 9 of Cancer...a few smaller tumors just under the skin and one grapefruit size one in his lung...all removed but the cancer remained. :(I have tried to do all I can for Logan to make sure he is as far away from Cancer causing agents as I can...better food (Canidae), treats and all of it...but I didn't ever think about the flea meds. What about the Heartguard? What should I be doing instead?
Debi 9/26/05
For heartworm protection, I give my dog Interceptor - a monthly pill that contains a pesticide. I don't like using it, but unlike fleas and ticks, you can't see heartworms. Here is a document from the FDA which compared several heartworm preventative drugs and the number of adverse reactions associated with them (the active ingredient in Heartguard is ivermectin, and the active ingredient in Interceptor is milbemycin oxime):
James TerBush
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I just read your website after looking to see if any other animals have had an adverse reaction to Bio Spot. I used it last night on all three of my dogs. My youngest (a 1 year old Shih Tzu) was running all over this morning, rubbing her back against furniture, the floor,etc. She also was very lethargic between the rubbing bouts. Totally unlike her. I gave her a bath to get the stuff off of her skin and rinsed it really well. She has been lethargic ever since, but no more rubbing. I then decided to Yahoo BioSpot and got a hit on your webpage. I don't know what to do at this point. Do I call my vet or give it a day?
Kathy 9/26/05
Thank you so much for getting back to me. My dog vomited and then finally ate a little around 8 p.m. Around 9 p.m., she started perking up and seems to be improving. I e-mailed the NPIC, the EPA and Farnam. I'm also e-mailing everyone I know and asking them to pass it on to all their friends who own
dogs not to ever purchase this product. I wished I had never tried it. I can't believe it's on the market
at all. Anyway, thank you again - I appreciate it.
Kathy 9/27/05
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My 8 year old kitty was given bio spot less then 48 hours ago last night. I noticed him shaking today he went to the vet it's so bad he can't walk he is having seizures as well as twitching they have him on an IV right now they did blood work and the liver looks good but they are unsure if he will make it thru the night.
please say a prayer for my Gizzy...
Anonymous 9/27/05
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I am looking to see if people have treated their dogs or cats with [Advantage] flea drops only to loose
them to lymphoma? I lost my two year old bloodhound to that cancer and I am now trying to find out if there is any relation to the two.
I have asked a couple of people who have lost a dog to lymphoma and there are two things that we have
in common. The dogs were fed with high-end dog food and treated with flea drops.
Thanks,
Colette 10/1/05
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My Cat, Ladybug is two years old. She does not like the smell of Frontline and will run when you pop the container. At Pet Depot I was shown Bio Spot by a sales clerk, who said she used it on her animals. The first time I used it, about six weeks ago, I didn't notice a problem. It didn't have the smell making it easy to apply. [I also have a 17 week old Schitza poo]. This morning I applied it again, later I noticed her foaming at the mouth, jerking all over and unable to help herself move. I thought she was dying. It was Saturday
but I got a good vet on call. He immediately ask if I had used flea control and the brand. He told me to give her a bath and use soap to wash her off which I did. He would call back to check on her in one hour. I am a nurse and I knew it had attacked her nervous system and she was having some seizures. He said if the seizures got worse they would start an IV and give her some Valium. He said it would take some time for
it to get out of her liver. He also said the first ingredient in Bio Spot has caused this problem. It has been
several hours and she is still jerking and unresponsive. I have given her some liquid Benadryl and forced water with a dropper. It is so sad to see her in this condition, she can't even meow and I'm going to be suprised if she makes it and if she does not to have severe neurological problems. I went exactly by
instructions. The vet said this ingredient is in fly spray for cows and horses. He reported to me having seen severe reactions in these larger animals. I know she is so tired from jerking all over she can do nothing for herself. I am so upset with this situation and I am a very outspoken community activest. Can you tell me who I need to talk to? What if a small child had played with her and got some in its mouth or
just on their hands. My husband and I can't believe what this has done to our big, healthy cat.
