Green Pet Care: Toxic Medications?
Last week I wrote about how pet owners can make more sustainable choices when it comes to their pets. A few days later, Green Options received an e-mail from James, a pet owner whose Dalmation, Hamish, suffered grand mal seizures from what James believed were toxic flea/tick medications.
Upon further investigation, it turns out that the EPA didn't even regulate over-the-counter pet products such as these until 1996, and was still phasing out pet products containing certain chemicals as late as last year.
In fact, the Humane Society issued a warning about flea/tick medications, and the Natural Resources Defense Council released a report in 2000 titled Poisons on Pets: Health Hazards from Flea and Tick Products which linked these chemicals found in flea/tick medications to serious health problems in both pets and humans. The main offenders are organophosphate insecticides and carbamates, which interfere with nerve signals in the body. Though meant to work on insects, they can have similar effects on the nervous systems of pets and humans, particularly children because of their developing nervous system. There is also ample evidence to suggest that long-term exposure to products containing such chemicals can produce serious health problems, such as later-in-life cancer and Parkinson's, in children who were exposed at an early age. Kittens and cats are also particularly vulnerable when exposed to OTC products for dogs.
This doesn't mean that all flea/tick medications are dangerous: this mainly applies to older brands of OTC medications. Avoid products that list chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon, malathion, carbaryl, or propoxur in their active ingredients. Take the safe route and always get your pet's medication from your vet–it's not worth the few bucks you'd save by buying products over the counter. There are also safe non-pesticide methods to flea/tick control, including using flea combs, regular shampooing, increased vaccuming/sweeping, and keeping pets inside, but again, talk to your vet about what is best for your pet.
May 22nd, 2007 at 6:48 pm
To add to this topic:
The most common misapplication associated with pet flea/tick products is using a dog product on a cat or using the wrong size applicator tube (such as a tube intended for a 30 lb cat on a 15 lb cat).
Make sure that you read and fully understand the label before applying any product.
Also, be extremely wary of products with very high concentrations of the active ingredient (e.g. > 40%) - toxicity has a lot to do with concentration.
If you have questions about a specific product, give the EPA-sponsored National Pesticide Information Center a call at 800-858-7378 (http://npic.orst.edu). The NPIC also takes incident reports for situations in which an animal has experienced adverse effects from a product.
May 27th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Only use medications prescribed by a licensed Vet. Advantage or Advantix(not for cats) or Frontline. Some use Revolution. Any over the counter may be cheaper, but you warrant harming your pet. Hartz bio spot is hazardous and fatal to cats and some dogs have had bad allergy reactions. The extra money is well worth the peace of mind.
May 31st, 2007 at 2:07 am
Here’s a tip; a few drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid in the bath water will get rid of fleas. Arbico organics is one company that provides natural pet care products, and there are many more. Remember - if a chemical is harmful to humans, there’s a good chance that it’s harmful to your pets, as well.