Jewel 10/2/05
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I can only say that even in Australia we are having the same problem with Frontline. I had two dogs that had problems with fits, the Vet would not believe me when I told him that the problem was caused by Frontline. I was told by the Vet that the product is very safe. After a few months I stopped using the Frontline on the dogs. No more fits. I sent e-mail and faxes to Frontline and not a single answer by them, they make so much money by selling poison and killing our pets. The Vets are brain washed, most of them are making a fortune by selling the poison to us, that may also have a long term effect on humans. How
can we trust the large multinationals? A few years ago the cigarettes did not carry the safety warning, the same with asbestos and so many other products. You can never expect that a company that produces Frontline would be open to discuss their product, with simple people like us. After all our pets to them
only mean money, they do not have the love that we have for our pets, just the $ sign.
Ugo 10/2/05
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I have just survived a weekend of hell and I believe it was from using bio spot.
I found both of my dogs had fleas. I bathed them in flea and tick shampoo. Later, I used bio spot on them both. My older dog "Sadie" was irritated and didn't sleep all night and in the morning she started vomiting copious amounts of blood and her stools were so black you could tar a road.
I rushed both to the vet and they immediately washed them 2 times in dawn to get the bio spot off. After the baths the vomiting stopped and she had to be on an IV for all the blood she lost. Six hundred dollars later, she is still weak, and recovering, but her back is twitching and spasming where the bio spot was applied and my other dog has tenderness and bumps all over her back. To me bio spot is a killer. Sadie was very close to death and I have no doubt if the bio spot was left on her, she would have died.
If there is anyway I can get this company's attention, please let me know. I am so frustrated and angry, I would like to sue them.
Charlene 10/3/05
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Our healthy three year old dog Sky was wagging, running, playing, when we put Hartz flea drops on his back. The next day we noticed a throw up spot but did not think too much of it. (Even though Sky had
never thrown up before.) Sky did not want his treat. The following day I saw vomit everywhere, and he
was lethargic, and out of it. We rushed Sky to the vet. Sky was tested and diagnosed with acute-renal-failure. He was put on IV's and medicines, everything was done to save Sky. Unfortunately two days
later, October 2, 2005, he had to be put to sleep, his kidneys completely shut down. In one day he went from playing, running, and wagging; to, not being able to eat, drink, go to the bathroom, or walk. Sky will
be greatly missed and please do not use this product. I wish I could take it all back.
Anonymous 10/5/05
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Similar to another posting on your website, I'm someone who normally uses Frontline, but I had run
out of my monthly supply and after less than a week into the new month I discovered a few fleas on
my dog!
Well, I volunteered with a rescue group all summer and noticed that they were using BioSpot to treat
the animals for fleas before I'd take them home to foster. None of the dogs I'd put it on seemed to have
a reaction and since it had a more pleasant smell than Frontline I thought it might be worth trying. It was particularly convenient for me when running errands to just pick it up at the pet store and get right to
work at ridding my dog of fleas.
Here I am about an hour after administering it, watching my dog closely to see if she's calmed down
any. I'd say within a half hour of it being administered she was completely beside herself. She couldn't settle anywhere... she was on the bed for two seconds, would jump off and lay on the carpet... that would likewise last a few seconds and she'd run into the living room and get on the couch... that apparently
was no good, so she'd go back to the floor... round and round... wanted outside and ran around there
too... the poor thing even barked at me a bit in frustration, telling me to do something for her.
My dog is normally active, but this was obviously odd behavior. I'd read on the BioSpot package that
some dogs have increased itching from the product so I immediately began to worry about what it was doing to her system. I have since given her a bath with oatmeal shampoo, rinsed... she still seemed uncomfortable... so I rinsed her again at length. She seems to have settled down a bit more now, but is
still definitely showing side effects. It's ironic, because I was especially careful in my application of the product! I thought perhaps the reason she'd gotten fleas in the first place was because I sometimes
get the feel my application of Frontline is ineffective. On top of it, the BioSpot had up to an hour to soak
in :( As a result, I fear my attempts to eradicate it are falling flat.
While all of this was going on, I picked up a Hound Healthbook I own which gave me more insight on
the different flea product's "active ingredient" and immediately jumped online to try and find information
posted from others who've used BioSpot. Thank goodness for your site to get the word out! I'm going
to be sure to inform the rescue group that the money they think they're saving may be harming the very animals they are hoping to help! I'm just so angry with myself for letting this happen... because I am normally SO careful about the products I use with my dog (organic foods, etc.) It even crossed my mind when I purchased it yesterday that it was "too good to be true" - that a product that you could get 3 applications of for less than the cost of 1 of the others might not be trustworthy. I should have followed
my instincts! Especially since they sound so defensive on the packaging. This should have sent up a
read flag - "Sensitivity may occur after using ANY pesticide product on pets." Thee all-caps gave me
the impression they were feeling accused before the fact! Not really a good sign.
Anyway, lesson learned. I just hope my dog is OK, because she is so much of my life and deserves
better! My poor pup still isn't completely settled down yet, but I'm hoping we won't have to make a trip to
the vets. I would imagine since it's already in her system there's not much they can do there anyway.
I'll go back to your site and read more about how I can raise awareness about this product. Feel free to post my message as well if you'd like so that others can be informed as I have been by the experiences people have shared.
Thanks again for getting the word out on this dangerous product!
Holly 10/9/05
Thanks again for the information... another thing I wish I'd looked at more closely was that 50%!!! of BioSpot is "other ingredients" - which according to some of the information on the links at your site
could mean "trade secrets" or I believe they called them "inert ingredients" that are not closely
monitored (if at all).
Scary stuff,
Holly 10/9/05
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We used Bio-Spot One-Step flea and tick on our cat Boston tonight. This was the second time we
have used this product purchased at Tractor Supply. Since the first time we have noticed some slight tremors but nothing serious. After tonight's application she began shaking, breathing erratically and actually hissed at us for the first time ever. We called the vet at around midnight and they said to wash
it off immediately. We have done so and the initial reactions have stopped. We will monitor her closely.
Scott/Niki 10/12/05
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I am sorry to read all the heart aches that this has caused. I have a boxer and she has seizures to Heartguard. If you give her one about twelve hours later she does the same thing that your dog did.
Andy 10/12/05
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I have used Bio Spot on both of my dogs for the last two tears with no problems and no ticks and fleas.
Jay 10/12/05
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I have just read with interest your article. I am Chairperson of the Northern Inuit Society, UK. We
have developed a relatively new breed over the last 18 years. The Northern Inuit has in that time had
no incidence whatsoever of epilepsy - until about 3 months ago. In the last 3 months we have had 4
dogs, all different ages, totally unrelated and perfectly healthy, suddenly develop epilepsy. One died. Three of those dogs were definitely treated with Frontline up to 7 days prior to having their first seizure.
At my dog training club we have had two incidents in the last couple of months of fit young dogs
suddenly having seizures withiin hours of being treated with Frontline - one was a Springer Spaniel
and one a Border Terrier.
Today I heard from a friend who had been talking to an acquaintance whose old collie had recently
died - apparently that too had been healthy until being treat by Frontline, when it had a really bad seizure and died.
I have written to Merial, the manufacturers of Frontline requesting them to investigate. They were most unhelpful, saying that Frontline was licenced for use on dogs and quoting all the other possible causes of epilepsy. I am not convinced and the vets for two of our owners whose dogs have been affected are contacting Frontline on our behalf.
We are also having the dogs DNA tested to see if they have inherited a predisposition for epilepsy -
which I doubt. This is all too much of a coincidence.
Sandra 10/12/05
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Was very glad to find the information you provided about bio spot. A lady I care give for and who is
trying to live on a limited income, used the 3rd dose of bio spot on her precious 11 year old Himalayan
cat this past Sunday. As with Hamish, the first 2 doses didn't cause adverse reactions. Sunday night,
she thought the cat was going to die. She washed the bio spot off, but Charlie went into seizures, and experienced all the problems you described Hamish went through. I'm hoping Farnum will pay the vet
bill, as the container went to the dump Sunday afternoon so we have no proof. I'm going to call them
later today and see what they have to say. My vet told me they are doing their best to get word out
about these unregulated over the counter products. Thank you so much for the info you provided.
Terry 10/13/05
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I recently gave my cat Pauly the Bio-spot medication. 6 hours after applying the medicine he began to
have seizures. We immediately washed it off and rushed him to the 24 hour vet hospital, only to find that this product has been causing this reaction for several pets in the area. Now after the worst has passed, (so far), I am sitting up with my distraught animal trying to make sure he makes it through the night. He
was adopted from the SPCA, and is only 2 years old. From me trying to save a buck, I might have costed our beloved pet his life. This product should be banned from all stores and the public should be made more aware that an extra dollar goes a long way. If anyone reads this and is considering purchasing the
Bio-spot medication instead of using the safe Frontline medication, please go the extra mile. Having a
cat go through grand mal seizures in your arms and you cannot do anything but hold him and hope they stop.
Sianne 10/17/05
There are several messages posted on my website concerning adverse reactions to Frontline. The Australian government is currently reviewing all products that contain fipronil (the pesticide in Frontline)
due to reports of adverse reactions. Here is a link regarding it:
James TerBush
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Hi there........my cat, as I write this, is on an iv, sitting in the pet hospital. I gave him bio spot 3 weeks ago and he now has kidney failure. I will most likely have to put him to sleep tomorrow. He is my best friend.
Please, tell me how I can help spread the word that pesticides are bad for cats. How can we get stores
to stop selling them?
Dave 10/18/05
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My wife put bio-spot on our year old orange and silver tabby cats last night. The tomcat, Lil Buster,
died almost immediately. We took the little female silver tabby, Lily, to the vets today and it appears she
is going to make it. This cost us $500 today not to mention the emotional 24 hours we have gone thru.
BIO-SPOT, you're history pal!!!
Tom & Judy 10/20/05
Wednesday at 8 PM I administered one dose of Bio Spot Stripe-On flea control to each of my 8-9 month old cats. I awoke to find my female suffering and incapacitated and my male dead on the kitchen floor. I rushed them both to the veterinarian at 8 AM. The male was already stiff and had been dead for some time. The female stayed at the Vet's where they bathed her, flushed her system, did blood work and closely monitored her condition for the day. I picked her up at 5 PM that evening. She is still bothered by the area where I applied the chemical. I'm not sure if it stings or tickles but she is constantly trying to scratch it. I have contacted Farnam Pet Products and they have said that they would try to pay my vet bills
if I offered proof that Bio Spot was the cause of the death and illness. I appreciate the gesture but am saddened by the fact that NOTHING will bring my cat back. I thought that the National Pesticide Information Center should be made aware of this unfortunate incident. Thank you.
Judy 10/21/05
Farnum sent me full reimbursement for my veterinary bills . Thank you for your help.
Judy 11/7/05
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I found you on the Internet...and I thank you so very much for posting all that information... I did call the pesticide place because my 2 1/2 yr old 90lb boxer had tremors of the head this morning after waking
up. This happened a couple of times. She was very lethargic and when she would wake up her head looked like a bobble head. Bouncing up and down without her control. I called the NPIC and they
said that yes this can happen - that in rats given larger doses of the active ingredient in Advantage they
did have tremors, lethargy, stiffness and a swaggering gait. I called Bayer first and they denied any
and all claims to anything being wrong or being able to happen. The NPIC said that it will take 24 to 48 hours for the effects to wear off and that Advantage can effect the nervous system. hmm whom can we contact about the fact that Bayer lies....blatantly.
Blake 10/21/05
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Hello.. I wanted to add my voice to the conversation against these dangerous pesticides! In November
of 1999 my healthy 5 year old husky was given a treatment of frontline just the way the package advises. Within 36 hours my dog was having a MAJOR seizure! (scared me to death) I gother to the vet quickly
and asked if it could be a reaction to the frontline. He said ..'no, I am afraid you just have a epileptic on
your hands.' While I was there there were 3 other dogs having seizures, which I found odd. I never gave
my dog Frontline again, I never had a problem again. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what happened to my dog that day. Many years later and she is doing fine. BEWARE Frontline.
Anonymous 10/24/05
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i am v. concerned about my cat who was treated with frontline combo spot on today. despite following instructions he managed to lick it off and also his whiskas have started to fall off. can anyone offer me an explanation please.
Sakina 10/25/05
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My toy fox terrier, Gizmo, is very sick. I believe it is the frontline plus I put on him a week ago. We had
used advantage before and he would act weird for a couple of days but he's been sick for over a week. The day after I put frontline on him he wasn't acting like his self and wouldn't eat. All he wanted to do was sleep. I took him to the vet and he did blood tests and his liver and pancreas levels are extremely high.
The vet said he had pancreaitis and kept asking me if he could have gotten into some type of cleaner or something that caused a toxicity in his body. I have a 9 month old crawling baby I'm not going to leave something just laying around. And I don't know what he could have gotten into outside. He doesn't go out
of our yard and we're always with him if he's outside. The only explanation is the frontline but the vet still thinks he got into some kind of cleaner or something. We're having to take him twice a day to the vet and he puts saline fluid under his skin and gives him an antibiotic shot and a shot for nausea. Also I looked on the box of frontline that I have and it says up to 22 pounds for a small dog. Gizmo only weighs 4 pounds.
I just think it was too much for his system to tolerate. It's just so frustrating. He was perfectly healthy and
then the vet told us to put him on frontline plus and now he's very sick and we don't know if he'll get any better. The vet says he's going to call frontline and talk to them about it but I'm sure they won't admit that
it could be their product that made him sick. I just hope Gizmo gets over all of this. Has anyone else had problems with frontline plus?
Misty 10/26/05
Gizmo is still very sick but his pancreas is normal now and his liver is getting back to normal. We're just hoping that he won't have any long term effects from it. I reported it to Merial and of course they said it couldn't possibly be Frontline. I also reported it to NPIC and they basically said they couldn't do anything about it. The EPA has e-mailed me back and they wanted the registration number off the Frontline box so I'm assuming they're going to report it. Our vet still doesn't think it's the Frontline but we know that's the only thing that could have made him sick. The vet has talked to Merial about it several times. They have left a message for him to call them back. So we still don't know if they're going to pay our vet bill. Right now our bill is about $600 and we're going to have to start paying something soon. Thanks again for all of your help.
Misty 11/10/05
I just e-mailed Kathryn Bouve at the EPA so maybe she can also help me. I looked at the link you gave
me about rabbits and ferrets. Gizmo still weighs less than some of them. It's just crazy. Merial is going to credit our vet $209.06. I have no idea where they came up with that number but it's not enough. We have a $900.00 vet bill right now. Getting it paid is not as important as the principle of the whole thing. My husband called Merial and they said they would give his information to their vet and then their vet would
call our vet. I'm sure it's the same person that our vet has been talking to so I doubt that did any good. My husband said he was nice that time but he won't be the next time he calls. Frontline plus should not be given to small breeds the size of Gizmo. Maybe they could come up with a formula for small breeds. Of course even if they did I would never put it on him and risk it. Gizmo is starting to feel better but we're still giving medicine for his liver and for nausea twice a day. He's still eating a low fat canned food that we got from the vet since his liver still isn't normal. Last night he played with one of his toys and that was so great to see. We thought we were going to lose him. We have hope now that maybe he's going to be okay. Once again thank you for all your help. We really appreciate it.
Misty 11/17/05
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I have been using Bio Spot on my dogs for about 13 years. They have never had a problem and have
never had a single flea. I also have been using Bio Spot (pink) for the last 8 years on my cat, Leo. He
too has never had any problems or a single flea. However, last night I had used the Bio Spot One Step
for Cats in the blue package. After about 5 minutes, Leo began trying to lick off the medication. I watched him closely because he never, ever bothered with it after application. Although he could not reach the medication - he was frantically trying to lick it. He suddenly started hissing at his back and running away.
As I ran to get him he was throwing himself on the floor and rolling around. I scooped him up and put him
in the sink. I immediately noticed that his skin, where the Bio Spot was applied, was bright red. I washed him with Johnson's baby shampoo and plenty of water. His skin was raw and bleeding! The Bio Spot
burned Leo's skin-it was like I had poured acid on him! I had called Farnam Pet Products and was appalled to hear that they had "voluntarily discontinued " the product on August 18, 2005 because other
cat owners had the same complaints. Yet, despite the injuries caused to our animals, the product was
still on the market and sold to me on August 24, 2005 through 1800PETMEDS.com. While a rep at Farnam said to send any vet bills for reimbursement, it is really no consolation for what happened to
Leo. Farnam should have taken action to prevent harm to our animals. This was a horrifying experience that should NEVER have happened!
Jaime 10/26/05
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Thank you very much for your informative website. My husband's dogs were treated with Bio-Spot twice. One of the dogs, the pit bull began acting very agitated and running around after the second treatment. He had a lot of problems sleeping and he started urinating on the furniture. It took us a while to figure out he was having a reaction to the Bio-Spot. We didn't figure that out until we found your website.
We talked to the vet and they said "get the stuff off your dog." They also said "don't ever use it again." We were instructed to wash the dog in Dove bar soap. We did it twice in 2 weeks and the dog seems a lot better. He's back to his normal self. We did not suffer further more serious consequences due to your website. Again, thank you. You may post our message.
Matt and Linda 10/28/05
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Tonight we gave our 2-yr old Border Collie a treatment with BioSpot - - a good deal of the product
gushed out in one spot, and we tried to wipe it away as much as we could.
Within 3 minute, she was pacing around the house in circles, as if she was going berserk. (she never does this) it continued for about 30 minutes, and she was cowering behind furniture (which she also
never does) I “googled” the term “dog reactions to BioSpot” and found your web site.
We immediately threw her in the tub, hit her with warm water and organic dog shampoo, and rinsed her down several times. She’s already better, but we’ll be watching her. Very scary - - and very glad your web site with advice on what to do was there. Thank you.
Nancy 10/31/05
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I have been reading your website and am worried my dog is ill from taking Bio Spot. I'm pretty sure she's taken Advantage and Frontline when we lived in NYC. The past 18 months she's been on bio spot each month, and the last 6 months she seems like her back legs have paralysis.
The vets say her knee cap is sublaxating and her "tipping over" and "dragging" her back legs intermittently are probably connected to her knee problem.
I saw a lady today whose dog was walking the same way and she told me she thinks her dogs back leg paralysis was due to taking Advantage.
My dog has not had seizures. So I wasn't sure if the paralysis is connected to Bio Spot, but I definitely expect no help from the vet (a VCA hospital), nor Bio Spot.
How would I be able to pin point if the Bio Spot caused central nervous system damage to trace it back to Bio Spot?
Maybe it's not Bio Spot, but that's the only thing this past year that I have changed in my dog's life.
It seems the vets don't want to get involved b/c they're the ones pushing the meds.
thank you
gretchen 11/2/05
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Shortly after applying the Bio-Spot Towels or spray to my cat, she became quite agitated and her pupils dilated. I recognized these as signs of allergic reaction and immediately washed the cat. She is doing
fine now. I am looking for an alternative product for flea control for my cat. My local vet says that Bio Spot toxicity is the #1 cause of poisonings at our local animal emergency clinic. The vet suggested waiting
2-3 weeks before applying another hopefully less toxic product. I believe that daily or every other day vacuuming, washing bedding and using a flea comb are helping control fleas.
I also applied Bio-Spot to my dog with no adverse reactions. After reading postings on your site, I now realize that her increased itching may, indeed, be due to the Bio-Spot so I will also be looking for an
alternative treatment for her. Besides, as listed on the label, one of the active ingredients in Bio-Spot for dogs is highly toxic to cats.
I have found that if I need to give any kind of medication to my pets, I try to administer it during a time when I will be home to observe them for any adverse reactions. Thanks so much for your helpful site. I hope it prevents future harm to our beloved pets!
Joan 11/3/05
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I applied Biospot for cats on my cat Socks around 12 midnight on 11/3 while I was studying for my
classes the next day. My husband got up for work the next morning and said that he was walking kind of uncoordinated. I was so asleep that I didn't hear him tell me. I had only a few hours of sleep when I got up for school and got me and the kids out really quick. I came home around 12:30 and went straight to bed.
I had no reason to think about Socks being sick, because we have used it on him for 8 years. At 4 pm my daughter runs into my room and says that he is under my sons bed twitching and she can't get him out. I started to get up and told her to see if Ricky could reach him. She came back and said it would have to
be me. I found him having a full-blown seizure. I pulled him out, he felt cold, his tail was sticking straight
out stiff. He was covered in feces and emesis. There was blood around his mouth. He acted as though he was trying to look at me but couldn't. We rushed him to our vet. She said that this is a very common problem with Bio Spot because of lack of research. She said he was the worst case she had seen. He
is currently in the hospital being administered Valium and Injected fluids. His body temp was 98 F, normal is 101 F. His blood pressure was so low that they had difficulty getting an IV site. I am terrified and very angry. This is my baby. My family's baby. My kids are 7 and 10 and are devastated. I am praying hard.
I am angry though because this is the first I have heard about these problems. Why? What can I do? Is Socks going to make it? I can't afford this because I am back in Nursing School LPN to RN. I told them that if I had to do without some things to pay for this I would, but I want him saved. Somebody please tell me what I can do. djberg98@alltel.net PLEASE help me.
Jacque 11/3/05
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I just want others out there to know "Scratchex" may be another brand to look out for. I just bought the topical to put on my large 3yr.old German Shepherd weighing over 100 lbs. She started acting strange...shaking herself...going from room to room...laying down...getting up...I'd let her out in the rain for awhile and she'd come in and start all over again...the pacing...shaking. Last night I got up several times because she was vomiting. She wanted out. All night I was up and down checking on her. I hate this feeling of not knowing what to do....especially when your dog is never sick. I think that her going out into the rain may have neutralized the effect of the flea potion. She is finally laying down calmly after a night of Hell. I will never use any products on her again unless they're natural ingredients. Not even from a vet ! I guess I should know better. Only poison kills things...even fleas. I'm still watching her closely but these companies need to be more regulated and responsible for products that make our animals sick or kill them.
Leigh 11/6/05
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I just found your site because my Golden Retriever just had a reaction to K9 Advantix. I was looking online to see if this could possibly be the source of her skin allergies because I noticed that after applying it last Tuesday she had a large sore where most of the fluid went. Her skin - all along her back is also flaky and dry and she is experiencing hair loss. Her hair is thinning, but she still has relatively good coverage. What can I do NOW to prevent her from losing more hair and to help with the dry flaky skin? I have bathed her a few times to try to remove what I could of the Advantix - but I understand that it is absorbed through the bloodstream, so I'm not sure how helpful it is. The large sore where most of the Advantix went is healing - but this dog is from show quality stock and I have not been able to show her because of her thin poor coat which I now contribute to the use of Advantix. I wouldn't have realized what caused the problem - but when I put it on last Tuesday (9 days ago) she moved, so I squeased most of the stuff out on one spot - the spot where she ended up with the rash and sore. How long should it take to recover and for her to coat to come back in? And is there ANYTHING I can do now?
Patty 11/10/05
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I had taken my dog to the animal hospital for a lyme test which she tested positive. They told me to give
her K9Advantix to prevent it. I usually use Frontline and have not had a problem. When I gave my little
5.8lb 3yr old poodle the medication it immediately gave her a reaction. The site is so sore and red and
she wants to itch it constantly. I bathed her and I wrapped the area with gauze. I feel this could be much worse after reading the messages on your site. I have sent complaints out out to the appropriate people. Thank you for your site.
Andrea 11/11/05
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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.
